We’ve found the best bullet journal pens that are high-quality and at an affordable price! We provide a mix of beautiful colors and pen tips because bullet journaling is a great way to put your thoughts onto paper. But if you’ve been experimenting with pens in your journal, you know that not all pens are created for journaling.
From streaking as you write to bleeding through the page, there are tons of disadvantages to using pens to write in your journal. Luckily, we’ve discovered the best pens for bullet journals – whether you’re writing or doodling!
Finding the perfect pens for bullet journaling is essential to creating a beautiful journal that you love writing in. There are a handful of essential pens you’ll need to write and decorate your journal.
But – keep in mind the good news! All you need to bullet journal is a pen and a notebook! You can always find and order new supplies as you start journaling or habit tracking.
What to Look for in Pens for Bullet Journaling
The best pens for bullet journaling will depend on what you use the journal for. We love pens with a thicker tip size in bright colors for headers, thick lines, and hand lettering, but a fine point pen is an excellent choice for fine details and precise lines. You may also find that you have the perfect pen already for journal entries!
Everyone is different, too, so it may take trying out a different set of pens every now and then to find your favorites. For example, we’d rather use a generic ballpoint pen over a gel pen any day even though they come in various colors that look fun!
Before investing in a set of pens, ask yourself:
- How will I use it? (doodling, daily journaling, calligraphy, etc)
- What are the reviews like? (Does it feather, or bleed?)
- How fast does the ink dry?
- Is this a high-quality brand known for lasting a while?
We've found the best bullet journal pens that are high-quality and at an affordable price! Below you'll find a mix of beautiful colors and pen tips. Along with pens, we also recommend finding a bullet journal notebook with thicker paper. Finding the right pens and good quality paper are the two keys for any bullet journaler! These 12 types of pens are our absolute favorites for bullet journaling: From writing everyday text to creating guidelines for your spreads, black pens are an essential element of journaling. That means finding a great black pen is a must when you start creating your journal. Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pens are a great choice. They provide a smooth writing experience, allowing you to create beautiful lettering and crisp lines every time. And with waterproof ink that is both fade resistant and quick drying, you won’t have to worry about smears or bleed-through on most journal papers. Since you’ll be doing a ton of writing in your journal, you’ll need to have a go-to pen that works well for everyday writing tasks. The PILOT Precise Liquid Ink Rolling Ball Pen features a precision tip for smooth writing every time. And since these pens are affordable, you won’t have to worry about going through the ink too quickly. To create detailed doodles and beautiful graphs, ultra fine pens are a great choice. You can use them on a variety of occasions, from decorating your journal pages and writing out your favorite quotes. Choosing a pen package featuring several different colors, like Staedtler Triplus Fineliners will give you plenty of options when it comes to using your fineliner pens. Creating beautiful scripts and pretty doodles in your journal is much easier with a great fountain pen. PILOT Varsity Disposable Fountain Pens make using fountain pens much simpler and cleaner. These prefilled pens feature a precision laser cut nib and are maintenance-free. And since they come in a variety of colors, you’ll have your pick when it comes to decorating your bullet journal. Perfect for calligraphy and art, brush pens are another artistic addition to consider adding to your pen collection. Brush pens allow you to make fine or medium strokes simply by changing the pressure you place on the pen. They’re perfect for adding an artistic touch to your journal pages without worrying about damaging the paper or bleeding through to the page underneath. Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Art Markers feature a brush tip that works like a paintbrush. And when you use the included blender pen, you can easily soften and blend your colors to create a watercolor effect in your journal. The Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens are also an excellent choice for thick to thin lines! Like the Dual Brush pens you can change the width by changing the pressure on the pen. These Tombow pens are some of our favorite pens for brush lettering! As you write in your journal, chances are you’ll make a mistake at some point. But with the help of erasable pens, you can simply erase and correct those mistakes.Pilot Frixion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Pens write smoothly and erase cleanly if you ever make a mistake. And since they come in a variety of colors, you can use these pens for all aspects of journaling. Minimalist journaling is all about making the most of the items you put in your journal. And with the help of felt tip pens, you can enjoy beautiful, clean lines every time. While felt tip pens may not offer the most vibrant color options, the black pens are perfect for creating bold lines and beautiful text. Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens are made with water based ink that is specially designed to avoid bleed-through and resist smearing. Add some style to your journal with the help of metallic pens. Pens with metallic ink can add depth and sparkle to the pages of your journal and Pilot G2 Metallics Refillable Rolling Ball Gel Pens are a great choice. The pens offer smooth writing and a comfortable rubber grip. And since the pens are refillable, you can easily add more ink without giving up your favorite pen. Accenting your favorite passages and decorating your pages with different colors is perfect for dressing up your journal. Highlighting pens are the perfect way to decorate and accent your bullet journal, making them a must-have tool. Zebra Midliner Double Sided Highlightersfeature a dual tip, making them very versatile. Use the broad, chisel tip for highlighting and the fine bullet tip for decorating. And the beautiful color selection makes these markers the perfect way to accent any page in your journal. You'll love these gold, silver, and white pens on dark colored paper! They are fun to doodle with and add a special sparkle to any planner page! These Staedtler pigment liner pens are a great option if you're looking for a fine tip pen in vibrant colors! Long time bullet journalists were saying they loved these even more other micropens for fine lines in their reviews as well!Best Pens for Bullet Journaling
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