If you’re eager to start painting digitally, then you need a great drawing tablet for beginners.
A drawing tablet will allow you to get creative with digital art. You can use it to paint, draw, and design in art apps, then share to Internet for others to see!
As a beginner, it is worth choosing a cheap drawing tablet. And just because a drawing tablet is low-cost, that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality.
Today’s drawing tech is much more affordable, and even the budget-friendly options come with bells and whistles that can improve your creative workflow.
In this article, I will show you the cheapest and most beginner-friendly tablets available under $100! You can even purchase a decent digital drawing tablet for as little as $30.
What is a drawing tablet? and How Does it Work?
A drawing tablet is a flat surface, with or without a screen, which using a stylus, allows an artist to draw by hand and have it captured in digital form – simply hold it a few millimetres above the tablet’s surface.
The drawing tablet captures the input from the stylus when you touch it to the drawing surface and send its to your computer and drawing software.
What makes drawing tablet unique is the pressure sensitive, which can determine line width and transparency adding to the drawing experience.
Why use a drawing tablet?
Drawing tablets are most commonly used by graphic designers for digital illustration, photo editing, and animation.
These tablets are used with a pressure-sensitive stylus that provides a much more natural and intuitive drawing experience compared to a mouse, allowing for higher precision and control in creative tasks.
Drawing tablets also offer useful features like customizable shortcut buttons, making them an indispensable tool for many digital artists and designers.
Different Types of drawing tablets
Before recommending a good cheap drawing tablet, it is important to understand the different types of drawing tablets available in the market.
There are three main types of tablets: standalone drawing tablets, pen displays and regular non-screen tablets .
Graphics Tablets without screen: First, you have the basic drawing tablets that come with a flat, pressure-sensitive plastic surface where you will draw or work on.
As you draw, you will be looking at the connected computer screen where the drawing software is installed. Although there’s a learning curve, You’ll eventually get used to it.
Drawing Tablets with screen: Next, The display drawing tablets show a screen on the device and you draw directly onto the screen. So the experience is even closer to using physical pen and paper.
However, Even if they have a display, you still need to hook them up to a computer.
Pen Tablet Computer: Finally, you can think of standalone tablets as an all-in-one device that doesn’t need you to connect to any other external device for drawing.
Some standalone tablet examples, like the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Android tablet, deliver good performance for digital illustrations and support a stylus pen.
The pen display tablets cost a bit more than the basic drawing tablets, and more if they come with professional features like 4K resolution, laminated screen, etched glass surface, multi-touch, etc.
They are a significant investment compared to pen tablets, which may not suit beginners on a budget.
Meanwhile, standalone drawing tablets with good stylus pens are the most expensive type because you will need to pay for the extra built-in computer.
Most beginners should start with non-display tablets because they’re cheaper. You can later upgrade to display graphics tablets or all-in-one type.
The 10 Best Cheap Graphics Tablets for Beginners Under $100 Budget in 2025
Non-display graphics tablets are the most affordable entry point into digital art that you can easily find a decent one under $100.
Below, I’ve rounded up the best options for beginners. From Wacom, huion, xppen to less known veikk, these tablets are not too expensive and provide a great experience.
And don’t worry – you don’t need to be an artist or have any techy knowledge. Anyone can get started with one of these entry-level tablets!
1. One by Wacom
If you’re looking for the wacom experience without having to spend much money, the entry-level One by Wacom might be a good option for you.
Available in two sizes, small (6.0 x 3.74 in) and medium (8.5 x 5.3 in), One by Wacom has a minimalist design with slightly textured surface.
With 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity, The digital pen is comfortable, sturdy, accurate, and feels like pen on paper on the tablet surface.
2. Wacom One S
Wacom One S is a newer basic model to start out on, which even perfect for some professional work with its higher 4096 pressure levels and tilt support.
The tablet come with a new pen design that feels more like a traditional ballpoint pen. The pen performance for drawing is great.
The best part is you can connect it to your computer via Bluetooth.
3. XPPen Deco 640
For a $36 tablet, I can confirm the XPPen Deco 640 is quite decent!
Weighing only 170g and featuring a compact working area of 6 x 4 inches, the Deco 640 is highly portable and ideal for on-the-go creativity.
The pen has a great feel and glides smoothly on the tablet, and the stylus has a 16K pressure level with 60° tilt detection!!
4. Gaomon S620
The Gaomon S620 Tablet is a great find! Compact – 6.5 x 4 inches, responsive, and perfect for both OSU and graphic design.
The 8192 pressure levels make drawing feel natural, and it’s easy to set up. Works smoothly without lag, and the battery-free pen is a huge plus. Highly recommend for beginners who want a tablet under $30!
5. XPPen Deco MW
The XPPen Deco MW is a nice looking medium-sized (8 x 5 in) tablet with great drawing performance. It can be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth, which frees up vital desk real estate.
The best part is the X3 smart chip stylus, which is made with sophisticated technology that dramatically upgrades the performance and structure of the stylus. The pen is accurate and sensitivity. Initial activation is low.
6. Huion Inspiroy 2
The portable size, quality functions, thin & elegant design, and fun colour give this Huion Inspiroy 2 tablet its stellar score.
You have three size choices- Small (6.3×3.9 in), Medium (8.7×5.4 in), and Large (10.5×6.56 in), a pen that feels natural and comfortable with a high 8192 level of pressure sensitivity, advanced Huion PenTech 3.0 technology, and ±60° Tilt Support.
7. Ugee M908
The Ugee M908 is a budget drawing tablet under $50, and its large size – 10 x 6.25-inch, solid build quality, excellent stylus pen and good shortcut keys makes it stand out from all the other budget tablets.
8. XPPen Deco 01 V3
The XPPEN Deco 01 V3 has a fairly big active area of 10 x 6.25-inch to draw on, solid build quality, 16,384 pressure levels, tilt support, as well as 8 customizable buttons. You can find it on the market for around $60. pretty good!
9. Huion Inspiroy Frego
Huion Inspiroy Frego comes with a minimalist design, 2 sizes – Medium (10 x 6.25 in) and Small (6.3 x 4 inch), longer battery life, and Bluetooth connection support.
Standout for this budget tablet is the 16,384 Levels of pressure and 3g lower IAF, which make the pen is very sensitivity and is capable to detecting minor changes in pressure.
10. Veikk Voila L
The $37 Veikk Voila L gives beginners an impressively large pen tablet to draw on for scant little investment.
This tablet has a lot of potential thanks to the 10 x 6 inch active area, 8192 levels of pressure, 60-degree tilt, and houses in itself an additional rocker button for additional functionality!
Key Features To Consider When Choosing a Graphics Tablet without Screen
As a beginner, it’s important to do a little bit of research before buying your first drawing tablet. There are many different features for your new tablet.
You’ll probably be confused about all the features. But it’s not too hard to understand & the more you research the more you learn.
1. Active Area
Unlike a mouse, the drawing tablet is an absolute coordinate device. If you want the pointer in the upper right corner you need to put the pen there.
The active drawing area is the area on the tablet that you can draw onn, not the overall dimensions of the device. It maps onto the screen.
Smaller tablets are more portable, easier to carry around in a laptop bag and affordable, while larger ones provide more drawing space.
Large active space allows for the artist to work around the tablet without doing things like zooming, panning, and other actions that may irritate some people.
2. Pen Pressure Levels
Pen pressure is how sensitive a pen is to the pressure applied to the active area. The pressure sensitivity allows you to draw subtle variations in lightness or darkness.
Having more pressure sensitivity means that you can better control the weight of the lines you write.
A drawing tablet with at least 2,048 levels is considered high in pressure sensitivity. However, even the entry-level drawing tablets comes with 8,192 levels of sensitivity.
3. Tilt Support
Tilt support is a feature that allows the drawing tablet to detect the angle at which you’re holding the stylus.
This means that you can create different line thicknesses and shading effects depending on the angle of your stroke.
It’s a feature that can make your digital art look more natural and expressive.
4. Response Time
Pen response time, also known as latency, is the time it takes between moving your drawing pen on the screen, and when the stroke is updated to the tip position on the screen.
5. Stylus
Basically, don’t worry about it, even the cheapest model today use the EMR stylus, which is battery free.
This means you won’t ever have to buy batteries or charge it at all, just to draw or sketch.
Avoid buying second-hand older models, which may have battery pens and tend to perform poorly.
6. Express Keys
Express keys, also called Hotkeys, are built in buttons that allow you to set up short cuts for common key commands.
Lacks customizable buttons could affect workflow efficiency.
7. Connectivity
You should figure out how to connect the tablet to your PC.
Some premium tablets include Bluetooth wireless connectivity, which eliminates the need for tangled cords. This also allows you to have greater freedom of movement.
8. Drawing Surface Texture
The drawing experience of how the pen moves over the surface of a tablet is important to many artists.
Some graphics tablets feel silky smooth when drawing, others feel more like the texture of paper. It all comes down to personal choice.
9. Brand
In terms of brand, Wacom is a brand you will see in most professional environments.
The wacom might be expensive, but for good reasons. they offers the best pen performance and build quality, which is a great feature for an artist.
Luckily, Wacom also offers a range of budget-friendly pen tablets, from the entry-level wacom one to the more advanced Intuos series.
Other affordable Brands like Huion and XPPen have broadened their pen tablet lines to include features like express keys, pressure sensitivity, and support for pen tilt, which puts them on par with their more expensive brethren.
10. Price
And lastly, the price. While being a beginner doesn’t mean you have to go for the cheapest model, buying a high-value affordable tablet is always a better choice.
You don’t have to own the latest, largest drawing tablet for your art to improve, however, investing a few more dollars can make a big difference in the quality of your device and the use you might give it in the future.
Best Budget Drawing Tablets with Screen for Beginners?
The ultimate tool for beginners who want to become professional digital artists is a drawing tablet with a built in screen designed specifically for digital art. However, these do typically run at a higher price point.
Generally beginners should start with a smaller model, but even the smallest displays ask for a good chunk of changet- at least $200 for a decent one.
XPPen Artist 10 2nd gen (10.1-inch), UGEE UE12P (11.9-inch) and Huion kamvas 13 (Gen 3) (13.3-inch) probably the best one for low budget option.
Explore More: Best Budget Drawing Tablets with Screen Under $200 or $300
Cheapest Standalone Drawing Tablets for beginners?
Some beginner artists may want to jump right into the world of standalone drawing tablets, with which you can bring it anywhere and draw whenever inspiration strikes.
If you got enough money and aiming for portability then go for affordable standalone tablets include Samsung Galaxy tab S6 lite (10.4-inch), Samsung Galaxy tab S9 FE (10.9-inch), Ugee UT2 (10.36-inch), PicassoTab XL (11.6-inch), or ipad 10th gen (10.9-inch).
However, They often have limited tech specs compared to flagship range, can be overtaxed by heavy tasks, occasionally leading to notable performance issues and lagging.
The best drawing software for graphic tablet: Free & Paid
All drawing tablets on the market are compatible with at least Both Windows and MacOS. So you don’t need to care about the compatibility before buying.
And, There are many good cross-platform drawing apps available on these two major OS, Including Photoshop, Corel Painter, Clip Studio Paint, rebelle 7, Artrage 6. Sketchbook, Krita (free), Medibang Paint (free), Mypaint (free), firealpaca (free), etc.
Some takes a lot of time to learn, others are much easier. Best thing you can do is use trials, because every popular paid painting program have this option.
All of the drawing apps listed here support pen input or drawing tablet. Just download the tablet driver from the manufacturer’s site, configure the tablet, and then you can draw in the software.
Conclusion
Selecting the right drawing tablet can significantly impact a beginner’s creative workflow and productivity.
The best digital art Pads for beginner artists are the non-screen tablets with enough working area, high levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt control, and the proper price point.
When getting started with digital art, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by shiny pen displays or standalone drawing tablets packed with features like touch support, gorgeous screen, and more.
If you really need that extremely high-end tablet, then go for it. However, just because you have the money for it, doesn’t mean you need to spend it. Save some of that cash, and invest it in a place that will help you to grow as an artist.
You should find plenty of great options here that can work within your budget and still deliver a great drawing experience.
It’s good to make a list of features that you want, including a budget, to help nail down your best options.
