- 8.00/10 1. Premium pick: Zagg Pro Stylus
- 8.40/10 2. Editors choice: The Friendly Swede 4-in-1 Stylus
- 8.20/10 3. Best value: Adonit Mark Aluminum Stylus
- 9.20/10 4. Staedtler Noris Digital Classic Stylus
- 8.40/10 5. Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus
- 6.60/10 6. Adobe Ink & Slide Stylus
- 8.00/10 7. Tesha Stylus Pen
With the invention of touchscreens, it's only natural the next step of evolution would be a pen-like device—a stylus.
Styluses don't require any ink, yet still serve the same utility, sometimes more, than a traditional writing utensil, like a pen or pencil.
Why write notes with your finger when you could with a stylus?
There are dozens of different styluses out there to choose from, but only a few provide a good grip or a natural way to write notes or draw. Even fewer offer a fair set of features.
Here are the best styluses for taking notes available today.
Premium pick1. Zagg Pro Stylus
8.00 / 10 Read ReviewsThe Zagg Pro Stylus has a wonderful set of features that make it perfect for taking notes, while also being useful for doodling. More importantly, it’s very accommodating to iPads, being compatible with iPad 2017 and onward.
Its most useful feature is palm rejection, allowing for notes to be uninterrupted by the resting of your palm on the iPad. You can say goodbye to marks left behind by your hand or the iPad not knowing which to prioritize. And when you’re done, it can magnetically attach to the iPad.
The Zagg Pro Stylus also has tilt sensitivity; a great feature to have for shading and makes up for the lack of pressure sensitivity. Lastly, it charges via USB-C and lasts for a good nine hours.
Key Features- Tilt recognition technology
- Palm rejection technology
- Dual tip stylus design
- USB-C charging
- Brand: Zagg
- Compatibility: iPad
- Connectivity: Wireless
- Hidden USB-C charging port
- Palm rejection feature
- Lacks pressure sensitivity
- No Android support
1. The Friendly Swede 4-in-1 Stylus
8.40 / 10 Read ReviewsFor the artistically inclined, the Friendly Swede Stylus is an absolute must. Considering its features, taking notes is only one of its many strengths. This is because it doesn’t just come with a pen tip for drawing or notation, but three additional tips.
Want to recreate the feeling of painting? Pop off the ballpoint pen for the brush tip. You also get a fiber tip and precision disc, making it a 4-in-1 stylus. All of the attachments hide within the pen, so you’re never juggling pen tips.
The best part of the Friendly Swede Stylus is the lack of a rechargeable battery. You will never have to set it down to charge for a few hours; an especially helpful feature for long days.
Key Features- Connects to capacitive screens
- Doesn't require batteries
- Doesn't connect to Bluetooth
- Includes four different tips
- Brand: Friendly Swede
- Compatibility: Capacitive screens
- Connectivity: Wireless
- Doesn’t need to charge
- Comes with four stylus tips
- Limited to capacitive screens
- Subpar pressure sensitivity
1. Adonit Mark Aluminum Stylus
8.20 / 10 Read ReviewsWhen there is no need to get fancy, the Adonit Mark Aluminum Stylus does the job and does it well. The secret here isn’t just performance across all devices, but also durability.
Starting with the stylus itself, the tough aluminum body looks good, gives it great longevity, and will feel comfortable in your hands. Additionally, the mesh tip is equally durable, so it won’t fall apart when you’re doodling or taking notes.
In fact, it has an anti-roll design to keep the stylus from rolling away.
Key Features- No connection required
- Doesn't run on batteries
- Compatible with capacitive screens
- Made of aluminum
- Brand: Adonit
- Compatibility: Capacitive screens
- Connectivity: Wireless
- Anti-roll feature
- Durable design
- Lacks pressure sensitivity
- Lacks palm rejection
1. Staedtler Noris Digital Classic Stylus
9.20 / 10 Read ReviewsArtists (and notetakers) making the transition to digital art will love the Staedtler Noris Digital Classic Stylus. It doesn’t just have the appearance of a traditional drawing utensil, but it will feel like one, too.
Take one good look at the Staedtler Noris Digital Classic Stylus and you will see why: It looks and feels like a traditional pencil. That’s due to its wood design. With EMR technology, the stylus will never die and never need recharging. As you’re drawing or writing, two features come together to create an authentic experience: Palm rejection and pressure sensitivity.
The stylus lets you rest your hand on the tablet (or other devices) without causing an upset. And with 4,096 pressure levels, the line automatically adjusts on the heaviness of your hand.
Key Features- Made of wood
- EMR technology
- Pressure sensitivity technology
- Palm rejection technology
- Brand: Staedtler
- Compatibility: EMR screens
- Connectivity: Wireless
- 4,096 pressure levels
- Doesn’t need charging
- You can rest your palm on the screen
- Durability could be better
- Limited to EMR-compatible devices
1. Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus
8.40 / 10 Read ReviewsWhether you’re using a Wacom device or Windows OS, the Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus will feel right at home in either environment. It’s designed to feel comfortable in the hands, with a natural feel in the way it writes. Part of the reason are the nibs included: soft, medium, and hard. If you are used to writing on paper, using a softer nib will feel the most natural.
To accompany the nibs, the Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus has 4,096 pressure levels, which is especially helpful when drawing or sketching. As for design, it’s made of tough aluminum material, shaped in a cylinder and coming to a point.
This not only provides a similar experience to holding a pen or pencil but also the aesthetic.
Key Features- Compatible with Windows OS
- Aluminum design
- Pressure sensitivity technology
- Brand: Wacom
- Compatibility: Windows OS
- Connectivity: Wireless
- 4,096 pressure levels
- Tough aluminum material
- Can't be recharged
- Limited to Windows OS and Wacom
1. Adobe Ink & Slide Stylus
6.60 / 10 Read ReviewsIf you use any Adobe products, the Adobe Ink & Slide Stylus is practically an essential tool. It plays well with other programs but comes with additional features when Adobe is part of the equation, like a connection with Creative Cloud.
Its fine tip has precision performance, specifically 2,048 pressure levels. And with the Adobe Slide that comes along with it, users can create perfectly straight lines and even trace over French curves.
On the other end, the Ink button can open up hundreds of LED colors straight from your custom library.
Key Features- Built with aluminum material
- Pressure sensitivity technology
- Connects via Bluetooth 4
- Brand: Adobe
- Compatibility: iOS 7, iOS 8
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4
- 2,048 pressure levels
- Comes bundled with Adobe Slide
- Better suited for Adobe products
- Isn’t compatible with iPad Pro, 5th generation, or newer iPads
1. Tesha Stylus Pen
8.00 / 10 Read ReviewsFor Microsoft Surface Pro owners (and other Windows-related devices), the Tesha Stylus Pen is a win-win. It’s designed in a way to work and feel like a writing utensil. It starts with its pressure sensitivity technology, which has 1024 pressure levels.
The Tesh Stylus Pen also has a palm rejection feature, so your hand won’t make any marks while you are drawing or taking notes.
Lastly, the other end of the stylus actually acts as an eraser. The entire package makes it incredibly easy to transition into digital format.
Key Features- Pressure sensitivity technology
- Palm rejection technology
- Brand: Tesha
- Compatibility: Windows OS
- Connectivity: Wireless
- One end is an eraser
- 1,024 pressure levels
- Doesn't confuse your hand and pen
- No charging port
- Limited to Windows OS
FAQ
Q: Will One Stylus Work On Other Devices?
The short answer is no. It comes down to the technology used to recreate the feeling of a real writing utensil. Depending on the device, it may not be supported.
For example, some styluses are active and others are passive (or capacitive). An active stylus will typically have pressure sensitivity and palm rejection technology; passive styluses just simulate the same electrical charge as a fingertip.
In other words, when picking a stylus, always check compatibility.
Q: Do Styluses Wear Down?
Absolutely. However, unlike traditional writing utensils, styluses have an exponentially longer shelf life. There isn't any ink to replace and the tip doesn't need to be sharpened. With that said, the tip will wear down over time.
It comes down to quality. A stylus could last anywhere between a few months to over a year. That doesn't mean you need to replace the whole stylus, but rather the detachable nib at the end. It's important to replace the nib when it has run its course to keep your strokes accurate, especially with art.
Q: Should A Stylus Be Used?
The kind of precision that writing utensils bring, compared to fingers, is a chasm of difference. That is the appeal of using a stylus. Sure, you could write notes with your fingers, but making fine strokes doesn't work as well. Furthermore, holding a stylus gives you far more control over what you are doing. And with all kinds of software available, having a stylus allows users to take full advantage of a software's features.
