A lot of us iPad users are creative types and require a little help to do intricate designs or a lot of writing on our tech. If this sounds like you, then check out our list of the best stylus for iPad – or iPhone – in 2023. These styluses – or styli, if you will – cover a range of prices and devices for you to choose from. It’s important to make the right decision.
The best gaming phone isn’t complete without a handy stylus to go with it. Some games in particular are so much more enjoyable if you have one. It can boost your enjoyment and help bring your phone up to the level of the best portable gaming consoles – just make sure that you have one of the best wireless chargers to go along with it so you don’t run out mid-game.
These are the best stylus for iPad and iPhone in 2023:
- Apple Pencil Second Generation – the best stylus for iPads
- Logitech Crayon – best mid-range stylus
- Adonit Note+ – great Apple Pencil alternative
- Zagg Pro Stylus 2 – newly refreshed iPad stylus
1. Apple Pencil Second Generation
The best Apple stylus.
Pros
- Magnetically charges on iPad
- Very good accuracy
- Swappable tip
Cons
- Expensive
- Find My App doesn’t work with the pen
- Limited compatibility
Often, those of us with Apple products will gravitate toward other Apple products to complete our setups. When it comes to the Apple Pencil Gen 2, it’s actually a good idea to do so – if you can feasibly afford the $130 for a stylus.
The second generation of Apple pen brings some improvements – namely, latency is down to just 9ms from the previous 20ms, allowing for super precise movement. There’s tilt detection and pressure sensitivity, too. The Apple Pencil is, however, incompatible with iPhones, and does not come with any replacement or different tips.
The biggest change is that while the first Apple Pencil charges from the iPad, it means you have to stick the pencil into the charge port, which looks ridiculous and leaves a lot of room for it to get knocked and damaged. The second-gen pen, however, magnetically attaches to the iPad and charges that way. Much better. Though, it still can fall off due to it not being a massively strong magnetic connection.
2. Logitech Crayon
The best non-Apple stylus for iPads.
Pros
- Child friendly
- Immediate pairing
- Dynamic line weight
Cons
- No quick start guide
- Charging cable not included
Coming in at less than half the cost of an Apple Pencil is the Logitech Crayon, retailing for around $70 but matching performance almost completely.
Offering a swish 6.5-inch aluminum body, the Crayon is a rectangular shape (with smooth corners), which stops it from rolling away. There’s a discreet charging port hidden under the cap – which is attached, so no losing that either – and you can get either a USB-C or Lightning version of the stylus, depending on what port your iPad has.
You don’t need to pair this device – straight out of the box, it’s ready to use. It has a seven-hour battery life and will turn off after 30 minutes of inactivity to conserve power.
The only downside is that the Logitech Crayon is only compatible with iPads, which is fine for this guide, but note it if you have another brand of tablet you want to use a stylus with – or an iPhone.
3. Adonit Note+
The best all-around stylus for iPads.
Pros
- Affordable pricepoint
- Charger included
- Native palm rejection
Cons
- Limited compatibility
- No replacement tips included
The Adonit Note+ has a nice and sleek design, available in black instead of a crisp but classic Apple white. It has shortcut buttons, palm rejection, pressure sensitivity, and tilt functionality, so works very well all around.
Adonit’s Note+ stylus is a great option for iPad users, though it does have a couple of drawbacks – namely, you need to pair it with every app that you want to use. Not all of the pen’s features work with every app, especially pressure sensitivity, so we recommend it more for writing than drawing.
It comes with a USB-C charger, and while you can use the stylus while it charges, the supplied cable is comically short for that.
4. Zagg Pro Stylus 2
The best stylus iPhone-compatible stylus.
Pros:
- Instant pairing
- Palm rejection
- Replacement tips included
Cons:
- No pressure sensitivity
- No compatibility with devices released before 2018
If you want a cute and colorful stylus, look no further than the Zagg Pro Stylus 2. It’s available in hot pink, white, yellow, grey, or blue, which isn’t something offered by a lot of competitors.
Aesthetics aside, there are plenty of other good points here. The Stylus 2 has wireless charging, which is an upgrade from the first Zagg Pro, including a magnetic connection to hold it in place on chargers and iPads.
The stylus has around 6.5 hours of battery life and is compatible with any apps that support the Apple Pencil. The pen has some heft to it, and it feels like excellent quality, which is great for the small-ish price tag.
How we chose the best styluses
Picking out the best styluses to recommend is no easy task. We took battery life, design, and weight into account, along with how easy it is to charge each pen. Compatibility also plays a big part as some pens need a little more work to get it to be usable with all of your apps.
Of course, the technological side plays a part too as some pens offer more helpful features than others like palm rejection, sensitivity, and dynamic weighting of lines. If you would like a deeper look into how we test our tech, you can look at our page for more info.
For more of our tech expertise – our techspertise – check out our picks of the best rugged smartphones and the best phone cases to go with them. Or if you’re thinking of upgrading, here are the best Verizon phone deals right now. We’ve also got a iPhone vs. Samsung – if you’ve ever wondered what life would be like with a different phone.
