Where to buy custom pens is a common question for many.

When purchasing a gift for a loved one or customized pens for business, the importance of making the right choice is paramount.

Think about it: you buy a personalized pen, believing it’s the grandest idea in the world. Yet on a whim, you decide on going after cheap instead of quality. You think to yourself, “it’s just a pen, right”?

What does that result in?

• Uncomfortable grip
• Poor balance when you write
• Unreliable ink cartridges that leak easily

These are the make-or-break elements that make your gift a personalized pen they will use a cherish for a lifetime or a nice thought that gets lost in the back of a drawer only used for emergencies when a better pen can't be found.

That’s why I'm bringing you the definitive guide on where to buy custom pens whether they are fancy pens for the big events of life or promotional pens to market your business. 

I am going to talk about:

Section 1: Where to Buy Custom Pens

Section 2: The Best Custom Pens in Each Writing Style

What’s more, I'm going to tell you exactly why I decided on each location, too. So roll up those sleeves, put your writing cap on, and let’s get exploring.

We’ll start with the top custom pen company.

#1.) Dayspring Pens

Dayspring Pens is by far the best place to buy customized pens. The care and attention to detail on each order —no matter the occasion—is admirable. Just one look at the Cross Century II Medalist Selectip Rollerball Pen makes that crystal clear.

Look at that pristine metal quality construction and those gorgeous plated appointments.

The Cross Century II writes like an absolute dream. Moreover, it’s just one of Dayspring Pens’ many choices.

 

DISCOVER CUSTOM CROSS PENS

 

Dayspring Pens also offers remarkable pens from top brands such as Waterman Paris and Parker.

Even better: Dayspring offers free engraving on each of these pens, too—in any of the following fonts.

Many competitors adopt the policy of “your pen is engraved in the font you’re given.” However, this small attention to detail from Dayspring Pens is yet another sign of dedication.

Related: How Does Engraving Work? The Ultimate Guide to Personalized Laser Engraving.

What if you’re in a rush?

There’s little waiting for your Dayspring pen. Indeed, you can enjoy free shipping to any location in the United States in as little as 2-4 days. 

However, if that’s still too long of a wait, then Dayspring’s “Rush Pens” are the choice for you.

Dayspring Pens offers 1-day rush pens that can get to your door before the ink has run dry on yesterday’s writings.

Not only that, even if you need to shoot out as soon as your pen arrives, Daysprings gift wrapping will ensure your pen is ready to go as quickly as you are.

“Excellent product and service was top notch!  The pen writes perfectly and the engraving really sets it off!  On top of that the pen was received earlier than promised.  Thank you I will order again!” — Paul, verified buyer.

Looking for another shop where you can buy custom pens? Then let’s take a look at our runner-up: Vistaprint.

#2: Vistaprint

Vistaprint is a Dutch company that’s been around since the 90s, and while their personalized pens are a great option, they’re not the sole focus of the company.

That’s because Vistaprint also offers personalized:

• Business cards
• Wall art
• Clothing
• Stickers
• And more

This wide range of choices is excellent, especially for starting businesses looking to stock promotional material on their shelves. However, because of it, Vistaprint’s personalized pens don’t quite share the same quality and focus as Dayspring Pens do.

However, that isn’t to say Vistaprint isn’t a great choice — it’s why they’re our number two! Let’s take a look:

Vistaprint offers three types of customizable pens for everyday use:

• Premium Ballpoint Pens
• Engraved Pens
• Engraved Styluses

The pens all come in one ink color—black—and while the engraved pens and styluses feature laser engraving, the premium ballpoint pen only has a full-color wraparound print, which means it may fade in time.

That being said, Vistaprint’s pens are much cheaper than Dayspring Pens — so it’s expected they won’t last as long or make such a grand gift gesture as a Dayspring Pen does.

However, if you’re looking to simply fill up your pen holder or purchase a loved one a pen that they can whip out in an emergency—then Vistaprint is a great option—and our second top choice.

“I got 3 of these pens and everyone I gave one to loved them and I am going to have to get some more.” — Annie, Henrietta, NC.

Are you looking for business pens? Vistaprint offers promotional pens, too.

#3: Forever Gifts

Finally, let’s take a look at Forever Gifts—a company where you can buy custom pens at the lowest prices on engraved material while offering 100% customer satisfaction.

Similar to Vistaprint, Forever Gifts doesn’t just focus on pens. They also sell:

• Personalized jewelry
• Coffee mugs
• Money clips
• Phone cases
• And more

Now, like with Vistaprint, we feel Forever Gift’s wide range of choices does take away from that focus on having the top quality pen that Dayspring Pens provides, but that doesn’t mean that Forever Gift’s pens are a bad choice.

Let’s take a look:

Forever Gifts personalized metal ballpoint pen is just one of their options and comes in 5 colors, shipping within 2-3 business days. You have the option to engrave the pen for free or just get it as is (if you so choose).

However, if you pick the engraved option, you’re given up to 30 characters—including symbols—to make that unique gift for a loved one. 

Like with Vistaprint, these pens are cheap—so they’re not going to have that same quality that Dayspring Pens have.

However, if you’re only out to fill up your kid’s pencil case and want to add that spark of personality to it—then Forever Gifts is yet another winning choice.

“I purchased these pens for my three grandkids as they are learning to write in script. They were so happy to see the pens in their favorite color with their name engraved on it.” — Anonymous, verified buyer.

That’s it for our top 3 list. To recap, our top three custom pen companies are:

• Dayspring Pens. Excellent quality engraved pens with quick delivery for you or that loved one in your life.
• Vistaprint. Wide selection of cheap promotional pens for everyday use. 
• Forever Gifts. Affordable pens, available both with and without engraving.

The Best Custom Pens in Each Writing Style

Now for the fun part! Here are my favorite custom pens for each of the major writing styles: Ballpoint, Rollerball, and Fountain Pen.

Best Custom Ballpoint Pen

There are three keys to a great personalized ballpoint for gifting: a durable barrel, an incredible ink refill, and a simple, refined design that engraves beautifully. 

Find More: The Best Ballpoint Pen Brands

With those in mind, the Dayspring Pens Abingdon Chrome Ballpoint is a delight that hits all three. 

Constructed of all metal, this lustrous chrome pen was built to withstand the daily wear and tear of being constantly in use as well as the battlefield known as the bottom of a backpack or purse. 

Inside, you will find one of the best ballpoint pen refills out there, the Schmidt P900 — the silky black refill with just enough tack to stick to the page and enough oiliness to slide across it. 

And when it come to engraving the Abingdon was designed for it. 

Intentionally crafted for a cap that showcases any engraving with ample room by people have spent over two decades engraving pens, the Abingdon focus on clean lines and a balanced profile to bring any customization into prominence. 

EXPLORE CUSTOM ABINGDON PENS

 

Best Custom Rollerball Pen

Now for the ballpoint's liquid smooth brother: the rollerball. 

Fine More: The Best Rollerball Pens to Give as Gifts

For sophisticate elegance with the heritage and quality of one of the oldest pen houses out there, the Waterman Expert Rollerball pen reigns.

Medium barreled, finished with precision and luxury, the Waterman Expert takes the classical pen design of Paris and makes it a piece ready for a boardroom. 

 

The liquid black ink inside the pen adds a glossy gleam to any signature, while offering archival quality that will stand the test of time. 

The Expert offers premium appointments in chrome or 23k gold that bookend a custom engraving on the cap, making this high end luxury pen completely unique to the owner. 

EXPERIENCE A CUSTOM WATERMAN EXPERT

 

Best Custom Fountain Pen

As a fountain pen user, it is easy to get an incredible fountain pen, but oddly difficult to find one that is also custom engraved. 

Fine More: The Best Fountain Pen Brands

But the Pilot E95 is both.

Pocket-sized and portable, strikingly beautiful in design, and tipped with a tactile nib that is one of the best in the business, the E95 is incredible. 

It is hard to condense all the great things about this pen into a snippet so I will just say look into what Pilot Fine Writing is all about and see the evidence of how personalize engraving takes a masterpiece of a fountain pen and elevates it a statement heirloom.

Looking for Where to Buy Custom Pens?Dayspring Pens Is Your Best Bet

While Vistaprint and Forever Gifts are excellent, affordable choices, they don’t quite match the same superior quality as the custom pens from Dayspring Pens.

However, knowing which business to buy from really depends on your needs. If you’re looking to:

• Treat yourself 
• Impress that loved one in your life
• Gift a top CEO or work colleague

Then Dayspring Pens is an excellent option.

In fact, if you’re looking for an engraved, high-quality pen for a loved one, then we have the Definitive Guide to Buying a Personalized Gift that you can’t go wrong with.

Otherwise, without further ado, contact us today to get your Dayspring Pen.

Daniel Whitehouse is the President and CEO of Dayspring Pens. He uses his expertise with premium writing utensils to create exceptional, intentional products and craft easy-to-understand articles that help both new and experienced users learn more about their writing tools. He lives in Virginia where he and his wife are raising their four children. To learn more about him and his insights about custom engraved gift pens, follow Daniel on LinkedIn.