Bottom line: Which stylus is right for you will ultimately come down to usage. Heavy users or those who create digital art for a living will likely get their money's worth out of Apple's first-party solution. Value-minded shoppers, those averse to Apple tax or consumers that only plan to jot down notes or ink out casual doodles could probably squeak by with the Logitech or StylusHome alternatives.

Third-party accessories can be hit or miss in terms of the trade-off between cost and quality versus the original but it seems The Verge has stumbled across a real diamond in the rough.

This magnetic pencil from StylusHome looks and feels virtually identical to Apple's own Pencil at a fraction of the price. A first-generation Apple Pencil sells for $99 on Apple's website while the newer second-gen commands slightly more at $129. The StylusHome knockoff can be yours for $29.99 over on Amazon.

What sort of compromises are you looking at with the generic stylus? According to the publication, the third-party alternative is just as lag-free as the 2nd generation Apple Pencil when writing and is even a touch lighter (15.2 grams versus 17.9 grams). It notably doesn't support pressure sensitivity but does support tilt shading, so take note of that if pressure sensitivity is a must-have feature.

The StylusHome is also missing the double-tap feature Apple added to the gen-two device to quickly switch between writing and erasing. Others may also miss some of the tighter iPadOS integrations like battery notifications, for example.

Those seeking something from a known brand might consider having a look at Logitech's Crayon. Logitech's stylus offers up to 7.5 hours of active writing time, and automatically powers off after 30 minutes to preserve battery. The stylus is made of aluminum and has a battery indicator that blinks red if the unit is under 10 percent charged. It works with all 2018 model and later iPads, is offered in gray or orange color schemes, and will set you back just $69.99.

Image credit: Drawing by Robert Gonzalez, iPad by Daniel Korpai