Apple Ipad 9

As Far as usability,, the first-generation pencil works great, but it's less convenient to store and charge than the second generation one.

The screen is great. If you want to use the Apple pencil to draw, then yeah, the ipad can definitely get by.

But of course it still has its problems that you need to be aware of if you're gonna be buying this setup.

Another iPad is a great choice since it's mostly familiar, but in the Android space there's also solid options. The iPad 9, Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, Lenovo P11 or P12, and the Xaiomi Pad 5 are all solid options in the mid range that don't break the bank. If you want something nicer try the iPad Air/Pro or the Galaxy Tab S7/S7+.

If you're sticking to your budget, the iPad 9 is a very strong option that fixed the glaring issues with the iPad 8, and the Xaiomi Pad 5 is the strongest Android competitor which packs genuinely nice features (120Hz screen, Desktop mode, etc) for the same price. If you're willing to step up in price, I would consider the Tab S7, which runs laps around the iPad 9 in everything but benchmarks while still being less pricey than the Air in most markets. Software wise, I personally think it the debate is closer than most people think.

I think the iPad 9 would be a great fit here, the iPad does a pretty good job with this. Another good option is the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, set a user profile for them and lock it down as needed. Not exactlt sure what communicating entails, you'd need to give more info on what you're looking for.

Just get the iPad 9 then, not really easy leaving the Apple ecosystem if they already got you hook, line and sinker. The S7 and Pro are great, but if you're on a budget don't bait yourself into spending a ton of cash on things you don't really need. It's quite a bit more expensive than an S6 Lite, but is otherwise a very good tablet. Pen is sold separately though.

At this point in time, get the iPad 9 (possibly the 256GB version if you plan on putting a lot of data on it) and don't worry about it until you're actually generating revenue from the tablet. The pro is great, but if you can't afford it you're not getting a drastically different experience on the Pro at the end of the day. At most, you might have to be more conservative about layers in art programs.