Last updated: June 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Simply Piano is the best app for a true beginner who wants to start playing real songs fast. It listens to you play on any piano or keyboard and gives instant feedback, so you learn to read music and play hits within weeks. The honest caveats: it paces slowly, skips proper technique and posture, goes light on deep theory, and every song comes with a backing track. A great first step that most learners eventually outgrow. Our rating: 4.0 / 5.
- Best for: absolute beginners, kids, and families who want a guided, gamified start
- Pricing: from ~$59.99 (3 months) to ~$149.99/year; 7-day free trial
- Skip if: you want proper classical technique, advanced theory, or fast progression
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SIMPLY PIANO AT A GLANCE
- Listens to you play any real piano or keyboard via your device’s microphone (or USB MIDI) and grades each note in real time. Source: hellosimply.com.
- Step-by-step courses plus hundreds of songs — classical, pop, and Disney — across Soloist and Chords tracks.
- 7-day free trial, family profiles on one account, and Trinity College London-certified content.
What is Simply Piano?
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Simply Piano is a mobile app from Simply (formerly JoyTunes) that teaches piano by listening to you play. You prop your phone or tablet on a real acoustic or digital piano, and the app’s microphone detects the notes you hit, giving instant right-or-wrong feedback as you go. It is built for self-taught beginners who want structure without a teacher, and it leans on gamification — clear progress, instant rewards — to keep you practicing. It is one of the most popular piano-learning apps in the world, and its content carries Trinity College London certification.
How Simply Piano works
Lessons are organized into two parallel tracks: Soloist, where you play melody and accompaniment with both hands, and Chords, where you learn chord-based accompaniment to play along with songs. Short instructional videos introduce each concept, then interactive exercises have you play while the app listens and corrects you. There are five-minute daily workouts to build fluency, a large library of real songs to practice, and downloadable sheet music. It works with any piano or keyboard, and once lessons are downloaded you can practice offline. Crucially, it makes you play a passage correctly before it lets you move on — good for discipline, frustrating if you want to skip ahead.
Simply Piano pricing
Simply Piano is a subscription, billed upfront for the term you pick, with a 7-day free trial to start. Pricing is dynamic — it varies by region and the promotion running — but the standard US structure as of June 2026 looks like this:
| Plan | Price (billed once) | Works out to |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months | ~$59.99 | ~$20/mo |
| 6 months | ~$89.99 | ~$15/mo |
| 12 months | ~$149.99 (sometimes up to ~$179) | ~$12.50/mo — best value |
The annual plan is the clear value pick, and one subscription supports multiple family profiles — useful if the kids want to learn too. Because pricing is dynamic, start the 7-day free trial and confirm the live price before you are charged. For perspective: a year of Simply Piano costs roughly what two or three in-person lessons would, so as a self-study option it is inexpensive — the question is whether its method suits you.
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What we like
- Real-time feedback on a real instrument. Hearing “yes, that’s right” as you play is genuinely motivating and effective for beginners.
- You play songs quickly. It gets you reading notes and playing recognizable music early, which keeps you going.
- Structured and disciplined. It won’t let you advance until you play a passage correctly — good for building solid habits.
- Family-friendly. Multiple profiles on one subscription, and it suits kids well.
- Works with any piano or keyboard, and offline once downloaded.
What we don’t
- It ignores technique and posture. The app can’t see your hands, so it won’t fix poor hand position or fingering — a real gap a teacher would catch.
- Light on theory. You learn to play, but the deeper “why” of music theory is thin.
- Slow and rigid. No skipping ahead, and completing the courses can take a long time.
- Backing tracks everywhere. Songs play with accompaniment, which is fun but different from true solo practice.
Who should use Simply Piano — and who’ll outgrow it
Use Simply Piano if you are starting from zero, you want a guided, low-pressure way to play real songs, or you are buying for a child. As a first 6–12 months of piano, it is one of the best and most affordable options out there.
Look elsewhere if you want proper classical technique, serious theory, or faster progression. Adults with those goals often pair an app like this with a real teacher, or move to a more technique-focused tool once they have the basics. If you already play a little and want depth, it will feel limiting.
RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS — SIMPLY PIANO
Start playing real songs on a real piano — with instant feedback
The easiest on-ramp to piano for beginners and families. Try it free for 7 days before you decide.
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Simply Piano alternatives
If Simply Piano isn’t quite right, a few options: learning guitar instead? Its sibling app Simply Guitar uses the same approach. Want proper technique and a human eye on your hands? A teacher — in person or online — is still the gold standard, and platforms like ArtistWorks pair video lessons with feedback from real instructors. For more options, see our guide to the best apps to learn piano.
Frequently asked questions
Is Simply Piano worth it?
For a true beginner or a child, yes — it is an affordable, motivating way to start playing real songs with instant feedback. Just know its limits: it won’t teach proper technique or deep theory, so committed learners eventually move on or add a teacher.
How much does Simply Piano cost?
Around $149.99 a year (sometimes up to ~$179 with dynamic pricing), with shorter plans at roughly $89.99 for six months and $59.99 for three. There is a 7-day free trial, so you can test it before paying.
Does Simply Piano actually work?
Yes, for learning to read music and play songs at a beginner level. Its note-detection feedback is effective and motivating. It is less effective for technique, posture, and advanced skills, which it largely doesn’t cover.
Can Simply Piano replace a piano teacher?
Not entirely. It is a strong substitute for the first stretch of learning, but it can’t watch your hands or correct technique the way a teacher can. Many learners use it to start, then add lessons once they are serious.
RELATED GUIDES
- Simply Guitar review — the same approach for guitar
- Best apps to learn piano — all your options compared
- ArtistWorks piano review — video lessons with real-instructor feedback
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