WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Ballpoint, gel, and rollerball pens all have one feature in common: they use a small, revolving ball in the tip to dispense ink. As you write, the surface of the ball is exposed to the ink reservoir, thus coating the ball and continuing the flow of ink. Where they differ is how the ink is formulated.

Ballpoint pens use viscous, oil-based inks. They’re made by dissolving dyes in a mixture of alcohols and fatty acids. Alcohols promote smooth ink flow, while fatty acids lubricate the tip of the pen. Because the ink is so thick, ballpoints work well on low-quality papers with little to no bleedthrough. However, they do require more pressure to write. This can be tiring over long periods of time, but some find these pens easier to control. Ballpoint inks are usually smudge resistant, quick drying, and waterproof.

Gel ink consists of pigment suspended in a water-based gel. This particular formulation makes gel pens precise and vibrant. Very few other pens come in tip sizes as small as 0.28 mm--or as many colors. The smooth ink flow makes it much easier to write for long periods of time with less pressure, so you won’t get hand cramps as easily. However, gel pens tend to skip more than ballpoints or rollerballs. This is because their tips are not as evenly coated with the thinner, water-based ink. Gel pens also have longer dry times, so they can smudge if you’re not careful.

The viscous ink found in ballpoints is uniquely suited to writing on slick surfaces (like receipts or other thermal papers) that might smudge water-based inks. Thanks to their dependability, ballpoints make excellent everyday carry additions.

Because ballpoints require some pressure to write, they work well to ensure dark marks when paired with carbonless copy paper.

Gel pens are great for everyday note-taking. We recommend them highly for students who fill dozens of notebooks over the course of their school years. The wide variety of colors is simply unmatched by other pens, making it easy to color-code your notes in a veritable rainbow of shades.