Compiled from 12 sources; we haven't tested these products ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
Pick a gel pen for any paper, no upkeep and a $ price; pick a fountain pen for a lighter touch, ink choice and the cheapest ink per page, if you'll use decent paper and flush it every month or so. Montblanc says a 50 ml bottle writes about 1,250 A4 pages with a medium nib.
On this page11 sections
Four fountain pens and four gel pens, drawn in proportion, and the two writing points.
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen: Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: per Milligram's listing (made in Japan). Pilot's Japanese catalog page for the Cocoon (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. eBay and Rokomari listings cited earlier blocked our access on that date, so we dropped them. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Pilot's Japanese site says the Cocoon, the Metropolitan's Japanese sibling, went on sale in 2012; Wikipedia gives 2012 for the Metropolitan. We found no Pilot page dating the Metropolitan itself.
LAMY safari Fountain Pen: Made by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.). Made in Germany: LAMY's own product listing (India storefront) gives Germany as the country of origin and names C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg, as the manufacturer, and also says made in Germany. LAMY's German page names no country. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Museum Boijmans and LAMY's India listing give 1980; LAMY's German page says the safari was introduced in the 1980s.
Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen (02 EF / 03 F / 05 M): Made by Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: per retailer listings: Hunter Paper Co says made in Japan and Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin (both read on October 20, 2026). Platinum's Japanese product pages don't state it. Source. Price: example listing.
Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen: Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Made in Japan: Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin, and Mynavi News calls the Kakuno a domestic (kokusan) fountain pen. Pilot's Japanese catalog page for FKA-1SR (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. LarryPost, cited earlier, no longer loads. Source. Price: example listing.
Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: per US retailer spec sheets (Stop & Shop, OnTimeSupplies for item 31171). Some grocery listings for a 4-pack say "Japan, USA", so origin may vary by pack. Pilot's US site doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source. Price: example listing.
uni-ball Signo 207 Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; UMN-207): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: OnTimeSupplies gives country of origin Japan (JP) for the 0.7 mm black 8-pack and a 0.5 mm 4-pack. uni-ball UK and Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese pages don't state it. Source. Price: example listing.
Pentel EnerGel RTX (BL77, BLN75, BLN73, BLN77, BL80): Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Made in Japan or Mexico: Pentel of America's 2022 product catalog gives the origin of the EnerGel RTX (BL77 metal tip and BLN73/75/77 needle tips) as 'Japan / Mexico' without saying which SKU comes from where. Retailer listings match: OfficeSupply.com lists Mexico for one RTX listing. Pentel's Japanese product page doesn't state a country. Check the package of the exact pen you buy. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Year the EnerGel line launched, per Pentel's Japanese news release of August 7, 2026. Pentel's Japanese magazine says it was sold only outside Japan at first, with Japanese sales starting in 2003. We found no separate debut date for the US RTX model.
Zebra Sarasa Clip Retractable Gel Pen (0.3 / 0.4 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; JJ15): Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in Japan: per retailer spec sheets: FairPrice (Singapore) lists Japan for the 0.7 mm pen and the JF-0.5 refills, Carrefour UAE lists Japan for the Sarasa Push Clip, and SM Stationery (Philippines) says made in Japan. Zebra's Japanese and global product pages don't state a country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing.
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
Gel pens are sold by ball size (the Pilot G2 in 0.38, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm); Pilot lists a 0.25 mm line for a 0.5 mm Juice up refill.
Montblanc says a 50 ml bottle lasts about 1,250 A4 pages with a medium nib and 3,200 with a fine nib.
At Pilot's ¥2,200 (about US$14) list price for 50 ml of Iroshizuku, that works out to under ¥2 (about US$0.01) of ink per A4 page.
Platinum says to flush a fountain pen monthly and Sailor every 2 to 3 months; a gel pen needs no cleaning.
Our four fountain picks sit in the $$ and $$$ bands; all four gel pens are in the $ band, under $5.
What is the difference between a fountain pen and a gel pen?
A fountain pen feeds liquid ink down a split metal nib by capillary action; a gel pen rolls a thick, water-based gel ink out past a tiny ball. The nib touches the paper as a smooth tip, while the gel pen writes the way a ballpoint does.
Our gel vs ballpoint vs rollerball guide explains the ball pens; this one sets them against fountain pens. It is based on maker specs and our own guides; we haven’t run the eight pens side by side yet.
How do they compare at a glance?
Gel pens win on convenience and paper; fountain pens win on ink choice and ink cost.
Fountain pen
Gel pen
Writing point
Split nib, graded EF to B
Ball, sold as 0.38 to 1.0 mm
Pressure
Very little
Light
Paper
Best on sized paper
Almost any paper
Ink
Cartridges or any bottled ink
The maker’s refill
Upkeep
Flush every 1 to 3 months
None
Price band (our picks)
$$ to $$$
$
How does each one feel to write with?
A fountain pen needs almost no pressure, while a gel pen needs a light push to turn the ball. Pilot’s Japanese nib guide warns that first-time fountain pen users tend to press too hard, and suggests a fine nib to start.
Gel inks differ too. Pentel says its EnerGel liquid gel is lower in viscosity and quicker drying than ordinary gel ink, which helps left-handers.
Which writes a finer line?
At the fine end they are about even: Goldspot measured a Pilot extra fine fountain nib at 0.25 mm, and Pilot lists the same 0.25 mm line for its 0.5 mm Juice up gel refill. Gel pens go finer still with 0.38 mm and 0.3 mm tips.
Fountain pen grades are not millimetre sizes, and Japanese nibs run finer than German ones; see Japanese vs Western nib sizes. Gel pens are sold by ball size, and the line is narrower than the ball: the Pilot G2 comes in 0.38, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm.
Which paper does each need?
A gel pen writes cleanly on almost any paper; a fountain pen does best on sized paper that keeps the ink on the surface. Ferris Wheel Press says feathering happens on paper that is too absorbent or not sized enough.
That’s why fountain pen users favour Rhodia, Midori MD and Tomoe River; see our roundup of the best notebooks for fountain pens. On cheap copy paper, a fine nib and a dry ink help.
Which costs less per page?
A fountain pen with bottled ink, by a wide margin, though only Montblanc publishes a page count. Montblanc says a 50 ml bottle lasts about 1,250 A4 pages with a medium nib and 3,200 with a fine nib, depending on the pen, the paper and how you write.
Pilot lists 50 ml of Iroshizuku at ¥2,200 (about US$14). At Montblanc’s medium-nib yield, that is about ¥1.8 (about US$0.01) of ink per A4 page; that is our arithmetic, and Montblanc’s figure is for its own ink.
Gel pens are cheaper up front: all four of ours sit in the $ band, under $5, and a Pilot Juice up refill lists at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan. No gel maker we checked publishes how many pages a refill writes, so we can’t give a per-page figure.
A flush with plain water every month or two, and whenever you change ink; a gel pen needs none. Platinum says to clean its pens monthly, Sailor every 2 to 3 months even with daily use, and Pelikan only once a year for a piston pen used daily.
How often each maker says to flush a fountain pen.
Our how to clean a fountain pen guide has the steps. A pen left unused can dry out; Platinum says the Preppy’s Slip & Seal cap keeps ink fresh for a year.
Who should pick which?
Choose a gel pen if you write on any paper that comes to hand, share pens or want zero upkeep; choose a fountain pen if you write a lot, want to pick your ink and don’t mind a monthly rinse.
Students and office notes: a gel pen such as the Signo 207, whose pigment ink uni-ball sells as water- and fraud-resistant.
Journaling and long letters: a fountain pen on good paper; a fine nib keeps the line crisp.
Trying fountain pens cheaply: the Preppy or Kakuno, both in the $$ band.
Left-handers: a quick-drying gel pen, or a fine nib with a fast-drying ink.
Frequently asked questions
Is a fountain pen better than a gel pen?
Neither is better for everyone. A fountain pen glides with little pressure and lets you choose from bottled inks, but it needs suitable paper and regular flushing; a gel pen writes on almost any paper and needs nothing but a new refill.
Is a fountain pen cheaper than a gel pen in the long run?
Usually, if you use bottled ink. Montblanc says 50 ml lasts about 1,250 A4 pages with a medium nib, so a ¥2,200 (about US$14) bottle of Pilot Iroshizuku costs under ¥2 (about US$0.01) a page. Gel makers don't publish pages per refill, so a direct comparison isn't possible.
Do fountain pens work on regular printer paper?
Often, with a fine nib and a dry ink, but cheap absorbent paper can feather and bleed. Paper sold for fountain pens, such as Rhodia, Midori MD or Tomoe River, keeps the line crisp.
Which writes a finer line, a fountain pen or a gel pen?
They can match. Goldspot measured a Pilot extra fine fountain nib at 0.25 mm, and Pilot lists a 0.25 mm line for its 0.5 mm Juice up gel refill; a 0.38 mm gel pen writes finer still.
Are fountain pens good for left-handed writers?
Yes, with a fine nib and a quick-drying ink; broad nibs dry slowly and smear more. A quick-drying gel pen such as the Pentel EnerGel, which Pentel says dries faster than ordinary gel ink, is the easier start.
How often do you have to clean a fountain pen?
Platinum says monthly and Sailor every 2 to 3 months, even with daily use, plus a flush whenever you change ink. Pelikan says a daily-used piston pen needs it only once a year.
Can I use a fountain pen for everyday school or office notes?
Yes. A cheap fine-nib pen such as the Platinum Preppy or Pilot Kakuno writes on most notebook paper, and Platinum says the Preppy's cap keeps ink from drying out for a year.
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen
LAMY safari Fountain Pen
Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen
Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen
Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen
uni-ball Signo 207 Retractable Gel Pen
Pentel EnerGel RTX
Zebra Sarasa Clip Retractable Gel Pen