Best Pens for Writing in Planners– the ULTIMATE Pen Review
There is one thing all planner girls have in common: we love us our pens! Check out this video for the Ultimate Pen Review:
There are an awful lot of fantastic pens in the world with different thicknesses, colors, and purposes. Below you’ll find the ultimate review of the absolute best pens we’ve been able to roundup. My team has used each and every one of these pens so we could provide an accurate and detailed review.
I love each of these pens so much I’m willing to put my own name behind them, so bear in mind that this post contains affiliate links. I appreciate your support as I work to bring you the best information on the best products for all the planner girls out there.
Stabilo Point 88
These fantastic fineliner pens have a thin line (0.4mm) and 47 brilliant colors available. The water-based ink is smooth and doesn’t bleed through. Stabilo uses a unique hexagonal shape for their pens which feels comfortable to write with. The tip is reinforced to provide durability and they advertise long cap-off time meaning the ink does not dry out very quickly. The color range is huge, and the writing performance is smooth.
Cost: 4/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 47
Overall Rating: 5/5
Click here to buy Stabilo Point 88 on Amazon.
ZEBRA Mildliners
These markers work great for both highlighting, hand-lettering, and writing. They don’t bleed through very easily and they feel like good quality markers in your hand. They come in 15 colors and are double-ended which makes Mildliners very versatile. The colors are more muted and calm than many bold marker options.
Cost: 3/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 15
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy ZEBRA Mildliners on Amazon.
Erin Condren Pens
Erin Condren has some adorable markers and highlighters. I used to not like them that well, but they've made some significant improvements, and they are now quite good. Her markers come in 29 colors that have dual tips (0.6mm and 1.2mm). The dual tip allows for greater flexibility. These are great for hand lettering and note taking.
Cost: 1/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 29
Overall Rating: 4/5
Buy a 10 pack of Erin Condren pens here.
Crayola Super Tips
Crayola usually has a very grade-school connotation but these markers may change that! Super Tips markers have a thin point but are also capable of thick lines due to the unique super tip. Coming in a wide variety of colors, these markers add a splash of color to any planner or art project. Plus, they are very cost effective and kid-friendly which means you can work on your planner with your kiddos! I love that I can get one set of markers for myself and my 4 and 2 year old to use together!
Cost: 5/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 100
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy Crayola Super Tips on Amazon.
Crayola Sketch and Detail Markers
Another set of markers to add a pop of color! These dual tip markers feature a Super Tip on one end and a fine line marker on the other. They come in a decorative tin for stylish storage. Sketch and Detail markers are great for hand-lettering, sketching and drawing.
Cost: 4/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 32
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy Crayola Sketch and Detail Markers on Amazon.
PaperMate Flair
Felt-tipped pens are a great way to add flair to any planner. PaperMate Flair pens come in 32 different colors to make any project unique and vibrant. The water-based ink is resistant to smudging and smearing. It does not bleed through paper easily, although it is possible to see some ghosting.
Cost: 4/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 32
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Papermate Flairs on Amazon.
Pilot Frixion Gel
Gel pens are a great addition to any planner set. These pens, in particular, are fabulous for planner girls because they are erasable! So, next time that lunch date gets canceled *again* no need to cross out or scribble in your planner, just use the end of the cap to erase! Gel pens tend to be prone to smearing but the bold colors and thick ink makes all handwriting look fabulous. Pilot has 16 colors for these erasable pens.
Cost: 3/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 16
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Pilot Frixion Gel Pens on Amazon.
PaperMate InkJoy Gel
Another gel ink pen, these pens come in 14 colors but can be capped or retractable. The point on each pen is 0.7mm making them a little thicker than other pens. They seem to be less likely to smear than other gel pens. The InkJoy retractable version feels very comfortable to write with. I also love the cute little hearts on the pens.
Cost: 4/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 14
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy the Papermate Inkjoy Gel pens on Amazon.
Uni-Ball Signo 207
These Uni-Ball gel pens come with a 0.7mm tip and 8 different colors. They have a comfortable grip. The ink is thick and has very good pigmentation. Uni-ball Signo pens have a high quality rollerball that does not skip or catch.
Cost: 3/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 8
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Uni-Ball Signo 207 pens on Amazon.
Pilot V5
The ink in these roller ball pens is smooth and thin making them write with very precise lines. There are 12 colors available in the standard design and 8 in the Deco design. Each color has rich depth and vibrancy. The ink can bleed through thin pages but only with a heavy hand.
Cost: 2/5
Writing Feel: 3/5
Color Variety: 12
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Pilot V5 Pens on Amazon.
BIC Gel-ocity
BIC’s retractable gel pens are another beautiful set of pens with 8 bright colors. They are quick dry which reduces smearing. Some colors show up better than others on paper but the variety is nice.
Cost: 3/5
Writing Feel: 3/5
Color Variety: 8
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the BIC Gel-ocity pens on Amazon.
Pentel Ener-Gel
Pentel Ener-Gel pens have a metal tip for sturdy, reliable writing. These pens are also retractable so no more misplacing caps! They only come in 5 colors but they are vibrant, rich colors and sometimes it is nice to keep it simple.
Cost: 2/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Pentel Ener-gel pens on Amazon.
Pilot G2
Pilot has a wide variety of G2 gel pens to choose from. From very fine line 0.38mm to thicker, bolder lines with a 0.7mm tip, these pens can make a lot of planner girls very happy! The regular G2 pens come in 16 colors of varying widths. We chose to use the 0.7mm fashion pens which come in 8 colors. These pens look beautiful and write the same!
Cost: 1/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 16
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy the Pilot G2 pens on Amazon.
LePen
Plastic point pens typically have water based ink, similar to felt tipped pens, but many plastic point pens have a significantly smaller tip. These fine line pens are fantastic for anyone with smaller handwriting since the point is about 0.3mm wide. They keep each line uniform and precise, making small letters easy to read. LePen offers 24 energetic colors. The pens themselves do not have much of a grip and are smaller in circumference so it can be slightly uncomfortable to write with, especially if you are used to a pen with more grip.
Cost: 3/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 24
Overall Rating: 3/5
Click here to buy the Le Pen felt tip pens on Amazon.
Sakura of America Pigma Micron
Sakura of America has a huge variety of colors and nib sizes. They even have a chart on their website to help you find the right size and color for you. Micron pens come in 8 sizes ranging from 0.15mm to 0.5mm and a plastic nib that gives a very natural stroke for handwriting. There are also 15 colors available. Our photos are with all black ink in varying widths. Micron has built a very reputable name for themselves and for good reason. These pens are very smooth and do not skip!
Cost: 1/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 15
Overall Rating: 5/5
Click here to buy the Sakura of America Pigma Micron pens Amazon.
PaperMate Profile
Ball point pens are a tried and true option from many planner girls. Ball point pens are usually very cost effective and come in many colors. These particular ball point pens come in 12 colors and have a bold point (1.4mm). As with most ball point pens, there is a risk of skipping while writing.
Cost: 5/5
Writing Feel: 2/5
Color Variety: 12
Overall Rating: 2/5
Click here to buy the Papermate Profile pens on Amazon.
UBrands Felt Tip Pens
These pens are also sold at TJ Maxx or Marshall's, and they are a very thin marker, so the writing is extremely smooth, and I also like the look and feel of the pens. Sometimes you need black ink but want a cuter pen body, and these definitely have that. At a reasonable price, you can't go wrong with these, but the color variety is pretty slim.
Cost: 5/5
Writing Feel: 5/5
Color Variety: 6
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy the Ubrands felt tip pens.
Bible Safe Gel Highlighters
My husband bought these for highlighting in his Bible, so they are great for delicate pages. They have almost a waxy, crayon-like feel, but they are super gentle and not wet at all. It has a very different texture than a traditional highlighter, so if you're having bleeding issues, these might work for you when traditional inks fail. The colors are a bit bright, but there are a couple of them that aren't so in-your-face.
Cost: 4/5
Writing Feel: 4/5
Color Variety: 6
Overall Rating: 4/5
Click here to buy the Bible Safe Gel HIghlighters.
We hope you enjoyed the ultimate review of the absolute best pens we’ve been able to roundup. Let us know if you have any questions, or which pens are your favorites in the comments below!
Nancy Ogden Says
Hi Laura,
I loved your pens & markers reviews, which I read. It was great to have them illustrated. And your rating scale is so
clever & helpful!
I have used a few of these, & can say that I hate the feel & quality of felt tip pens. My favorite for the past couple of years has been/is the Pilot Frixion Gel pen. I like the way it writes & the feel, but the best part is the ERASER! My favorite way to use them is for crosswords, as it’s so easy to erase. It solves the old problem of having to use a pencil, which is cumbersome, or taking a chance & using a pen, only to have to cross out a word & try to squeeze in a new word.
I actually use them for all my writing, & love the erasable feature for personal letters, thank-you cards, & other cards, as I always try to use exact wording for the situation. Yes, I am one of the few who still write these by hand, as I think it’s so much more gracious & thoughtful to do so.
I love computers, & write all my business & complaint letters, etc. on the computer, rather than emailing. I think it’s more effective, especially for complaint letters. I often wonder how many of the emails companies actually read.
You have many practical ideas, & I love that you are so thorough & detail-oriented when you present them to us. I just have one, tiny criticism, & I hate to even mention it because I don’t want to hurt your feelings. Every time I see “3 Things I’m loving” I cringe because it’s incorrect grammar, even though I may love the products or ideas. Not to mention that you didn’t capitalize the “l” & it should match the other two words. Sorry, but it bothers me every time I see it, but of course I read it for the interesting, relevant content. I DO love 💕 your informative newsletters; please keep them coming. Thanks 🙏 for all you do for all of us.
Cordially,
Nancy O.
Fountain Hills, AZ