A digital pencil is a stylus/active pen that acts as a digital interface for interacting with a touch-sensitive display layer. 

Digital pencils can be used for drawing and writing on such screens, making the lives of graphics artists much easier than ever before. 

In this short yet curated article, we bring you the ten best digital drawing pencils available for purchase in the Indian market. 

Without wasting too much time on the introduction, let’s begin!

Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it’s readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

Overall Best Pick

• Pressure-sensitive tip
• .Lightweight and ergonomic design
• Long-lasting battery life

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The Apple ecosystem offers one of the robust range of tech gadgets that you can currently own.

The only problem with them is the limited compatibility issue with third party accessories. However, Apple does provide a wide range of stock accessories albeit for a premium price.

The Apple pencil as the name suggests is a digital stylus for operating touch assisted displays in devices such as tablets and laptops. The Apple Pencil 2nd Generation was launched back in 2018 which is currently priced at Rs.10,990 in India. 

Design and Build Quality

Apple products are known for their minimal design and premium fit and finish. The case is no different from the Apple pencil. 

This ergonomically designed digital pencil is lightweight and compact enough to be used comfortably. 

Do note that this Apple pencil has limited compatibility, so make sure you check out the compatibility chart from Apple’s official website before purchasing this product. 

Thanks to the magnet inside, this pencil can be easily attached with the magnetic connector on the iPad. 

Usability

Setting up the Apple pencil is a straightforward affair – just attach it to the magnetic connector of the iPad and the tablet will automatically recognize the pencil.

This digital pencil from Apple exhibits low latency and provides precise touch input response. 

In drawing mode, you can change the size pointer size by just tapping twice on the lower portion of the pencil

This pencil comes with a pressure-sensitive tip that helps you draw on the display with varying levels of intensity, just like a real physical pencil. 

Battery Life

The Apple Pencil 2nd Generation is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts for an entire day easily. 

To recharge, just attach the pencil to the magnetic connector on the tablet and it’s done. It takes around 30 minutes to completely recharge the battery from empty. 

Verdict

If you own an iPad, then having this 2nd generation pencil is well worth the extra investment. 

It works flawlessly and provides the best digital drawing experience that you can ever have on a tablet.

2. Adonit Note+

 Runner-up Pick

• Natural tilt-shift support
• Accurate palm rejection
• Lightweight and durable construction

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Adonit is a leading US-based consumer electronics and software brand popular for its touch stylus pens around the globe. 

Adonit Note+ is a third-party alternative for iPad users retailing in the Indian market for just Rs.10,719.

Design and Build Quality

The Adonit Note+ has a matte finish textured body that is of 100% plastic construction. 

The design of this stylus pen is quite similar to most other digital pens available in the market. It is lightweight and easy to hold in the hand. 

The build quality is decent and there is no noticeable flex or cost-cutting visible with this stylus. 

On top of this stylus pen, there is a USB Type-C charging port with two function buttons and an LED indicator. 

Do note that there are no additional pen tips supplied with the box, so you have to purchase them separately.

List of Compatible iPad Models:

• iPad Pro – 3rd and 4th generation
• iPad Air – 3rd and 4th generation
• iPad – 6th, 7th, 8th generation
• iPad Mini – 5th generation or above

This third-party Apple pencil requires iPadOS version 13.3 or above to function properly. 

Usability

This digital stylus pen from Adonit connects with the host device via Bluetooth. The functions that this pen supports vary from application to application. For eg, certain applications do not support the natural tilt-shift or palm rejection feature.

The two function buttons on the pen are programmable according to your preference. 

Features

The natural tilt-shift feature allows you to use the pen in the inclined position which will let you draw shades or hatch lines precisely.

Palm rejection is a necessary feature that will avoid ghost touches while drawing complicated shapes and forms on the tablet. 

This pen has 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and it works fine with most of the apps but with few applications, except some casual jitters here and there.

Battery Life

The built-in rechargeable battery inside the Adonit Note+ lasts for up to 10 hours on a single charge. 

You can charge this digital pen via the USB Type-C port and it juices up fairly quickly.

Verdict

The Adonit Note+ is a feature-rich third-party stylus compatible with certain iPad models. 

Features such as tilt-shift drawing and palm rejection make this stylus one of the best in the business in its price range. 

3. Microsoft Surface Pen

Best Stylus for Surface Devices

• Precise touch input
• Comfortable and ergonomic design
• Long-lasting battery life

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Microsoft Surface books are a popular alternative to the Apple Macbooks in the west for some who want to stick to the Windows ecosystem but with the premium feel similar to that of an Apple product. 

The Microsoft Surface Pen as the name suggests comes as a companion accessory to the Surface laptops and is currently available for purchase in India at just Rs.11,000. 

Design and Build Quality

The Microsoft Surface Pen looks and feels almost similar to that of a standard pencil.  

The fit and finish of this digital stylus pen are as premium as they can get. The build quality in hand feels durable and solid. 

This digital drawing pencil from Microsoft features a single physical button on the body, an eraser on the top section. 

The top section is removable under which the AAAA battery that power this pen resides. 

Certain Surface laptops come inbuilt with a magnetic connector to which this pen can be attached effortlessly. 

Usability

This pen is paired with the Surface laptop via Bluetooth v4.0 protocol. The connection is very stable and without any latency issues as such. 

This stylus works perfectly fine with popular applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom along with other software. You can get a list of apps supported officially by this pen from the official listing page from Microsoft. 

The Surface pen tip supports up to 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity for a precise drawing experience. 

The eraser on top of this pen works similar to a physical eraser on a pencil. The single button on the pencil when pressed mimics the right-click from a mouse. 

Battery Life

As we mentioned before, the Microsoft Surface pen is powered by an AAAA battery. 

With a single battery, Microsoft promises usage up to one year but in real life expect some minor deviations with this number. 

Verdict

The Microsoft Surface Pen is one of the best digital drawing pencils for the Surface laptop lineup.

4. Logitech Crayon

Alternative to Apple Pencil

• No pairing process required
• Palm rejection
• Lightweight and comfortable

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Logitech is a Swiss-based consumer electronics manufacturer known for its keyboards and mice all over the world. 

The Logitech Crayon is a budget digital drawing pencil that will work with most iPad models that are released after 2018 and is priced at Rs.6,995.

Design and Build Quality

The Logitech Crayon uses the Apple Pencil Technology and that being said, you don’t have to go through any typical pairing process.

Compared to the original Apple Pencil, the Logitech Crayon has a flat surface so when you put it on a table it won’t roll off the table.

The orange colour part you see on the stylus is made using silicon rubber. The Logitech Crayon feels more comfortable to hold and is lightweight as well.

At the top, there is a small size flap that covers the female lighting port for charging.

There is an LED right below the power button, to check the power levels simply press and hold the power button for three seconds. If the battery levels are below 10% then it blinks in red colour, if it’s greater than 10% then you will see a green light.

Compatibility:

Here is the list of compatible devices that this digital pencil will work with:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th Gen) – A2229, A2069, A2232, A2233
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3th Gen) – A1876, A2014, A1895, A1983
• iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd Gen) – A2228, A2068, A2230, A2231
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Gen) – A1980, A2013, A1934, A1979
• iPad 9th Gen
• iPad (8th gen) – A2270, A2428, A2429, A2430
• iPad (7th Gen) – A2197, A2200, A2198
• iPad (6th Gen) – A1893, A1954
• iPad Air (4th gen) – A2316, A2324, A2325, A2072
• iPad Air (3rd Gen) – A2152, A2123, A2153, A2154
• iPad mini (6th gen)
• iPad mini (5th gen) – A2133, A2124, A2126, A2125

Usability

To use the Logitech Crayon with your iPad just press the power button provided on the stylus and you are ready to use it.

The stylus is very responsive and it also works in the tilt position.

Thanks to palm-rejection technology, you can write lecture notes or draw while resting your palm on the screen. The only thing Logitech misses is the pressure sensitivity.

Battery Life

On a single full charge, you will get 7.5 hours of battery life with this digital pencil. 

The stylus will get automatically turned off if not used for the straight 30 minutes which is excellent, as it helps save more power.

Also, 2 minutes of quick charging provides 30 minutes of use which is useful in emergency conditions.

Verdict

The Logitech Crayon is for the students and working professionals who need to make notes and presentations on the go.

For a budget under Rs.7,000, the Logitech Crayon is an excellent alternative to the original Apple Pencil.

5. Lenovo Active Pen

Best Build Quality

• Up to 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity
• Robust metal build
• Replacement tips included in the box

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Lenovo Active Pen is a digital stylus pen designed to work exclusively with Lenovo’s tablets and laptop devices. 

This stylus is currently retailing in the Indian market for just Rs.6,610 and is significantly cheaper than some other digital styluses out there. 

Design and Build Quality

The build quality of this digital stylus from Lenovo puts certain expensive digital pens to shame. 

This stylus pen features full metal construction with an excellent fit and finish. The design of this pen is almost identical to a normal pen including the pen clip. 

The Lenovo Active pen has two functional buttons o and a one-push button at the top which is also used to configure the pen with the host device for the first time.

Compatibility:

You can use this digital stylus from Lenovo with the following models: 

• Yoga C930-13, 730-13/15, 920-13, 720-12/13/15
• Flex 14/15 IWL, Flex 6-11/14, Flex 5-14/15
• ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 3, X1 Extreme, X1 Tablet Gen 3
• Miix 720/720/700-12, Miix 520/510-1
• Lenovo C340-14/15, Lenovo 300e

Usability

The Lenovo Active pen pairs with the host device via Bluetooth. The connection is very stable and there are no latency issues whatsoever. 

This digital drawing pen supports up to 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity, sufficient enough for most of the causal works. 

The varying pressure sensitivity will let you draw lines and shades with different ink intensities, something that is of utmost importance for an artist. 

Battery Life

The Lenovo Active Pen is powered by a single AAAA battery similar to the Microsoft Surface pen. 

This battery will last you for up to a year of intermittent usage under standard conditions. 

Verdict

If you are looking to purchase an active stylus for your Lenovo device, you should consider this device. 

The Lenovo Active Pen works flawlessly with the compatible models without any issues whatsoever. 

6. Renaisser Raphael 520

Budget Pencil for Surface Products

• 4096 pressure sensitivity
• MPP 2.0 technology
• Ideal for Microsoft Surface devices

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Renaisser is a foreign brand known for its premium stylus products with years of experience in the field. 

The Renaisser Raphael 520 is a stylus for Microsoft Surface devices that costs almost half the price of the original Surface pen. 

Design and Build Quality

Beginning with its design, this stylus from Renaisser looks professional and provides an artistic feeling to the user.

The body of this digital pencil is made out of aluminium and the tip is made out of rubberized plastic.

The streamlined shape of this pencil gives you a comfortable finger grip while drawing or writing.

Looking at the pencil, you might have noticed that it’s not completely circular and has a flat surface which is a magnetic connector.

The rubberized buttons on the flat surface are functional. Pressing the left button will enable the eraser while using and the right button is a function button you can press it and select an object to save it, edit it, or change the colour.

List of Compatible Surface Devices:

• Surface Pro – 3,4,5,6,7, X
• Surface Go and Surface Go 2
• Surface Book – 1, 2, 3
• Surface Studio 1st Gen and Surface Studio 2
• Surface laptop 1st Gen, Surface laptop 2 & 3

Usability

The Renaisser Raphael 520 has an ergonomic design and it weighs just 14g.

This stylus has 4096 pressure sensitivity so if you draw something with applied pressure the line will be dark and if you apply light force then the line will be light and this function is a desirable feature for the artists.

For better precision, the pencil also has MPP 2.0 technology and MPP stands for Microsoft Pen Protocol. You can also use it in a tilt position and feel free to land your palm on the screen without worrying about ghost touches.

Battery Life

The Renaisser Raphael 520 comes equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery that provides 90 hours of use with just 20 minutes of charging.

This is what the company claimed but take it with a pinch of salt and expect the pencil battery to last up to a day with intense usage which is still not bad in our opinion.

Unfortunately, this digital pencil comes with an outdated micro USB port and not the modern Type-C. 

Verdict

This digital pen from Renaisser is specifically designed for Microsoft Surface laptops and if you own one then buying the Renaisser Raphael 520 is a cheap alternative for the original Surface pen but with almost all features.

7. Case U

Economical Digital Pencil

• Easy to use
• Works with most applications
• Excellent palm rejection

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Case U is an Indian brand that manufactures various types of accessories products and sells them through e-commerce channels.

The Case U is an excellent note-taking digital stylus that is priced at around Rs.3,000.

Design and Build Quality

The Case U stylus is made using aluminium and plastic materials.

There is a touch button at the top and moving down you will notice a USB-C port and an LED indicator.

This stylus has a 1.5mm tip and inside the box, you will get two extra tips.

Weighing at 20 grams, this stylus feels lightweight in hand and it’s not completely rounded so it won’t slip either.

The Case U also has a magnetic connector so you can attach it to your iPad, however, the magnetic connection is not so strong.

Compatibility

The Case U digital pencil is compatible with the following devices:

• iPad Air 3rd/4th Gen
• iPad 6/7/8/9th Gen
• iPad Mini 5/6th Gen
• iPad Pro 11 and 12.9 (Models released between 2018 – 2021)

Usability

The Case U stylus is one of the best digital pencils for taking notes, making presentations and simple drawings.

You will get excellent palm rejection while holding this stylus in hand and it works perfectly fine in tilt position so you can draw shades.

This digital pencil does not have pressure sensitivity and in case you are a professional artist then avoid this one.

Battery Life

Case U battery takes 30 minutes to get fully charged and provides 10 hours of battery backup.

You can use a USB-C cable to charge this digital pencil.

Verdict

The Case U is an affordable digital pencil for use like taking class notes, making visual presentations and 2D drawing.

8. About The Fit 

Best Budget Pencil for iPad

• Aluminium alloy build
• Replaceable nib
• 1-Year manufacturing warranty

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ABOUT THE FIT is an Indian brand that produces companion accessories for brands such as Apple, Samsung and Lenovo.

This digital stylus is meant for the iPad and is much affordable compared to the original Apple pencil.

Design and Build Quality

The outer casing of the ABOUT THE FIT stylus is crafted from aluminium alloy.

The diameter of this pen is almost similar to the original Apple pencil gen 1 but is shorter in vertical height which is no deal-breaker as it still feels comfortable in the hands.

This lightweight pencil can be used for hours without feeling much stress on fingers.

This digital pencil features a USB-C port at the top and at the top end, there is a touch-sensitive surface that is used to turn on/off the pencil.

The pen has a 1.5mm fine tip which is user-replaceable and it works like a champ.

Compatible Model of iPad:

• iPad Pro – 3rd and 4th generation (12.9-inch)
• iPad Pro – 2nd and 3rd generation (11-inch)
• iPad Air – 3rd (10.5-inch) and 4th generation (10.9-inch)
• iPad – 7th and 8th generation (10.2-inch)
• iPad Mini – 5th generation (7.9-inch)
• iPad 2018 – 6th generation (9.7-inch)

Usability

Similar to the Apple Pencil, the ABOUT THE FIT stylus does not require Bluetooth pairing and you can use it right out of the box.

This stylus does have pressure sensitivity but is not specified clearly in numbers. Furthermore, you can use the pen in a tilt positioned, which is a handy feature in drawing and it also offers excellent palm rejection.

You can use this pencil for taking notes or for the artwork and the brand also includes an extra tip with the bundle.

Battery Life

The ABOUT THE FIT pencil is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery that takes almost an hour to charge and provides 20 hours of battery backup.

Verdict

The ABOUT THE FIT digital pencil is an affordable Apple pencil replacement, provided you have carefully checked the compatibility list of supported iPad generations.

9. Tukzer Stylus Pen

Entry-level Digital Pencil

• Soft rounded tip
• Magnetic connector support
• Robust aluminium build

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Tukzer is an Indian company that manufactures accessories for mobile, tablets, and laptops.

The digital pencil from Tukzer is an affordable alternative to the Apple pencil, ideal for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money. 

Design and Build Quality

Designwise, the Tukzer Stylus Pen looks almost identical to the original Apple pencil. 

The entire outer body of this affordable stylus is made from polished aluminium alloy. The build quality feels solid and durable for the asking price. 

Weighing at just 19g in hand, this is one of the lightest active stylus pens out there. The hemispherical cap on the top section doubles up as an on/off button. 

The 1mm fine tip of this pencil comes with tilt-shift support. Being a third party Apple pencil charger, it fits well with the magnetic connector on the iPad. 

Compatible iPad Devices:

The Tukzer Stylus Pen is compatible with the following devices:

• iPad – 6th, 7th, and 8th generation
• iPad Pro – 11 (2nd Gen) and 12.9-inch model(3rd and 4th Gen)
• iPad mini – 5th generation
• iPad Air – 3rd & 4th generation

Usability

To use this digital pencil with the iPad, just tap once on the top hemispherical cap and it will turn on. No Bluetooth or external app is required.

This pen has no pressure sensitivity so if you want to draw and need to do shading then, you have to manually select the options from the app if supported.

As for the writing and simple drawing, this pen works just as fine as it supposed to be. You will notice no lag or jitter while using it.

Battery Life

The Tukzer Stylus Pen provides a full day battery backup on a full charge.

The built-in rechargeable battery inside is juiced up using the Type-C port on the stylus. 

Verdict

The Tukzer digital pencil is an excellent option for iPad users who want a casual stylus pen that is not too expensive.

10. XIRON

Honourable Mention

• Good build quality
• Responsive
• Works with iPad and other tablets

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XIRON is a registered seller on Amazon.com that sells high-quality affordable digital pencils.

The XIRON stylus is a versatile digital pencil because it’s not limited to iPad only.

Design and Build Quality

The XIRON digital pencil has a physical dimension of 16.21 x 1.4 x 7.59 cm and it weighs 18.4 grams.

This digital pencil is not that heavy but it is long compared to Case U and Logitech Crayon.

The accessory has 1.45mm of tip that interacts with the touchscreen display precisely.

Inside the box, you will get an extra mounting that has a fat tip and you can attach it to the digital pencil on its backside. That way, you can use both sides for drawing and taking notes.

To avoid palm rejection, XIRON also provided an anti-fouling glove. So while writing or drawing you can rest your palm on display without worrying about mistouches.

Compatibility

The XIRON digital pencil works with most devices. You don’t have to turn on Bluetooth or anything – just press the power button and start using the stylus.

Usability

This stylus can be used for taking notes, making diagrams, flowcharts, presentations, rough visual models and so.

However, we do not recommend this digital pencil to people who make sketches or draw complex artwork which requires tilt-sensing function and pressure sensitivity.

It’s a high-quality versatile digital pencil for regular users who are not much into art.

Battery Life

The XIRON digital pencil has an impressive battery life of 5 days with 2 hours of charging.

Also, if you turn it on and leave it for 30 minutes doing nothing then it will get automatically turned off, resulting in better battery life.

The only drawback we found is it’s using a micro USB port instead of a modern Type-C port.

Verdict

The XIRON digital pencil is for iPad and normal tablet users who want to experience an excellent accessory.

For a budget under Rs.3,000, the XIRON digital pencil is the best stylus for regular people.

This concludes the curated list for the top ten best digital pencils available for purchase in the Indian market. 

We haven’t included the cheap capacitive pencils as most of them are generic Chinese brands and the functionality can’t be guaranteed without proper testing. 

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding this article, let us know in the comments section below. 

As always, thanks for the time and have a great day!