Which Is the Best iPad Black Friday Deal for Students or Kids?

A $99 iPad on a Black Friday page looks like the easy answer for a kid's first tablet or a student's note-taker. Look closer, though, and some of the cheapest iPads on sale are models Apple has already left off its newest software list. Sorting the good buys from the stale ones takes a few minutes, and it starts with who'll be using the iPad.

The best iPad Black Friday deal for students is an iPad Apple still updates, with enough storage and the Apple Pencil that fits it, rather than the cheapest iPad on the shelf. For most teens and college students, that's an iPad Air (M1), which Plug sells Plug Certified from $319.99. For a younger child, an iPad (9th generation) from $179.99 covers schoolwork and games inside a sturdy case. (Prices as of Oct 21, 2026.)

The Short Answer: Pick by Who's Using It

Match the iPad to the person first, then look at the price. Here is how Plug's Black Friday iPads line up:

Who it's for	Plug pick	From	Storage	Apple Pencil that fits	Apple Intelligence
Younger kids	iPad 10.2" (9th gen, 2021)	$179.99	64GB	Apple Pencil (1st generation)	No
Teens and high schoolers	iPad Air 10.9" (M1, 2022)	$319.99	64GB	Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Yes
College students	iPad Air 10.9" (M1, 2022)	$379.99	256GB	Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Yes
Art, design or video	iPad Pro 12.9" (M1, 2021)	$499.99	128GB	Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C)	Yes

The prices are the "from" figures on Plug's iPad Black Friday collection on Oct 21, 2026. Those figures follow the market and can change by the day. Each product page also shows the other storage tiers and condition grades, along with customer reviews. You can also browse every Certified Pre-Owned iPad Plug carries.

A few notes on the picks:

• Younger kids: The 9th gen is the lowest-priced iPad here that's still on Apple's iPadOS 27 list. It handles school apps, reading and games, and it leaves room in the budget for a good case.
• Teens and high schoolers: The iPad Air (M1) adds Apple's M1 chip, a 10.9-inch screen and Apple Intelligence support. If a teen will use it for several school years, it's worth the step up.
• College students: Same Air, more storage. Lecture slides, PDFs and recordings add up over a semester.
• Art, design or video: The iPad Pro (M1) is only worth it if the bigger 12.9-inch screen is the point. For notes and essays, the Air does the job for less, and a keyboard case covers the typing.

What about the iPad 10.9" (10th gen, 2022)? It's from $289.99 at 64GB. That's $30 less than the iPad Air (M1) at the same storage, and the Air brings the M1 chip and Apple Intelligence. For most students, we'd put the extra $30 toward the Air. Our guide to how the iPad generations compare goes deeper on the differences.

Why Software Updates Matter More Than the Sale Price

An iPad that Apple has left off its software list won't move up to the next big version, even if it still gets some security fixes for a while, so a low price on it buys fewer good years than it seems. Think of it like a textbook from two editions back. It still opens, but the class has moved on, and the page numbers stop matching.

Here is where the cutoff sits right now:

• iPadOS 26: Apple lists the iPad (8th generation) and later. The iPad (7th generation) and anything older was already left off.
• iPadOS 27: Apple released it on Sept 14, 2026. Apple's iPadOS 27 list starts the basic iPad at the 9th generation and leaves off five models that ran iPadOS 26: the iPad (8th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad mini (5th generation), 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation) and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation).

This means the iPad 10.2" (7th gen, 2019) from $99.00 and the iPad 10.2" (8th gen, 2020) from $139.99 aren't our picks for school, even though both sit on the same Black Friday collection. They're Plug Certified and carry the same warranty, so either works as a spare tablet for shows at home. For a student who'll lean on it for years, the 9th gen is $40 more than the 8th gen and stays on Apple's current list.

All four picks in the table above are on Apple's iPadOS 27 list. That's the first thing to check on any Black Friday iPad, from any store.

For Kids: What to Buy and How to Set It Up

For a younger child, buy the iPad (9th generation) with at least 64GB, put it in a sturdy case, and set up Screen Time before you hand it over. Extra power matters far less at this age than a case and good limits.

If you're weighing new against used, see our look at new, refurbished and used iPads for kids. Our advice on storage: 64GB is the floor for school apps. If the iPad will also hold games and downloaded shows for car trips, 128GB gives you room, and the collection lists higher tiers for the 9th gen.

A case matters more than the condition grade. Plug's grades (Good, Great and Excellent) describe looks only, so a Good iPad inside a thick case is the same tested iPad as an Excellent one, for less.

The Apple Pencil is optional for young kids. If your child draws a lot, the 9th gen takes the Apple Pencil (1st generation).

Here is how to set up parental controls with Family Sharing:

1. Set up Family Sharing from your own iPhone or iPad and add your child to your family group.
2. Open Settings > Screen Time for your child's account.
3. Turn on Downtime and App Limits to set screen-free hours and daily limits for games or video apps.
4. Set content and age ratings for apps, movies and books, and restrict web content.
5. Set communication limits so you choose who your child can contact.
6. Turn on Ask to Buy so every purchase or free download comes to you for approval first.

Apple's support page for parental controls on iPad walks through each screen if you get stuck.

For Students: Notes, Pencil and Apple Intelligence

For note-taking, the iPad Air (M1) is the pick, and you can see the full iPad Air Black Friday deals. It takes the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or the Apple Pencil (USB-C), and it's the lowest-priced iPad on Plug's Black Friday collection that Apple lists for Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence: Apple lists its Apple Intelligence features for iPads with an M1 chip or later, plus the iPad mini (A17 Pro). This means the iPad Air (M1) and iPad Pro (M1) get it. The iPad (9th generation), iPad (10th generation) and Apple's newest basic iPad, the iPad (A16), don't.

The Apple Pencil that fits: Pencils look alike and don't swap between models, so match the name before you buy one. Plug's page on which Apple Pencil is for your iPad helps, and you can shop Certified Pre-Owned Apple Pencils once you know the match.

• iPad (9th generation): Apple Pencil (1st generation).
• iPad (10th generation): Apple Pencil (USB-C), or the Apple Pencil (1st generation) with Apple's USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter.
• iPad Air (M1) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1): Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C).
• Apple Pencil Pro: Apple lists it only for newer models, the iPad Pro 11-inch and 13-inch (M4, M5), the iPad Air (M2 and later) and the iPad mini (A17 Pro). None of the four picks here take the Pencil Pro. The same goes for a Magic Keyboard: check which iPad models it fits on Apple's product page before you buy one.

Storage for college: We'd go with 256GB. Readings, slides and lecture recordings fill 64GB faster than you'd expect, and the iPad Air (M1) at 256GB is from $379.99, $60 more than the 64GB model.

The Pencil and Apple Intelligence details come from Apple's support pages, checked Oct 21, 2026. They're Apple's listings, not hands-on testing by Plug.

Black Friday Timing: Should You Wait?

Black Friday is Nov 27. Cyber Monday is Nov 30. If the iPad is a holiday gift, waiting is reasonable: Black Friday and Prime Day are usually when retailers make their biggest iPad cuts, often $100 or more, and Macworld found every current iPad hit a record low in 2025.

Here is how last year's best prices on new iPads compare with Plug's prices today:

• iPad Pro, 256GB: A new iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) bottomed out at $899 last Black Friday. Plug's iPad Pro 12.9" (M1) at 256GB is from $549.99. That's $349.01 less for the same storage and a bigger screen, with an older chip.
• iPad Air: A new iPad Air 11-inch (M3) bottomed out at $449 last year. Plug's iPad Air (M1) is from $319.99 at 64GB and $379.99 at 256GB.
• iPad mini: A new iPad mini at 128GB hit $399 last year. Plug's collection doesn't list a mini right now.
• Basic iPad: A new iPad (A16) at 128GB hit $274 last year, which is below the 10th gen's $289.99 at 64GB. If the A16 lands near that price again and you want a new basic iPad, it's a fair buy. If you'd rather spend less, the 9th gen is from $179.99.

Last year's figures are last year's lows, not this year's deals. To see today's price on a new iPad, check apple.com, since Apple's own prices can change between sales.

For the wider picture, browse all of Plug's Black Friday tech deals. If you're wondering whether Apple does Black Friday deals at all, or whether refurbished Black Friday tech is worth it, those guides cover it. Buying for the whole family? See which MacBook is the best Black Friday value, what Apple Watch and AirPods deals to expect, and how much iPhones drop on Black Friday. For a phone to go with the iPad, Plug has Black Friday pages for the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16 and iPhone 17.

The Student Discount: What Actually Works

Apple's Education Pricing is the main standing student discount on a new iPad, and it's built for college, not for younger kids. Apple offers it year-round to current and newly accepted college students, parents buying for them, and eligible faculty, staff and homeschool teachers.

Apple's listed groups don't include ordinary K–12 students or their parents. If your child is in middle school or high school, there's no Apple student price to claim, so the savings have to come from the iPad you pick. Plug's tech for students collection is a good place to start. Plug Certified iPads run up to 70% off retail.

For a college student, compare the education price on a new iPad against a Plug Certified iPad Air (M1) at the same storage. Check Apple's education terms first, since eligibility rules decide whether the discount applies to you at all.

What Plug Checks Before an iPad Ships

Every Plug Certified iPad passes Plug's 90+ Point Inspection, gets cleaned, and is covered by Plug's 12-Month Warranty. The warranty covers hardware and software faults under normal use, though not accidental damage, which is one more reason the case comes first for a young child.

On top of that come 30-day returns and free shipping on US orders. Whether you pick Good, Great or Excellent, the inspection and the warranty don't change; only the cosmetic finish does. Every device carries our name and our warranty. That's our promise.

Putting It Together: Person, Updates, Then Price

Start with who's using the iPad, then check that the model is on Apple's iPadOS 27 list, then compare the price. Run any Black Friday iPad through those three steps and the $99 tablet sorts itself out: a fine spare at home, and the wrong buy for a student who needs it for the next few school years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will iPads get cheaper on Black Friday?

Yes at retailers, but not at Apple. Apple's 2025 Black Friday event ran Nov 28 to Dec 1 and gave Apple Gift Cards instead of price cuts: $100 with an iPad Air, $50 with the iPad (A16) or iPad mini, and $25 on the Apple Pencil Pro and some Magic Keyboards. Check Apple's site in November to see whether it runs one again in 2026.

Is it worth waiting for Black Friday to buy an iPad?

Usually, but it isn't guaranteed. Price-history checks found some iPads were cheapest at other times of year, and Macworld says October sales can come close to Black Friday pricing. If you spot a price near last year's low before Nov 27, buying then is a reasonable call.

Who has the best student discount for iPads?

Apple, if you're in college. We found no standing iPad discount at Best Buy, Amazon or Walmart, only sales and memberships, so check each retailer's terms. Apple's 2026 College Student Offer, a $100 Apple Gift Card with an iPad Air or iPad Pro, ran July 16 to Sept 24 and has ended.

Is a Plug Certified iPad a good choice for a kid or student?

Yes, if the model is on Apple's iPadOS 27 list. Plug's devices come with battery health of 80% or higher, which matters for a student working away from a charger all day. Battery health is the share of the original capacity left, so 80% means the battery holds four-fifths of what it held new.