Enter your reel and how much string each racquet eats up. Get racquets per reel, leftover, and your real cost per stringing — instantly.
16
full racquets per reel
$7.50
Cost per stringing
11.8 m
Used per racquet (incl. waste)
11.2 m
Leftover on reel
0.4 m under set
vs. buying a 12.2 m set
A 200 m reel at $120 gives about 16 restrings. Set the cut-off waste to match how cleanly you tie off — careful stringers waste under 0.3 m, learners closer to 1 m.
What this tennis string reel calculator does
Buying string on a reel instead of single sets is how almost every regular stringer saves money — but the catch is figuring out whether a reel actually pays off, and how many racquets you'll get out of it. This tool answers both in seconds. You tell it the reel length, the reel price, and roughly how much string each of your racquets uses, and it returns the number of full restrings, the cost per stringing, the leftover stub on the reel, and how that compares to buying string as individual sets.
It works in metres or feet, so it fits whether your reel is labelled 200 m or 660 ft, and the price field uses your own currency — just type the number.
How to use it
Pick metres or feet at the top so every field matches your reel's label.
Enter the reel length and price. A standard tennis reel is 200 m (about 660 ft); some brands sell 100 m, 220 m, or 110 m reels.
Choose your string-per-racquet from the pattern list, or pick Custom and type your own measured figure for an exact result.
Set the cut-off waste — the bit you trim and discard at each tie-off. This is the number most online estimates ignore, and it's why people run a racquet short on the last job.
Read the big number: that's how many racquets you can fully string before the reel runs out.
How much string does one racquet use?
Most frames use roughly 10.5–12 m (35–40 ft) per restring. The split is about 60% mains, 40% crosses, because the mains run the full length of the head and are longer. Denser patterns (18×20) and oversize heads eat more; open patterns (16×18) use a little less. Manufacturers sell sets at 12.2 m (40 ft) on purpose — that built-in buffer means a single set covers nearly any frame with margin to spare.
String pattern
Typical use
Notes
16 × 18 (open)
~11.0 m / 36 ft
Fewer crosses, slightly less string
16 × 19 (standard)
~11.5 m / 38 ft
Most common frame
18 × 20 (dense)
~12.0 m / 39 ft
Control frames; use full set
Oversize 110+ in²
~12.5 m / 41 ft
Longer mains; check before cutting
Figures are guidance for measuring off a reel. Always measure your own frame the first time, then save that number as your custom value.
When and why you'd reach for this
Deciding between reel vs. sets. A reel only saves money if you'll actually use most of it before it ages — the cost-per-stringing figure makes that call obvious.
Stringing for a team or club. Quickly check whether one reel covers the squad or whether you need two.
Hybrid setups. Run the calculator twice — once for your mains string and once for your crosses — since each side comes off a different reel and uses roughly 60/40 of a normal racquet's length.
Stocking up before a season. Estimate how many reels you need for a known number of restrings without over-buying string that can dry out.
Common mistakes
Forgetting tie-off waste. Cut too generously every job and a "17-racquet" reel quietly becomes 15.
Using the same length for every frame. A dense 18×20 oversize can use almost a metre more than an open 16×18 mid-plus.
Cutting from the reel before measuring. Pull the length off, then cut — pre-measuring the first time prevents an expensive short pull.
Ignoring natural gut shelf life. Cost-per-stringing only wins if you finish the reel before the string degrades.
Frequently asked questions
How many racquets can you string from a 200m reel?
Usually about 16 to 18. With a common 11.5 m per racquet you get roughly 17 full restrings; dense 18×20 patterns, oversize heads, and generous cut-off waste push it toward 16. This calculator shows the exact number for your own figures.
Is a reel actually cheaper than buying sets?
Almost always. Single sets carry packaging markup, so dividing a reel across 16–18 racquets often lands near half the per-restring cost of sets. The "cost per stringing" output here lets you compare it directly against a set price.
How much string is one set, and why 12.2 m?
A set is 12.2 m (40 ft). That length is deliberately a bit more than any single frame needs so it covers everything from a small mid to an oversize head with a safety buffer left over.
How do I measure string for a hybrid?
A hybrid uses two different strings — typically poly mains and a softer cross. Mains take about 60% and crosses about 40% of a normal racquet's length. Run this tool once per reel using those split lengths.
Does string gauge change how much I need?
No — gauge is thickness, not length. The length per racquet depends on head size and string pattern, not on whether you use 16 or 17 gauge.