Ballpoint vs Rollerball vs Fountain

Want to have an enjoyable writing experience? It’s good to know a bit more about the differences between ballpoint vs rollerball vs fountain. Commonly called a ballpen, ballpoint is a pen that dispenses ink through a metal ball at its tip and uses oil-based viscous inks. Rollerball pens also use ball tip writing mechanism but with water-based or gelled ink. Because of the excessive ink it produces, it’s a lot smoother on paper, but can smudge as there’s more ink going onto the paper. Fountain pens are nib pens which contain a built-in reservoir of liquid ink. They don’t leak. If they do, then something’s wrong with the pen.

Ballpoint vs Rollerball vs Fountain — Is ballpoint better than Rollerball?

If you wonder which is the best of the three, let’s take a more in-depth look at the differences between ballpoint vs rollerball vs fountain to help you choose a pen.

Ballpoint

Ballpoints are the most-used writing tool around the world where millions are produced and sold every day. The design was formulated as a more reliable and cleaner option to fountain/dip pens. They’re great for daily use and also popular among artists/industrial designers as they allow wider options for shading.

Ballpoint pros and cons:

(+) Ballpoint writing leaves a smooth, even writing.

(+) Inks in ballpoints are less fussy as they hold well under various elements.

(+) Ballpoint inks dry faster and last longer than other types of ink.

( — ) Inks can be messy and accumulate at the tip –which sometimes creates blob of ink that gets on your clothes, hands, or paper.

( — ) Not the best for long writing.

Rollerball

Since these pens use water-based liquid ink, they flow fast and smooth. They create a neat dark line. The writing tips are finer because the water-based ink flows and saturates paper faster.

Rollerball pros and cons:

(+) Writing leaves a neat dark line because the ink soaks more into paper

(+) Less smudging because the water-based ink dries fast

(+) A wide range of color selections

(+) Because inks flow easier, writing requires less effort which results to lesser hand stress

( — ) Rollerball ink can bleed through paper and onto the next page/s because its ink soaks faster.

( — ) Refills are used up quicker because more ink is used when writing.

( — ) Uncapped pens leak onto shirt pockets or bags.

( — ) Fussy to use because the inks don’t hold well under elements, so they’re not travel friendly. They leak when exposed to pressure during flights.

Fountain Pens

For those getting started with fountain pens, these pens use a nib for writing and come with internal cartridges/reservoirs to hold the ink. The pen would then pull ink from the cartridge through a feed-system with the help of capillary action and gravity. The cartridges/reservoirs are refillable and the nib allows for a wide selection of tip sizes and line width.

Fountain pen pros and cons:

(+) Nib sizes are customizable to fit your own writing style. Nibs can also be exchanged on pens.

(+) A wide selection of color of inks

(+) Vary line thickness with the option to customize nib sizes

(+) More eco-friendly. Because they’re refillable, it eliminates the need to use disposable refills/cartridges.

( — ) Can be fussy (difficult) to use as they require more maintenance.

Common Questions

Is ballpoint better than Rollerball?

Writing is more vibrant and vivid with rollerball pens because they use water-based inks. With ballpoints, writing is more deliberate (but lighter) because of its oil-based ink. Each has its own benefit/s which makes them preferable depending on the situation.

What is the difference between rollerball and ballpoint?

The primary difference between rollerball and ballpoint pens is their ink –which vary in thinness or thickness. Rollerball pens use thinner water-based ones –which require more time drying. Water-based inks are used up quicker, but also results in more expressive and vibrant writing.

Are fountain pens good for note taking?

The straight answer is YES. This is because of the fountain pen’s ink capacity. Well, this also depends on the pen’s varying volume-capacity for ink. The various nib sizes allow you various uses as well: for margin notes, use an extra-fine nib; for regular notes, a medium nib; and for highlighting, a double-broad filled with ink specially for highlighters.

If you’re just getting started with fountain pens, you may find from the detailed comparisons of ballpoint vs rollerball vs fountain that fountain pens are safe for the environment, not messy to use, and you’ll love how the ink looks on paper. So, which is better rollerball or fountain pen? Indeed, fountain pen is a collector’s item and a vintage piece you can gift someone.

Whichever you choose from the three –ballpoint vs rollerball vs fountain– simply make sure it fits your lifestyle –especially your writing purpose.