Writing on an iPad with a fingertip is ridiculous, but an Apple Pencil is overkill for many people. The Adonit Neo Duo is an active stylus with a fine tip that works well for taking notes of sketching. As a bonus, press a button and it also writes on iPhone. It even clings to the side of several iPad models.
There’s also the Adonit Neo, a simpler version that just works with iPad.
I tested the capabilities of both styli. And I found a lot to like.