Looking for some pens for your bullet journal? Don’t worry, we have you covered with everything you need to know about the best bullet journal pens around. We’ll take you step by step through each pen so you can figure out exactly which ones will work best for you.
The magic of bullet journaling is you can make it whatever you want – the same comes to pens. Some people prefer pens, others prefer markers, and some even like pencils! Here’s what we will take a look at:
What makes a good bullet journal pen?
First and foremost, what makes a good bullet journal pen? This answer may be different for everyone but there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
It doesn’t rip the pages. We want our bullet journals around for a long time, and we spend hours decorating them. We don’t want ripped pages no matter how find of a pen we use. This also depends on the type of paper in our bullet journal.
It doesn’t bleed thorough pages. Once again this really depends on the paper in our bullet journal, but we don’t want ink to soak through our pages and ruin the next one.
It writes nice. This is relative for everyone, but we want to enjoy writing with our bullet journal pens. The tactile feel of the pen on paper is something many of us enjoy.
It fits our budget. If you are new to the world of pens, things can get very expensive very fast. We try to keep things reasonable, unless we explicitly say something is expensive!
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Black Pens for Bullet Journals
A black pen is an essential tool for a bullet journal. Black pens are great for many things, like outlining, doodling, stenciling, and just everyday writing. It may take you some time to find the best black pen for a bullet journal, but here are a number of great options to get you started.
Sakura Pigma Micron Assorted Set (6)
Sakura Pigma pens are a bullet journal go to. Their ink doesn’t smear at all, and dries instantly.
This black set comes in a number of differnet tip sizes from smaller to larger, making them an ideal set for creating layouts, doodling, and adding detail.
If you buy just one black pen set for your bullet jourrnal, these are the ones to get!
They come in the following sizes: 005 (0.20mm), 01 (0.25mm), 02 (0.30mm), 03 (0.35mm), 05 (0.45mm), 08 (0.50mm)
Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Stick Pen, Black Ink, Fine (12)
This is one of the best black ballpoint pens around, making it a great choice for drawing grid lines or writing things down in your bullet journal. It is also hands down one of my favorites for daily writing
It is a total workhorse, and lasts for quite a long time. You will love this pen so much it may become your favorite everyday pen!
Zebra F-301 Ballpoint Stainless Steel Retractable Pen, Fine Point, 0.7mm (12)
If you are looking for a nice looking black pen, this one is not to be missed.
These Zebra pens have a nice stainless steel casing with a black grip. They are retractible, so there aren’t any pen caps to lose.
They write nice and smooth, and are ideal for just about anything.
Platinum Fountain Pen, Preppy, Fine Nib, Black (1)
If you are looking to get started with fountain pens The Platinum Preppy fountain pen is a great choice for getting started with your bullet journal.
It writes super smoothly, and has a nice thick black consistent line. Best of all it is an economical choice to start with, and is also refillable!
Pentel EnerGel Deluxe RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen, 0.5mm (3)
If you like gel pens, this black gel pen with a needle point tip is an excellent choice for your journal.
It writes nice and smooth, and won’t bleed through pages or smear. The very fine lines are great when it comes to recording things and creating layouts.
This is another one of my all time favorites.
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens, Medium Point, Black (10)
Paper Mate InkJoy pens are another go to pen when it comes to bullet journaling.
They dry super fast, which is of course one of the most important things.
The barrel of this pen is also slightly larger than many pens, making it more comfortable to write with than many others.
This is important when you are sitting down to doing a massive layout!
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
These black brush pens are essential for your lettering needs when it comes to your bullet journals.
These lettering pens feature a smaller tip than traditioanl brush pens. They are easy to write with, especially when it comes to writing in small areas, but making things pretty!
Colored Pens for Bullet Journals
Ready to add a splash of color to your bullet journal? Let’s take a look at some of the best colored pens for bullet journals. Spoiler alert, you’re going to start recognizing some of the pens we’re talking about!
Sakura Pigma Micron 05 line Drawing 8 Color Set
Are you are looking for a great fine tip color option that won’t smudge? These Sakura Pigma Micron pens are a great choice.
In fact, they are some of the gold standards when it comes to bullet journaling with their archival quality ink since they are smudge proof and fade proof.
This is a great getting started pack, and they are also available in many diffferent line thicknesses.
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens, .3mm
I stumbled across these Staedtler pens by accident, and it was a very happy accident!
These ultra find .3mm pens are fantastic for simply writing, or drawing out grids and other layouts in your bullet journal.
They also do not smudge or smear.
They are however triangular in shape, which some people may not like. I know I find it a little odd, no matter how much I like these pens.
Paper Mate InkJoy Colored Gel Pens, Fine Point
If you are fan of gel pens, then these colored pens are for you and your bullet journal.
These a fantastic all around gel pens that comes in a multitude of colors.
They also do not smudge or smear, which every gel pen lover knows is very importaint!
BIC Cristal Xtra Bold Fashion Ballpoint Pen
If you are a fan of ball point pens, this is the option for you! Nothing can beat a classic ball point Bic pen, and this pack is full of vibrant color to help you with your bullet journaling. They are also very economical.
Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers
These Tombow Dual Brush Pens are the gold standard when it comes to bullet journaling. One end is a brush pen perfect for lettering, and the other end has a fine point and is more like a pen. Are they a pen? A maker? A brush pen? Sort of all three, but no matter what, they are awesome.
The best part of these colored pens for bullet journals is they come in so many variety of colors you are bound to find the colors that suit your mood perfectly. They really are the best bullet journal markers or pends or whatever you want to call them.
The brush side can be a little thick debating on how big your bullet journal is, which is the only draw back.
Be sure to click the button below because these come in every color under the sun and you can see them all there.
Tombow Fudenosuke Colors Set
If you have a smaller form factor bullet journal (I’m looking at you Hobonichi fans), these Tombow Fudenosuke brush colored pens are a must have.
The have a finer, harder brush tip which makes them great to use for lettering, or just writing out headings, even for smaller areas.
These are hands down the best brush pens for a bullet journal.
Journal Planner Pens Colored Pens
This is an economical option if you are looking for lots of color with a small price tag.
They write great, and are a fantastic set, and come with a huge variety of colors for your bullet journal.