The top Apple Pencil alternatives in 2020

Choosing a Stylus That Works as Hard as Your Game Notes

The title of this page points to a practical question many players actually face: if you use a tablet to sketch court diagrams, mark up drills or keep score sheets, do you really need an Apple Pencil? Plenty of styluses released around 2020 and since then do the job well, often for less money. The right choice depends on how you plan to use it, not on brand.

What to look for in an alternative

• Compatibility: Many third-party pens for iPad use the same palm-rejection technology as Apple's own, but only on supported models. Check your tablet generation before buying.
• Tip type: Fine, active tips suit drawing positioning diagrams and writing notes. Rubber-dome or mesh-tipped passive styluses work on any touchscreen but are less precise.
• Pressure sensitivity: Useful for artists, rarely needed for scoring or tactics boards. Skipping it usually lowers the price considerably.
• Charging and battery: Look for USB-C charging and an auto-sleep feature so the pen is not flat when you pull it out courtside.
• Grip and durability: A flatter barrel will not roll off a bench, and a sturdy build copes better with being thrown into a kit bag beside paddles and balls.

Common categories

Broadly, alternatives fall into three groups. Active styluses designed for iPad offer tilt-aware shading and palm rejection without pressure levels. Universal active pens work across phones and tablets from different makers but may lack palm rejection. Simple capacitive styluses are inexpensive, need no battery and are fine for tapping through apps or ticking off attendance.

Putting it to use on court

Coaches and captains often use a tablet and stylus to draw stacking patterns for doubles, record who rotates in during open play, or annotate video of a third-shot drop. If you organise games, a stylus makes it quicker to update brackets for league nights or jot down notes while testing equipment from our paddle guide. Keep a screen protector on the tablet, since outdoor courts bring dust and sweat, and wipe the stylus tip regularly for smooth, accurate writing.