10 Best Smart Pens in 2021

If you have ever wanted to digitize your handwritten materials like notes, diagrams and sketches, smart pens are an excellent solution.

Some smart pens use special paper to capture the information, while others work with smartphones or tablets. Then, there are models that store data in a transferable format.

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Pinpointing the best smart pen depends on your needs. However, once you find the perfect device, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one. 

Whether you are concerned about compatibility, battery life, price or having the newest option on the market, there’s a smart pen out there for you.

Don’t miss our list of the top-rated smart pens to enjoy the convenience of digitizing your drawings, notes, grocery lists and more.

Top Smart Pens

Our best smart pens picks are handy and convenient. Whether you’re a student, writer, frugal shopper or editor, there’s an option on this list for you.

1. Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

The Apple Pencil 2 is our choice for the best smart pen for iPads. This pencil was created by Apple, so it is compatible with iOS devices.

While it isn’t the cheapest device on the market, it boasts remarkable features.

For starters, this pen is shorter and easy to grip. It even has one flat side for precise tap controls. 

Unlike the Apple Pencil 1, it doesn’t come with a removable cap. The Apple 2 is a single, solid and clean unit.

This means you don’t have to worry about misplacing the cap, which is a common complaint with the Apple Pencil 1. 

Since this pencil is super responsive, it is ideal with drawing tablets. If you’re an artist, you’ll love the tap functionality on the pencil’s edge. 

If you are using a drawing app, this feature will come in handy. It allows you to switch between the app’s tools swiftly for a smooth drawing experience.

This smart pen offers 12-hours of battery life. Even more impressive, it snaps magnetically on the side of your iPad to recharge instead of awkwardly sticking out of the charging port.

If you don’t own the new iPad, the Apple Pencil 1 is an ideal solution to go along with your older Apple products.

2. Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2

Fresh off the shelf, the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 is a thing of beauty. It packs a haptic motor to deliver “tactical signals” as you write or draw and is compatible with Microsoft Windows.

The haptic motor makes drawing and sketching feel more natural. Furthermore, the motor provides feedback when you pair the pen with select apps.

Using this pen feels like writing on paper. It will even vibrate in Microsoft Word when you highlight text.

The Slim 2 is designed for Microsoft’s Surface devices. It comes with a sharper tip for higher precision and reduced latency.

Charging this pen is a breeze. You can charge it on the Signature Keyboard for the Surface Pro 8 and X. Additionally, you can magnetically attach to charge from the Surface Laptop Studio.

As an added bonus, there’s the Zero-Force inking. With this feature, the pen can detect when it’s near a display. That way, there’s minimal delay between touching the screen and seeing what you’ve drawn.

3. Mixoo Smart Pen

A crowd favorite, the Mixoo smart pen is in a class of its own. It features two tips, including a silicon disc tip and a fiber tip.

The dual tips bring in the versatility any artist will appreciate. With this pen, you can write, draw, paint, sketch or play games. Both tips are replaceable. 

The best part? Each package comes with three replacement tips.

This pen is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

Slim and ergonomic, the Mixoo features an aluminum body for weighted balance. 

Meanwhile, the transparent disc allows you to see where you’re pointing. The effect is better accuracy and flexibility for your drawing and writing.

The Mixoo is available in a collection of vibrant colors from rose gold to dark violet and red. It is the perfect gift item for a friend who would love a trendy smart pen.

4. Buteny Digital Pencil

This unit by Buteny is one of the best digital pens on the market. If you’re looking for a smart pen to navigate your 8-inch tablet, this is a great Android and iOS compatible option.

The pen is accurate and responsive with incredible sensitivity. It comes with a 1.5 ultrafine tip that’s amazingly smooth, even for the smallest of strokes. 

To promote work efficiency, it has a lightweight design.

The battery life is sensational. With over 10 hours of working time, you can use this pen all day. 

Charging is straightforward. Simply plug it into the power source via the included micro-USB, then wait for 60 minutes.

To use the Buteny, just tap the pen’s top button. You can use the pen on multiple devices simultaneously. However, it does not offer Bluetooth connectivity.

To top it all off, this pen is reasonably small. It measures 8.27 x 2.2 x 0.94 inches, so carrying it around shouldn’t be a problem.

5. Kengdudu Smart Pencil

The Kengdudu is a great pick if you’re looking for a cheap digital smart pen. Not only is this pen affordable, but it is also delightful.

This pen thrives on precise point control. Its tips are highly sensitive to pressure and tilt, allowing you to create thin lines and subtle shading effortlessly.

Kengdudu is a beginner-friendly smart pen. It comes alive at the press of a button that is conveniently placed at the top and is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

This unit is ideal for painting and drawing. It features a 1.5 mm diameter tip for a more realistic feel during use.

It also has a 30-minute auto-off function to save power when the smart pen is inactive. 

As for the battery life, this style can work continuously for eight to 10 hours. That’s enough juice to meet the needs of most users.

6. Livescribe Symphony Smartpen

The Symphony is the best smart pen for students. It is also the pen to carry during meetings and lectures.

This pen is compatible with multiple devices, including Android, iOS, macOS and Windows.

When paired with the Livescribe app, this pen can work magic. It can comb through handwritten and editable text to help you find what you want. No more scribbling and flipping through pages.

Using the app, this pen can transcribe up to 27 languages. That way, you don’t waste time utilizing Google Translate.

Further, the Symphony can turn your notes into text at the tap of a button. You don’t have to retype anything. Simply hit “edit” and watch the pen go to work.

Other notable features include in-app page sharing. With this function, you can share documents in PDF, DOCX, PNG and SVG.

Then there’s the auto-send capability, allowing you to save your notes on the cloud.

Furthermore, the Symphony can record audio and playbacks.

7. Moleskine Smart Writing Set

The Moleskine Smart Writing Set offers everything you need to manage your notes and is compatible exclusively with its accompanying Moleskine notebook. 

Yes, you read that correctly. This is a smart pen and smart notebook bundle. 

Unlike other smart pens on the market, this device has a metal body. Its design offers a solid grip and unrivaled control.

There’s also a wraparound metal clip that conveniently slides over the edge of the notebook cover. That way, you can comfortably carry the pen with your notebook.

On one end of the pen is an LED indicator for battery level notification. There is a power button to shut off the pen on the other end.

It is important to note that the Moleskine turns off automatically when you replace the cap. It’ll also power on automatically when you write. 

On the tip is a camera to track your writing and the dots on the notebook. 

The Moleskine uses D1 replaceable tips and comes with two, so you’ll be covered for a while.

8. NEWYES SyncPen

At 9.49 x 9.41 x 0.87 inches in dimension, the SyncPen feels more like a standard pen. However, with 1024 pressure levels, this device is as accurate as they come. 

The pen is compatible with iOS and Android gadgets. It features Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity for wireless transmission without losing your work. 

Activating Bluetooth is simple. All you need to do is remove the pen cap.

You don’t have to hold the SyncPen at a specific angle. The pen is compatible with all pen holding positions. This allows you to enjoy a 360-degree capturing trajectory.

The SyncPen is more than a smart pen. It is an artificially intelligent writing system. It comes with an integrated camera that captures 200+ frames per second. 

The camera can scan dox matrix coordinates on your notebook in real-time.

This device can pair with the NEWYES app to enable you to synchronize your work easily. Furthermore, the app allows you to upload your content to the cloud for easy accessibility.

9. Meko Magnetic Smart Pen

This popular digital pen is simple to use. It is 5.5 inches long and has a metal barrel with balanced weight for a great holding feel.

Compatible with iOS and Android devices, the Meko is available in one- and two-piece bundles. It pairs a mesh tip on one end and a clear disc on the other.

The disc tip mimics a finger-like design for enhanced sensitivity on screen. The no-lag tip is ideal for detailed drawing and handwriting.

Meanwhile, the mesh tip comes in handy for gaming or scrolling web pages. Both tips are replaceable. Each package comes with four extra disc tips and two mesh tips for extended use.

The Meko flaunts a glossy finish, making it a great gift item. Better yet, it comes at a pocket-friendly price. 

You can use it with virtually all touchscreens, including Kindles and iPhones.

10. Bamboo Ink Smartpen

The Bamboo Ink Smartpen features a super-sensitive fine tip with up to 4,096 pressure levels. With such high levels of sensitivity, everything you write or sketch will be extra precise.

We love the Bamboo Ink’s stylish cylindrical shape. Its aluminum body promises months of durable use. 

The long-lasting battery for uninterpreted use ensures you can focus on your projects without the distraction of the pen dying halfway through your writing session.

Another feature that makes this digital pen stand out is its customizability. You can add soft, firm or medium nibs to suit your specific needs. Plus, the nibs provide an authentic on-screen feel.

The Bamboo Ink can integrate with Workspace apps right off the bat. You don’t even have to pair it. 

You can use the Windows Ink-compatible pen to add comments on photos, graphs and maps with the app. 

The pen runs on a long-lasting AAA battery for reliability. It works with both Microsoft Pen Protocol (MMP) and Wacom Active ES protocol.

Summary

A smart pen is a go-to tool if you’re looking to digitize handwritten notes or drawings. Additionally, a digital pen can significantly improve your navigating or browsing experience.

While there are many options on the market, these smart pens stand out. They offer a mix of innovative features at different pricing levels to meet everyone’s needs and budgets. 

When choosing a smart pen, ensure it’s compatible with your devices and operating system. 

Also, you’ll want to evaluate the battery life and check the nib to make sure it meets your needs.

No matter how you plan to use your smart pen, you will find what you’re looking for with these options.