Top 10 Piano Learning Apps to Try
- flowkey — Top Pick
- Yousician — Best Free Version
- Simply Piano — Best for Complete Beginners
- Skoove — Best for Personalized Lessons
- Perfect Piano — Best for Playing Piano on Your Phone
- Piano Marvel — Best for Improving Your Sight-Reading Skills
- Vivace — Best for Learning to Read Music
- Piano Academy — Best for Educational Games
- Playground Sessions — Best for Courses
- Perfect Ear — Best for Ear Training
How We Chose the Best Piano Learning Apps
To choose the 10 best piano learning apps, we looked for features that help users learn how to read music and play piano at their own pace. The best piano learning apps offer robust song libraries, high-quality video tutorials, structured lesson plans, and real-time feedback to help you improve your skills.
Choose the piano learning app that’s right for you
Most of the apps on our list offer a free version or free trial that offers access to a selection of songs and lesson plans. Because the right app for you largely depends on your budget and learning preferences, we recommend testing out several apps for yourself to find the one that best suits your needs.
Develop a daily habit
When learning any new skill, it’s important to maintain a consistent practice to build your skills and retain the information you learn in your lessons. To get the most out of these apps, make sure to develop a consistent, ideally daily, habit.
Our Piano Learning App Reviews
flowkey — Top Pick
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
This is the best piano learning app available thanks to its thorough lesson plans, large song library, and courses for all skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced piano player, you can use flowkey to improve your skills via high-quality video tutorials taught by professional pianists and interactive lesson plans. The app features step-by-step instructions to help users learn important skills like improv, chords, technique, and how to read music. The app works with your real piano or keyboard, and with over 1,500 songs ranging from beginner to pro-level, flowkey offers a more robust song library than other piano learning apps on our list.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: 1 Month Premium: $19.99/month; 6 Months Premium: $13.99/month; 12 Months Premium: $9.99/month
- Support available: In-App Chat, Email, FAQ & Help Center
flowkey Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Accommodates beginners and advanced players | No phone support |
Video tutorials and interactive lessons | |
1,500+ songs for all skill levels |
Yousician — Best Free Version
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Piano by Yousician serves as your personal piano tutor and offers the most feature-rich free version out of any app on our list. With Yousician, you can learn and play thousands of songs with your real piano or keyboard as the app listens along and provides real-time feedback to help you improve your playing skills. The app is a great option for self-learners and can be used as a supplement to learning with an instructor. Yousician features step-by-step video tutorials to help you develop important skills, including music theory, and the app’s weekly challenges let you compete with friends and other users to test your progress.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Monthly Premium: $19.99/month; Yearly Premium: $7.49/month or $89.99/year
- Support available: Email, Help Center/FAQs
Yousician Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Feature-rich free version | Lacks structured courses |
Step-by-step video tutorials | Costly in-app purchases |
Real-time playing feedback |
Simply Piano — Best for Complete Beginners
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Simply Piano is the best piano learning app on our list for complete beginners. While most of the apps on our list cater to beginners to some degree, Simply Piano offers unique features to help beginners improve their skills, including the ability to slow down library songs for easy learning, step-by-step instructions on how to play with both hands, and personalized five-minute workouts to help you improve your playing ability. Simply Piano includes a variety of different courses for different experience levels and tastes, and the music library features a great selection of over 5,000 songs.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Premium: $59.99/three months; $89.99/six months; $119.99/year
- Support available: Email, Chat, Help Center
Simply Piano Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
5,000+ songs available | Expensive in-app purchases |
Personalized five-minute workouts | Limited free version |
Great course variety |
Skoove — Best for Personalized Lessons
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Skoove is one of the most well-known piano learning apps and a great option for users interested in personalized piano playing lessons. Skoove stands out primarily due to its implementation of AI, which lets the app recognize the notes you play to help you improve. The app also analyzes your playing to determine your weaknesses and creates personalized lessons and exercises to help you improve. Skoove features 400 lessons, thousands of video tutorials, and a robust song library packed with modern hits and classic compositions. Users will also learn more advanced playing skills, including how to recognize notes by ear and how to improvise.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: 1 Month Premium: $19.99/month; 3 Months Premium: $13.99/month; 12 Months Premium: $9.99/month
- Support available: Email, FAQ & Help Center, Chat
Skoove Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Personalized lessons and exercises | Access to song library requires subscription |
High-quality video tutorials | Limited free version |
Improv and ear training lessons |
Perfect Piano — Best for Playing Piano on Your Phone
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
If you want to learn how to play piano but don’t own a physical keyboard or piano, then Perfect Piano is a great option for you. Unlike other popular piano learning apps, Perfect Piano features a high-quality keyboard with 88 keys, 20 sound effects, and different playing modes. The song library features classical and modern pop songs, and the app offers a unique multiplayer feature that lets you play and compete with your friends online. You can adjust playback speed and difficulty levels to accommodate your experience level, and you can record your playing to share with others.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Perfect Piano VIP Monthly: $2.99
- Support available: Email
Perfect Piano Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Compete with friends | No lesson plans |
High-quality built-in keyboard | No video tutorials |
Share recordings |
Piano Marvel — Best for Improving Your Sight-Reading Skills
Download: iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Piano Marvel is a popular piano learning app that gives users access to a variety of high-quality lessons, video tutorials, sheet music, and more. Unlike other apps on our list, Piano Marvel excels in teaching users how to sight-read sheet music, making it easy for users to pick up new songs quickly. With a free account, you can access over 200 Level 1 piano songs and exercises and play songs from all 18 levels for the first 30 days. The app covers a variety of genres and styles, including classical, jazz, and contemporary, and you’ll learn about important topics like phrasing, articulation, scales, and expression.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Premium: $15.99/month
- Support available: Phone, FAQs, Support Articles, Ticket
Piano Marvel Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Sight-reading training | Not available on Android |
Access to 200 free exercises and songs | |
Includes video tutorials |
Vivace — Best for Learning to Read Music
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★
Vivace is the only app on our list that focuses solely on teaching users how to read music effectively. This practice tool features beautifully illustrated tutorials that teach the basics of music theory, and users can participate in over 100 lessons to improve their music reading capabilities. Vivace covers all 15 key signatures; treble, bass, grand staff, alto, and tenor clefs; and helps users train their ears to recognize notes on a piano. Practice mode lets you combine any number of clefs and key signatures to help you work on your skills, and the app offers lessons catered to both beginners and advanced musicians.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email
Vivace Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Illustrated tutorials | Not available on iOS |
Step-by-step music reading lessons | Lacks video tutorials |
Customizable practice mode | No song library or real-time feedback |
Piano Academy — Best for Educational Games
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Piano Academy is a great piano learning app that offers a variety of ways for users to improve their playing abilities. Users can use the built-in piano to play with touch controls or connect their instrument to the app to practice playing and get real-time feedback. You can watch tutorial videos taught by a private instructor, learn how to read sheet music, and unlike similar apps, Piano Academy also offers game-based lessons to train your musical hearing, hand coordination, and sense of rhythm. The app is suitable for all ages and is designed to turn complete beginners into competent pianists via structured lessons and professional-taught tutorials.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Premium: $14.99/month; $31.49/three months; $89.99/year
- Support available: Email, FAQs
Piano Academy Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Game-based lessons | No live customer support |
Professionally lead tutorials | |
Built-in piano |
Playground Sessions — Best for Courses
Download: iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Co-created by Quincy Jones, Playground Sessions features high-quality boot camps and courses taught by world-class instructors. You’ll learn how to play songs ranging from modern hits to classics, and as you play you’ll get real-time feedback to improve your skills quickly. Users can learn at their own pace with video tutorials, or for more in-depth instruction, users can participate in unique boot camps and courses designed to turn them into complete musicians. One of the app’s unique features is the ability to add backing instruments for a more complete sound as you improvise, and as you continue to take lessons, the app will evolve with you to create more challenging exercises.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Monthly Subscription: $17.99/month; Annual Subscription: $9.99/month or $119.88/year; Lifetime: $289.99
- Support available: Email, Phone, Chat, FAQs, Forum
Playground Sessions Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Curated courses and boot camps | Not available on Android |
World-class instructors | Requires subscription after 14-day trial |
24/7 access to on-demand video lessons |
Perfect Ear — Best for Ear Training
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Having a well-developed sense of rhythm and note recognition is essential for high-level piano playing, and Perfect Ear is the only app on our list designed specifically to help you train your ear. Perfect Ear will help you learn how to improvise, figure out melodies by ear, and recognize chord progressions through training exercises, articles, and other training materials. The app includes a note signing trainer, pitch trainer, scale dictionary, and melodic dictation exercises — all of which help users develop the skills they’ll need to become competent pianists.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- In-app purchases: $0.99 – $2.99/item
- Support available: Email
Perfect Ear Pros & Cons | |
---|---|
What we like | What we don’t like |
Ear training exercises | No real-time feedback |
Customizable exercises | Doesn’t offer video tutorials |
Full-fledged scale dictionary | No song library |
Piano Learning Apps: Features Summary Table
Piano Learning Apps Comparison Table | ||
---|---|---|
App | Subscription Fees or In-App Purchases | Features |
flowkey— Top Pick | 1 Month Premium: $19.99/month; 6 Months Premium: $13.99/month; 12 Months Premium: $9.99/month | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Yousician— Best Free Version | Monthly Premium: $19.99/month Yearly Premium: $7.49/month or $89.99/year | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Simply Piano — Best for Complete Beginners | Premium: $59.99/three months $89.99/six months $119.99/year | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Skoove— Best for Personalized Lessons | 1 Month Premium: $19.99/month 3 Months Premium: $13.99/month 12 Months Premium: $9.99/month | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Perfect Piano — Best for Playing Piano on Your Phone | Perfect Piano VIP Monthly: $2.99 | ✓ Song Library X Lesson Plans X Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Piano Marvel — Best for Improving Your Sight-Reading Skills | Premium: $15.99/month | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Vivace — Best for Learning to Read Music | None | X Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans X Video Tutorials X Real-Time Feedback |
Piano Academy — Best for Educational Games | Premium: $14.99/month $31.49/three months $89.99/year | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Playground Sessions — Best for Courses | Monthly Subscription: $17.99/month Annual Subscription: $9.99/month or $119.88/year Lifetime: $289.99 | ✓ Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Video Tutorials ✓ Real-Time Feedback |
Perfect Ear — Best for Ear Training | $0.99 – $2.99/item | X Song Library ✓ Lesson Plans X Video Tutorials X Real-Time Feedback |
FAQs
What is the best app for learning to play the piano? ›
1) Pianote – Best App For Learning Piano
Pianote curently dominates the piano apps market. With access to real instructors and detailed lessons, Pianote is tough to top.
As for subscription options, Simply Piano offers a 7-day free trial so you can try it before you buy it. After that, it is $149.99 per year, $89.99 for six months, or $59.99 for three months.
Are there any good free piano learning apps? ›Another common type of free piano apps are those associated with programs like Flowkey, Simply Piano, and Skoove, which are free at first but require payment to access most content.
Can you really learn piano from an app? ›Yes, technically, you can learn piano with an app. Modern piano apps will teach you how to read notes in both treble and bass clefs, play those notes on the keys of the piano, use good hand position, play chords, and so forth.
How can I learn piano very fast? ›Learn Piano In 4 Minutes - YouTube
Which app is better Flowkey or simply piano? ›Flowkey is the overall better option if you are a beginner looking for comprehensive online piano lessons. They have a large selection of songs to choose from and the learning pace is much quicker and more structured than Simply Piano.
How do you play Simply Piano without paying? ›Is Simply Piano Really Free? Simply Piano does have one free course (“Piano Basics”), and after you've completed it, you will be prompted to pay for a subscription before you can access more advanced material. Furthermore, before you purchase the paid version of the app, you can experiment with a free seven day trial.
Does Flowkey cost money? ›Flowkey also features informational videos on piano posture, sight reading and learning basic music theory. The app is $19.99/mo, and has cheaper options depending on how long your subscription lasts.
How much money does Simply Piano cost? ›Simply Piano: Membership
Three months is the shortest duration, which costs $59.99 every three months until you cancel. To save money you could get a six-month subscription for $89.99 or take out a full year for $119.99.
- Piano Lessons. Piano Lessons is a resource from the teachers at Pianote, offering online piano lessons. ...
- Pianu. For many people, their favorite artist is the reason they want to start playing music. ...
- Skoove. ...
- flowkey. ...
- TakeLessons. ...
- Piano Nanny. ...
- HearandPlay.
What's the best free piano software? ›
- Arcade by Output. Output. ...
- Spitfire Audio LABS. Spitfire Audio. ...
- Soundmagic Piano One. Emirsyah Nasution. ...
- Sample Science Room Piano V3. SampleScience Sounds. ...
- Ivy Audio Piano in 162. DON MILLER STUDIOS. ...
- Bigcat Instruments Iowa Grand Piano. ...
- Electronik Atmos 2 Piano.
If you want to be a professional classical performer, you're looking at a minimum of 10 to 15 years of concentrated study with a master teacher, and hours of practice every day. Most people who want to learn piano to play for their own enjoyment can get great results within three to five years of study and practice.
Can I learn piano by my self? ›Yes! While we believe the best way to learn piano is from an expert instructor, we're also in full support of students who prefer self-learning. Piano's one of the most versatile instruments, so learning how to teach yourself is a skill that will serve you in other areas of life.
Can I practice piano on my phone? ›These Android piano tutor apps are ideal whether you're a beginner, or an experienced player brushing up on your skills. Whether you want your kids to learn the piano or try it for fun yourself, there are quality piano apps available today.
What app do piano Youtubers use? ›Have you seen amazing piano videos on YouTube? Use SeeMusic to make your own, with the touch of a button! SeeMusic has emerged as the best solution for creators looking to make online piano videos quickly and easily. In the past, creators had to use a combination of tools, including expensive software and plugins.
Is piano hardest to learn? ›The piano is one of the most difficult and rewarding instruments to learn; not only do you have to learn to read notes and translate them to the keys, but you have to do it with both hands at the same time. You'll also have to learn to play with correct technique or you could face injuries in the future.
How can I improve my piano skills? ›- Manage Your Practice Time. ...
- Practice Sight Reading. ...
- Slow Down. ...
- Keep Challenging Yourself. ...
- Make Sure Your Goals are Realistic. ...
- Learn To Play Classical Pieces. ...
- Practice Playing in Public.
- Read the whole score.
- Listen to the whole piece.
- Play through the entire piece slowly.
- Divide the piece.
- Use various techniques for different passages.
- Put the whole piece together.
- Rinse and repeat.
- Find an audience to perform.
You can download the flowkey app for free and immediately gain free access to selected songs and course content. For full access to all songs and course content, you will need to purchase a flowkey Premium subscription. You can access flowkey Premium content on all your devices.
Are piano apps worth it? ›You can learn songs, get lessons on specific aspects of the piano, receive feedback, keep track with a scoring system, and much much more. So not only are these apps convenient, they also provide so much value. The apps work, if you work them. You still need to practice.
How can I get Flowkey for free? ›
Register your qualifying purchase of an eligible Yamaha keyboard or piano and get a 3-month subscription to flowkey Premium (a $60 value) absolutely free! That includes access to the entire flowkey library of 1,000+ songs as well as piano theory courses to improve your playing technique.
How much is Simply Piano monthly? ›Various subscription levels are on offer - you can opt for 3 months for $59.99, 6 months for $89.99 or 12 months for $119.99. There's a 7-day free trial to test the water and you can create up to five profiles on one subscription, giving the whole family the opportunity to learn together if so desired.
How many keys are on a piano? ›As piano music developed and evolved, the keyboard compass was gradually expanded in response to requests from composers who sought a broader potential for expression. By the 1890s, today's modern keyboard had become established with 88 keys spanning 7¼ octaves (from 2A to C5; 27.5 Hz to 4,186 Hz*).
Which is better Skoove or Simply Piano? ›Simply Piano
It has a more gamified feel to it than flowkey and Skoove, but it is just as educational. Simply Piano teaches you to play music along with backing tracks and gives you instant feedback on how accurately you played it. It has 2 paths you can follow as you learn: piano solo music or chords.
Skoove is great if you want to play songs right away and learn different playing styles, while Flowkey is better if you want to learn more music theory and get a better foundation to advance your skills.
Which is better Yousician or flowkey? ›Flowkey is the overall better option if you are looking to learn how to play the piano in a fun and simplistic way while learning new songs. Yousician closely resembles a video game, but it generally requires the user to figure more things out on their own.
Do you need a piano for flowkey? ›Learning with flowkey is easy and fun. Practice notes and chords interactively and receive instant feedback. All you need is the flowkey app and your piano or keyboard.
Is Yousician free? ›Yousician is free to play forever, but it'll only give you feedback for about 20 minutes daily, or one lesson as they call it, on the free tier.
Can I learn piano in 7 days? ›In just seven days (or less), you've learned how to navigate the keyboard, play a simple scale, make chords, and play a song. Just imagine what you can accomplish a month or a year from now! You can learn how to play the piano at any age as long as you have fun.
Do Online piano lessons really work? ›Online lessons can actually improve a students' level of responsibility and thus increase their progress since the teacher will not be able to write in their book or write down their assignments for them (though they might email them).
Is MuseScore 100% free? ›
MuseScore is 100% free. MuseScore runs on all major platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux.
Which piano app has the most songs? ›Piano with Songs is the best piano app with the largest song catalog of any piano on the app store. Choose from thousands of your favorite songs and start playing right away. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, this app has everything you want in a piano.
HOw many hours a day should you practice piano? ›Pianists should practice between 30 minutes to 4 hours per day. Beginners will benefit most from shorter practice sessions while advanced pianists will be more accustomed to longer days. Each practice session can be split into segments to help avoid physical and mental fatigue.
Is it hard to learn piano at an older age? ›People can start piano at 60, at 70, at 80, even later. Your brain can still form new connections at any age. You can always learn new skills. For those who begin piano later in life, learning the piano may take a little more patience.
How many times a week should I learn piano? ›One piano lesson a week is enough for most people. In some cases, more than one lesson per week can be recommended. For example, a second lesson could be used to cover certain complimentary topics such as music theory, music history, or even piano technique.
› pianos › digital-pianos ›15 Best Piano Apps You Need to Download Right Now in 2021 ...
Best Online Piano Lessons | Top 4 Websites in 2022
Where to Learn Piano Online: The 7 Best Free Piano Learning Sites
The best alternative is Flowkey, which is free. Other great apps like Simply Piano are Yousician (Freemium), Melodics (Freemium), SmartMusic (Paid) and Jameasy for Violin (Freemium).
How can I learn piano at home for free? ›Piano Nanny, offering 13 beginner, 11 intermediate and 10 advanced piano lessons, is one of the most comprehensive free online resources for piano lessons. Probably the most fun online tool to help you learn how to play the piano is Plern Piano. It's equally helpful for beginner and more advanced pianists.
How can I learn piano for free on my phone? ›- Flowkey.
- Perfect Piano.
- Simply Piano.
- Melodics.
- Yousician.
- Piano Marvel.
- Magic Piano.
- Piano Notes Pro.
If you want to be a professional classical performer, you're looking at a minimum of 10 to 15 years of concentrated study with a master teacher, and hours of practice every day. Most people who want to learn piano to play for their own enjoyment can get great results within three to five years of study and practice.
How many hours a week should a beginner practice piano? ›
Teenage and adult beginners should practice at least 30 minutes a day, six days a week. Once you have developed a proper working methodology, a practice regiment of 45 minutes to an hour five to seven days a week should be considered mandatory.
Can I learn piano in a month? ›In fact, you can learn piano online in just 21 days – less than one month! How? By focusing on learning chords you want to play, not just the same boring notes and old-fashioned exercises. After all, most of us aren't trying to play piano in classical music.
What's the best free piano software? ›- Arcade by Output. Output. ...
- Spitfire Audio LABS. Spitfire Audio. ...
- Soundmagic Piano One. Emirsyah Nasution. ...
- Sample Science Room Piano V3. SampleScience Sounds. ...
- Ivy Audio Piano in 162. DON MILLER STUDIOS. ...
- Bigcat Instruments Iowa Grand Piano. ...
- Electronik Atmos 2 Piano.
Flowkey also features informational videos on piano posture, sight reading and learning basic music theory. The app is $19.99/mo, and has cheaper options depending on how long your subscription lasts.
Can you teach yourself piano online? ›Absolutely. While there is no doubt that having a good traditional teacher can be helpful, the fact is you can teach yourself how to play piano / keyboard very effectively with the Musiah online piano lesson course, and you can do it with or without the involvement of a traditional piano / keyboard teacher.
Is piano easy to teach yourself? ›Conclusion. Looking at all the options available to today's potential pianists, it's clear to see that teaching yourself to play the piano is not only possible, it's undoubtedly a whole lot easier than it used to be.
How can I improve my piano skills without teaching? ›- Manage Your Practice Time. ...
- Practice Sight Reading. ...
- Slow Down. ...
- Keep Challenging Yourself. ...
- Make Sure Your Goals are Realistic. ...
- Learn To Play Classical Pieces. ...
- Practice Playing in Public.
The piano is one of the most difficult and rewarding instruments to learn; not only do you have to learn to read notes and translate them to the keys, but you have to do it with both hands at the same time. You'll also have to learn to play with correct technique or you could face injuries in the future.
Is Flowkey completely free? ›You can download the flowkey app for free and immediately gain free access to selected songs and course content. For full access to all songs and course content, you will need to purchase a flowkey Premium subscription. You can access flowkey Premium content on all your devices.
Are piano apps worth it? ›You can learn songs, get lessons on specific aspects of the piano, receive feedback, keep track with a scoring system, and much much more. So not only are these apps convenient, they also provide so much value. The apps work, if you work them. You still need to practice.
Can I turn my phone into a piano? ›
My Piano Phone turns your phone into piano, guitar, organ, trumpet, violin, xylophone, saxophone... or any musical instrument that you desire to play with real sound quality. My Piano Phone is a full piano learning, playing and music creation studio app right inside your phone or tablet.