The stylus has become a go-to digital accessory for many. Although the fingertip is effective, and people rarely lose them, they’re sadly not the most accurate. Whether your swiping, sketching, tapping or note-taking, a stylus will undoubtedly increase your productivity. That’s why you’ll see them used by many different professionals, from illustrators to businessmen.
However, finding a stylus can be somewhat troublesome. In this article we'll show you how to find the best stylus for drawing on a table and much more. With tech for every budget, including affordable accessories that are compatible with Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab, we've ranked the top 8 styluses in the UK on Amazon, eBay and John Lewis!
Quick List - Top Styluses for Tablets
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Before we dive straight into these professional-grade recommendations, it's worth arming yourself with some stylus smarts! In this buying guide, we’ll be learning about both active and capacitive styluses, considering the dimensions, weight, nib material and more.
The first thing you should think about when buying a stylus is whether it's active or capacitive. To ensure you have a good understanding of what each of the different styles has to offer, let’s take a look at them individually.
As a rule of thumb, active styluses are generally much more technologically advanced. This means that they’re more precise, making them the choice of many artists and illustrators as they have better sensitivity and feel more natural when writing and drawing.
These styluses also have a feature called 'palm rejection' which allows the user to rest their hand on the tablet without the screen registering the interaction. However, they tend to be more expensive. So, expect to pay around £100 or even more.
Not only that, but these styluses are less likely to work with a range of different devices as they need to communicate with the device to work. So you’ll want to make sure that they’re compatible with your tablet or phone before purchasing.
They’re available in a range of sizes and are compatible with many modern tablets, laptops and phones as they don't require syncing like active styluses. The trade-off is that these styluses tend to be flimsier as they are often manufactured using cheaper materials to keep costs down.
You'll also likely miss out on extras that increase the longevity of a stylus, such as replaceable nibs. This means that, if you have an issue with the nib in future, you will need to replace the whole thing!
As previously mentioned, regardless of the type, you'll want to ensure that the stylus you buy is going to work with your particular tablet, laptop or phone. We've highlighted which brands and operating systems are compatible with each stylus in our ranking. However, not all models will be supported.
It's always a good idea to check the product listing for the manufacturer's recommendations. That said, we wouldn’t be against double-checking and emailing the company to be sure. Some of these accessories are extremely expensive, so you’ll want to be 100% certain that they will work on arrival!
Finding an ideal stylus that feels good in your hand will be different for everyone. After all, some of us like to use heavy fountain pens when writing, whereas others prefer a classic Bic. When shopping for a stylus online, try to find one with a good balance to avoid disappointment.
Look for something that isn’t too long and isn’t too heavy either. After all, you don’t want it to become a burden or cause your hands to fatigue. Generally speaking, a stylus that weighs around 20 g will be suitable for most, although you can go lower or higher depending on your preferences and needs.
When it comes to the size, styluses can range between 8 to 19 cm. We’d recommend looking at the top end of that range if you’d like something that feels like a natural pen, and the lower end for use with smartphones.
The nib is a vital part of your stylus. Higher-end styluses tend to use plastic nibs as these tend to have better sensitivity and feel smoother when writing.
Other options include rubber and metal. These can seem a little more halting when in use. However, the feel is always going to be different than that of writing pen to paper. So, it will be a case of finding one that feels good to you personally, and learning to adjust to it.
That said, it’s always worth checking to see if the nibs are replaceable or not. This way, you know whether you’ll be able to change them further down the line if they break. Although, that shouldn’t be for a couple of years at the earliest.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Logitech Crayon | ![]() | The Perfect Middle Ground Option | |
2 | Samsung S Pen | ![]() | The Ideal Alternative to Clumsy Fingertips | |
3 | Hualei-v Rechargeable Stylus | ![]() | Great for Kids and Adults Alike | |
4 | Apple Pencil 2nd Generation | ![]() | The Best Stylus for iPad Pro | |
5 | AICase Active Stylus Pen | ![]() | A Stylus for (Almost) Every Device | |
6 | Wacom Bamboo Fineline 3 Smart Stylus | ![]() | For the Note Takers | |
7 | Adrawpen Rechargeable Active Stylus Pen | ![]() | Active Stylus at a Lower Price Point | |
8 | Adonit Jot Pro 4 | ![]() | A Single Chassis Provides Stability |
Taking our number one stylus spot is the Logitech Crayon. Suitable for use with any app that's compatible with Apple Pencil, it's the closest you're going to get to writing with a real pen and paper.
It's ideal for everyday doodling and business operations, plus, it features a smart tip that adjusts line weight automatically. It might not be the best in terms of pressure sensitivity, but the in-hand feel, size and weight are all excellent. Best of it, it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg, despite having Apple's seal of approval!
The S Pen is optimised for use with the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+. It's perhaps not as sophisticated as some, but if you're looking for a stylus to help with note-taking, or as an alternative to clumsy fingertips, this will be perfect!
The S pen can be used to unlock a variety of functions within your device. You can use it as a remote control to take photos and trigger PowerPoint presentations, or enable air commands to feel like a literal technical wizard as you operate your device by waving your stylus through the air.
While this might not be the most sophisticated of our stylus picks, it's tiny size may appeal to some. If you're looking for an accessory for your smartphone, or are buying for a child, this could be for you!
These styluses also come with replaceable metal nibs, which is always handy when children are involved. Furthermore, it will work across most devices, including MatePad and Lenovo.
The Apple Pencil carries all the classic hallmarks of a well designed product, with a futuristic aesthetic, white colour scheme and perfect weight. If you're looking for a stylus to use with the iPad Pro, you really can't do much better.
The 2nd gen is optimised for both iPad Pro and iPad Air, offering a more streamlined user experience. This includes magnetic syncing that lets you instantly pair and charge the stylus via your device. The only reason it's so high up the list is the premium price and lack of multi-device compatibility.
This stylus is practically universal. So, if you find yourself jumping from one device to another throughout your day, this will do just the trick! It works relatively well too, with a super-fine tip and few traction problems.
Unfortunately, the battery life of this stylus tends to max out around 8 - 10 hours on one charge. While that should see you through most of the workday, it may not be enough for those extra doodles or sketches at home.
Wacom produces some of the best styluses in the game, and this is one of our favourites. It's a cheaper alternative to their Sketch stylus, and is designed for handwriting rather than drawing.
This does mean that it has fewer levels of sensitivity, but there are still more than enough for taking notes. Many have found that it feels authentic in hand, although, the twisting cap which releases the stylus is a bit delicate, so be careful when using it!
This active stylus from Adrawpen offers increased accuracy and pressure sensitive controls, but at a much lower price. It's also known to have a much longer battery life when compared to its competitors.
However, it doesn't have palm rejection, which is fairly crucial when doing digital art. Not only that, but the metal nib can be somewhat of a steep learning curve for those who are new to using this type of accessory.
The Adoint Joint Pro 4 is manufactured using a single piece of aluminium. This construction gives the stylus improved stability, which, in turn, makes writing with it a little bit more precise. Plus, you can easily clip it onto pockets, bags and more!
The stylus is compatible with both Apple and Samsung devices. However, certain features that require pressure sensitivity may not work if you're using it with an iPad. Additionally, the nibs are known to wear out rather quickly.
Table devices have come a long way over the last decade, with many using one in lieu of a laptop. Not only are they easy to transport, but can be used as a computer, art tool and multimedia device all-in-one! Whether you're seeking out more accessories, or are looking to pick up something for the kids, check out some more of our articles below.
Finding the ideal stylus will speed up your productivity and make working on the tablet a little bit easier. Whether you're looking to illustrate masterpieces, or something simple for day-to-day use, we hope you've enjoyed browsing our tech-savvy recommendations!
Author: Lewis Clark
No. 1: Logitech|Crayon
No. 2: Samsung |S Pen
No. 3: Hualei-v|Rechargeable Stylus
No. 4: Apple|Pencil 2nd Generation
No. 5: AICase|Active Stylus Pen
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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