Should I buy an iPad or Chromebook for school?

Choosing between an iPad and a Chromebook for school comes down to how you work and your budget:

• Choose a Chromebook if you do a lot of typing, write essays, use Google Classroom, or are on a tight budget. Chromebooks are traditional laptops with built-in keyboards and trackpads, and they run a full desktop-class web browser.
• Choose an iPad if you prefer taking notes by hand, need to draw or create digital art, or want a highly portable touchscreen device. Keep in mind that you will likely need to buy a separate keyboard case and stylus (like the Apple Pencil) to make it fully school-ready, which increases the total cost.

Quick Decision Guide

• Age/Grade Level: Chromebooks are often preferred for middle and high schoolers because of heavy typing demands. iPads are excellent for younger students (elementary) due to intuitive touch controls, or college students who want to annotate digital textbooks and slides.
• Software Needs: If your school relies heavily on Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), a Chromebook handles these natively in a desktop-grade browser. If you need specialized mobile apps for drawing or music creation, the iPad's App Store is unmatched.