The differences
| Steel tip | Soft tip | |
|---|---|---|
| Darts | Sharp metal points, usually 18–30 g | Plastic points, usually 16–20 g |
| Board | Bristle (sisal), with thin wire between the beds | Plastic, with small holes the points stick into |
| Scoring | Kept by the players, on a chalkboard or an app | Counted by the board |
| Distance to the oche | 7 ft 9¼ in (237 cm) | Usually 8 ft (244 cm) |
| Where it's played | Pubs and clubs, leagues, and the pro game on TV | Pubs and clubs with electronic machines, soft-tip leagues and at home |
How playing feels different
Soft-tip boards have more bounce-outs than bristle boards, and a dart that bounces out often still counts if the board registered the hit. Steel-tip darts stick or fall: a bounce-out scores nothing.
The bull can differ too. Steel tip has an outer bull worth 25 and a bullseye worth 50, and on many electronic boards a setting decides whether the whole bull counts as 50 or the two are scored apart.
Which to start with
If you want to play in steel-tip leagues or follow the game on TV, start with steel tip: a bristle board and a set of darts cost less than a good electronic board, and a bristle board lasts for years. See getting started for what to buy and dartboard height for setting it up.
If your friends play on the machines, soft tip is where they are. The skills carry over both ways, and plenty of players play both.
Scoring with The Darts App
The Darts App is built for steel tip: you tap in each dart or each visit, and it does the math, shows your checkouts and tracks your averages. Soft-tip players can use it too, scoring by hand, but it doesn't connect to electronic boards.
Questions
What is the difference between steel tip and soft tip darts?
Steel-tip darts have metal points and are thrown at a bristle board that the players score. Soft-tip darts have plastic points and are thrown at an electronic board that scores itself. Steel tip is thrown from 7 ft 9¼ in, soft tip usually from 8 ft.
Can you use steel tip darts on a soft tip board?
No. Metal points damage an electronic board. Use soft-tip darts on electronic boards and steel-tip darts on bristle boards.
Which is better for beginners, steel tip or soft tip?
Either is fine. Steel tip is the game played in most leagues and on TV, and a good bristle board costs less than a good electronic one. Soft tip scores itself, which some new players like.
Free darts scoring that tracks your averages.