When it comes to the best tablets on the market, it’s hard to look past the iPad in its various guises. That’s especially the case for creatives seeking powerful and reliable devices to use on the go. But you’re going to need an Apple Pencil or a third-party alternative to get the best out of it, especially if you’re an artist.
Getting your hands on an Apple Pencil isn’t cheap, though, with retail prices starting at $99. But if you shop around, you can find a few deals to save you some cash. Right now you can knock as much as $10 off the list price of an Apple Pencil. But there are plenty of third-party alternatives to be had if you’d prefer to spend less. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best offers on one of these nifty tools, as well as some of the best third-party alternatives in case you’re looking for an even more affordable option.
One thing to note is that Apple just announced the Apple Pencil (USB-C), which is a $79 addition to the lineup and the cheapest of the three Apple options. It has most of the features of the Apple Pencil (1st gen) as well as some of those offered by the Apple pencil (2nd gen), but you can’t buy it yet. That’ll all change when it goes on sale in early November, and we’ll keep our eyes peeled for deals once it lands as well.
Apple Pencil pricing 2023
| Model | Apple Store price | Best price right now | Best all-time price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Pencil (1st gen) | $99 | $89 | $70 |
| Apple Pencil (2nd gen) | $129 | $119 | $85 |
Beyond the Apple Pencil, there are a few great Apple Pencil alternatives that are also worth considering, and there are frequent deals on those, which we’ve highlighted further down the page.
Best Apple Pencil (first-gen) deals
Apple’s first-gen Apple Pencil was released in November 2015 and has stuck around since then. At its debut, it worked only with the first iPad Pro model before support was added to subsequent models. It has a Lightning connector built into the end for charging the Apple Pencil right from your iPad and has a removable tip that can be changed out after your current one starts to get worn down.
The first-gen Apple Pencil is compatible with all pre-2018 iPad Pro models, the iPad Air 3, the iPad Mini 2019 and all base-model iPads since 2018. It’s also the one to get to use with the 2022 10th generation iPad. Awkwardly, there are two versions of the first-gen Apple Pencil for sale at most retailers: one with a Lightning adapter and one with a USB-C adapter. Other than the adapter, the Apple Pencil is exactly the same, so the deciding factor between them is purely how you wish to charge the device back up. The USB-C version hasn’t been on the market as long and tends not to be discounted. Here are the best first-gen Pencil deals you can buy right now.
Amazon and Walmart both have the 1st-gen model priced at $89, which is $10 less than the price you’ll find at the Apple Store. We have seen it go lower in the past so if you’re not in a hurry to get your hands on one, you may want to try and wait for holiday sales. It comes with the USB-C adapter, which is required to pair with the newest iPad model.
Best Apple Pencil (second-gen) deals
The second-gen Apple Pencil was launched in October 2018 alongside the third-gen iPad Pro, and while it may look similar on the surface, there are quite a few differences between the two models. One big difference is that the Apple Pencil 2 charges magnetically while attached to newer iPads, meaning there’s no Lightning connector. The design is slightly refined as well, with one flat side that’s used to charge and a sensor near the tip that enables double-tap features.
The second-gen Apple Pencil works with all 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros (2018 and later models), as well as newer iPad Air (2020 and 2022) models and the iPad Mini 6. Here are the best Apple Pencil 2 deals you can get right now.
A couple of retailers have the Apple Pencil 2 listed at $121 right now, which is $8 less than Apple charges for it, but there’s no denying it’s a fair bit short of the best price we’ve seen this accessory sell for.
Read our Apple Pencil 2 preview.
Best cheap Apple Pencil alternatives
While the Apple Pencil offers one of the best experiences when paired with the iPad, it may not be the best choice for everyone. There are a number of cheaper Apple Pencil alternatives that you can take a look at. Here are some of the best ones that are on sale right now.
The Logitech Crayon works with just about every iPad out there — unlike the Apple Pencil, where you have to ensure you buy the right Pencil for your iPad model. It doesn’t have the fancy instant pairing or magnetic charging, but other than that it works very similarly to the Apple Pencil for a fraction of the price. You can save $8 on this tool right now, but we’ve seen it up to $10 off at Amazon in the past.
Zagg’s Pro Stylus 2 has been upgraded with wireless charging and a bunch of new colors. It has Apple Pencil-like palm rejection and tilt-recognition, plus a round capacitive tip on the back. It lasts for six hours per charge and can be magnetically attached to your iPad.
Zagg’s Pro Stylus also offers an Apple Pencil-like experience for less. It features palm rejection and tilt-recognition tech like Apple’s option, offers automatic pairing and even attaches magnetically to the side of your iPad Pro or iPad Air (though you’ll need to charge it via USB-C). It’s down to $25 right now.
This stylus is a great cheap alternative to the Apple Pencil if you want the overall style of the Pencil without the price tag. It has removable tips, can be turned on and off and even recharges via USB-C. Just make sure you clip the coupon to save the full amount.
Adonit’s Dash 3 stylus offers a paper-like drag for a more natural writing and drawing experience. It’s capacitive so there’s no need to connect via Bluetooth and it offers up to 14 hours of continuous usage. Save $10 on it right now at Amazon.
This stylus pen has a nice sleek design and offers a black option that Apple does not currently have for its Pencil models. It offers up to 12 hours of battery per charge, and a 4-minute charge can give you an extra hour of battery life. It uses Micro-USB for charging and can charge and write at the same time. There aren’t any discounts on this stylus at the moment, but it’s still a solid value at less than $50.
Apple Pencil vs. Apple Pencil 2: Which should you buy?
The decision here is simple: You have to buy the one that’s compatible with your iPad. Apple does not let you pick which Apple Pencil you want to use with which iPad. Instead, iPads are only compatible with a specific model of the Apple Pencil.
As outlined above, the original Apple Pencil works with the first- and second-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 3 and fifth-gen iPad Mini, and all of the base-model iPads since the sixth-gen model. If you have a newer iPad Pro, fourth- or fifth-gen iPad Air or the sixth-gen iPad Mini, you’ll need to opt for the Apple Pencil 2.
If you want to avoid this confusion, you can select from one of the non-Apple alternatives listed above, which generally have broader compatibility.
