You've probably seen the stickers. $129. That is the price Apple wants you to pay for a piece of plastic that, let's be real, feels like it should come in the box with a $1,000 iPad. But it doesn't. If you’ve just picked up a new M5 iPad Pro or one of the newer iPad Airs, you’re likely staring at your cart and wondering if there's a better way.
There is.
Honestly, nobody should pay full retail for this thing anymore. We are well into 2026, and the "newness" of the Pro model has worn off just enough for retailers to start getting aggressive. I’ve been tracking these prices since the Pencil Pro first dropped, and the landscape has changed. You can actually get some pretty wild Apple Pencil Pro deals if you know where to look and, more importantly, when to pull the trigger.
The current state of Apple Pencil Pro deals
Right now, as of mid-January 2026, the market is in a weirdly good spot. Amazon just hit a new record low. We are seeing brand new units go for $92.97. That’s a $35 haircut off the MSRP. If you see it at that price, just buy it. Don’t wait. Amazon’s pricing algorithms are twitchy, and that sub-$95 price point usually vanishes within 48 hours.
Walmart is also hovering around the $94.99 mark. It’s funny because Walmart used to be the "forgotten" tech retailer, but lately, they’ve been undercutting Amazon by a few cents just to mess with them. Best Buy is sticking to $99.00 for new units, which is fine, but they really shine in the open-box department. I’ve seen "Excellent" condition open-box Pencil Pros at Best Buy for $81.
Think about that. $81 for a stylus that still carries a full one-year Apple warranty.
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Why the price is finally dropping
Apple is stubborn. They kept the Pencil 2 at high prices for years. But the Pencil Pro is different. It’s competing in a world where the M5 iPad Pro is the king, and Apple needs people to buy the accessories to justify the "Pro" moniker. Plus, with the recent launch of the Apple Creator Studio app bundle, they want as many people as possible using the haptic feedback and barrel roll features. It's basically a gateway drug to their subscription services.
What actually makes the "Pro" worth the hunt?
If you’re coming from an older iPad, you might be tempted to just grab a cheap $20 knockoff from a random brand on Amazon. Don't.
I’ve tested those. They’re fine for clicking buttons, but they lack the soul of the Pro. The Apple Pencil Pro has a few specific features that you’ll actually use every day:
- The Squeeze: You squeeze the barrel, and a palette pops up. No more reaching for the top of the screen to change a brush.
- Barrel Roll: This is the big one for artists. There’s a gyroscope inside. You can rotate the pen to change the orientation of shaped pen and brush tools. It feels like a real calligraphy pen.
- Haptic Feedback: It gives you a little "thump" when you snap an object into place or switch tools. It’s subtle, but once you have it, going back feels like using a dead piece of wood.
- Find My: You will lose this pen. It will fall between the couch cushions. Having it show up in the Find My app is worth $20 of the price tag alone.
How to get the absolute lowest price (The "Pro" Strategy)
If you want to be a shark about this, you have to look beyond the big red "Sale" banners.
1. The Education Discount is year-round
Most people think you need to wait for the "Back to School" sale in August. You don't. Apple’s Education Store sells the Pencil Pro for $119 every single day. If you’re a student, a teacher, or—let’s be honest—if you still have access to a .edu email address, that’s your baseline. Never pay more than $119.
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2. Amazon Resale (Formerly Warehouse)
This is where the real "dirt cheap" prices live. Because people buy iPads, realize they can't draw, and return the Pencil two days later, Amazon ends up with a ton of "Used - Like New" inventory. In late 2025, we saw these dip as low as $62.65. Check the "Other Sellers on Amazon" section. If you see one labeled "Like New" from Amazon Resale, it's usually just a damaged box. The pen inside is pristine.
3. The "Back to School" Freebie
If you can wait until June, Apple usually runs its Higher Education promotion. In 2025, they were literally giving the Apple Pencil Pro away for free if you bought an iPad Pro or Air. If you’re planning on a big hardware upgrade, do not buy the pencil now. Wait for the bundle.
Compatibility: Don't get burned
This is where people mess up. They find a great deal, buy it, and realize it won't charge on their iPad. The Apple Pencil Pro is picky. It only works with the newer hardware.
It works with:
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4 and the new 2026 M5)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (M4 and M5)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and M3)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2 and M3)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro)
If you have an older iPad Pro with the M1 or M2 chip, this pen will not work. It won't even pair. You're stuck with the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation). The magnets are positioned differently on the new iPads to accommodate the landscape-oriented camera, which is why the old pens don't work and why the Pro exists in the first place.
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Is there a Pencil Pro 2 coming?
Rumors are always swirling. We’ve seen patents for a Pencil that can "sample" colors from real-world objects or work on non-screen surfaces. But realistically? Apple just refreshed the Pencil line. They usually go years between major stylus updates. The current Pro model is likely to remain the flagship until at least 2027.
Basically, you aren't going to buy this today and see it replaced by a better version next month.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop looking at the Apple Store. They aren't going to give you a deal.
If you need a pen today, head to Amazon first. If the price is anywhere under $95, hit the buy button. If it's back up to $129, check Best Buy's open-box section. There's almost always a unit available for around $85 if you're willing to drive to a local store for pickup. For those who aren't in a rush, set a price alert on a site like CamelCamelCamel for $90. It hits that mark about once a month, usually for a few hours at a time.
Finally, if you're a student or educator, check the Apple Education Store during the summer months. The potential of getting a $129 accessory for $0 is worth the four-month wait if your current setup is still "good enough" for now.