Compiled from 11 sources; we haven't tested these products ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The uni-ball ZENTO Standard and Signature write with the same black pigment ink and take the same UBR-Z refill in 0.38, 0.5 or 0.7 mm. The Standard is an 11 g plastic click pen in our $ band; the Signature is a 22 g metal pen with a magnetic cap, in our $$$ band.
On this page10 sections
Same ink, two bodies, drawn to scale at 1 mm = 4.2 px.
uni-ball ZENTO Standard (UBN-ZSC), retractableuni-ball
Japan
Japan*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
uni-ball ZENTO Signature (UB-ZH)uni-ball
Japan
Japan*
Price range: $$$$20–75 per pen
Notes on these facts
uni-ball ZENTO Standard (UBN-ZSC), retractable: Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Hunter Paper Co's listing for the 0.7 mm ZENTO (barcodes matching Mitsubishi Pencil's UBN-ZSC-07 codes) says "Made in Japan", and OnTime Supplies' spec sheet for the US dozen box (70660) gives Japan as the country of origin. Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state it. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Mitsubishi Pencil's January 15, 2025 release says the ZENTO series went on sale in Japan on February 3, 2025, after it had already been sold overseas; the 0.7 mm Standard went on sale in Japan on December 23, 2025.
uni-ball ZENTO Signature (UB-ZH): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: per The Journal Shop's spec sheet (country of origin Japan); Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese product page doesn't state it. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Japanese release date per Mitsubishi Pencil's January 15, 2025 press release, which says ZENTO was already on sale overseas; we found no earlier overseas date.
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
Both take the UBR-Z refill in 0.38, 0.5 or 0.7 mm, listed at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan, so the line on paper is the same.
Mitsubishi Pencil lists the Standard (UBN-ZSC) at ¥275 (about US$1.70) and the Signature (UB-ZH) at ¥3,300 (about US$21) in Japan.
JetPens lists the 0.7 mm Standard at 13.9 cm and 11 g, and the Signature at 12.3 cm capped and 22 g, twice the weight.
The Signature's body colour follows the tip size: silver 0.38, metallic black 0.5, champagne gold 0.7 mm.
Retailers list both as made in Japan; both launched there on February 3, 2025.
What is the difference between the ZENTO Standard and Signature?
The body: the Standard is a light plastic click pen and the Signature is a heavier metal pen with a magnetic cap; the ink and refill are the same. Both belong to Mitsubishi Pencil’s uniball ZENTO line, which went on sale in Japan on February 3, 2025, and both write with the line’s black water-based pigment ink.
The uni-ball ZENTO Standard is the pen most Americans meet first: its 0.7 mm 4-pack was No. 8 among all pens and refills on Amazon US on October 22, 2026. The uni-ball ZENTO Signature is the flagship, the one you’d give as a gift.
How do the specs compare?
Same refill and sizes; the Signature is shorter capped, wider and twice as heavy.
ZENTO Standard
ZENTO Signature
Model
UBN-ZSC-38 / -05 / -07
UB-ZH-38 / -05 / -07
Mechanism
Retractable, top button
Capped; magnetic cap posts on the back
Body
Plastic with recycled material, long rubber grip
Metal (aluminium and brass, The Journal Shop)
Tip sizes
0.38, 0.5, 0.7 mm
0.38, 0.5, 0.7 mm
Ink
Black ZENTO pigment ink
Black ZENTO pigment ink
Refill
UBR-Z
UBR-Z
Length
13.9 cm (5.5 in) retracted, 0.7 mm
12.3 cm (4.8 in) capped; 13.2 cm (5.2 in) posted
Widest point
10.9 mm
13.0 mm
Weight
11 g
22 g
Japan list price
¥275 (about US$1.70)
¥3,300 (about US$21)
Made in
Japan (retailers)
Japan (The Journal Shop)
Price band
$ (under $5)
$$$ ($20–75)
Sizes and weights are from JetPens; models and prices from Mitsubishi Pencil’s Japanese pages.
The Signature is 16 mm shorter capped but twice as heavy.The same 132-yen refill sits in both pens; the Signature body costs about 25 refills.
Do they write the same?
Yes, on paper they should be identical, because the same UBR-Z refill sits inside both. Mitsubishi Pencil says ZENTO ink has an additive that cuts writing friction by about 40% against its earlier water-based pens, and a second one that limits spreading and bleed-through; those are maker claims.
What changes is the feel in the hand. The Standard’s long rubber grip is light and soft, while the Signature’s metal grip is narrower at 10.7 mm under a heavier body. Well-Appointed Desk compared the Standard with the aluminium-grip ZENTO Flow and preferred the Standard’s rubber grip.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the Standard for everyday writing and multi-packs; buy the Signature if you want one pen to keep for years.
ZENTO Standard: in our $ band, sold by the 4-pack and dozen in US shops, and easy to lose without regret. It’s the better pick for students and the office, and it sits in our best gel pens roundup’s territory alongside the Pilot G2.
ZENTO Signature: in our $$$ band, with a magnetic cap that clicks onto the back and a body colour that tells you the tip size. Refills cost the same as for the Standard, so running costs stay low.
What sizes and colours does each come in?
Both come in 0.38, 0.5 and 0.7 mm with black ink; the 0.7 mm joined the Japanese range on December 23, 2025. The Signature’s body colour is fixed by size: silver for 0.38, metallic black for 0.5 and champagne gold for 0.7 mm.
The Standard comes in muted barrel colours such as Linen, Indigo and Umber, and US shops add more, such as Lavender and Mist. In 2026 Mitsubishi Pencil also listed a limited 0.5 mm Signature in Stone Brass at ¥4,400 (about US$28).
What about refills?
One refill serves both: the UBR-Z, at ¥132 (about US$0.80) in Japan. Mitsubishi Pencil says it fits its click and capped ZENTO pens, so you can buy a Signature and keep it running on the same refills as a box of Standards.
The 0.7 mm UBR-Z-07 comes in black, red and blue, though both pens are sold with black. Our pen refills explained guide covers how refill codes work.
Where are they made?
In Japan, per retailers. Hunter Paper Co and OnTime Supplies list the Standard as made in Japan, and The Journal Shop gives Japan as the Signature’s country of origin.
Mitsubishi Pencil, the Tokyo maker of uni and uni-ball, doesn’t state the country on its own product pages. Our gel vs ballpoint vs rollerball guide explains why it calls ZENTO a water-based rollerball, not a gel pen.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ZENTO Signature smoother than the ZENTO Standard?
It shouldn't be, because both use the same UBR-Z refill and ZENTO ink. The difference you feel is the heavier metal body and the grip, not the line.
Can I put a ZENTO Standard refill in the Signature?
Yes. Mitsubishi Pencil says the UBR-Z refill fits both its click and capped ZENTO pens, so a 0.7 mm UBR-Z-07 works in either.
Which ZENTO is the one on Amazon?
The 0.7 mm uniball Zento in 4-packs and dozens on Amazon US matches the Standard's barcodes and barrel colours. It ranked No. 8 among all pens and refills on October 22, 2026.
Does the ZENTO Signature come in blue or red ink?
No, the single-colour Signature is sold with black ink, like the Standard. The ZENTO Signature 3-color, released June 25, 2026, adds red and blue.
Is the ZENTO a good gift pen?
The Signature is: a 22 g metal body with a magnetic cap, in three body colours, and it refills cheaply. The Standard is better as a multi-pack for everyday use.
Is either ZENTO made in the USA?
No. Hunter Paper Co and OnTime Supplies list the Standard as made in Japan, and The Journal Shop lists Japan for the Signature.
Is ZENTO ink waterproof?
It's water-resistant rather than waterproof. JetPens lists it as a pigment-based ink that resists water and fading.
ZENTO Standard vs Flow: what is the difference?
The grip: the Flow has an aluminium grip, while the Standard has a long, soft rubber grip. Well-Appointed Desk compared the two and preferred the Standard's rubber grip.
