Updated 6 Nov 2026
iPad or Android tablet: which to choose?
Price, updates, pen and apps side by side.
Stuck between the iPad and Android, not sure if the price difference is worth it?
See today’s numbersStep 1 of 6
The real question
The right choice depends on your use.
People who ask "iPad or Android" almost always have two hidden doubts: whether the iPad is worth the price difference and whether a cheap Android tablet will be slow. Both have an answer in the specs, and the answer changes with the use. In the steps below, each point shows what the specs show and what the Radar doesn’t measure.
Step 2 of 6
What it costs to get into each one
The numbers from today’s catalog.
| System | In the catalog | Median price | Support a pen |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPadOS (iPad) | 3 tablets, from £410.00 | £500.00 | 3 |
| Android | 20 tablets, from £145.00 | £249.00 | 3 |
Kids tablets are left out of the calculation. The price is the lowest from a trusted seller at the check, and the final price is the one at the store.
3 of the 55 tablets in the catalog pass this rule. Their median price is £500.00 and the median spec score is 7.3. The cheapest:
20 of the 55 tablets in the catalog pass this rule. Their median price is £249.00 and the median spec score is 6.6. The cheapest:
Step 3 of 6
How long it gets updates
A tablet lasts for years, so updates need to last as long.
A tablet usually sits in a drawer or the living room for much longer than a phone. That’s why the system update period matters: without updates, apps stop opening and security falls behind. Apple usually keeps the iPad updated for many years. Among Android tablets, the period varies by brand and line, and entry-level models tend to get less. The Radar uses the system and release year in the longevity score, but doesn’t promise how many years your model will receive: check the period on the manufacturer’s site before you buy.
Step 4 of 6
Pen: which one and how much it costs
The pen can double the price of the set.
On the iPad, each model supports a specific Apple pen, and it is sold separately. Among Android tablets, the rule varies: on some Samsung models the pen comes with the tablet, and on others it’s optional. The Radar’s page marks "supports a pen" only when that is confirmed, but doesn’t say whether the pen comes in the box. Add up the price of the pen and keyboard before comparing two tablets.
Step 5 of 6
Apps, files and the rest of the house
The ecosystem weighs more than the chip.
The iPad usually has tablet apps better fitted to the big screen, mainly in drawing, video editing and music. The Android tablet opens the same apps as a phone and gives you more freedom with files and memory cards, when the model has a card slot. If you already use an iPhone, the iPad works with it effortlessly. If your phone is Android, a tablet from the same brand is usually more practical. The Radar doesn’t measure the experience of use, only the specs.
Step 6 of 6
When each one makes sense
Three questions settle it.
- Going to take notes, draw or edit video? The iPad is the choice most people make, and the price difference tends to pay for itself in use.
- Going to watch shows, read and browse? An Android tablet with a 10″ or larger screen and a sharpness of 180 ppi or more does the job for less.
- Want a cheap tablet for a child? Look at the kids tablet, with a case, in the kids tablet guide.
What changes between iPad and Android
- 55tablets in the catalog
- 06/11price date
The iPad starts at £410.00 in today’s catalog and the Android tablet at £145.00. The price difference only pays off if you use what it brings: pen, tablet apps and updates for longer.
| Point | iPad | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £410.00 | £145.00 |
| System update | usually lasts more years | varies by brand and line |
| Pen | one per model, sold separately | varies: it may come in the box or be optional |
| Memory card | doesn’t have it | only on some models |
The best by price range
Next step
See the tablets that fit your criteria
Each point is a new tablet, by price and spec score.
Frequently asked questions
Is an iPad better than an Android tablet?
It depends on the use. The iPad usually has better-fitted apps and updates for longer, but costs more. Android delivers a reasonable screen and chip for less and accepts a memory card on some models. The Radar compares the two families by the same spec sheet score, without saying one suits everyone.
How much does an iPad cost and how much does an Android tablet cost?
In the 06/11/2026 catalog, the iPad starts at £410.00 and the Android tablet at £145.00. The median price is £500.00 for the iPad and £249.00 for Android. The price changes every day: see each model’s chart.
Does an Android tablet get slow over time?
Entry-level ones, with a weak chip and little storage, tend to get tight within a few years. The specs show the chip and the space, and the Radar’s longevity score weighs both. Choosing a known chip and 128 GB or more lowers the risk, but the Radar doesn’t measure real performance.
Do I need an iPad to use a pen?
No. Several Android tablets support a pen, and the Radar’s page shows the ones with the compatibility confirmed. Check which pen works, because most are sold separately and not every pen works on every model.
Is it worth waiting for a new iPad or buying the current one?
When a new generation comes out, the previous model usually drops in price, but that’s not a rule. Each tablet’s price history on the Radar shows whether the drop has already happened. The guide on when to buy explains the launch months.
Read next
Where the numbers come from
The numbers (how many tablets, starting price, median, confirmed pen) come from the catalog of the check on 06/11/2026, from trusted sellers only and without kids tablets. What the catalog doesn’t provide, like years of updates and apps, appears as text without numbers, with "usually" where the rule varies: check the period on the manufacturer’s site. The spec sheet score doesn’t measure real performance. Starting price: £119.00 is the lowest in the entire catalog.
The guide helps you decide and doesn’t recommend a tablet for you: the final price is the one at the store, and the spec score doesn’t measure real-world performance or durability.
Data from 6 Nov 2026.