Synthetic Turf vs Artificial Turf: Are They the Same?

Synthetic turf vs artificial turf: are they the same?

Short answer: yes. Synthetic turf, artificial turf, artificial grass, synthetic grass and fake grass all mean the same thing: a surface of synthetic fibers made to look and perform like natural grass. AstroTurf is a brand name that became a nickname. The names don't tell you anything about quality; the product specifications do.

Why there are so many names

"Artificial turf" and "synthetic turf" came from sports fields, where turf means a playing surface. "Artificial grass" and "fake grass" are what homeowners usually say about lawns. Installers use them interchangeably, and so do we. What actually matters is which type of turf you're buying and what it's made of.

Landscape turf vs sports turf

• Landscape turf is made for lawns: softer, more natural-looking fibers in several shades and blade shapes, made to look like a real lawn.
• Sports turf is made for athletic fields: built for heavy use and ball roll, often with rubber and sand infill and a shock pad, and less concerned with looking like a lawn.
• Putting green and pet turf are specialized: short, dense fibers for ball roll, or a drainage-focused backing for pets.

What turf is made of

• Polyethylene: soft and natural-looking, the most common fiber in landscape turf.
• Nylon: very durable and resilient, common in putting greens.
• Polypropylene: less expensive and less durable, used in some low-traffic products.

Synthetic turf vs natural grass

The real comparison most homeowners are making isn't between two names, but between turf and a natural lawn:

• Maintenance: natural grass needs mowing, irrigation and fertilizer; turf needs brushing and rinsing.
• Durability: natural grass wears out under heavy use; quality turf stays even for years.
• Look and feel: natural grass is a living lawn with a cooling effect; turf stays green all year but gets warmer in direct sun.
• Water: turf needs no irrigation, with no fertilizer runoff.

For the full picture, read artificial grass pros and cons.

What to compare instead of names

Fiber material, pile height, face weight (density), backing and drainage, UV stability, infill and warranty. And above all, the installation: the same turf performs very differently on a poor base.

Artificial turf vs natural grass: what's the difference in practice?

Since synthetic and artificial turf are the same thing, the real question is turf vs natural grass. Real grass is a living plant: it produces oxygen, has a cooling effect and helps with soil erosion and runoff. It also needs mowing, irrigation, fertilizer and lawn care, and it wears out on heavy-use areas like soccer fields and dog runs. Natural turf grass is grown on farms and laid as sod, and it needs to be replaced when it dies.

An artificial surface stays green with no mowing and no water, and quality turf keeps its look and feel for years. The trade-offs: it gets warmer in direct sun, it isn't a living lawn, and artificial turf fields for sports are built differently from a green lawn at home.

Turf fields vs home lawns

On sports fields, the turf surface is engineered to reduce the risk of injuries and handle constant wear and tear, with rubber infill and shock pads. A home lawn needs a softer, more natural look and feel, closer to the feel of natural grass. That's why "artificial turf and artificial grass" can feel like different products even though they're the same category: they're built for specific needs.

Benefits of artificial turf for homeowners

• Low maintenance: no mowing, no fertilizer, no irrigation.
• Durability: stays even where kids and dogs play.
• A green lawn all year, even in drought.

When the new turf eventually needs to be replaced, after 15 to 20 years for quality products, the base can usually be reused when installing artificial grass again.

The real takeaway

Synthetic turf and artificial turf are the same thing. Choose by specifications, use and installer, not by name. If you want help choosing turf for your lawn, see our artificial turf installation.