The Best Fountain Pen Ink for Cheap Paper: Top Picks in 2020

Fountain pens are the best option to elegantly express yourself with bold lines. They grab a lot of attention due to the bright and vivid color inks you choose to write with and also make your handwriting look attractive on the paper.

But things may go wrong when you use them on cheap papers, as because these papers are too thin, the ink will spread and bleed-through them. Besides, fountain pen friendly papers are not always available.

In such a case, you need the best fountain pen ink for cheap paper that will work great on them and won’t ruin the paper with too much feathering or bleeding. Below we have listed some of the best ones.

Relevant: Best Red Fountain Pen Ink Reviews

7 Best Fountain Pen Ink for Cheap Paper Reviews

There are many fountain pen inks on the market. Most of them work well on particular types of papers. But it is really tough to pick a fountain pen ink that works fine on any paper, basically on ordinary or cheap paper. We have found some great fountain pen inks for cheap papers.

1. Best Blue Fountain Pen Ink for Cheap Paper – Waterman Fountain Pen Ink, Serenity Blue

The high-quality Waterman fountain pen ink delivers fluid curves and bold lines with grace and authority. It comes in an attractive hexagonal designed bottle, which is filled with rich serenity blue ink. The well-lubricated and smooth wet flow provides excellent and well-defined lines.

It perfectly works with most nibs and won’t bleed-through or feather on cheap notebooks, making it easier to write on both sides of the paper.  The ink dries quickly within 20-30 seconds, plus the flow is fast enough to catch up with speedy lectures.

You can simply tilt the bottle of the ink with ease for filling. It won’t clog your fountain pen, but you need to flush it 3-4 times with distilled water for efficient use. Most of the fountain pen inks are expensive, but this best blue fountain pen ink has a reasonable price.

You can use it for professional use, writing letters, or for taking notes. The serenity blue color has great deep contrast, which makes the lines look visually-appealing. This fountain pen ink works well on most papers, even on terrible cheap-quality papers.

What We Like:

• Uniquely designed ink bottle.
• Smooth flow with glowing color.
• Dries quickly.
• Less bleed-through and feathering.

What we don’t  like:

• Moderate water resistance.

2. J. Herbin Fountain Pen Ink – Orange Indien

This amazing fountain pen ink from the oldest and top company J. Herbin comes in a traditional and beautifully-designed glass bottle. The ink is made of natural ingredients, which makes it non-toxic and pH neutral.

J. Herbin contains a wide range of vibrant colored inks and orange Indien is one of them. The orange ink is deep and dark, also the best fountain pen ink for drawing. The flow is silky smooth and the drying time is almost quick. You can use this ink on low-quality papers and it won’t feather much on them.

Low maintenance, this fountain ink can be easily clean out of your pen, so it can be a good choice of the best fountain pen ink for beginners as well. The water-resistance property of the ink is not as impressive as the other fountain inks. But, the other incredible qualities of the ink make up for its lacking.

What we like:

• Non-toxic and safe.
• Silky smooth flow writing.
• Low maintenance required.
• Less feathering.

What we don’t  like:

• Doesn’t dry so fast.

3. Best Black Fountain Pen Ink for Cheap Paper – PILOT Namiki Standard Fountain Pen Ink, (69200)

If you are an artist, professional writer, or a student, you need the Pilot’s Namiki standard fountain pen ink to express yourself with style and sophistication. Perfect for everyday use, this fountain ink is created using variation and high standard colors.

It has a satisfactory shade of black that dries out fairly fast. The deep color and consistency helps in providing well-balanced vivid and bold lines. It flows well and is minimally water-proof. Made in Japan, the ink comes in an attractive bottle that will look appealing on your desk.

The ink penetrates well on low-quality papers with minimal feathering and smudges. You can tilt the ink bottle easily to fill your fountain pen. There is also a small inkwell with a plastic insert that helps in filling the ink with ease without making a mess.

What we like:

• Intense hues provide bold lines.
• Flows smoothly.
• Uniquely-designed bottle.
• Minimum bleed-through.

What we don’t  like:

• The ink may fade over time.  

4. Parker Quink Fountain Pen Ink Bottle

Both the Parker Quink fountain pen inks (Blue and Black) can be used in any good-quality fountain pen to give you the most. Made in France, both the blue and black inks come with added lubricity that allows the pen to glide smoothly. The little greenish tinge in the black ink may not be liked by everyone.

The blue ink is soft and well behaved, which makes it one of the perfect blue fountain pen inks for daily use. Without feathering or bleeding, the inks flow freely on cheap papers. They dry pretty fast within seconds on a finer nib.

Both blue and black inks can be used for writing notes or journals. The water-resistance of the inks is moderate, so cleaning them becomes easier.

The best part of this combo pack is the low price. Besides, it comes in an elegant ink bottle with a secure lid that can be tilted easily for filling.

What we like:

• Smooth flow.
• Fair dry time.
• Well lubricated.
• Low price.

What we don’t  like:

• The quality is relatively low than other fountain inks.

5. Diamine Fountain Pen Ink, Ancient Copper

The UK-made Diamine fountain pen ink comes from one of the most popular brands containing a unique formula suitable for all fountain pens. The water-based ink is made from all-natural dyes and is pH neutral. The ancient copper ink has a red-brown shade almost similar to the color of autumn leaves.

This well-behaved ink has a good flow and dries within 30 seconds. So it is an ideal option for everyday use in office or home. It moderately feathers and bleed-through cheap copy papers, but they are not noticeable.

Speaking about the packaging, it comes in an elegant-looking and thick bottle. The ink is not water-proof, so you have to store your fountain pen as well as writings in a safe place, or keep them inside a file.

What we like:

• Made from natural ingredients.
• Moderate bleed-through.
• Dries quickly.
• pH neutral.

What we don’t  like:

• Not water-proof.

6. Noodler’s Ink, Fountain Pen Ink, Bottle Ink, Multicolor

Take your writing experience on a new level with the Noodler’s fountain pen ink. Made in the USA, this ink comes with the special bullet-proof formula, which means they bind to the paper’s cellulose fibers permanently.

The intensely black permanent ink is highly resistant to bleach, water, and forgery. The ink won’t wash off easily, plus it shines brighter under UV light. It takes little time to dry, but still the results are incredible.

The flow of the ink is smooth and it behaves well on cheap quality papers too. Therefore, we can claim it as the best black fountain pen ink for office workers and students who use cheap notebooks. The ink doesn’t spread much or bleed-through the paper and is quite easy to clean.

Moreover, it won’t damage or clog your pen if not cleaned regularly. Safe to use, this fountain ink comes with 2 inkwell that will make it easy in refilling the ink.

What we like:

• Bullet-proof ink.
• Resistant to water, bleach, and other solvents.
• Smooth flow.
• Easy to use and clean (if necessary).

What we don’t  like:

• Relatively a pricey pen ink.

7. Diamine Fountain Pen Ink – Honey Burst 30ml

Diamine features a special collection of Guitar fountain pen inks. In the collection, there are different brilliant color inks and Honey burst is one of them. The golden-yellow ink is the lightest among the other inks in the collection.

But, it is dark enough for you to read easily. The ink works wonderfully on medium and fine nibs and dilutes well to achieve the preferred tone. It offers some nice shading and has a fairly smooth flow.

The ink comes in a basic and lightweight bottle. You will notice slight bleed-through and feathering while using this ink on cheap papers, but they seem not a notable problem.

What we like:

• Light and attractive color.
• Shades effectively.
• Dries within a short time.
• Reasonable price.

What we don’t  like:

• Slightly bleeds on cheap paper.
• Low water resistance.

Things to Consider when Buying Fountain Pen Ink for Cheap Paper

If you look for a convenient way to use fountain pen ink, you should consider using ink cartridges. This is simple and easy to utilize procedure. Bottled ink will give you so many color options and other beneficial features. However, when selecting ink for cheap paper, you should consider following factors.

Color: No matter for what type of paper you’re choosing fountain pen ink, the first thing you should consider is the color. As you have so many options, you should spend some times and pick the right color that you really want and that meets your preferences.

Waterproofness: Waterproofness is a very expected quality of a quality fountain pen ink. The ordinary inks can smear; as a result, your drawings or writings can be damaged. So, pick a bottled ink that is waterproof or at least moderately water-resistant.

Flow: Check how well your chosen ink flow. If the ink flows too much, it will feather or bleed. If the ink doesn’t flow properly, it will definitely skip. Therefore, choose an ink that flows properly (well); not less well or not too well.

Lubrication: Everyone wants smooth writing on the paper. You can enjoy smoother glide while writing, if the ink has lubrication in its formula. It will also prevent clogging when writing and ensure continuous writing.

Final Verdict

When it comes to writing in a smooth flow with less pressure, everyone prefers fountain pens. But many drop the idea of using them as they feel they won’t work well on cheap papers.

But the truth is, ideal fountain pen ink for cheap papers exists, and they can be paired up with your favorite fountain pen to deliver beautiful and well-defined lines.

If I recommend one best fountain pen ink for cheap paper from the list, then I will choose the top ‘Waterman Fountain Pen Ink’ as it has a smooth flow, dries quickly, and it doesn’t bleed through or spread on cheap papers.