We tested the top smart pens from seven manufacturers for over 16 hours by writing, doodling and taking notes. We wrote out the Gettysburg Address with each pen to get a feel for writing longform and to test for accuracy. We also sketched at least two pictures with each pen to get a feel for how well the digital pens could replicate finer details and shading. The Livescribe 3 Smartpen Black Edition is the best smart pen because of its impeccable accuracy, comfortable grip and easy setup.
Product |
Price
|
Overall Rating
|
Performance
|
Design
|
Features
|
Help & Support
|
Battery Life (hours)
|
Sketch Capture Quality
|
Setup Time (min:sec)
|
Handwriting Capture Quality
|
Comfort Score
|
Weight (ounces)
|
Wireless Connectivity
|
Requires Special Paper / Notebooks
|
Audio Recording Capability
|
Mobile App
|
iOS, Android, Mac, PC
|
Tutorials
|
Warranty
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8.9 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 8.8 |
14
|
A+
|
0:26
|
A+
|
B+
|
1.1
|
Bluetooth
|
iOS, Android, Amazon
|
1 Year
|
||||||
8.8 | 9 | 10 | 6.8 | 8.8 |
8
|
A
|
1:02
|
A+
|
A-
|
0.6
|
Bluetooth
|
-
|
iOS, Android
|
1 Year
|
|||||
8.1 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 9.3 | 8.8 |
5
|
C+
|
0:34
|
A
|
A+
|
0.9
|
Bluetooth
|
iOS, Android
|
1 Year
|
||||||
7.8 | 6.8 | 8 | 9.3 | 8.8 |
5
|
C-
|
0:28
|
A
|
A+
|
0.9
|
Bluetooth
|
iOS, Android
|
1 Year
|
||||||
7.7 | 8.8 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 6.3 |
10
|
B+
|
0:30
|
A
|
C
|
0.7
|
Bluetooth
|
-
|
1 Year
|
||||||
7.4 | 9.8 | 2 | 8.3 | 8.8 |
12
|
A+
|
0:05*
|
A+
|
C-
|
1.3
|
-
|
-
|
Mac, PC
|
1 Year
|
|||||
7 | 6 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 10 |
8
|
C-
|
3:37
|
B-
|
C
|
0.7
|
Bluetooth
|
-
|
-
|
2 Years
|
-
Most accurate pen we tested
-
Comfortable round design
-
Easy, twistable on/off switch
-
Heavier than most smart pens
-
Requires expensive Livescribe notebooks
-
No other colors to choose from
-
Smartpad works with any paper
-
Great accuracy with writing and drawing
-
Comfortable pen that doesn’t need to be charged
-
Paper must be aligned with the smartpad
-
Short battery life
-
Cannot record audio
-
One of the most comfortable pens we tested
-
Quick setup
-
One-click emailing of your handwritten notes
-
Shortest battery life we tested
-
Longer than normal pens
-
Heavy weight can be uncomfortable
-
Included high-quality notebook
-
Poor drawing accuracy
-
Works with any paper
-
Pen cap doesn’t fit on end of pen
Why Trust Us?
We conducted our own hands-on tests with each digital pen – writing, doodling and taking notes for over 16 hours in total. We read what other review sites and consumers had written about the pens and took their ratings into consideration. We wrote out the Gettysburg Address with each pen to get a feel for the comfort and accuracy of each one. We also sketched at least two pictures to see how well the digital pens could replicate finer details and shading. We weighed the pens using a high-quality scale in our Purch test lab and took careful notes as we wrote with each pen. We’ve reviewed smart pens for several years as well as countless other digital products.
Because smart pens are such a niche device, the market is small. We tested all the major pens that are currently on the market and that you can buy today, even some that may take you weeks to ship from Amazon. We also scoured Kickstarter to look for any up and coming products. The pens we reviewed are the ones you’ll see on Amazon or in box stores.
How We Tested
To test the writing accuracy of the pens, I wrote out all 272 words of the Gettysburg Address with each pen and then compared the written copies with the digitized versions. I looked for extra lines and incorrect strokes that didn’t result from poor penmanship and were incorrectly inserted by the pen. Incorrect lines counted as errors and lowered the writing accuracy score.
To test the accuracy of the pens with regard to sketching and drawing, I drew a simple house and attempted to draw a horse (it wasn’t pretty) with each pen. I looked for missing lines and incorrect shading when reviewing the digitized drawings for accuracy. As with the writing accuracy comparison, each missing feature was counted as an error and hurt the sketching accuracy score.
How Much Do Smart Pens Cost?
Most of the smart pens we evaluated cost about $150, though a few are upwards of $200. Other things to consider when calculating cost are the prices of consumables, including ink refills and paper. A few of the pens we tested work with any paper, but most require specially coded paper to work properly. These papers are proprietary for each company, as is the case for the Neo Smartpen N2, and the special notebooks cost upwards of $20.
Who Could Use a Smart Pen?
Smart pens are becoming obsolete. If you own an iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil offers better accuracy and better functionality than any technology that digitizes physical pen and paper.
However, certain use cases, like taking notes in a college class or wanting to share your handwritten meeting notes, could make smart pens a smart buying decision. Be warned, however, that if your penmanship is sloppy, digitizing them won’t do you any favors.
If you find yourself needing a smart pen for just taking voice recordings, we recommend the Livescribe Echo, which has a solid voice recorder built in. If you’re looking for the clearest quality, though, a dedicated voice recorder will get much clearer audio. The smart pens in our review are best used for digitizing your handwritten notes; recording audio is more of an additional feature.
If you’re a true pen and paper aficionado, a smart pen could be a great way to digitize and keep track of your handwritten notes. The high price and questionable quality, however, makes choosing the right pen an important decision. Read more in our reviews to determine which digital pen might work best for you.
Stylus For Touchscreen Tablets & Phones
The smart pens we tested digitize handwritten notes and drawings and send them wirelessly to mobile apps on a phone or tablet. If you prefer sketching or taking notes on mobile devices by touching a pen directly to the touchscreen surface instead of to a conventional notepad, a stylus is the best option. Here are some of our favorite styluses for mobile devices.
Apple Pencil
If you have a first or second generation iPad Pro or the sixth generation iPad, this is the best stylus available. It doesn’t work on Android or Windows tablets, but because it’s designed specifically for iOS devices, there aren’t any issues with syncing or any lag in response time. The Apple Pencil syncs to the tablet via Bluetooth and charges with a Lightning connection. When you draw on the pressure-sensitive screen with the side of the tip, it creates wide strokes perfect for shading. For handwritten notes, the tip has a fine point that’s extremely accurate. It doesn’t have a rubber handle, which makes it slippery after many hours of use, but the size and weight feel similar to a conventional pencil or pen.
Adonit Switch
This stylus is a handwriting solution for digital and analog surfaces. On one end there’s a fine-point stylus surrounded by a clear plastic disc that works on all iOS phones and tablets and most Android devices. On the other end is a 0.8-millimeter ballpoint pen for writing on paper. The stylus syncs via a Bluetooth connection and is compatible with popular note-taking apps like Notability and GoodNotes. This hybrid stylus doesn’t have the same creative painting and drawing features as the Apple Pencil, but if you take notes on tablets and paper, it is a great option.
More Guides for Note-Takers: