The Best Blue Pens

Blue: the only vivid color that’s somehow tricked us into thinking it's neutral. Blue has a serene and subtle beauty that makes it the most popular ink color after black and, as a plus, that beauty is allowed on official documents. Read on for our recommendations for the best blue pens.

Table of Contents

What Pen Type Should I Choose?

Are you unsure what pen type you should choose? We break down the different pen types in the bulleted list below. You can learn more about the characteristics that define different ink types in our guide.

Ballpoint pens are excellent all-purpose pens. Their oil-based inks dry quickly and resist smearing. However, they can perform somewhat inconsistently.
Gel pens use vibrant, water-based inks that pop against the page. Most gel pens are not waterproof and will smear when exposed to water.
Rollerball pens are characterized by their fluid, water-based inks. They flow smoothly and are wetter than gel pens.
Markers are best suited for bold writing. Most markers use felt tips which will wear down and create broader lines over time.

How We Chose Blue Pens

Blue Ballpoint, Gel, Rollerball, and Marker Pen Writing Sample

Vivid blue ink is available in any type of pen.

We evaluated blue pens on ink quality, ink color, and body design. Our picks showcase smooth-writing inks with vivid blue hues that don’t skew turquoise or purple. We avoided blue black ink in this guide because it’s not “true blue,” but several of our picks have blue black ink available.

The Best Blue Ballpoint Pens

The Best Low Viscosity Blue Ballpoint Pen: Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pens

A Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen boasts true blue ink.

Low-viscosity ballpoint pens write with smooth-flowing ink. We enjoyed the blue ink of the Pilot Acroball; it maintains a little of the grippiness of traditional ballpoint ink, while leaving dark, vivid, skip-free lines. The form factor was a plus, too, as this pen features a textured rubber grip and a satisfying and snappy click.

A close second in our testing was the Uni Jetstream. A long-time favorite, it’s our top pick for low-viscosity black ink, and it features the option of an additional extra-fine tip size. However, we found its blue ink to be slightly less saturated than its competitors, and we’re not writing an article on blue inks to compromise on blueness.

We Also Tested:

Zebra Surari Ballpoint Pens: This ink had even more grippiness to it, and also tended towards blobbing. While it’s a perfectly functional pen, it’s not the strongest example of a low-viscosity ink.

The Best Pressurized Blue Ballpoint Pen: Uni Power Tank Ballpoint Pens

A Uni Power Tank Ballpoint Pen is ready for tough conditions.

The pressurized refill of the Uni Power Tank Ballpoint Pen means that ink has no problem flowing whether you’re writing on wet paper, in freezing conditions, in zero gravity, or upside down. We noticed some slight skipping and fainter color when writing on wet paper, though lines stayed legible. The ink dries quickly (a nice feature for left-handers!) as well. The thoughtful design extends to the pen body, which has a comfortable textured grip.

The Best Bold Blue Ballpoint Pen: Dong-A Anyball Ballpoint Pens

Dong-A Anyball Ballpoint Pens are available in a range of chunky tip sizes.

It’s impossible for other blue ballpoint pens to compete with the size range of the Dong-A Anyball. Its chunky 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, and 1.6 mm tips create thick, bold lines. Ballpoint pens with regular non-low-viscosity ink, unlike gel pens, vary in darkness and line width with pressure. On one hand, this means you need to exert some pressure for the thickest lines possible out of these pens. On the other hand, this line variation makes them great for doodling and dynamic-looking titles: try differing amounts of pressure on upstrokes and downstrokes for subtle effects.

The Best Fine-Tip Blue Ballpoint Pen: Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pens

The needle tip of a Tombow Mono Graph Lite is perfect for tiny handwriting.

The 0.38 mm needle tip of the Tombow Mono Graph Lite lets you precisely lay down incredibly fine lines. We found the low-viscosity ink in this pen to write fluidly, landing right in the sweet spot where lines are free of both blobbing and skipping. Those with tiny handwriting will find this pen allows them to write smaller than ever before.

We Also Tested:

Uni Jetstream Ballpoint Pens in 0.38 mm: We again found the Jetstream wrote with a darker and slightly less blue ink. Its wetter ink produces a minutely wider line, as well as occasionally a few small blobs. However, it’s a great pen, especially for fast writers who really need their ink flow to keep up.

The Best Quiet Blue Ballpoint Pen: Zebra bLen Ballpoint Pens

Rattle-free Zebra bLen Ballpoint Pens provide pleasantly quiet writing experiences.

The Zebra bLen Ballpoint Pen is a favorite around the JetPens office. Its artful construction with nary a hint of rattle or shake means it’s a reliable writing tool. Its end click mechanism has a wider surface area than most pens, making it easier on the fingers, and its click noise is quiet but satisfying. Its smooth low-viscosity emulsion ink writes without skipping, though may blob slightly on curves.

We Also Tested:

Pentel Calme Ballpoint Pens: While the Calme is overall more quiet, we don’t like that the click mechanism is accessible only from one side of the pen.

The Best Mini Blue Ballpoint Pen: Zebra Techo Mini Ballpoint Pens

Minute Zebra Techo Mini Ballpoint Pens are useful to have on hand for emergency notes.

The tiny Zebra Techo T-3 is just the size for a pocket or purse. While small, it’s still long enough to rest on the web between thumb and forefinger as you write, making it more comfortable than some of the truly miniscule pens out there. It writes fine lines with a little bit more dryness and blobbing than we think is ideal, but that’s the tradeoff for portability! The Zebra Techo T-3 also has a sneaky retraction mechanism; press the clip down into a hidden button to retract the tip. We initially found this unintuitive, but once you know the secret, it’s very fun to use.

We Also Tested:

Kaweco Liliput Ballpoint Pen: The Kaweco Liliput is certainly lilliputian, measuring under four inches with the tip unextended. We appreciate that the pens are available as capped and retractable options. However, the Liliput is squarely a luxury pen. With such a high price tag, the idea of toting the pen around and risking its loss might make your eyes water.

The Best EDC Blue Ballpoint Pen: Zebra Stainless Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pens

Sturdy Zebra Stainless Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pens are reliable everyday companions.

The sturdy steel of a Zebra Stainless Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pen holds up to rough treatment and still feels good in the hand. Available in the skinnier F-301 model or cushioned-grip F-402, both models are filled with reliable blue ink. Its metal body can be easily cleaned or even disinfected if you end up in messy situations.

The Best Blue Ballpoint Pen for the Office: Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pens

Stylish Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pens suit any professional.

The sleek design of the Parker Jotter is professional and effective. This pen comes filled with blue Quinkflow ink, which we found to not be quite as dark and fluid as other low-viscosity inks, but still smoother than traditional ballpoints. Excitingly, blue ink comes standard in all body styles of this pen, so blue ink lovers can feast from a buffet of pen colors usually unavailable to them.

We Also Tested:

Ballograf Epoca P Ballpoint Pens: These pens offer a similar professional look in a variety of body colors, but we found them to be a little more lightweight, with an occasional tendency towards clicking noises when they’re lifted off the page.

The Best Blue Gel Pens

The Best Capped Blue Gel Pen: Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pens

The Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pen is a beloved classic.

We’re consistently delighted by the Uni-ball Signo UM-151. With its classic design, smooth ink flow, and precise tip sizes from from 0.28 mm to 0.5 mm, it’s simply a trustworthy pen. We especially like how securely the cap posts. The blue ink is vivid, without the purple tone many ballpoint (and even some other gel) inks lean towards. Learn more about the Signo in our comprehensive guide.

The Best Retractable Blue Gel Pen: Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pens

Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pens clip securely onto notebooks and pockets.

It’s hard to beat the Zebra Sarasa Clip in this category. Its huge range of tip sizes and colors (yes, even a variety of blues), plus its reliable flow of vibrant ink, have made it a favorite for years. Its eponymous clip opens wide to securely attach to notebook covers and more. If you love its form factor, the Sarasa family also offers a wide variety of specialized inks, from quick-drying to smudge-resistant—learn more about those options in our guide, or just keep reading here.

We Also Tested:

Iconic Un Jour de Rêve Gel Pens: This pen features a cute crayon-like body design and smooth ink. However, it only has one tip size, and its narrow, smooth body isn’t the most comfortable in the hand.
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens: The Paper Mate InkJoy is a bold pen, only available in one chunky tip size.
Pilot Juice Gel Pens: While the Juice offers a similar selection to the Sarasa, we found its ink slightly less smooth. However, it does include a place to attach decorative charms.

The Best Vivid Blue Gel Pen: Zebra Sarasa R Gel Pens

Zebra Sarasa R Gel Pens boast ultra-pigmented inks.

The ink of the Zebra Sarasa R is dark yet saturated, a combination that most pens can’t quite manage. It also flows smoothly and dries quickly. All these factors come together to create a truly impressive writing experience. The Sarasa R’s body design is much the same as the Sarasa Clip, though its bright white look makes it impossible to confuse the two.

We Also Tested:

Uni-ball One Gel Pens: We love the body design and metal clip of the Uni-ball One. It’s a smooth writer, but we found its ink was just not quite as packed with color.
Uni-ball Signo 307 Gel Pens: The blue ink of this pen had a surprising sheen to it, reflecting almost purple. Unfortunately, this sheen also means easy smudging.

The Best Bold Tip Blue Gel Pen: Pentel EnerGel RTX Gel Pens

Pentel EnerGel RTX Gel Pens write bold blue lines.

In its 1.0 mm tip size, the Pentel EnerGel RTX creates writing that practically jumps off the page! The Energel RTX is a smooth, wet, yet quick-drying writer. In smaller tip sizes, it’s available in both needle-point and conical tips; the 1.0 mm tip is only conical, which we like for its long term durability. Read our guide to learn more about EnerGels.

The Best Fine Tip Blue Gel Pen: Pentel Slicci Gel Pens

Pentel Slicci Gel Pens have teeny-tiny tips.

The teeny-tiny 0.25 tip of the Pentel Slicci is finally getting its chance to shine. Boasting both a reliable ink flow and minimal feedback on the page, it’s a miniature marvel. Its body is accordingly small and narrow, so it may be best suited to small hands or short writing sessions.

We Also Tested:

Hi-Tec-C Gel Pens in 0.25 mm: We found the 0.25 mm Hi-Tec-C to be just barely more finicky than the Slicci, with a hint of increased feedback.
Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pens in 0.28 mm: While a little less fine than both the Slicci and the Hi-Tec-C, the Signo’s rubber grip is nicer than either.
Zebra Sarasa Nano Gel Pens in 0.3 mm: The Sarasa Nano, slightly broader than other options, features a darker blue ink that makes its fine lines easily readable.

The Best Erasable Blue Gel Pen: Pilot FriXion Gel Pens

The Pilot FriXion Gel Pen is available in a variety of tip sizes and body styles.

The “erasable” ink of Pilot FriXion Gel Pens fades from a page when exposed to heat—heat easily created by friction from their built-in erasers. This nearly magical technology is available in a tremendous variety of body styles, from slim to a little chunkier. Despite its erasability, the ink of these pens is almost as dark as regular ink. Learn more about the FriXion in our guide.

We Also Tested:

Uni-ball R:E Erasable Gel Pens: The ink of an Uni-ball R:E is noticeably faint. While it erases cleanly, we want it to be a little bolder while it’s still on the page.

The Best Quick-Drying Blue Gel Pen: Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pens

Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pens dry in a blink.

Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pens use DRYJELL ink technology to lay down lines that are instantly smudge-free. They don’t sacrifice any smoothness of writing, either. This technology makes them a perfect pen for left-handers who want to keep their hands free of ink. However, they don’t necessarily stay smudgeproof under highlighters—for that, try the Zebra Sarasa Mark-On instead!

The Best Blue Gel Pen for Crafts: Sakura Gelly Roll Gel Pens

The Sakura Gelly Roll Gel Pen offers a variety of colors, glitters, and special effects.

The enormous selection of colors of the Sakura Gelly Roll, including glitter and shimmer options, make it a natural choice for crafts. They’re not just beautiful: they boast properties such as fraud-resistance in the Classic pen and raised 3-D effect ink in the Glaze pen. For more detail, peruse our guide.

The Best Blue Gel Pen for the Office: Pilot Juice Up Gel Pens

Sleek Pilot Juice Up Gel Pens are durable and reliable.

The sleek Pilot Juice Up pairs a fine tip with a professional black body. Its “synergy tip” combines the durability of a conical tip with the precision of a needle tip, and its ink has great water and fade resistance, well suited to important documents. Plus, the Juice Up is just fun to write with: its low center of gravity makes it feel stable yet still zippy in the hand.

The Best Blue Rollerball Pens

The Smoothest Blue Rollerball Pen: Uni-ball Air Rollerball Pens

The Uni-ball Air Rollerball Pen writes with an uniquely smooth tip.

The unique tip of an Uni-ball Air Rollerball Pen is perfect for bold lines. It has the faintest hint of feedback on paper, reminding us of writing with a soft pencil. Its wet ink flows easily, and in our testing on fountain pen friendly paper, it exhibited subtle and beautiful shading characteristics. On more absorbent paper like printer paper, it will tend to bleed through at the ends of lines. If you find the Uni-ball Air writes too boldly for your taste, look at our fine tip pick below.

We Also Tested:

Uni-ball Vision Elite Rollerball Pens: These pens contain the exact same ink as the Air in a more conventional pen body and conical tip. However, we preferred the form factor of the Air and found its slightly smaller tip size better for general writing.

The Best Fine Tip Blue Rollerball Pen: Morning Glory Pro Mach Rollerball Pens

Unlike other picks in this section, Morning Glory Pro Mach Rollerball Pens write with tiny tips.

The tiny tip of a Morning Glory Pro Mach Rollerball Pen is perfect for precise writing. The 0.38 mm tip lends itself to notes in planners, notebook layouts with small grids, and calendars. We will caution that the grip section isn’t the most comfortable, and can occasionally come slightly loose as you write. It’s easily fixed, but may mean this pen is best for shorter messages and not long note-taking sessions.

The Best Ergonomic Rollerball Pen: Stabilo Rollerball Pens

The thick grip of a Stabilo Rollerball Pen helps ease a long writing session.

The thick grip section of the Stabilo Rollerball Pen is easy to hold with a looser grasp, making it a comfortable choice for long writing sessions. It writes with a medium-width line that’s a good alternative for those who find our top pick in this section too bold. While we noticed some infrequent skipping, our writing experience was overall smooth.

The Best Blue Markers

The Best Blue Fineliner for Writing: Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pens

Despite their orange appearance, the Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pen is available in a variety of blues.

Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pens are pleasing to use. They write with a precise and consistent line and are available in many different shades of blue (though only one "true blue"). Their orange faceted form is easy to stably grip and reminds us of an old-school yellow pencil.

If the orange body fails to enchant you, a close runner-up is the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pen. Its triangular profile encourages good finger posture. We found the tip a little juicier and more flexible than the Point 88’s, which can make writing look messier, but may also lend itself to dynamic doodling.

We Also Tested:

Uni EMOTT Sign Pens: We like the squared profile and durable tip of these markers. They have a less impressive color selection, but otherwise they’re another strong choice.
Marvy Le Pen: These little pens are very precise, but their narrow diameter isn’t ideal to grasp for a long writing session. Those with smaller hands may disagree.
Teranishi Rushon Petite Pens: A long-lost twin to the Le Pen, but with cream bodies instead of solid colors that match their inks. They’re slightly less stylish but just as effective.
Stabilo Sensor Fineliner Pens: While this marker has a textured grip and a sturdy body design, its selection of colors is minimal.

The Best Blue Fineliner for Art: Sakura Pigma Micron Pens

Sakura Pigma Micron Pens are perfect for multimedia use.

Sakura Pigma Micron Pens are renowned for detailed art due to their jaw-dropping range of tip sizes. On top of that, their ink shrugs off water and alcohol markers, making them perfect for mixed media art. And the ink is permanent and acid free, so that art will last for a long, long time! Smaller tip sizes should be babied a little to avoid bending them out of shape, but that’s our one caveat about these workhorse pens. Read our comprehensive guide to learn more.

We Also Tested:

Uni Pin Pens: These pens have almost as many tip sizes as Microns, and they’re equally resistant to water and alcohol markers. However, they show through a little more than our top pick.

The Best Blue Marker for Calligraphy: Tombow Dual Brush Pens

Tombow Dual Brush Pens have two tips that create a variety of strokes.

The two tips of a Tombow Dual Brush Pen form a calligraphy dream team. The big flexible brush tip and the small firm bullet tip can create a whole library’s worth of letterforms. They have a huge range of colors, too. If you find the brush too large for your project’s scale, try the Marvy Le Pen Flex Brush Pen instead, which is also easier to fit in smaller pencil cases.

We Also Tested:

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens: We found these professional-quality tools a bit too expensive for this use case and not as springy as our pick. However, their archival-quality ink blends beautifully and is great for illustrations.

The Best Blue Marker for Planners: Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Markers

Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Markers ably decorate and color-code planner pages.

Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Markers feature 0.5 mm hard plastic nibs and bold, squishy “dot” ends. This makes them versatile tools for both writing and adding pizzazz to a planner. The latter can create brush-like strokes if you’re careful, as well as fun dotty decorations. However, with heavy pressure, the dot end will bleed through more absorbent papers. Be sure to test it in the back of your planner before diving into a complex spread.

We Also Tested:

Zebra Clickart Knock Sign Pens: The retractable tip of these markers makes for a convenient (and cute) form factor, but the ink is more prone to wicking than the ZIG Clean Color Dot’s and has a higher risk of bleedthrough.

The Best Blue Multisurface Permanent Marker: Zebra Mackee Care Double-Sided Markers

Zebra Mackee Care Double-Sided Markers leave lasting marks on a variety of surfaces.

Zebra Mackee Care Double-Sided Markers truly do not budge! We tested candidates in this section by scribbling on a metal surface and scrubbing with a damp paper towel, and the Zebra markers exhibited zero fading or smudging. Their double-sided design works for bold and fine-printed labels alike. One caveat: they’re not suitable for soft PVC plastic surfaces. We’ll also note these markers have a sneakily similar name to the Zebra Mackee Care Standard Markers. Luckily, they’re almost identical in ink and function, except that the latter is nonrefillable and has smaller tip sizes.

We Also Tested:

Pilot Oil-Based Twin Markers: We found the fine tip of these markers to be a little less resistant in our scrubbing tests, but they’re otherwise a very strong choice.
Pilot Permanent Marker 100: This marker is effective but has an impractically bold tip for many applications. We recommend it for labeling storage bins and other items you want to be able to read from a distance.
Staedtler Triplus Permanent Fineliner Pens: This marker has the same pleasant-to-hold triangle profile as the regular Triplus, but it’s not smudge resistant when scrubbed and bleeds outrageously on paper.
Stabilo OHPen Universal Permanent Markers: This marker smudges as well in scrub tests, but it does boast the darkest writing for a fine line in the permanent options we tested.

The Best Blue Paint Marker: Uni Posca Markers

Uni Posca Markers write in bright, opaque paint.

Uni Posca Markers lay down opaque paint that’s great for all sorts of art projects and crafts, on paper or on practically any other material. Their wide selection of color and tip sizes will suit any project: you can even blend colors while the paint is still wet! We will note that if you’re working on a large project, it’s surprisingly easy to use up a whole pen, so invest in spares if you think you may need them.

We Also Tested:

Pilot Juice Paint Markers: While a strong choice, it’s only available in one tip size.
Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers: These are more permanent, which may or may not be what you’re looking for. They also seem to dry up a bit more quickly.
Marvy Uchida Bistro Chalk Markers: We found the ink of these markers to be less opaque.

Other Resources

General Pen Guides

Ballpoint Pen Guides

Gel Pen Guides

Rollerball Pen Guides

The Best Rollerball Pens

Marker Guides

Conclusion

There’s an ocean of blue pens out there—we hope this helps you navigate it! If you’re a fountain pen enthusiast who feels neglected, check out our guide to The Best Blue Fountain Pen Inks and our blue-bodied fountain pens. Let us know what color of ink you want to see next in the comments below.

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The JetPens Fine Tip Pen Sampler includes a set of ballpoint pens, gel pens, and more.

The JetPens Fine Tip Blue Pen Sampler includes a set of ballpoint pens, gel pens, and more.

Our JetPens Pen Samplers are an easy way to try a variety of pens all at once! We’ve curated sets of blue pens so you can find the perfect writing instrument for you. Our Fine Tip Pen Sampler includes ballpoint pens, gel pens, fineliners, and even a fountain pen. Or, if you already have a preferred ink formulation, you can pick from ballpoint samplers, gel pen samplers, fineliner pen samplers, and more.

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The Best Blue Ballpoint Pens
Product Name	Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pens	0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
Uni Power Tank Ballpoint Pens	0.7 mm	Add to Cart
Dong-A Anyball Ballpoint Pens	0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.6 mm	Add Items to Cart
Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pens	0.38 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
Zebra bLen Ballpoint Pens	0.5 mm, 0.7 mm	Add Items to Cart
Zebra Techo Mini Ballpoint Pens	0.7 mm	Add to Cart
Zebra Stainless Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pens	0.7 mm	Add Items to Cart
Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pens	1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
The Best Blue Gel Pens
Product Name	Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
Uni-ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pens	0.28 mm, 0.38 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pens	0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
Zebra Sarasa R Gel Pens	0.4 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
Pentel EnerGel RTX Gel Pens	0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
Pentel Slicci Gel Pens	0.25 mm	Add to Cart
Pilot FriXion Gel Pens	0.38 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pens	0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm	Add Items to Cart
Sakura Gelly Roll Gel Pens	0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm	Add Items to Cart
Pilot Juice Up Gel Pens	0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
The Best Blue Rollerball Pens
Product Name	Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
Uni-ball Air Rollerball Pens	0.7 mm	Add to Cart
Morning Glory Pro Mach Rollerball Pens	0.38 mm	Add to Cart
Stabilo Rollerball Pens	0.3 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
The Best Blue Markers
Product Name	Tip Sizes	Add to Cart
Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pens	0.4 mm	Add to Cart
Sakura Pigma Micron Pens	0.2 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm	Add Items to Cart
Tombow Dual Brush Pens	Bullet and Brush Tip	Add Items to Cart
Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Markers	0.5 mm and Dot	Add Items to Cart
Zebra Mackee Double-Sided Markers	0.5 mm and 1.0 mm	Add to Cart
Uni Posca Markers	0.7 mm, 2.5 mm	Add Items to Cart

The Best Blue Pens

The Best Blue Pens

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