Expert’s Rating
Our Verdict
See how these 12 compare to other styluses : Check out our in - profoundness iOS stylus charts .
Steve Jobs may hate the idea of using a style on his touchscreen devices , but the fact stay that some consumer just favour an intermediary accessory for fundamental interaction . Whether it ’s too moth-eaten out of doors for direct contact , you ’re worried about touchscreen microbe , or you need a sketching shaft , sometimes a stylus can be a good affair . supplement manufacturers seem to agree , having produced a plethora of stylus for Apple ’s iOS equipment .
As some people have it away , in my not - so - secret other life , I enjoy draw sketch . Since I buy my first iPad back in April 2010 , I ’ve been using the equipment for quite a bit of my scribbling and color — most of that with Ten One Design’sPogo Sketch . So I was excited to recreate around with some of the other offer on the market to see how they compare . I ’ve drop the past few month testing many , many styluses on both my iPad and iPhone , concentrate chiefly on the control , feel , and fit of the accessories when sketching or writing ( though I also ran through basic navigational tasks ) .
I like the Pogo Sketch for quick line-drawing sketches, like this roller skating doodle I did last fall.
Note that , as of yet , Apple does not provide access to software APIsthat might allow for pressure sensitivity on the iPad . Apps such Sketchbook Pro and Brushes have background that attempt to imitate true trace sensitivity , but it ’s just that — an caricature . So an iPad - stylus combination ca n’t yet supersede a good WACOM tablet — but it ’s for sure skillful for sketching on the go .
Ten One Design Pogo Sketch, Ten One Design Pogo Stylus
In 2008 , Ten One Design was one of the first companies on the scene with a act upon style for the iPhone , thePogo Sketch (; $ 15 ) . The ship’s company has since released the Sketch ’s short , slimmer sib , thePogo Stylus (; $ 15 ) , along with several Mac software program aimed at enable handwriting and multitouch tab imitation on trackpads .
I bought a Pogo Sketch within months of its release to do some quick sketching on my iPhone . Though the screenland proved a bit too modest for serious work , I continued to use the Sketch whenever I needed to doodle something electronically . After I baffle an iPad , I started bring the style everywhere I snuff it , in case I felt like drawing . I ’ve thus had a lot of experience with the Sketch , and I still quite like it for quick and easy man — its weight unit and pattern let it tally nicely in your hand .
Both Ten One stylus use a capacitivefoamnib ( the tip that in reality makes contact with the touchscreen ) rather than the silicone polymer more - late models have adopted . This works to their reward when navigating pocket-size tie on a Safari Sir Frederick Handley Page or within an app ; however , when drawing or writing , the froth generates more rubbing against the touch screen , making it more difficult to keep a steady hand while trying to execute clean lines . At the same fourth dimension , the Sketch and Stylus excel at precision work . When zoom in on your canvas , the comparatively smaller radius of their nibs fix it easier to see what you ’re influence on and what you postulate to do next .
I like the Pogo Sketch for quick line-drawing sketches, like this roller skating doodle I did last fall.
I wish the Pogo Sketch for quick line - drawing sketches , like this roller skating doodle I did last crepuscule .
The major difference separating the Pogo Sketch and Stylus is the Sketch ’s longer body is designed for piece of writing and sketching on a touch equipment or trackpad , while the Stylus is shorter and aimed at the general “ I need to practice a stylus with my touchscreen twist ” securities industry . The Stylus is just barely long enough to match comfortably in your hand , much like a well - worn , sharpened pencil — you must hold it almost vertically during utilisation to avoid circumstantially brushing against the screen . In other words , the Stylus is great for browsing apps or tapping on a virtual keyboard , but not so much for drawing .
( Both models provide a agency to secure the style when not in use : the Sketch sportsman a traditional pen - style snip ; the Stylus include two clip that seize to your iPhone — one for a desolate phone and the other to jibe slender cases . The Stylus ’s iPhone clips can each double as an iPhone rack . )
Bottom channel : The Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus are heavy tools for iPhone navigation and detail oeuvre , but the froth pecker may grow too much friction for your liking . Additionally , the Stylus ’s brusk stature makes it difficult to indite or do much in the way of long - form sketching , although it works well as a backup for a fingertip for navigating your touch screen .
JustMobile AluPen
JustMobile’sAluPen (; $ 20 ) , a collaboration between Tools Design and JustMobile , aggregate the esthetic of a charcoal control stick with that of a pencil to produce a satisfying , squatty , hexangular , aluminum stylus . The playpen feel natural in your hand , thanks to its cast , and the relative lightness of the aluminum maintain it from puff while you sketch . It feels like a natural extension of your hand — without those pesky fingers to get in the way .
The AluPen is one of the many silicon - arctic - nib style I looked at . These rubber neb find similar to the rubber on a sister bottle , and the material glides over a touchscreen much more smoothly than a froth - tipped stylus , render resistance only when pressure or system of weights is apply . This is both an advantage and disadvantage . On one hand , the lack of electrical resistance give an experient creative person more freedom to make bluff line ; on the other , those without wrist control may observe themselves unable to make stiff strokes on the screen . Which is well number down to personal preference .
The AluPen is a great all - purpose sketching and lettering tool , specially for quick strip .
The AluPen is a great all-purpose sketching and lettering tool, especially for quick comics.
The AluPen allow you to grapple the penitentiary towards its close without lose any precision , thanks to its the thick diam and embodiment . While it does n’t accomplish the same level of smoothness when writing as a weightier rubber - bill stylus ( such as the Hard Candy StylusPen , below ) , the AluPen is still a great general - purpose art dick ; using it , I was well capable to switch between sketch and lettering a comic panel .
The AluPen is in the main designed as anartist’sstylus ; trying to use it as a navigational aid on the iPad feel silly and a minuscule act cumbersome , and using it on the iPhone is nigh - impossible . That say , you could credibly get away with using it for cover tapdance now and then , but it ’s not the style I would recommend for master sailing .
Bottom line of work : Available in a variety of colors ( silver , blackened , gloomy , gold , green , andred ) , the AluPen achieves the right amount of balance and primed for both virtual sketching and writing , though its size of it makes it a shade too bulky for canonical piloting .
SGP Kuel H10
While SGP’sKuel H10 (; $ 13 ) at first looks like quite lilliputian — in its default option position , the pen measures just under 3 inches in length — a telescoping mechanism allows the style to broaden an extra inch , which makes all the difference when it come to a well-to-do drawing position .
Like many of its brethren , this style features a silicon - rubber eraser nib , but one that ’s small in diameter than the others — at 6 mm , it ’s closer in size of it to the foam nib on Ten One ’s Pogo Stylus . As such , the Kuel H10 excels at line and detail work .
The K10 ’s nib ( right ) is barely half the sizing of larger gumshoe - pecker stylus , like Kensingon ’s Virtuoso Touch ( leave ) .
The K10’s nib (right) is barely half the size of larger rubber-nib styluses, like Kensingon’s Virtuoso Touch (left).
When fold , the H10 is the double-dyed navigation tool for the iPhone or iPad — it ’s small , flimsy , and you could easily see what you ’re tapping . When telescoped , the stylus rests comfortably in the twist between your thumb and index finger’s breadth , and achieves an almost sodding equilibrium for penning and sketching at an slant without feeling the motivation to take a breather your hand on the CRT screen .
In fact , the H10 would have been my favorite all - around stylus of the caboodle , except for one thing : The H10 ’s rubber nib — perhaps due to its smaller size — is made of a much lean silicon than larger pecker . After approximately five continuous time of day of sketching with one of our two review unit , the tip develop tiny ( pinhole - sized ) holes . ( The second sample did n’t parade this issuance . ) Since then , the holes have n’t shown any signs of get larger , and they do n’t involve execution in any fashion , but they do make me concern about the stylus ’s long - full term reliability . At the same clip , if the pen does call for replacing , for just $ 13 , it ’s not unlike buying a prissy charcoal joint .
Bottom line : With its smaller bill and telescope body , the Kuel H10 — usable in black , white , red , jaundiced , or pink — is fantastical for navigation , writing , and drawing ; unluckily , the thinner neb may wear down faster than the nibs on other stylus .
Wacom Bamboo Stylus
As one of the dear offerings on the marketplace , some may criminate Wacom’sBamboo Stylus (; $ 30 ) of attempting to remain on the laurel wreath of its brand recognition — the company ’s pressing - tender Intuos and Cintiq tablets have long been favor by the digital illustration community . But that ’s simply not so .
ego - portraiture of the author test out the very playpen she writes about .
While the Bamboo resemble many of the other rubber - nib tool here , once you pick it up , it ’s obvious how much upkeep and craft the fellowship has put into this stylus . The pen is perfectly balanced — and I do mean utterly — in your hand , with just the veracious amount of weight distributed along the alloy - framed body . And unlike with other well - balanced styluses I ’ve strain , the common people at Wacom have managed to give the Bamboo the necessary heftiness while hold back it as slim as a Biro pen .
Self-portrait of the author testing out the very pen she writes about.
sop up with this stylus is adorable , as , like the Kuel H10 , it employs a smaller ( 6 mm ) silicone polymer - safe tip . But writing takes the plunder here , without a doubt . I was able to jot down down notes at several angles without ever needing to roost my handwriting on the iPad ’s bezel to be well-heeled .
In addition , while this subprogram probably is n’t sanctioned by Wacom , you’re able to get even ripe angles by unscrewing the metallic element shaft around the tip of the style to debunk more of the sides of the neb . If you ’re get out , this whoremaster is invaluable for shade .
Bottom line : For the coin , the Wacom Bamboo Stylus is absolutely top - tier for both writing and sketching . However , if you ’re looking for a simple navigation gimmick , or you do n’t have $ 30 to vaunt on a style , this may not be the peter for you .
Griffin Technology Stylus for iPad
A playpen - similar atomic number 13 pattern wee Griffin Technology’sStylus for iPad (; $ 20 ) one of the most comfortable stylus to hold . The accessory has the r and weight unit of a good penitentiary or mechanically skillful pencil , though the length is more wax crayon - like . It emphatically feels substantial in your hand , and the stylus ’s metal clip allows you to confiscate it to a scoop or a travelling bag like any other writing utensil .
While I quite liked draw with the Griffin Stylus , authorship turn up to be more of a challenge .
The Griffin Stylus shines when sketching and navigating on an iPad ; on an iPhone or iPod touch , the size of the nib and the length of the pen overpower the smaller gadget . I also ran into trouble on the iPad when I tried handwriting , as I tend to over - lean my hired man , which meant I could n’t keep the pen firm without applying a decorous amount of pressure sensation — not very useful when you ’re trying to jot down nimble note . However , the pen does draw off or compose at almost any angle with the right amount of pressure , which can be utilitarian when handle with an app that does n’t brush off inadvertent hand gesture .
While I quite liked drawing with the Griffin Stylus, writing proved to be more of a challenge.
Bottom line : Griffin ’s Stylus for iPad is a upstanding option , offering a well-off traction and a capacitive rubber nib for still drawing and navigation , though its light weight may make practical authorship unmanageable , bet on how you hold the Stylus .
Kensington Virtuoso Touch Stylus & Pen
At first glance , Kensington’sVirtuoso Touch Stylus & Pen (; $ 25 ) looks almost identical to Griffin ’s Stylus , thanks to the black-market , rubberise consistency ; silver pen clipping ; and enceinte , silicon - safe nib . However , the Virtuoso Touch is about an inch longer than Griffin ’s offering , bringing it to a more pen - like 5 inches . In increase , Kensington ’s style is one of three I looked at — along with the Targus 2 - in-1 and the Hard Candy StylusPen — that incorporate an real Biro playpen pickup in summation to the capacitive neb .
The Virtuoso Touch does so by adding the pen to the polar end of the gimmick , under a black detonating equipment . This structure provide most of the stylus ’s weight , which is not inconsequent — the Virtuoso may look similar to the Griffin Stylus , but it press about twice as much . you could tear down the playpen infrastructure for a lighter - weight style , but at the toll of duration : without the cap in station , the Virtuoso flinch from 5 inches to just over 3 .
The Virtuoso Touch provides a smooth penning experience , thanks in part to its weight .
As a stylus , the Virtuoso is great for ready government note - pickings and cursive writing . The additional weight equilibrize the pen at a comfortable angle , while the safe bill allow it to slide smoothly across the silver screen . draught is a bit more cumbersome , as the length of the stylus and the nib ’s diameter make it unmanageable to focus on a section of detail piece of work . On the opposite remainder , the ballpen pen works about as well as any basic ballpoint ; it ’s also refillable , in case your ink runs out .
Bottom wrinkle : The Virtuoso Touch offers a great hybrid writing experience on the blind or on paper , but its prominent size prove too bulky for sailing , sketching , or detailed line oeuvre .
Targus 2-in-1 Stylus for iPad
The third stylus in the “ black body , silver grey cartridge clip , silicon - rubber eraser nib ” group , Targus’2 - in-1 Stylus for iPad (; $ 25 ) fall between the Griffin and Kensington models in both weight and duration at 4.5 inches in length , and fall roughly in the eye in weight , as well . Like the Kensington Virtuoso , the Targus also provides a ballpoint pen steer — hence the “ 2 - in-1 ” in the claim — which is easily replaceable .
The Targus is decent at sketching and writing , but not comfortable enough to do so for long periods of time .
I found the stylus death of the 2 - in-1 adequate for both authorship and sketching . It ’s just impenetrable enough to supply the right counterbalance for writing without call for to put your palm on the sieve ; however , its weight may show tax if you ’re trying to write for long period of meter . Likewise , it ’s easy enough to do seam fine art using the Targus , but I had to grapple the stylus tight to the nib to reach any sort of precision .
The Virtuoso Touch provides a smooth writing experience, thanks in part to its weight.
Bottom line : If you ’re front for a machine that can sail , spell , outline , and jot down report line , the Targus 2 - in-1 is a decent offering . However , unless you ’re specifically looking for a style with a ballpoint pen , you should consider a more specialized example .
Hard Candy StylusPen
Bringing to thinker theFisher Space Pen , Hard Candy’sStylusPen (; $ 35 ) is encased in a 4.2 - apothecaries' ounce , weighted chrome shell . You remove the alloy cap on one end to get at a capacitive rubber nib ; you remove the other to access a pen for paper note - taking and sketching .
In theory , this double - end alternative make sense for travelers or businessfolk looking to keep their bag destitute of multiple committal to writing utensils . Unfortunately , there are a mates of snags to the pen ’s conception . For one , while the silver - bullet smell is beautiful to lay eyes on , the only way to figure out which end of the StylusPen is which is to memorize the positions relative to the Hard Candy logo . I was golden enough to avoid unintentionally uncapping and using the ballpoint penitentiary on my iPad ’s screen , but I can imagine this occur quite easily if you ’re not paying attending .
The second progeny is that when either end is uncapped , the pileus itself does n’t fit on the other conclusion of the pen . You must set it upright — so it does n’t roll — or put in a air pocket , which can be frustrative if you ’re assay to use the stylus in transit .
Those defect aside , the stylus ’s weight makes it one of the best utensils usable for virtual written material on the iPad , keeping your ancestry strong at almost any angle without needing to utilise too much pressure , and the pen fits comfortably in your hand . It might be a act too heavy for prolonged drawing or note - taking , but for less - intensive utilisation , it ’s quite competent .
Bottom line : fashionable and sleek , Hard Candy ’s StylusPen suffer from a few design flaws , but its capacitive nib and Biro playpen both work admirably , and the pen ’s weight provides a commendable practical authorship experience .
NomadBrush NomadBrush
One of the most unique approaches to artistic touchscreen stylus I ’ve seen , theNomadBrush (; $ 24 ) look — by all outward appearances — like an average watercolor paintbrush . The 7.5 - column inch stylus has a woods - and - credit card handle with a safety grip for your index and middle finger’s breadth ; the bristle themselves are a mix of natural and man-made fibers .
Unbelievably , these bristles are conductive . Together , they fool the iPad into retrieve a single finger is making contact with the screen ( although if you splay them every which way , you could accidentally effect a multitouch gesture ) . Since the screen does n’t detect each bristle separately , you wo n’t in reality gain digitally from the brush ’s construction , but it doesskeuomorphicwonders for your psyche .
scene paint with the NomadBrush is an sheer joy . For item - body of work , however , I went back to the Kuel H10 , as the NomadBrush ’s brush area was too big , even when whizz along .
The Targus is decent at sketching and writing, but not comfortable enough to do so for long periods of time.
The experience of “ painting ” on a ace - quiet screen takes some getting used to , but the NomadBrush feel very raw , and when using the right digital brush in your nontextual matter syllabus , the results are sensational .
When it comes to item workplace , however , the NomadBrush lacks , as its large surface area makes it difficult to draw or polish okay lines , even when your pull app is zoomed in . Different brush sizes — which arecoming soon , according to NomadBrush creator Don Lee — might aid with this problem , but on the whole , you ’re probably good off with a rubber - nib stylus for fine detail .
Bottom line : The NomadBrush is a beautifully constructed stylus , resemble a fine watercolor clash , and it make painting on the iPad a delight . It does leave alone something to be hope when attempting detailed linework , however .
LogiiX Stylus Pro Jr
Coming in at barely an inch and a half , theLogiix Stylus Pro Jr (; $ 20 ) resembles part of of a pinky finger’s breadth more than a full - fledge stylus , though its condom nib has the same diameter as those of the gravid - nib styluses handle here . The Canadian company bills the stylus principally as a navigation and game peter — which I ’d fit in with — and even includes a snip for attaching the stylus to your phone cable .
As a sailing dick , the style is decent enough — it does its job without get in the way — and I could see this being extremely utilitarian for cold - conditions situation where you ’d be have on baseball mitt . The Stylus Pro Jr peculiarly shine on the iPhone — I constitute myself capable to see the screen and flick through information at the same meter , tasks I could n’t accomplish nearly as well using one of the larger styluses .
Drawing with this stylus , however , find much like drawing with chalk — it ’s for certain not comfortable for any sort of longsighted - form illustration , but I actually found it to be a decent tool for detail work . Whether that ’s just the stylus ’s smaller form - broker fool my brain into guess I ’m working more precisely , or the way you’re able to angle it along the projection screen , I ca n’t say , but it would n’t be tough as a secondary illustration tool .
Bottom line : The Logiix Stylus Pro Jr is a nicely crafted micro - stylus for navigation and illustration - detail work , though it lacks the comfort and stability for long - term sketching or writing .
oStylus oStylus
Another of the non - traditional options , theoStylus (; $ 38 ) is made solely of alloy — aluminum , titanium , and brand , to be precise — and interact with your machine ’s touch screen using a little washer - like O - ring lined with vinyl film . Unlike its pudgy - rubber - nibbed cousin , this stylus theoretically lets you see , through the hole in the middle of its annulus , exactly the point on the screen you ’re interact with .
When zoomed into the canvass , I was able to make squeamish , light ink and blending pipeline .
So , does it make for ? Sometimes . Due to the way the iPad ’s screen is built , the O is most accurate in the center of the cover : as you veer away , any railway line you draw tends to arc towards the upper lip of the O. Additionally , the lag fourth dimension for quick strokes is almost painful , even on the faster iPad 2 . If you ’re drawing on a large weighing machine , or zoomed in on your canvas , you’re able to counter the lag and still make unobjectionable business line , but if you ’re taste to make for on smaller pieces , or while zoomed out , the style promptly becomes unusable . Writing , too , meet from lag , and I often found myself write letter off - angle as a resultant .
Scenery painting with the NomadBrush is an absolute delight. For detail-work, however, I went back to the Kuel H10, as the NomadBrush’s brush area was too large, even when zoomed.
In addition , this is clearly a style built for drawing or writing . Navigating buttons and tapping card — even within picture apps — using the flat group O was possible , but just so .
Balance - wise , I found the oStylus to be quite well-fixed to hold , though perhaps an inch too long ( the hold alone is 5.5 inches ) . The group O - mob pivots and rotates as you move your manus , thanks to the two atomic number 22 wires connecting it to the handle , allowing you to make orbitual motions without lifting the contact point from the screenland .
The oStylus has some neat ideas , and the implementation bring up to a point . For example , if you ’re zoomed in within your draft app , and you ’re lento detail line work , you may achieve a phenomenal level of precision . regrettably , the iPad ’s slowdown and mathematical function restriction prevent the oStylus from force past “ upright ” to “ great . ” The construct is lovely , but the companion ironware is not quite where it needs to be to make everything work .
Bottom line : The oStylus is an impeccably project tool for close - range precision sketching — if you do n’t mind putting up with some of the iPad ’s own screen limitation .
Macworld’s buying advice
Each of these styluses has its pluses and minuses , but for specific United States of America , some stand above the rest . I found the Wacom Bamboo Stylus to be my favorite writing / draw hybrid , while for all - around utilization ( written material , drawing , and navigation ) , the Kuel H10 excels . The AluPen was my dearie for focused sketching , while the Virtuoso Touch Stylus & Pen was the best touchscreen - piece of writing tool . Finally , the NomadBrush , while not at the top of my inclination for all - purpose sketching , still deserve a mention for the most interesting implementation of a touch - sensitive stylus I ’ve seen .
Of course , it ’s one thing to read about styluses — it ’s another to see them in action . I ’ve prepare a video demonstration of the styluses reviewed here , so that you could see how each one works .
We ’ll undoubtably be look back more styluses as they gain the market . Until then , keep on sketching !
Serenity Caldwell is a Macworld staff editor in chief ; she has spend far too many work hours doodling on her iPad over the past six months for this inspection .
When zoomed into the canvas, I was able to make nice, clean ink and shading lines.
