10 Best Rollerball Pens of 2020: Reviews & Guide

Rollerball pens are known for smooth-flowing liquid ink that applies vividly to paper. The lines are often more attractive than those of oil-based ballpoint pens. Poor quality rollerball pens can have problems with leaking and bleeding through paper, so it’s important to choose from the best.

We reviewed the best rollerball pens below based on ink quality, ergonomics and how fast the ink dries. We have tried numerous pens ourselves in our journey to find our favorites. Now it’s time to show you what we would say are the top rollerball pens and whom they’re recommended for.

10 Best Rollerball Pens for the Money:

Many customers would agree the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller is the best fine rollerball pen for long-lasting ink. It also delivers a smooth, enjoyable writing experience.

The Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller is refillable. Some unique ink colors like burgundy, caramel and periwinkle blue are available. The colors show up bold and vibrant on paper.

If you write on thin notebook paper, there will be slight showthrough, but this is common with liquid and gel rollerball pens. Left-handed writers say these pens dry fast for a gel pen, so they’re able to use them.

We found this the best ballpoint pen for writing with liquid gel ink. They feel luxurious in your hand and write smoothly. The ink dries fast, making them usable for left-handed writers.

This pen is available in 0.7 mm and 1.0 mm tips, so you can choose between medium and bold lines. It’s also manufactured in various ink colors like violet, pink, sky blue, navy blue, orange, green, red and black.

Cross is a luxury brand that’s been around over 170 years. We consider the Cross Edge Selectip Rollerball Pen the best Cross Rollerball Pen for its beautiful writing experience and comfortable grip. The pen is larger than standard size, so you’ll find it comfortable if you have large hands.

It has a well-balanced design to help prevent hand cramps. Unlike most pens, the Cross Edge Selectip Rollerball Pen features versatile tip technology. You can use three different types of tips in this pen: gel rolling ball, porous point and jumbo ballpoint.

If you like thin, precise lines when you write, we recommend the Pilot Precise V5 Premium Rolling Ball Pen. It has a patented extra fine tip and consistent writing. You can write small and in cursive with these good quality rollerball pens.

They are available in several colors, including black, purple, red, blue, pink, turquoise and green. Unlike the previous pens on this list, the Pilot Precise V5 Premium Rolling Ball Pen isn’t refillable.

The colors may not be as vibrant as you expect either. One customer said the purple is subtle rather than an obvious purple, which she personally liked.

The uni-ball Vision Elite Rollerball Pens are some of the best smooth ballpoint pens with high-quality ink that protects against document fraud. They are safe to take on airplanes because they don’t leak or explode from cabin pressure changes.

Ink flow is reliable and intense, so you can clearly read what you’ve written. Some customers use these pens in sketching because of their quality and resistance to water. You can apply watercolor to your drawings without the ink smearing.

The un-ball Vision Elite Rollerball Pen is available in bold point and micro point. Whether you have large or small handwriting, you can use this pen.

Are you looking for the most ergonomic rollerball pen? The Pilot Dr. Grip Gel Pen was recognized by the Arthritis Foundation. It’s designed to reduce writing stress. Many customers agree it’s ergonomic.

The ink is of great quality too. It’s smear resistant and applies effortlessly. You can buy refills to make the pen itself last a long time and reduce impact on the environment.

If you’re looking for the best cheap rollerball pens, we recommend the uni-ball Roller Pens. You can get a pack of 12 around $15. Like the uni-ball Vision Elite Rollerball Pens, they use uni Super ink to prevent check washing fraud. You can securely fill out important documents without concerns of fading fraud.

We love how free-flowing and reliable the ink flow is. The pens are made of 80% post consumer recycled electronics. You’ll feel good about buying them. Available in micro point and fine point, these rollerball pens are good for small to medium handwriting.

Are you splurging on a rollerball pen? The Waterman Expert Matte Black Rollerball Pen is one of the best premium rollerball pens. It has an elegant cigar shape and comes in a durable blue box for safe storage.

Different barrel color schemes to choose from include matte black, stainless steel, deluxe blue, and black and gold. The pen cap can be engraved if you want your name or an important phrase on it.

Some people consider the Paper Mate InkJoy the best ballpoint pen under $20. You can get a 12-pack of assorted colors for under $20. They dry fast and deliver bright, vibrant ink. We love using them to add color to our planners.

This rollerball pen writes smoothly and works well for cursive as well as print handwriting. People who prefer writing with fountain pens have praised this pen for its well-balanced weight and enjoyable writing experience.

Tips on Choosing the Best Ballpoint Pens

Many people favor rollerball pens for their fluid ink flow and intense ink. The difference between a standard ballpoint pen and a rollerball pen is in the ink’s base. Standard ballpoint pens use oil-based ink whereas rollerballs use liquid-based or gel-based ink.

There is often confusion between the two terms.

Both pens use a rolling ball to disperse ink, so the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

If you don’t like the high viscosity of oil-based ink, you’ll love the rollerball pens we reviewed above. None of them use oil-based ink.

Some ballpoint pens have low viscosity ink to improve the smoothness and ease of ink application. They may be referred to as hybrid or emulsion.

These types of pens usually have a mixture of oil and gel ink. Some have a lubricant mixed with the oil to decrease its viscosity.

You should choose rollerball pens if you don’t like thick inks that are difficult to write with.

Some of the best ballpoint pen brands to shop from are Cross, Pilot, uni-ball and Waterman. You’ll find all of these brands above.

Waterman and Cross are luxury brands, so expect to pay a higher cost for a single pen. Pilot and uni-ball have affordable packs of quality rollerball pens.

Factors to Consider When Buying Best Ballpoint Pens

Are you heavy handed?

Rollerball pens probably aren’t the best type of ballpoint pen for you.

Oil-based ballpoint pens that are usually just marketed as ballpoint pens are suitable for heavy-handed writers because they require more pressure.

If you experience hand strain often when writing, then stick to rollerball or gel pens.

Find a pen that has a high ink flow and ergonomic features to prevent pain while writing.

Take customer reviews into consideration when choosing a pen.

All of the pens on this list are among the top rated ballpoint pens. User reviews lend you insight into problems the pen may have and what type of writer it’s best for. If you have a light hand, you’ll likely favor rollerball pens because they’re more comfortable to write with than standard ballpoint pens.

Size tip

If you don’t know yet what size tip you prefer in pens, you may want to try numerous affordable versions before considering something expensive like the Waterman Expert Rollerball Pen.

Other factors do influence how you’ll like a pen, such as ergonomics and quality of the ink.

So, keep that into consideration and only try pens that have high customer ratings to learn what your tip preferences are.

Ballpoint Pens FAQ

What can make a ballpoint pen write smoothly?

Rollerball pens are typically the smoothest ballpoint pens because the ink is more liquid. The faster ink flow of liquid ink compared to oil ink creates a smoother writing experience.

Pressing down hard when you write can cause pain after long periods of writing. This is why rollerball pens are so popular. They don’t require a lot of pressure to write beautiful visible lines.

What are the best pens for school?

We recommend the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller for school because they are inexpensive, write smoothly and last a long time. Ink running out fast is one of the downsides of rollerball pens compared to oil-based ballpoint pens.

However, you can still find great rollerball pens with ink that lasts a good amount of time like the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Rollers.

Do ballpoint pens leak on planes?

Rollerball pens that aren’t airplane safe are at risk of leaking on planes. Oil-based ballpoint pens usually don’t have problems with leaking or exploding from air pressure changes.

Gel pens aren’t susceptible to leaking or exploding on flights either. Pen companies that have options in airplane-safe rollerball pens include uni-ball, Pilot and Fisher.

Making the Decision

The Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller is our top pick in best rollerball pens because its ink goes a long way. It’s also suitable for school, work and personal use. If you want a pen with a more solid feel in your hand, we recommend the Cross Edge Selectip Rollerball Pen or the Waterman Expert Rollerball Pen.

When you need to write checks or fill out other important documents, the uni-ball Vision Elite Rollerball or uni-ball Roller Pen is helpful to have on hand for protection against document fraud.