Best White Gel Pens: Signo Broad, Gelly Roll & More

Four white-ink pens standing tip down above swatches of white lines on black paper: Signo Broad, Gelly Roll, Juice Up and POSCA — Four white pens and the job each one does, drawn in proportion.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 gel pen, 1.0 mm, white (UM153.1)uni-ball	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
Sakura Gelly Roll Classic Gel Pen, white (05 Fine / 08 Medium / 10 Bold)Sakura	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pilot Juice Up retractable gel pen (white is sold in 0.4 mm)Pilot	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
uni POSCA PC-5M paint marker (sold in white among its colors)uni	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen

Notes on these facts

uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 gel pen, 1.0 mm, white (UM153.1): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Ocado (UK) lists Japan as the country of origin for the gold, silver and white UM-153 3-pack, and Unsharpen gives Japan for the UM-153. Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state a country. Source.
Sakura Gelly Roll Classic Gel Pen, white (05 Fine / 08 Medium / 10 Bold): Made by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America. Made in Japan: Muziker (Estonia) lists the white 08 Medium (XPGB#50) as made in Japan, and Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin (both read October 20, 2026). Sakura's product pages don't state it. An earlier version of this guide cited Digitec and Galaxus (Switzerland) listing China for some white 05 and 10 pens; those pages blocked our access on October 20, 2026, so we couldn't confirm that, but origin may still vary by size, so check the packaging. Source. Released: US launch year per Unsharpen; Wikipedia says the Gelly Roll reached the US in the late 1980s. Sakura's own history says its Ball Sign, the world's first gel-ink ballpoint, came out in Japan in 1984 and was sold abroad as the Gelly Roll.
Pilot Juice Up retractable gel pen (white is sold in 0.4 mm): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Made in Japan: per importer Simple Paper's listing (Origin: Japan). Pilot's Japanese web catalog doesn't state the country of manufacture in the pages we found. Source. Released: Japanese launch of the 0.3 and 0.4 mm, per Pilot's press release of August 9, 2016. Pilot doesn't sell the Juice Up under its own US brand; it reaches the US through importers.
uni POSCA PC-5M paint marker (sold in white among its colors): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: POSCA's international site lists "Made in Japan" under the PC-5M's technical details, and POSCA's US Amazon listing for the PC-5M 8-pack says the markers are made in Japan. Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state a country. Source. Released: Mitsubishi Pencil's company history lists the launch of the water-based pigment marker POSCA in 1983; it doesn't date the PC-5M separately.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Mitsubishi Pencil lists the white Signo Broad UM-153 with a 1.0 mm ball at ¥165 (about US$1.00), code UM153.1, JAN 4902778588802.
Sakura sells the white Gelly Roll in 05, 08 and 10 sizes: 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0 mm balls that write lines of about 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm.
Unsharpen lists the Signo Broad at 13.9 cm (5.5 in) capped and 13 g, with Japan as the country of origin.
White ink pens use pigment, not dye: Unsharpen notes there's no practical white dye, which is also why white lines resist water.
All four picks sit in our lowest price band, $ (under $5 per pen).

What is the best white gel pen?

For most people, the best white gel pen is the uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153, whose 1.0 mm tip puts down the most opaque white line. The other picks trade some opacity for finer lines or more coverage. It’s #1 because its wide ball lays down the most ink, and Unsharpen calls it loved and trusted by many artists.

Most opaque: uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153. Why it’s here: the most opaque line here, from a capped 1.0 mm pigment gel tip, at ¥165 (about US$1.00) in Japan.
Three sizes: Sakura Gelly Roll white. Why it’s here: the only pick in three sizes, 05 Fine, 08 Medium and 10 Bold, so the 05 reaches finer details than the Signo Broad.
Fine lines: Pilot Juice Up. Why it’s here: the finest white line here, from a retractable 0.4 mm tip; Pilot says its pastel inks write on black paper, and Unsharpen lists a white.
Big areas: uni POSCA PC-5M in white. Why it’s here: a paint marker, not a gel pen, that covers far more area per stroke, for filling shapes and writing on rocks, glass and wood.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ specs and claims, Unsharpen’s reviews, US availability and price band. We ranked by opacity on black paper first, then added a pick for finer lines and one for big areas.

How do these white pens compare?

The Signo Broad and the Gelly Roll 10 are the two broad gel pens; the Juice Up is the fine one and the POSCA is a marker.

Pen	Pick	Type	Tip	Refillable	Band
uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153	Most opaque	Capped pigment gel	1.0 mm	Not in white (UMR-10 is black, red, blue, blue-black)	$
Sakura Gelly Roll, white	Three sizes	Capped pigment gel	0.5 · 0.8 · 1.0 mm	No	$
Pilot Juice Up, white	Fine lines	Retractable pigment gel	0.4 mm	Yes	$
uni POSCA PC-5M, white	Big areas	Water-based paint marker	Medium bullet	No	$

Mitsubishi Pencil lists the white UM-153 at ¥165 (about US$1.00) in Japan. Unsharpen lists it at 13.9 cm (5.5 in) capped and 13 g.

Ball sizes of white pens to scale at 1 mm = 80 px: Juice Up 0.4 mm, Gelly Roll 05 0.5 mm, 08 0.8 mm and 10 1.0 mm, Signo Broad 1.0 mm, with Sakura's line widths of about 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm — Ball sizes to scale; the line on paper is about half the ball, per Sakura.

Why is the Signo Broad the most opaque?

Because it lays down a lot of ink from a wide ball. Unsharpen says the 1.0 mm tip and loose gel ink give excellent opacity and very clean lines, and Mitsubishi Pencil says the pigment ink resists water and fading.

The cost is speed: Unsharpen says it runs out quickly when you fill large areas, and the loose ink feels less exact. Boing Boing ran a 2017 post headlined “The best white pen is the Uniball Signo Broad”.

When is the Gelly Roll the better white pen?

When you need finer details or a pen that sits unused for weeks. Sakura’s own page gives the white Gelly Roll 05 a 0.5 mm ball and about a 0.3 mm line, the 08 a 0.8 mm ball and 0.4 mm line, and the 10 a 1.0 mm ball and 0.5 mm line.

Unsharpen calls the white Gelly Roll one of Sakura’s most popular colors because it’s so well behaved. Most artists start with the 08 Medium.

Should you use a white paint marker instead?

Use a POSCA when you need to fill shapes or write on non-paper surfaces. A paint marker covers far more area per stroke than a gel pen, which is why Unsharpen lists the POSCA and oil-based paint markers as the common alternatives.

For lettering and highlights in a journal, stay with a gel pen; the marker’s tip is much broader. Our best pens for journaling covers the black pens to pair with them.

Where are these white pens made?

All four are listed as made in Japan. Ocado and Unsharpen give Japan for the Signo Broad, and the Gelly Roll, Juice Up and POSCA guides cite Japanese origin from retailers and makers.

Frequently asked questions

What white pen shows up best on black paper?

A broad pigment gel pen. Unsharpen calls the 1.0 mm uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 a superb white pen with excellent opacity, and the white Gelly Roll 10 Bold is the closest alternative.

Can you use a white gel pen over markers or watercolor?

Yes, once the layer below is dry. Unsharpen says Signo Broad pigment ink is water-resistant and holds up to watercolor; on alcohol markers, let the color dry so the white doesn't pick it up.

Why does my white gel pen skip?

White pigment is heavy, so the ink can settle. Start the pen on scrap paper, store it tip down, and pick a broad tip: Unsharpen notes the Signo Broad lays down a heavy amount of ink.

Is the white Gelly Roll or the Signo Broad better for small details?

The Gelly Roll, because it comes in a 0.5 mm 05 Fine that Sakura says writes about a 0.3 mm line. The Signo Broad comes only in 1.0 mm.

Is a POSCA a gel pen?

No. The POSCA PC-5M is a water-based pigment paint marker with a pump-primed bullet tip. It covers far more area than a gel pen but gives a thicker line.

Can white gel pens write on photos?

Some can. Unsharpen says pigmented white pens such as the Signo Broad work on photographs and other glossy surfaces; test a corner first, because gel ink dries slowly on coated paper.

Is the Signo Broad refillable?

Not in white. Mitsubishi Pencil's refill table lists the UMR-10 for the UM-153 only in black, red, blue and blue-black, so a white Signo Broad is replaced, not refilled.

Sources (7)

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