The best stylus for iPads and iPhones in 2024

The best stylus for iPad or iPhone is well worth the money. Because quite simply, it will open up exciting new ways to interact with your screen. 

A stylus will allow you to edit photos or create artwork in a much more natural way than using your mouse or a finger – particularly if you own an iPad, where the Apple Pencil range can interact with iPad apps in increasingly sophisticated ways, including drawing with pressure sensitivity and making notes in your own handwriting that your iPad understands as text.

But even with a basic stylus, you'll find it a cinch to annotate documents and create technical drawings. Just navigating apps, the web and the iOS interface becomes super-easy, allowing you to hit those tiny icons perfectly.

To help you find the best stylus for iPads and iPhones, we've listed the finest models on the market today, including both official Apple styluses and third-party ones. The evolving technology in this area means that not every stylus works with every iPad; make sure you check our compatibility guide below before you buy.

Tom May

Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specializing in art, photography, design and travel. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including The Sun, Radio Times, NME, T3, Heat, Company and Bella.

The Quick List

Best stylus for iPad in 2024

Our first section features the best styluses for iPads only. However, if you're looking for a stylus that works on the iPhone as well, then scroll down and you'll find a couple of great styluses that work with either iPhone or iPad. 

Best stylus for 2024 iPads

Announced in May 2024, the Apple Pencil Pro is the most advanced stylus you can get for the iPad – but the sting in the tail is that is works only with the latest models.

The Pencil Pro carries over all of the best features of the Pencil (2nd generation), including wireless charging, double-tapping the barrel to toggle between brush and eraser tools and, of course, pressure and tilt sensitivity.

It then goes further by adding sensors that respond to your touch in new ways. If you squeeze the barrel, you can trigger an on-screen palette that gives you rapid access to common tools and settings (this requires iPad OS 17.5 or later, plus apps that include this function). A haptic feedback system vibrates slightly to indicate that the squeeze was registered. A built-in gyroscope senses when you twist the barrel in your fingers, adjusting the response of whichever pen or brush you’re using.

And if you’re careless enough to lose your Apple Pencil Pro in your home or studio, it’s compatible with Apple’s Find My app, which will show you where you left it.

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Best stylus for pre-2024 iPads

What’s the best stylus for iPad available today? Quite simply, it’s the one Apple makes itself. The Apple Pencil is optimised for the iPad's screen, and works beautifully in use, whether you’re sketching, drawing, or just scribbling down some notes. 

You won’t experience any lag, and it’s the closest you’ll get on a iPad to the feel of a real pencil on real paper. As you'd expect, it plays nicely with all approved iOS apps, and offers up to 12 hours of battery life. And if you have an M2 iPad Pro, you'll benefit from the 'Hover' feature, which can detect the Pencil when it’s held up to 12mm above the display, so you can see a preview of your mark before you actually make it.

Read more: Apple Pencil (2nd generation) review

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Best basic stylus for iPad

Apple's Pencil with built-in USB-C charging is a great entry-level stylus for the iPad. It's satisfying to hold, ideal for taking notes, and has enough features to satisfy most users. The downsides? The big one is that lacks pressure sensitivity, which might well be a deal-breaker for many photographers who want to edit their photos on the move. 

Also, charging and pairing can be a bit awkward, as both rely on a cable that isn't included in the box... (Apple often leaves out cables for environmental reasons, assuming that most customers will already have the leads; if you don’t have a USB-C lead, they’re easy to source.) If you don't mind either of these niggles, this is a solid stylus, which is certainly cheaper than Apple's other Pencils and on a par with third-party options. 

If you need pressure sensitivity for image-editing or drawing, or prefer wireless charging and pairing, then I'd recommend the Apple Pencil 2 or Apple Pencil Pro instead, depending on which iPad model you own. 

Read more: Apple Pencil (USB-C) review

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Best mid-price stylus for Lightning iPads

The Logitech Crayon isn’t produced by Apple, but it is available in the Apple Store – a tacit seal of approval that’s reflected in its superior build quality. Originally developed for schools and educators, the Crayon is now available to the rest of us. And it's a lot more affordable than the latest Apple Pencil. 

The Logitech Crayon connects to your iPad instantly and boasts palm rejection and tilt support. The main way it differs from the Apple Pencil is the absence of pressure sensitivity and the shorter battery life, but that’s reflected in the lower price. And overall it still does a decent job for anyone who’s not worried about absolute artistic perfection.

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Best mid-price stylus for USB-C iPads

This updated version of the Logitech Crayon recharges via USB-C rather than Lightning, making it compatible with more recent iPad models. We love the fact that the new version has been redesigned to get rid of the childish rubber grips; it now has a sleeker look that is much more in keeping with the Apple ecosystem design ethos. Another thing we like about the newer version is that you now get three battery power lights, rather than just the one, which gives you a better sense of when you're running low on charge.

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Best budget stylus for iPad

A very cheap option when it comes to iPad styluses is the Awavo Stylus Pencil. There’s no Bluetooth, and the lack of pressure sensitivity means this isn’t any good for drawing. But for notes and sketches it’s perfectly fine. It also offers palm rejection and 24 hours of battery life based on 90 minutes of charging (through its mains charger). To save power, the pen automatically shuts down after five minutes of non-use. Not bad at all for such a low price.

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Best hybrid stylus for iPad

The Adonit Note M isn’t just a great stylus, you can use it as a mouse as well! Specifically, it features a mouse sensor for moving the cursor on the touchscreen, left and right click buttons, and a mouse wheel sensor. You just need to be running iPadOS 13.3 or above.

It’s a pretty great stylus too. With a pressure-sensitive and replaceable 1mm tip, you can use it to create very precise lines, and the inclusion of palm rejection helps your workflow run smoothly. You get up to 10 hours’ battery life using it as a stylus, and up to five hours using it as mouse; USB charging means it can be fully charged in just 60 minutes. Plus you can attach it magnetically to the side of your iPad Pro or iPad Air, where that feature is supported.

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Best stylus for iPhone in 2024

Best stylus for iPhone

Like the idea of a stylus that looks and feels like a fountain pen? Then check out this excellent budget buy from Adonit. Made of lightweight aluminum with a copper twist cap, the Jot Pro 4 not only looks good but offers excellent value for money. There's a inbuilt clip to make it easy to carry, and it doesn't require batteries either. Be aware that this is a very basic stylus in terms of functionality, so it's no good for accurate drawing or design work. But for handwriting, note taking and quick sketches, it does the job well.

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Best budget stylus for iPhone

Here's the cheapest stylus we've found for iPhone and iPad that does a decent, if basic, job. Like the Adonit Jot above, this is a capacitive stylus, which means there's no battery, Bluetooth connection or specific apps required, and it's compatible with pretty much any touchscreen device. And unlike the Jot, there's a nice weight to it (at 60g).

Note: there's a tip on the end, which looks a bit weird. But don't remove this as it's vital, creating a precise contact point with the screen to write exactly where you place it.

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How to choose the best stylus for iPad and iPhone

There are two main things to take into acccount when choosing the best stylus for your specific needs. Firstly, check whether the stylus is compatible with your device, whether it's an iPhone, iPad, or another touchscreen device. Secondly, be aware that styluses come in different types, including passive (no electronics) and active (powered by batteries). The former will be cheaper, but the latter may offer more features, such as palm rejection, customizable buttons and compatibility with specific apps. 

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How we test styluses

When we test a stylus, we begin by examining its compatibility across different devices and operating systems. We then evaluate the level of precision it offers through controlled tasks like drawing intricate lines or handwriting, assessing accuracy and responsiveness. We also take into account pressure sensitivity and palm rejection capabilities, comfort and ergonomics, and additional features, such as customizable buttons or interchangeable tips.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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