Cheap Digital Pencils: Apple Pencil Alternatives Under €30 for Highlighting Notes
Dreaming of taking notes on your iPad, highlighting your PDFs like there's no tomorrow, and having everything digitized? It's the perfect plan. Until you see the price of the Apple Pencil and your student wallet starts to tremble.
The good news is you don't have to spend over €100 to get an incredible writing and highlighting experience on your iPad. The Apple Pencil is a professional tool, designed mainly for artists and designers who need pressure sensitivity.
But if your goal is to study, take notes in class, make outlines, and, above all, highlight the key concepts in your notes, there are fantastic alternatives that do 95% of what you need for under €30.
Today, we're bringing you the best ones.
Do you really need an Apple Pencil for studying?
Let's be direct: for most students, the answer is no.
The most important features for studying are palm rejection (so you can rest your hand on the screen without it going crazy) and tilt sensitivity (to make thicker or thinner strokes, ideal for highlighting). And guess what: these technologies are already available in much cheaper pencils.
You don't need to pay for pressure sensitivity if you're not going to be drawing realistic portraits. What you need is a reliable, precise tool with good battery life for your study marathons. And luckily, that costs a lot less.
The 3 Best Apple Pencil Alternatives for Under €30
We've selected three options that are a hit with students for their reliability, features, and, of course, their price.
1. Metapen A8 (The Student Favorite)
- Why we like it: It's, without a doubt, the most popular alternative, and for good reason. Its superpower is ultra-fast charging. Ran out of battery right before class starts? No problem. With just 1 minute of charging, you get 50 minutes of use, and with 4 minutes, you get 2 hours. The drama is over.
- Key features: It has palm rejection so you can rest your hand comfortably and tilt sensitivity, which lets you change the thickness of your highlight just by tilting the pencil. It's precise, lightweight, and the tip glides wonderfully.
- Ideal for: The forgetful student who always runs out of battery at the worst possible moment.
2. ESR Digital Pencil (The Reliable Brand)
- Why we like it: If you're looking for something you can trust, ESR is your brand. It's not some "random" brand from Amazon; they've been making high-quality accessories for Apple products for years. This pencil stands out for its durability and build quality. It feels sturdy and very similar to the original in your hand.
- Key features: The tips are very durable, perfect for enduring long and intense study sessions. It attaches magnetically to the side of the iPad (on compatible models) so you don't lose it, although it charges via a USB-C cable. Its precision is excellent for taking notes and highlighting flawlessly.
- Ideal for: Those who use their pencil daily and need a tool that can keep up with their pace without wearing out in two days.
Once you have your notes perfectly highlighted with a reliable tool like the ESR pencil, comes the most important part: have you actually retained the information? This is where highlighting falls short and you need to test your knowledge.
Smartests.app transforms those same notes you just highlighted into multiple-choice tests in seconds. Just upload your PDF or your notes, and our AI creates questions so you can practice and make sure you've mastered the material before the exam.
3. Baseus Smooth Writing Pencil (Aesthetics and Design)
- Why we like it: Baseus is another brand that pays close attention to design and user experience. Their pencil not only works well, but it also looks great. Its star feature is the LED battery indicators, which show you very clearly how much charge is left. No more uncertainty before a long exam.
- Key features: In addition to its precision and the standard palm rejection and tilt features, some models come with an app to configure basic gestures. It's a very balanced pencil that combines aesthetics with functionality.
- Ideal for: Students who appreciate good design and want to have full control over the status of their study materials.
Quick Summary: Which one should I choose?
Don't overthink it. Here's a cheat sheet to help you decide:
- Metapen A8: If you always forget to charge your things and need an emergency solution. Fast charging is your lifesaver.
- ESR Digital Pencil: If you're looking for something that can keep up with you, is durable, and gives you the confidence of a recognized brand. It's the workhorse.
- Baseus Smooth Writing: If you care about design, aesthetics, and always want to know how much battery you have left. It's the most stylish and informative.
There's Only One Step From Highlighting to Passing
Having the perfect tool to highlight your notes is great, but it's just the first step. Real learning happens when you test yourself and actively retrieve information.
Now that you know how to get equipped for under €30, take the next step. Use Smartests.app to turn all those highlighted notes into powerful multiple-choice tests that will help you memorize and truly understand the subject. Upload your notes and let the AI do the hard work.