We've put together a list of the best iPad styluses for all digital drawers and note takers. For drawing, you'll want precision, a pen-like feel, palm rejection, pressure sensitivity, and fast response time. If you only need a stylus for taking notes, a cheaper, basic option will suffice. We cover them all here.
We've made our selection of the best iPad styluses through either getting hands-on experience with the stylus, or getting feedback from professional creatives, and a whole lot of user reviews. With all this, we've then considered each device's value, design, and device specifications.
For more options, in particular, more affordable ones, take a look at our guide to the best Apple Pencil alternatives. If you're an artist weighing up your slate options, see our choices of the best drawing tablets (spoiler: there are a few iPads in there) and to avoid running out of power while you're drawing on-the-go, see our roundup of the best power banks. For now, though, here's our guide to choosing the best iPad stylus.
The best iPad stylus available now
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The best iPad stylus overall
+ Ergonomic
+ App compatible
+ All-rounder
- New iPads only
It's the best, but it comes at a price. It offers a comfortable and balanced feel, rapid response time, and pressure sensitivity for smooth drawing and notetaking. In classic Apple fashion, it's packed with cool features; wireless charging, gesture controls, and a flat-edge design that prevents rolling. For more details, refer to our full review.
The best iPad stylus for older models
+ Compatibility
+ Performance
+ Slightly cheaper
- Not magnetic
- Rounder sides
The original Apple Pencil offers a premium drawing experience with excellent sensitivity and battery life. It charges quickly via a Lightning connector, but not magnetically, and the cap is easy to lose. It is slightly cheaper than the Apple Pencil 2, but it's still pricey. For more information, see our full review.
The best iPad stylus not made by Apple
+ More affordable
+ Instantly connects
+ Palm rejection
- Pressure sensitivity
The Logitech Crayon is an excellent iPad stylus, even earning Apple's official approval. While it lacks pressure sensitivity, it offers impressive precision and features like Dynamic Line Weight. With easy connectivity, a durable battery, and a comfortable aluminum build, it's suitable for both kids and adults. For more information, check out our full review.
A great affordable iPad stylus option
+ Stylish
+ Battery life
- Pressure sensitivity
- No Bluetooth
The Adonit Dash 4 offers versatility and compatibility with most iPads. While it lacks pressure sensitivity, it can toggle palm rejection for drawing or writing. With a sleek aluminum design and a long-lasting battery, it's a great option for casual users. For more details, see our Adonit Dash 4 review.
A good, affordable third-party iPad stylus
+ Palm rejection
+ Tilt sensitivity
- Pressure sensitivity
- Wireless charging
The Zagg Pro Stylus is a solid alternative to the Apple Pencil, offering palm rejection and tilt sensitivity. It's lacking pressure sensitivity but provides a comfortable and seamless sketching experience across most iPad apps. With a hidden USB charging port and magnetic attachment, it's cost-effective and well-designed.
A top-quality third-party stylus for drawing and note-taking
+ Pressure sensitivity
+ App compatibility
- Sensitive buttons
- Palm rejection
Adonit's Pixel stylus grants pressure sensitivity, making it a standout choice for iPad drawing. With Bluetooth connectivity and 2,048 pressure levels, it's compatible with creative apps and features customizable buttons. The 15-hour battery life and sleek design enhance its premium feel, but it comes at a similar price point to Apple's offerings.
The best cheap iPad stylus
+ Value
+ Comfortable
- Very basic
- No connectivity
Adonit's Mark stylus is an affordable, basic stylus that lets you navigate your iPad. It offers a comfortable grip, an anti-roll design, and a precise, smudge-free mesh tip for seamless website and app navigation. While not groundbreaking, it's the best budget choice for basic iPad usage.
A beautiful wood-inspired stylus
+ Design
+ Battery life
+ Palm rejection
- No pressure
With its beautiful wooden texture and light weight, this is the most pencil-like Apple Pencil alternatives available now. It's budget-friendly, so doesn't offer pressure sensitivity, but does have palm rejection.
The best cheap iPad stylus
+ Very affordable
+ Strong build
- Pressure sensitivity
- Basic
This incredibly affordable stylus lacks advanced features like pressure sensitivity but performs well for basic tasks. It offers a clear disc nib for precise drawing, replaceable tips, and compatibility with various devices. While not suitable for detailed digital art, it serves admirably for quick sketches, note-taking, and browsing.
Which Apple Pencil works with my iPad?
Which versions of the iPad is the Apple Pencil 2 compatible with? You can use the newer 2018 device with the fourth-generation iPad Air (2020), the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (third generation) and later, and the iPad Pro 11-inch (first generation) and most iPads that come later, the exception being cheaper models such as the recent 10.2-inch 9th gen iPad, which only supports the original Apple Pencil.
The original Apple Pencil works with iPad Pro 12.9-inch (first and second generation), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 9.7-inch, iPad (sixth generation to ninth generation) and iPad mini fifth generation. It can all get a bit confusing, so to compare the two styluses, see our guide to Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2 where we cover in detail the differences between the two models, as well as their various compatibilities.
What makes a good iPad stylus?
Which is the best iPad stylus for you? That depends a lot on your needs, but for most people, a comfortable hold is critical. A stylus is no good if using it is less comfortable than simply using your finger on the touchscreen. A good stylus should sit easily in your hand and be comfortable to use for long periods. Of course, you also need a tip that won't scratch your screen, which is the reason why you should avoid super-cheap styluses from dodgy-looking websites.
If you want a stylus simply to navigate on your iPad and maybe take down notes, those two criteria may be enough. However, if you want to use your iPad stylus to sketch or illustrate, then you'll want to consider paying more for more sophisticated features. The terms below are the ones to look out for.
Pressure sensitivity: This is important for drawing and you'll see it mentioned a lot in our guide above. Cheaper styluses have only two states of operation – drawing a line, or not drawing a line. However, premium styluses with pressure sensitivity can detect how hard you're pressing and vary the thickness of the line accordingly. In digital art, this is hugely important.
Different styluses offer different levels of pressure sensitivity (as do different tablets). Styluses with 2,048 distinct levels of pressure sensitivity are fairly common, but some offer as many as 8,192. Apple is notably quiet about how many levels its Pencil can detect, though it's clearly quite a few.
Palm rejection: With palm rejection, you can rest your hand comfortably on the surface of the tablet while you're drawing without it impacting on your work, just as you would a piece of paper. Without it, the tablet may get confused with the multiple input signals. If you're planning to spend long sessions drawing, a stylus with palm rejection will make things much more fluid and comfortable.
Tilt sensitivity: like with pressure sensitivity, tilt sensitivity allows you to fine-tune your drawing. It allows the tablet to detect the angle at which the stylus is being placed against the screen. This allows you to vary line shape and thickness in a very intuitive manner, just as you would with a pen or pencil.
Wireless connectivity: Some of the above features require the stylus to be connected to your tablet, so it can be a great advantage to have a stylus that offers connectivity via Bluetooth or similar wireless technology. Styluses with this option also tend to be a lot more compatible with drawing apps.
All these features are great to have, and fairly essential if you're planning on using your iPad stylus for digital art. They do add to the cost, however, and aren't necessary if you're only going to use your iPad stylus for note-taking and general navigation.
Can a stylus damage an iPad?
A stylus designed specifically for an iPad, like the Apple Pencil or a third-party option like a Zagg Pro Stylus, will be made with a soft tip and therefore will be unlikely to run any risk of damaging an iPad. The only real danger will be if you use a stylus that isn't intended for an iPad, and hasn't been optimised specifically for an iPad screen. It may damage the iPad screen, and also probably won't work all that well. So stick with an iPad-specific stylus and you shouldn't run into any problems.
