Is There a Cheaper Alternative to The Apple Pencil

Apple pencil allows you to take down your inspiration immediately when it strikes you. It is an essential component to iPad Pro but not all iPad models can use the Apple pencil. Plus, an Apple pencil costs over USD$120 and it is not cheap honestly. Considering all these factors, people may look for alternatives to the Apple pencil. On one hand, they aspire to enjoy the effectiveness and convenience that the Apple pencil provides, and on the other, they want to narrow down the budget and make sure other iPad models can use the smart pencil as what an Apple can do. Okay, we will solve all in this article and let you have more options to find cheaper alternatives to the Apple pencil.

Part 1: What is the Apple Pencil

Well, to begin with, the Apple pencil comes to existence since 2015. By definition, Apple Pencil is a line of wireless stylus pen accessories developed by Apple Inc. for use with supported iPad tablets. The first-generation Apple Pencil was unveiled alongside the first-generation iPad Pro on September 9, 2015. The Pencil is supported by the first and second-generation iPad Pro models, the sixth-generation iPad released in 2018, and the 2019 releases of iPad Mini, iPad Air, and iPad. It communicates wirelessly via Bluetooth, and has a removable cap that conceals a Lightning connector used for charging.

Since its introduction to the world, it has gained increasing popularity and likes from users who favor the utmost intuitive, precise, and magical pen. However, as Apple suggests, this Apple pencil is applicable for iPad Pro series and earlier models might not be able to use Apple pencil. That said, if you want to use something like the Apple pencil, you need to find alternatives to the Apple pencil. Fortunately, we have found some valuable alternatives and cannot wait to share these with you here.

Part 2: Top 6 Apple Pencil alternatives

Apple has taken the lead in the innovation and many players will look to Apple to get inspired. Talking about the alternatives to the Apple pencil, there are a variety of competitive players who devote to making their stylish pencil to replace the Apple pencil. Here are some of the top Apple pencil alternatives.

1. Logitech Crayon

Technically, Apple has officially approved this pencil outside the Apple pencil. That said, it is an Apple-approved pencil alternative for anyone who is looking for a cheaper option. It costs less than USD$60. It is much cheaper, isn’t it? Thusly, the Logitech Crayon will work perfectly with your iPad like the original Apple pencil. People favor this alternative to the Apple pencil partially because the Crayon offers an impressive 7 hours of battery life. This is incredible and gains wide recognition in the tech world. Also, it looks neat and lightweight.

2. Wacom Bamboo Fineline 3

Featuring an elegant and artistic appearance, Wacom Fineline 3 ranks the top of alternatives to the Apple pencil. It is an advanced input device designed by a company that is known among artists for its amazing graphics tablets. The best part of this pencil is that this smart stylus can be used for anything from taking notes to creating a design on your iPad or iPhone, and it offers fine-tuned precision which makes it seem like you’re using a pen on a notebook. For example, you can read iBooks on your tablets while taking notes using the stylus in no time. It is so much fun and efficient. By the way, it is also much cheaper than the Apple pencil.

3. Penoval

Looking like a normal pen, Penoval is another top-notch alliterative to the Apple pencil. It does not require bluetooth connection. By applying palm-rejection technology, you can rest your palm comfortably on the screen and write. And it features a super long battery life which can last 12 hours at one charge. In addition, it is compatible with a variety of apps such as Notability, Evernote, Paper, Procreate, Animation Desk, and more. Heads up. It costs only USD$39,99, way much cheaper than the Apple pencil.

4. Adonit Pro 3

No matter to take notes or draw images, Adonit Pro 3 is a great choice for being an alternative to the Apple pencil. It is perfect for touchscreen though it might not be enough for professionals. It makes use of a precision disc instead of a fiber tip for added stability. Overall, it is great for users who look for a general and basic stylus. Given the features it provides, it is much cheaper than the Apple pencil and suitable for users to use as handy and basic stylus to draw on your touchscreen.

5. Mixoo 2-in-1

If you long for an incredible and real writing experience on tablets with a pen, Mixoo 2-in-1 will be a good alternative to the Apple pencil. It is one of the cheapest styluses on the list, and the capacitive touch compatible 2-in-1 high precision stylus by Mixoo. This affordable touch screen pen is constructed from stainless steel and lightweight aluminum, void of easy to break plastic parts.

6. Milemont

This one is closest to the taste of Apple developers and undoubtedly it is one of the best alternatives to the Apple pencil. This electronic stylist pencil is compatible with most iPhone and iPad models plus a range of other tablets. The slim sleek ergonomic design is ideal for professional artists and everyday use alike, enhancing your graphic design capabilities and improving technique.

Part 3: Is there anything for Android like the Apple Pencil

Aside from Apple devices, you may be wondering whether there are some smart styluses for your Android devices. Yes of course we have got options for Android devices. Like what we have talked above, some of the alternatives to the Apple pencil also apply to Android devices, like Milemont and Wacom Bamboo Tip.

Thanks to the technology evolution, more and more smartpen stylus now are compatible with both Android and Apple devices. For general application, I would recommend AmazonBasics 3-Pack Executive Stylus to Android users. It is compatible with all capacitive touch devices and it provides a smooth pen-like writing experience for your touchscreen tablet or phone. Best of all, it costs less than USD$15 which is available on Amazon.

Part 4: How to transfer highlights from iBook to PC

Apple pencil is useful for drawing on tablets or leave notes on iBooks. All can be easily achieved with this smartpen. In some cases, people may wonder how to transfer their highlights from iBook to PC for various reasons. In this case, you can consider airing the highlights from iBooks to PC through email. Simply go to iBooks and choose the target book with your highlights added. Tap the Notes button to select the highlights you want to share with PC. Then hit the share button and choose mail to send the highlights to the mail you want. In this way, you can transfer what you have left on iBooks for highlights to the PC within clicks.

Alternatively, you can save the highlights as notes and use Leawo iTransfer to transfer it to the PC. This is practical and it is easier to achieve.

Leawo iTransfer is a piece of powerful, professional but easy-to-use iPod, iPad and iPhone transfer software. It is used for transferring apps, music, movies, TV shows, ringtones, ebooks, photos and Camera Roll files among iOS devices, iTunes and PCs. With Leawo iTransfer, you can successfully transfer highlights from iBooks to PC within clicks.

First of all, make sure you have saved the highlights as notes. This can be done when you click the Share icon and select Add to Notes to sync highlights in notes. Then follow the below guide to transfer your notes to PC.

Step 1: Download and install the lightweight app to your PC

Click the button below to download and install the app. Note that if you are running on Mac OS, refer to the Mac version for installation.

Step 2: Launch the app and connect the iPhone to the PC

Connect the phone to the PC using the USB cable. The app will automatically recognize the phone and click on the device you will be able to view what you have on the phone.

Step 3: Select the notes to export

Now click Notes under the Library tab from the left pane. Check the box in front of the notes on the right pane and click the transfer icon on the lower right to proceed to next step.

Step 4: Choose the output directory

Select the specific target folder to save you notes on iPhone.

Part 5: Conclusion

Apple pencil is incredible and for those who favor cheaper options, we have sourced top 6 alternatives to the Apple pencil in the article for their interest. Besides that, for Android users, we have also recommended some competitive and cost-effective stylus for Android users to draw or write on tablets or phones. In this time and age, efficiency and convenience turn out to be vital and we aim at making the most out of what we have. Apple pencil, as well as their alternatives, have provided us with so much convenience and innovation. We can use Apple pencil to mark on iBooks at ease and even transfer the highlights to the PC for various reasons. Leawo iTransfer will be a good solution to let us transfer notes from iBooks to PC, allowing us to sync what we have read and highlights to the PC in no time. Besides notes, this app can also transfer other kinds of data like software, music, contacts, etc. between iOS devices or between iOS and PC. It will let you explore more!