The 4 Best Styluses For iPhones, According To Reviews

Whether you’re drawing, taking notes, or browsing the web, a stylus can make daily iPhone use so much easier. Depending on what style you choose, the best styluses for iPhones will either use built-in electrical components or the pressure of your hand to navigate the screen and perform tasks. Some even include multiple tips in different sizes or materials, so you can have greater freedom in how you use your stylus.

Rechargeable Styluses Versus Capacitive Styluses

When it comes to iPhone styluses, you’ll have a choice between two variations. Here’s what to know about each:

• Rechargeable styluses: Also known as an “active styluses,” these have built-in rechargeable batteries and internal electrical components that interact directly with your iPhone’s screen. They’re very responsive and allow you to create lighter or heavier lines, depending on how much pressure you apply, so they feel a lot like using regular pens. Plus, they utilize fine copper tips, which are highly accurate and responsive. They tend to be a bit more expensive and need to be recharged periodically, but they offer more precision than capacitive styluses, making them your best bet if you’re planning to take notes by hand, draw, or play games where accuracy is a priority.
• Capacitive styluses: Much like a finger, these passive styluses use heat and pressure to get your touch screen to respond, and they require a bit more effort to use than rechargeable styluses. They’re budget-friendly and usually have tips made from rubber or fiber mesh — materials that are less sensitive than copper — but are perfectly suitable for casual scrolling or web browsing. Some, however, utilize narrower rubber tips surrounded by transparent plastic or silicone discs, which are ideal if you’re using your tablet for drawing, writing, or other activities where accuracy is more important. (And keep in mind: The smaller the tip, the more precision you’ll get.)

Whether you plan to use it for everyday smartphone tasks or for more specific sketching projects, the best styluses for iPhones come in handy. (There are even cost-effective multipacks for those who find themselves misplacing their styluses every so often.) Below, I’ve rounded up my top picks for a variety of purposes.

1. A Simple Stylus With Rubber & Disc Tips

• Highlights: capacitive, dual-sided, fiber and disc tips, rubber grip for extra comfort
• Disc tip: 7 millimeters with a 2-millimeter rubber point
• Fiber tip: 6 millimeters

Equipped with several features at a great price, this capacitive stylus is a fantastic choice that will suit a range of needs. The dual stylus features a fiber tip at one end, which is great for simple tasks such as clicking and scrolling, while the disc tip on the other end offers more flexibility and accuracy for writing. (You’ll also receive two replacement disc tips and one replacement fiber tip.)

The aluminum barrel is enhanced with stainless steel accents, with a grooved rubber grip on the disc end for extra comfort. A clip at the top of the stylus gives you the option of attaching it to your shirt pocket, folder, or binder. As an added bonus, there are eight color options available, including red, space gray, and rose gold.

According to a reviewer: “I LOVE using it. The sensitivity is just right, I’m applying barely any pressure. Accuracy is perfect, and it feels just like a real pen in my hand. It also comes with replacement tips. If you’re looking for an inexpensive high accuracy stylus I absolutely recommend getting this one.”

2. A Trio Of Dual Styluses With 2 Rubber Tip Sizes

• Highlights: capacitive, dual-sided, two rubber tip sizes, budget-friendly price
• Rubber tips: 5 millimeters and 7 millimeters

These capacitive touch-screen pens are designed with dual-ended rubber tips — one measures 5 millimeters, while the other is slightly larger at 7 millimeters — so you can determine which size works best for you. What’s especially great about this multipack is that it comes with six replacement tips — three of each size. The styluses are made from lightweight aluminum, and the three-pack includes pens in three different colors. Note that there are no comfort grips or clips at the ends of the styluses, making this option a bit more pared down than the previous pick.

According to a reviewer: “Excellent. They are easy to hold. They come with multiple size rubber ends. That you can change out, depending on what device, you are using it with. Would recommend them to anyone.”

3. A Rechargeable Stylus For Lots Of Precision

• Highlights: rechargeable, precise, copper and mesh tips, battery lasts up to 10 hours
• Copper tip: 1.45 millimeters
• Fiber tip: 6 millimeters

While it might be a little more expensive than its non-rechargeable counterparts, this active rechargeable stylus offers impressive accuracy and feels a lot like using a pen. The fine copper tip on one end creates precise lines with ease (making it great for use as a drawing stylus) and since it’s battery-powered, you don’t need to apply a lot of pressure to see effective results. On the other end of the aluminum alloy barrel, you’ll find a mesh fiber tip for more simple scrolling and clicking.

The stylus can operate for up to 10 hours on a single charge, and it even has an auto-shutoff feature that activates after 30 minutes of non-use to save on battery. Note, however, that there’s no clip or comfort grip, and no replacement tips are included.

According to a reviewer: “So easy to use. No pairing, works on any device and it’s accurate. Great for my phone, especially the game apps where precision is needed.”

4. A Versatile Stylus That Also Doubles As A Ballpoint Pen

• Highlights: capacitive, four interchangeable touch-screen tips, one ballpoint pen tip
• Disc tip: 7 millimeters with a fine rubber point (size not listed)
• Mesh fiber tip: 6.9 millimeters
• Rubber tips: 5 millimeters and 6.9 millimeters

Not only does this multifunctional stylus include four different point attachments, but it also doubles as a ballpoint pen, making it a fantastic choice for those who want versatility. You get a fiber tip, two different-sized rubber tips, and a disc tip that can be tilted during use — the only tip on this list with that capability, which arguably makes it the best stylus for writing.

Available in five colors, this capacitive stylus is constructed with a copper barrel rather than an aluminum one, so it has a more durable, weighted feel. A metal clip on one end allows you to attach the stylus onto a pocket or folder, but there’s no comfort grip. For convenience, an extra set of tips is included.

According to a reviewer: “This Stylus/Pen is AMAZING! I use it every day with my iPad (7th Generation) and iPhone 8+. This is a high quality product. It has some weight which I believe makes it more durable but it isn’t too heavy. It is very comfortable to hold and extremely accurate. [...] This is the perfect stylus and only one I will ever use again.”