Adonit Jot Pro Stylus Review

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Accessories can sometimes be just as important to us as the gadgets themselves. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m always on the lookout for a new favorite gear bag, wallet, writing instrument, phone case, etc. Lately I’ve been fixating on finding the perfect capacitive stylus that I can use for drawing and writing. When I came across the Adonit Jot Pro Stylus, I knew I had to try it. I actually purchased it with my own cash because I didn’t intend to review it. But after using it for a couple weeks I knew I had to share my experience. So here goes.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

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Over the years, I tried many capacitive styli with my iPad and Android tablets. With only a few exceptions, they’ve all been pretty similar. In the image above, you see the Jot Pro next to a Targus stylus. The Targus has a typical large rounded rubber tip. Although it works fine for writing and drawing, it’s less than optimal because it’s difficult to do really detailed work because it’s hard to see what you’re writing due to the large tip. The Jot Pro has a very unique tip which solves that problem very well.

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First of all the Jot Pro is larger than the typical stylus. It’s more along the lines of a pen or mechanical pencil. It is 6 inches long and .375 inch in diameter. It’s also nicely weighted and balanced to give it a true pen-like feel.

The barrel is made of aluminum and is available in Black, Silver and Blue. A rubber grip around the bottom half of the barrel makes the stylus comfortable to use for long writing or drawing sessions.

It also has a magnet in the barrel that allows it to “stick” to your iPad.

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I love love love that there’s a threaded cap that protects the stylus tip when it’s not being used and stores on the opposite end when it is in use.

Replacement caps are available in several colors for $6.00.

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The tip of the Jot Pro is what sets it apart from the other capacitive styli I’ve reviewed. It looks like a finely tapered point with a plastic disc stuck to the end. But if you look really close, you’ll see that the tip is actually a tiny ball.

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The transparent disc snaps on to the ball tip allowing it to swivel in a variety of angles.

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The bottom of the disk has a thin layer of plastic, so you don’t have to worry that it will scratch your display. Replacement discs can be purchased at $8 for 2 discs.

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The Jot Pro glides effortlessly on an unprotected display. However, it didn’t work well at all on a Pure Gear screen protector which I had on my iPhone. It felt sticky and wanted to drag across the screen. The Pure Gear protector is thicker and softer than other protectors I’ve used, so it’s possible that the Jot Pro might work just fine with other brands of screen protectors.

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The swivel disc lets the stylus adapt to the way you hold it instead of you having to hold it in a certain way against the display.

The best thing about the Jot Pro is that you can see what you’re writing and drawing through the disc. It really makes a huge difference when drawing and allows for more detailed work. I also found that the Jot Pro is the first stylus that actually feels like a pen when writing. In addition to the Jot Pro, Adonit also offers a classic (does not have the rubber grip or magnet) for $19.99 and a Jot mini that has a pocket clip (no pricing on that one yet). Even more importantly, Adonit will be offering a pressure sensitive stylus soon that I’m really looking forward to try. The Jot Touch will allow for varying line thicknesses when drawing depending on how hard to press it against the screen.

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The Adonit Jot Pro is my new favorite stylus. What is yours?

 

Product Information

Price:$29.99
Manufacturer:Adonit
Pros:
  • Can use at any angle
  • Ability to see the "ink" under the tip
Cons:
  • Doesn't work well with some screen protectors

86 thoughts on “Adonit Jot Pro Stylus Review”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. What wrting/drawing ipad apps do you use with a stylus?
    I’d like to take notes, screen clip, and upload to Evernote.

    1. @Richard Definitely! It’s the best writing stylus I’ve tried so far. I can write much smaller text with the Jot Pro because I can actually see what I’m writing.

  3. Doesn’t feel silly, having the disc on the end?
    Does the disc sometimes go the wrong way, I mean e.g. it’s vertical instead of horizontal and you’d have to adjust it before being able to write.

    Using real writing on the iPAD would be a great advantage to me. So I’m very pleased with your review.
    Thanks for it!

    1. @Ronald The disc is small. It doesn’t feel silly to me at all and I’ve not had any problems with having to adjust the angle before placing it on the display. I’m considering buying a 2nd one and a couple replacement disc just in case they would happen to go out of biz. I like it that much 🙂

  4. A STYLUS is a must for me. I am more comfortable using a stylus and a keyboard than fingers ands touchpad. I am really looking forward to trying this item. Julie, thanks for letting us know it’s benefits for using when writing a journal. Briana

  5. I too love the jot pro…. Good idea to invest in spare parts…thanks for that idea.

    I use Note Taker HD…with Zoom feature… I am able to make legible small letters…

    1. @Gary the Jot Pro is a stylus… there is no “version”. It will work with any device with a capacitive display… iPad, iPhone, Android tablets, Android phones, HP WebOS tablet, new Kindle Fire, etc.

  6. How dose the Jot preform when the disc is not on it? I wanna know if it will work effectively for notes and drawing without the clear disc on the tip…

    1. @Justin it isn’t designed to be used without the disc. I don’t want to pull the disc off my stylus for fear of breaking it, since I don’t have a replacement.

      1. @Justin I went ahead and popped off the disc this morning and the stylus does not work at all. I guess it needs more contact with the screen than the tip alone can provide.

  7. Julie is right. For a capacitive screen stylus there needs to be about 6mm of contact. Hence fingers work. The old resistive screens worked differently hence you could have a thin pencil like point. Normal capacitive stylii are like thick crayons. The Jot mimics this.

    The ByZero studio stylus is very thin tipped and works on a capacitive screen because it uses ultrasonic and infrared technologies. The HTC Flyer and some over tablets put a Wacom screen on top of the normal capacitive screen and then use a “magic pen” ($60!!) to work on it. It’s tip is about 1mm.

    Hope that helps,

    Richard.

  8. Would the magnet in this thing work w/r/t attaching it to the (back of the) original iPad, or does it only cooperate with the iPad 2? This thing is definitely of interest, but I hesitate to spend the extra $10 for a feature that may turn out to not actually work for me!

  9. I was wondering if you had any problems with the Jot’s disk, like uneven lines, skipping, or light scratching. Is it fragile. Can it realistically be used as a digital ‘pen’? Thank you !

    1. @John this stylus only looks fragile. It really isn’t. I’ve had no problems with skipping or scratching. I really like it best so far.

  10. I totally regretted buying the Adonit Jot stylus as the tip doesn’t give the usual feel of a pen or rubber tipped stylus. It lags and is not sensitive as it is difficult to get a simple line without break points in between. There is no sense of control over the gadget and it gives the impression that it has a mind of its own when it comes to performing its duties. Definitely a ‘NO GO’ for art apps user.

    1. @Nick wow, I’m wondering if the one you got is defective because I haven’t had any of those problems with mine. I think it’s the best stylus that I’ve used so far. Did you get the Pro or one of their other models?

  11. Its a Jot Pro unit and I’m seriously thinking of asking for a refund or maybe exchange it for another unit. That’s if the retailer is willing to accomodate my intentions.

  12. Is it possible to use this while resting the palm of your hand on the screen (iPad)?

    I think my wrist would get sore otherwise… Thanks for your feedback and your review.

  13. Julie, does your ipad has a screen protector while testing the stylus? Do you think different screen protector will have different effect on the stylus performance?

    1. @ool I do not use screen protectors on my iPad’s display. I have a screen protector on my iPhone and I am not able to use the Adonit stylus with it.

  14. I just received my Jot Pro and in the short time I have used it I can report that it works quite well. I have the new iPad with an OtterBox Defender case. It has a built in screen protector and thus far has not interfered with the operation of the stylus. the only problem is with the extra bezel on the Defender case. It negates the magnet in the stylus. Fortunately there are magnets in the Defender cover so I think that will work to hold the stylus in place. Only time will tell.

    In other words… I Like IT!!!

  15. Screen protectors and Jot: There is a few that definitely does not work (their site lists a few).

    Does not work with Zaggs clear glossy (glue like surface), but it will work with the NEW smudge proof version (the older smudge proof version skips).

  16. I was very happy with the Jot Pro when I first started using it a month ago. But I have become less so. As mentioned earlier, it has started to skip, leaving open space in my text or drawings. And the ink of the pen itself has run out already. I wanted to use it as my only writing instrument for both the iPad and paper, since I love the very fine line the pen creates. But it did not last long at all. I don’t see how you open it to get to the ink cartridge. Do I have to go to Adonit and pay a lot to somehow refill the ink.

  17. @nickerbocker in regards to leaning your palm on your iPad I saw a YouTube clip with someone’s hand wrapped in some sort of material. The material meant that their palm didn’t register on the pad, clever!

  18. Julie, I appreciate the review, very well done, but I’m soo on the fence with this…ugh 🙂 I’ve waited and waited to buy the perfect one. At work we sell 4 of the most popular “foam/rubber tips” and they’re horrible, yet they get good reviews. The Adonit seems great for what I want, but like others have said, it must be hit or miss…one stylus is perfect and the next skips and stops working after a little while. Haha this is driving me crazy! Well, in the end, I just decided I’m going to get it! I’ll let you know if I get a good one. .:fingers crossed:. Thanks again for the review.

    1. @Stephen Thanks for sharing your concerns. I’m waiting on a 2nd order from Adonit with some of their other styluses. I’m curious if I’ll have an issue with them. I’m also going to be reviewing the Logiix Diamond stylus that has the same style disc tip. I’ve not started using it yet though…

      One thing to be aware of… If you use a screen protector on your tablet, all bets are off as far as how well a stylus (any stylus) will work.

  19. Hi Julie,
    I’m frustrated just like Stephen. I see so many good reviews, but I also see 1/4 of the reviews saying they break after a month of use. I’m looking for a very precise stylus pen that I could use for drawing very thin lines. The drawing you made is good, but has very thick contour lines. If you can, please add a drawing that has a thinner line. You don’t have to color it, I just want to see how precise this stylus can get.

    1. @Animator I just made the lines thick so the drawing would show up better in the image. I can create another drawing and add it. I’m also very optimistic about the Logiix Diamond stylus that I’m testing right now. I think they’ve taken the Adonit idea/style and improved it. I’ve only played with the stylus for a very brief time, but so far I think it may outshine the Adonit.

      I currently have styluses coming out my ears 😉 I plan to start posting a new stylus review every day or so starting tonight if at all possible.

  20. Hey Julie, I enjoyed your review but I was worried if you’ve found micro scratches on your iPad maybe in the right lighting. Reviews on Amazon and others mention this and there was even a user submitted picture of scratching on the surface of the iPad.
    I’ve gone on the Kickstarter page and the makers have mentioned that SOME protectors do work so maybe that will DIY fix the micro scratches. Thanks! 🙂

    1. @Johann I just looked at my screen very carefully and I don’t see any scratches at all. I’m wondering if the people with scratching problems don’t have the little protector sticker on the bottom of the stylus tip. I’m not sure how is the stylus could scratch your screen with that thin layer of protection.

  21. Me too… this probably requires more research.
    I’ve also looked into the jot touch and it looks really cool, except for the estimated price tag of $100. Probably because it has bluetooth and all those bells and whistles. What do you think?

  22. I read a adonit support forum, a rep there said they hoped for more app support around next month. Reason it didn’t come out before is because they didn’t want people to pay $100 for a pen that only has only a few supported apps

  23. Just my two cents on an old post. I had the jot for a few weeks and it left scratches on the screen. The company says its not the disc but debris. I was worried about it and kept everything clean, still, it scratched before my eyes.

    Call me crazy, but I returned the jot and learned my lesson. It will scratch your screen!

  24. Hey,

    just ordered the jot! Since I’m using a screen orotector, I hope it works.

    When I read “Lately, I fixated on finding the perfect stylus” I laughed loud and thought about myself:
    I tend to get obsessed with finding the perfect accessories.
    Lately the perfect ipad case. For weeks I ‘wasted’ time watching video reviews, reading Opinions etc….
    but finally I found it!!! Now I can sleep calm again 😉

    1. @Chris it depends on the type of screen protector. If it’s a thick vinyl type, you will probably be unhappy.

      I’m curious to find out which iPad case you ended up buying.

  25. Hi Julie,
    its a very cheap protector, doesnt feel too thick, so I will see. Maybe I just buy anotherone that works with the jot pro.

    I ended up buying the Belkin Cinema Case. The design is not SO super, but it has a lot of angles for the stand, and it is not “wobbely” at all in typing position.
    Furthermore it leaves the bezel mostly free, so I can use it with touchfire keyboard.
    The edges of the ipad are covered by rubber, which gives the best shock protection.
    And it has a magnetic close-lid.

    But I’m still waiting for a videoreview of the new speck magfolio…. maybe this one’s better.

    Which case are you using?

  26. yeah, I ordered a smart cover too in case I want to feel the thin-ness and form of the ipad, but for now, I enjoy the different viewing angles too much.

  27. I purchased one and At that time, Adonit said the disc was very unlikely to break…and if it did, they would take care of it. I want to say upfront that my jot has been used less than 10 times, and most likely it has only been used 2-3 times. Guess what, the disc broke when a customer was signing their name. Contacted Adonit and they said the disc “had run its course” and it was time to purchase more. When I purchased the jot, Adonit claimed the disc couldn’t be broken, and now…it’s time to replace it. I assure you, had I known this would happen and then they wouldn’t stand behind their product, I would never have purchased it. Take my advice, don’t buy one. This company can’t make up their mind about the durability of the product, and they sure don’t stand behind it.

  28. Dont be so shocked that you are experiencing problems…dont expect help either. I’ve purchased my adonit from Groupon. Despite my numerous efforts to contact the company’s customer service, which is apparently not located on this side of the pond (they seem to be outsourced to Taiwan), I was unable to speak with an actual person. After a time consuming processes of exchange of a few emails, I’m finally giving up! Their customer service is non-existent!!!!!!!!! They will not honor their warranty. If you purchased this product through any other retailer (including amazon), they could not care less that you are having problems with their product.

    If you have a problem with this product, they will simply direct you to the retailer you’ve purchased this from. The question is, how do you expect the retailer to stand behind a warranty they did not issue. Retailers don’t actually make this product. This company is seriously a joke. I am always open to supporting new companies and great products but the malpractice of this company is simply deplorable….no wonder they dont even have a customer service number. DO Not Purchase this product!!!

  29. Bev, we never claimed that the discs would not break. We have provided replacements ever since we started selling the stylus. Your disc was well over 6 months old. Disc shelf life (regardless of how much it is used), cannot be expected to be more than six months, since the adhesive between the laminations loses its strength over time. When we discovered you were one of our early Kickstarter backers, we sent you two free replacement discs as a sign of goodwill.

    snow0160, you purchased your product from Groupon, whose terms of service tell you that you must contact them if you have a problem with a product. We contacted Groupon on your behalf, and the company said you must contact them, not us. Groupon invited you to return your product for a refund; you refused to accept their offer.

    Our customer service is not outsourced at all. It is all in-house; our company is located in Taiwan, with a product service center in Texas.

    1. @Jon Thanks for responding to some of these comments. I love your styluses. I have purchased 4 or 5 (I lost count) with my own $’s and have friends who have purchased them based on my recommendations. So far we have not had any problems with them whatsoever.

  30. Oh, olright, I’ll check them out. I’ve been looking at the HAND stylus by Steve King and the E.stylo by plai.tv.

    1. @Vicky I really want to try the E.stylo, but it’s only available for preorder right now as far as I can tell. I like the HAND stylus for many reasons, but my favorites for drawing are still the ones I listed above.

  31. I have been using jot pro for a few weeks. Great device for those who prefer to ‘write and draw’. However, my screen protector is scratched to bits. Thank god its only a bit of plastic and not the glass. I suppose if you go along the lines that the screen protector is replaceable then don’t worry. The pen is otherwise an excellent product!

  32. Hi Julie,
    Thank you for the great review! I just have one question, how responsive is the adonit jot pro stylus when it comes to writing quickly? Would you say it is effective when you have to write quickly, such as when taking notes in class or writing minutes for a meeting?

    1. @Najid I think the Adonit is easier to write with than a large tipped stylus like the Targus. I can write faster and smaller with it.

  33. I am a realtor and I use the Jot Pro for my clients to sign contracts on my iPad. It’s amazingly accurate for that. I just love it!

  34. I’ve bought a similar stylus – the GoSmart 300. I can’t recommend it highly enough. It uses a spring to allow the disc to adjust and to avoid the tapping noises which Adonit reviewers have reported. The teflon-impregnated wire frame disc seems robust, so far, and glides smoothly over my screen protector.

    I use it with GoodNotes, TouchDraw and Paper – and I get a great writing experience and accurate drawings. You should give it a go.

  35. This is complete shit. The stylus catches “grit” under the plastic circle and scratches your screen putting deep permanent etching in your screen and the company doesnt care. They will blame it on you. If not for the fact that its a bad product dont get it for the companies terrible customer service.

    1. @ty I keep hearing about people scratching their screens by using this stylus. It seems to me that the problem is that people are letting their tablet screens get really dirty and then using the stylus. Easy solution, wipe off the screen and tip of stylus before using it. It’s not rocket science folks…

  36. Thanks for your review! I’ve been considering the Jot Stylus for a few weeks now, but noticed it’s not sold on Amazon.com, so I couldn’t figure out how highly rated it is with consumers.

    While your experience is only one of many, it comes across as genuine, which I surely appreciate. Now I feel comfortable placing my order 😉

  37. I just ordered a Jot Pro in Japan for 2360 yen to use with my still-in-delivery Nexus 7. Reading the comments about scratching the screen made me choose a double strategy. I ordered a fiber-mesh type stylus (Miyoshi MCO STP-01/BK (“BK” is black)). This one was only 1190 yen ($15US), it has a retractable tip, and it has been getting good reviews ( http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B005LYLSDI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02 )

    I plan to use the Miyoshi fiber stylus for general usage (with a Princeton rubber tipped one that I’ve tested as a backup) and use the Jot Pro when I need to pin-point precision. This use will have to be limited to clean situations where I can ensure the screen is kept clean. No sketching at the windy beach with a Jot 😉

  38. I’ve got all the styli now. The Jot(-type) stylus is the best of the three capacitive styli for beginning to write precisely where you want to. They all have similar general responsiveness, but for general use, I do MUCH prefer the fiber-mesh type stylus, the Miyoshi MCO STP-01, in my case. It is just going to last longer than the rubber type ones, with a slightly better scratch resistance (grit gets quickly moved to the areas between the fibers). The Jot stays on my pencil case till I need precision — and a clean environment to use it in.

    Having said all that, I did a comparison of the various types of styli on my ThinkPad Tablet (TPT, using not battery-less wacom like the Galaxy Notes, but battery-needed N-Trig instead). The active stylus just put all the other styli to shame. They could all draw circles inside circles, with the Jot doing the best among the capacitive styli, but when I tried to make a dot and then put a second dot on top of the first one, the active stylus of the TPT could do just as well as a pencil, like the archer splitting one arrow with the next. The other styli *could not even make a dot*! I had to move the stylus several millimeters to get any inking.

    So, for anyone who needs maximal inking capability, I suggest you consider getting an active stylus tablet, with the Galaxy Note 10.1 being the most popular choice. Even if you are in the Apple fold, if the inking is really important to you, swallow hard and get at least one android device and use it mostly for drawing. Some of the drawing apps are the same. Autodesk’s SketchBook Pro is great. The difference between the active styli and the capacitive ones is like drawing with big crayons or finger paints and highly sharpened pencils.

  39. I’m thinking of purchasing the Jot Pro to help me with my drawings, but I use a Macbook Air. Does the Jot Pro work on Macbook trackpads? If so, will I need to download Inklet (a software used to make Pogo styluses work with trackpads)?

    1. @Shannon I never thought of using a stylus on the Macbook Air trackpad… I just tried several styluses (including the JotPro) on my 13″ MBA and they all work. That said, I think the rubber tipped styluses like the Targus have a better feel. The trackpad on my 2yr old MBA has a brushed finish that makes the JotPro feel like I’m writing on something rough instead of smooth.

  40. Hi,
    This is a good review. I read all the comments as well. Currently I’m using a Windows 8 tablet. I’m planning to buy a stylus. Does the Adonit Jot Pro Stylus work with Windows tablets?

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