Advertiser Disclosure: At Slickdeals, we work hard to find the best deals. Some products in our articles are from partners who may provide us with compensation, but this doesn’t change our opinions. Our editors strive to ensure that the information in this article is accurate as of the date published, but please keep in mind that offers can change. We encourage you to verify all terms and conditions of any product before you apply.
Reading Time: 3 minutesWith most of us dealing with online classrooms and digital workspaces, being digitally-savvy is synonymous with being productive. An Apple Pencil is ideal for marking up PDFs, taking notes, creating precise presentations and finishing lessons. However, the second generation of Apple Pencil retails for $129—which seems a little pricey when the alternative, your finger, is free.
Whether you want a cheap Apple Pencil alternative or just a stylus that can do a few more tricks than the Apple Pencil can, we’ve rounded up some good and affordable options.
Logitech Crayon
Price: $69.95 | You save $59 versus the Apple Pencil 2
Credit: Amazon
Works best with:
- All iPads (2018 releases and newer releases)
Best suited for:
- Kids and teens
- Those who want a thicker stylus
- Beginner stylus users
Logitech received Apple’s approval to create the Crayon for educational uses, and therefore, the Crayon works with hundreds of Apple Pencil supported apps.
The most common complaint about the Logitech Crayon is that it is not pressure sensitive. This means that if you were hoping to get a faint line with light pressure or a bold line with harder pressure, you’re out of luck. Instead, you can change the thickness of your strokes through tilting the head of the stylus.
Andonit Pro 4
Price: $29.99 | You save $99 versus the Apple Pencil 2
Credit: Amazon
Works with:
- All touchscreens including Apple, Android and Window tech
Best for:
- Users who need a stylus for non-Apple products
- Those with older Apple products
- College students
Unlike the Apple Pencil 2, the Andonit Pro 4 comes with a soft touch precision disc instead of a point. This allows the stylus to be scratch-resistant on all touchscreens while still allowing users to make precise strokes. One Amazon reviewer summed up the good and the bad with the Andonit Pro 4 saying, “This stylus easily deserves five stars for how it writes and how it feels. It’s the best I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried many. But, as others have noted, the clipless cylinder design presents a serious problem: The stylus inevitably rolls off your desk.”
Andonit users will need the Notability app, which costs $9.99 if they want to experience this stylus at its peak.
XIRON Active Stylus
Sale Price: $26.99 | Reg. Price: $29.99 | You save $102 versus the Apple Pencil 2
Credit: Amazon
The XIRON Active Stylus looks and feels like an Apple Pencil 2, but there are a few cool features including a button to switch the stylus on rather than being Bluetooth-dependent. The XIRON also shuts off automatically after five minutes of non-use.
Charging the stylus isn’t as quick or streamlined as an Apple Pencil, but it does hold a longer charge of 20 active hours. Like the Apple Pencil 2, the XIRON has palm rejection, no lag and is slightly lighter than the Pencil.
Works with:
- All iPads (2018 releases and newer releases)
Best for:
- Artists and graphic designers
- Professionals
- Older students who are used to using a pencil
How to Save No Matter Where You Shop
Looking for a great deal on iPads? Navigate multiple sales at once by setting Deal Alerts on Slickdeals for your favorite stores and checking our coupon pages for current promo codes.
You can also download the Slickdeals browser extension to help save you money when you shop online. It auto applies coupon codes before you check out and can also show you any active deals our community of over 12 million active deal hunters has found as you visit any of the hundreds of supported stores.
Download the Slickdeals Extension Now
Up next:
‘Free’ Sam’s Club Annual Membership Deal Is Back
Ashley Eneriz
I am a lifestyle and personal finance writer based in SoCal and have been a freelance writer since way before working remotely was the new norm. Being a wife and a mom to three young awesome kids, I have made it a regular habit to check out Slickdeals (even before joining the SD content team) to help fill up my pantry and gift closet for 50-70% off retail prices. As a family of five, we go through snacks, gifts, and toilet paper at an alarming rate, so I love a good deal and am also not afraid to dig through a thrift store to score incredible finds. When not writing about amazing deals to help people save and cool things on sale, I am taking care of my three girls, homeschooling, or stuck with my nose in a book. Sometimes, at the same time.