The price of bubble football balls – and is it worth buying them?

The price of bubble football balls on one manufacturer’s list is around $200–230 (roughly €180–200) for a single ball about 0.8 mm thick. But a game needs a set of 10–12 balls, so the balls and a pump alone will cost you around €2,000–2,450 – before you add a van, storage, repairs and any import charges. For comparison, renting from us with staff costs €17 per person per hour.

We’ve been running bubble football games in Krakow for over a decade, and we know how much work the kit needs off the pitch. Below we do the maths honestly: what buying costs, what upkeep costs, and when buying makes sense versus renting.

The price of bubble football balls: one ball vs a full set

Ball prices vary a lot depending on material, thickness, size and seller, so treat the figures below as a benchmark, not a price list. On one manufacturer’s price list, a single 0.8 mm TPU ball costs around $200. The same company sells a set of 10 PVC balls, 1.5 m in diameter, with a pump for around $2,300, with customs duty and import taxes not included.

In euros, that works out at roughly:

• €180–200 for a single ball,
• €2,000 for a set of 10 balls with a pump,
• €2,350–2,450 for a set of 12 balls (10 × 1.5 m and 2 × 1.7 m) – the kind of set we play with.

On top of that comes the delivery time – weeks if shipped by sea – plus any customs duty and VAT if you buy from outside the European Union. Online shops also sell single balls at all sorts of prices, but before you buy the cheapest, check the material, the thickness and what the manufacturer intends it for.

TPU or PVC?

The most important decision when buying is the material. According to a material selection guide for wholesale buyers:

• TPU is usually more expensive than PVC, by as much as 20–50%, though it varies between sellers;
• PVC can become brittle in freezing temperatures, while TPU stays flexible even in the cold;
• PVC is easier to repair, while more serious TPU repairs may need specialist welding;
• typical thickness is 0.6–0.9 mm for PVC and 0.8–1.2 mm for TPU.

The manufacturer whose price list we quote also stresses that TPU is more durable, more abrasion-resistant and lighter than PVC. If the balls will be used often, including on cold days, TPU is usually the more sensible choice. For occasional summer fun, PVC will do.

What sizes and how many?

Size depends on height: a 1.5 m ball fits players from about 150 cm, and a 1.7 m ball suits those from about 180 cm. So it’s worth having at least two larger balls in the set for the tallest players. Manufacturers also make smaller sizes, such as 1.2 m, but we only play with 1.5 m and 1.7 m balls – our players are children from age 10 and adults.

A full match needs 10–12 balls, because that’s how many people play on the pitch at once. Four balls are enough for Bubble Sumo or one-on-one duels, but not for a 5-a-side match.

Hidden costs: pump, van, storage and repairs

The price of the balls is just the beginning. Before you decide to buy, also factor in:

1. Pump. To inflate a full set you need a powerful electric pump – with a hand pump, you’ll spend half the party on twelve balls. Outdoors, remember there’s usually no power socket on the grass in a park.
2. Transport. Twelve balls 1.5–1.7 m in diameter take up a lot of space even deflated, and each weighs about 10 kg when inflated. In practice you need a van.
3. Somewhere to play. The balls alone aren’t enough – you need a hall, an Orlik pitch (one of the free public all-weather pitches built across Poland) or flat grass. For comparison, our hall rental costs €58 an hour.
4. Storage. The balls must be kept somewhere dry, away from sharp edges, and cleaned and dried before being put away. Don’t leave PVC balls in an unheated garage over winter, as the material can become brittle in the frost.
5. Repairs. Small punctures can be patched with a repair kit, which manufacturers often include. Split seams or torn straps and grips are more serious, and a ball without working straps can’t be used.
6. Time. Inflating, cleaning, drying and packing mean work before the game and long after it.
7. Responsibility for safety. When you buy the balls, you take on what the organiser does when you rent: briefing players on putting the ball on, checking height and weight limits, refereeing and dealing with injuries. If you plan to rent the balls out for money, also look into insurance and the paperwork. We cover the risks and how to reduce them in our article on whether bubble football is safe.

Bubble football: purchase price vs rental cost

	Buying a set of 12 balls	Renting with staff (from us)
Upfront cost	around €2,350–2,450 with a pump, plus any duty and VAT	none
12-person game, 1 hour	cost of a pitch or hall, plus your time	€204 without a hall (€17/person), €264 with a hall (€22/person)
Transport	your own van	free delivery within 15 km of Krakow city centre, then €0.23/km
Inflating and packing up	you	our staff member
Storage and repairs	you	our job
Briefing and safety	your responsibility	briefing and organiser’s supervision
Referee, photos, video	you organise it	VIP package (€28/person) or add-ons

Simple maths: at €204 for a one-hour game for 12 people, a set costing around €2,350–2,450 only ‘pays for itself’ after roughly 12 games. And that assumes the van, storage, repairs, hall and your time cost nothing – in practice, the break-even point is higher.

When does buying make sense?

• You plan to play regularly, e.g. several times a month, with the same group.
• You run a club, leisure centre, school or events company and have a van, storage and staff to run games.
• You’re prepared to take on briefing, refereeing and responsibility for players’ safety.

When is it better to rent?

• You’re organising a one-off event: a stag do, birthday, team-building event or class outing.
• You play once or twice a year.
• You don’t have a van or space for the balls – or you simply don’t want to inflate twelve balls before every game.

Bubble football: where to buy the balls?

You can buy bubble football balls from online shops and marketplaces, and whole sets directly from manufacturers, including some outside the European Union. Before you buy, check:

• the material (TPU or PVC) and wall thickness,
• sizes that match the players’ height,
• the quality of the seams, straps and grips,
• the warranty and repair kit,
• whether a pump is included,
• the shipping cost and time, and whether the price includes customs duty and VAT.

Renting with staff – what do you get for €17?

Ball rental alone costs €17 per person for an hour. One of our team arrives with the balls, inflates them, shows you how to put them on and supervises the game, and delivery within 15 km of Krakow city centre is free (then €0.23/km; we travel all over Poland). If you don’t have a pitch, choose the package with a hall at €22 per person. For stag dos, the most popular choice is the VIP package at €28 per person, with a game host and referee, souvenir photos, a bottle of water for everyone and a professional warm-up.

You’ll find all options and add-ons in our bubble football price list, and we walk through the whole process in a bubble football game step by step: from booking to the final whistle. If you’re new to the game, start with what bubble football is and what a game in inflatable balls looks like.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent bubble football balls without staff?

With us, rental always includes a person who brings the balls, inflates them, shows you how to put them on and supervises the game. That’s part of the service in the €17 per person price, not an extra charge.

How much does bubble football cost for 10 people?

€170 without a hall (10 × €17), €220 with a hall and €280 for the VIP package. Add-ons such as photo coverage or a video are charged separately.

Can I get an invoice for renting the balls?

Yes, we issue VAT invoices to companies and institutions such as schools.

How quickly do you reply to rental enquiries?

Within 24 hours. Just use the booking form, email kontakt@bumperball-krakow.pl or call +48 509 196 229 (Sylwester).