Butterfly Table Tennis Balls: The Ultimate Buyer's Guide! (Updated for 2022)

 Table Tennis Ball Comparison Chart

Overview

Butterfly Table Tennis was founded over 60 years ago by the late Hikosuke Tamasu and has become one of the most renowned table tennis brands that manufactures high-quality table tennis tables, table tennis rackets & blades, table tennis balls and accessories. What makes Butterfly special is that the company uses modern technology to develop high-performance table tennis products for table tennis players of all ages and skill levels. 

Table tennis balls are an essential component to the great game of table tennis. Here at eTableTennis.com, we strongly believe that Butterfly makes some of the finest table tennis balls on the market. However, many table tennis players often wonder what the differences are between one type of ping pong ball versus another. To help out our fellow ping pong players and enthusiasts, we've decided to provide a buyer's guide to help those of you interested in Butterfly table tennis balls find the right set for you.

The Different Types of Butterfly Table Tennis Balls

Butterfly 40+ Training Table Tennis Balls

Great for Table Tennis Training & Recreational Play!

The Butterfly 40+ Training Table Tennis Balls are high quality table tennis balls that are durable, have good bounce, are economical, and of 40 millimeter regulation size. Available in 12 count or 120 count quantities, the Butterfly 40+ Training Table Tennis Balls are ideal for beginner or intermediate ping pong players who need a quality ball for practice or for recreational play at the home, office, school, or recreation center.   

Butterfly Practice Table Tennis Balls

Great for Table Tennis Training & Recreational Play!

The Butterfly Practice White Table Tennis Balls are ideal for multi-ball practice and are more durable than many other 1 or 2 star table tennis balls on the market. Available in 120 count quantity and produced in the same facility as Butterfly's 3-Star table tennis balls, these white practice balls are a great value and can also be used for recreational or casual play. 

Butterfly A40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls

Ideal for Beginner & Intermediate Table Tennis Training & Competitive Play!

The ITTF-Approved Butterfly A40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are high quality table tennis balls that are the official ball of the 2018 World Table Tennis Championships in Halsted, Sweden and the 2019 World Table Tennis Championships in Budapest, Hungary!  With similar feel and roundness to that of a traditional celluloid ping pong ball, this 40 millimeter regulation size ball is available in 3, 6, or 12 count quantities, has excellent speed, bounce, durability, stability, and is ideal for beginner and intermediate level table tennis training or competitive play.  

Butterfly G40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls

Ideal for High-level Table Tennis Training & Competitive Play!

The ITTF-Approved Butterfly G40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are highly durable and great for high-level training or competitive play. Available in 3 or 12 count quantities, what makes the 40mm regulation-size Butterfly G40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Ball truly unique is that, although made of durable plastic, the balls resemble the old-fashioned celluloid table tennis balls. Historically, celluloid table tennis balls were greatly preferred by many ping pong enthusiasts due to their excellent bounce, speed, spin, stability, and roundness.  The Butterfly G40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Ball is the official ball of Butterfly sponsored tournaments throughout the United States of America and Canada.  

Butterfly R40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls

Ideal for High-level Table Tennis Training & Competitive Play!

As one of the latest Butterfly table tennis ball models, the ITTF-Approved Butterfly R40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are known for their higher and more persistent bounce when compared to other Butterfly balls. Available in 3 or 12 count quantities, the Butterfly R40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Ball is ideal for high-level competitive play or table tennis training.  

Butterfly S40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls

Ideal for High-level Table Tennis Training & Competitive Play!

Made in Germany, the Butterfly S40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls are of  ITTF competition-grade quality. Available in 3 or 12 count quantities, the long-lasting Butterfly S40+ 3-Star Table Tennis Balls come with a rougher surface compared to other balls which makes it easier to generate spin on the ball while also resulting in more discreet sound. This table tennis ball is also arguable the most durable of all the Butterfly table tennis balls and are a greatly preferred by players who like to use a lot of topspin. 

How to Choose the Right Ping Pong Balls

1) How often do I play table tennis?

The more often you play table tennis, the more ping pong balls you will need. This is because playing ping pong more frequently results in more wear and tear on the table tennis balls over time. However, this can be remedied by either buying a large quantity of 1 or 2 star table tennis balls, or by purchasing higher quality 3 star table tennis balls. Since the 3 star balls are made with more durable material, they typically last much longer which means you won't need as many balls. 

2) How do I plan to use the table tennis balls?

How you plan to use the ping pong balls is equally important as how often you will use the balls. For the casual table tennis player who plays once or twice a week, purchasing a 6 or 12 count of ping pong balls will likely be just fine. However, for table tennis players who intend to play many terms per week, or plan to partake in high level multi-ball table tennis training, opting for a 36, 72, or 144 count of ping pong balls will likely suit you best. 

Want to view more table tennis balls?

At eTableTennis.com, in addition to Butterfly table tennis balls, we also carry a variety of other types of ping pong balls by top brands including Joola, Killerspin, RS Barcelona, and more! Please view our entire table tennis ball collection: Table Tennis Balls.