It’s the first question every new dart player runs into, and the one that quietly decides which darts, boards, and accessories you’ll buy for years. Steel tip and soft tip aren’t just two kinds of points. They’re two different games, with different boards, different venues, different weights, and different feels. Pick the wrong one and you’ll end up with gear that doesn’t fit how or where you actually play, and you’ll be back buying a second set sooner than you’d like. We’ve been fitting players with the right setup since 1978, so here’s the honest, complete breakdown.
The Short Answer
Play on a traditional bristle (sisal) board, in a pub, league, or at home the classic way? You want steel tip. Play on an electronic machine that keeps score for you, common in bars, arcades, and soft tip leagues? You want soft tip. Most players end up owning both eventually, but your first set should match the board you’ll throw at most. Everything below explains why, and what changes between the two games.
Steel Tip Darts: The Traditional Game
Steel tip is the original game, the one you see on television. Fixed metal points are thrown at a bristle dartboard made of compressed sisal fibers that “heal” around the point after each throw. This is the format used in professional darts, in most established leagues, and by anyone who wants the traditional experience.
- Board: Bristle/sisal only. Never throw steel tip at an electronic board, you’ll destroy the segments.
- Weight range: Typically 20g to 26g, with 23g to 25g being the most common starting point.
- Feel: Solid, weighty, satisfying. The fixed point means consistent penetration into the board.
- Best for: Players who want the traditional game, league play on bristle boards, and the closest experience to televised professional darts.
The steel tip experience rewards a controlled, repeatable throw. Because the points are fixed and heavier, the dart plants firmly and gives you clear feedback on every throw. If steel tip is your game, start with our steel tip darts and pair them with a quality bristle dartboard.
Soft Tip Darts: The Electronic Game
Soft tip uses flexible plastic points thrown at an electronic dartboard with hundreds of small holes. The machine detects the hit and scores automatically. Soft tip took off in bars and arcades because the electronic board handles scoring, runs games and tournaments, and is safer in crowded venues. It has its own leagues and its own dedicated following, and the machines can run dozens of game variations that would be tedious to score by hand.
- Board: Electronic only. The plastic tips flex into the holes to register a hit.
- Weight range: Usually lighter, 16g to 20g, because electronic boards have a maximum weight limit to avoid bounce-outs and damage.
- Feel: Lighter throw, plastic tips that occasionally need replacing (they’re cheap and quick to swap).
- Best for: Bar and league players on electronic machines, families who want automatic scoring, and anyone in a soft tip league.
The trade-off with soft tip is the weight limit and the plastic tips. Because the darts are lighter and the tips flex, the feel is different from steel tip. But for the electronic game it’s the only option, and the automatic scoring makes it welcoming for newcomers and casual play. For the electronic game, browse our soft tip darts and keep a supply of replacement soft tips on hand, they wear out with use and it pays to never run out mid-match.
Side by Side: The Key Differences
If you’re weighing the two, here’s what actually changes between them:
- Board type: Steel tip needs a bristle board; soft tip needs an electronic board. They are not interchangeable.
- Scoring: Steel tip is scored by the players (or a chalker); soft tip machines score automatically.
- Weight: Steel tip runs heavier (20g to 26g), soft tip lighter (16g to 20g) due to board limits.
- Venue: Steel tip dominates traditional pubs, homes, and classic leagues; soft tip dominates bars, arcades, and electronic leagues.
- Maintenance: Steel tip means caring for a bristle board; soft tip means replacing worn plastic tips.
Can You Switch Between the Two?
Yes, and many players do. Conversion points let you take a soft tip barrel and add a steel point (or vice versa) so one set of barrels works for both games. This is a smart move if you know you’ll play both formats, it saves you from buying two complete sets, since the barrel is the expensive part. The points and tips themselves are inexpensive. If you think you’ll play both, ask us about conversion setups before you buy. You’ll find conversion points and the accessories you need in our conversion points section.
Which Should a Beginner Choose?
Don’t overthink it, let the board decide. Ask yourself one question: where will I actually throw most of the time? If you’re setting up a board at home or joining a traditional league, that’s a bristle board, so go steel tip. If your darts nights happen at a bar with an electronic machine or you’re joining a soft tip league, go soft tip. Buy for where you’ll play, not for the game you imagine playing someday. You can always add the other format later, and the conversion-point trick makes that cheap when you do.
Still Not Sure? Ask Us
The simplest way to decide is to talk it through with someone who’s set up thousands of players. If you tell us where you play and how often, we’ll point you straight to the right format and the right first set, no guesswork, no buying twice. Call us at 602-279-1917 or stop by the shop. Getting players into the right setup the first time is exactly what we’ve done since 1978.