Overview

Founded in Berlin in 2014, flowkey teaches piano through interactive note practice, songs, and step-by-step courses. The courses cover music theory, chords, and reading sheet music, so learners can move between fundamentals and pieces they want to play. Its stated range runs from beginners to advanced players, though the free account limits how much of that approach a learner can explore.

Key features

The library contains thousands of songs across genres and skill levels, arranged by professional pianists. Wait Mode listens to playing and waits for the right notes before continuing; that makes it useful for learners who need time to work through a passage instead of following fixed playback. Video alongside sheet music, reduced-speed playback, section looping, and separate right- and left-hand practice give learners several ways to isolate difficult material.

A compatible keyboard or piano can connect through USB MIDI or Bluetooth MIDI for more reliable note recognition. Progress tracking supports ongoing practice, and customer support is available by email and in-app chat. The app runs on Android, iOS, and the web.

Customers buying a qualifying Yamaha digital piano or keyboard in participating regions can receive three months of Premium access through a promotion valid until March 31, 2027.

Pricing

The Free Account is free and remains available for as long as you want, but includes only a few free songs and course lessons. It is useful for a brief introduction, not for learners who want sustained access to the library or courses.

Classic Monthly costs 16.49 USD per month, or Classic Yearly costs 99.99 USD per year. Both include all courses, classical music pieces, and public-domain songs for one user. Classic is the lower-cost paid choice for learners whose repertoire fits those categories; it excludes Premium's pop, rock, jazz, film, TV, and video game music.

Premium Monthly costs 24.99 USD per month for one user. Premium Yearly costs 149.99 USD per year, with the full 12 months paid upfront. Both add pop, rock, jazz, film, TV, and video game music to Classic content. Yearly billing is a meaningful upfront commitment, while monthly billing costs more per month but avoids paying for a full year at once.

Family Monthly costs 37.49 USD per month, and Family Yearly costs 224.99 USD per year. Both include Premium content and up to five user profiles, making them the relevant options when several people need separate profiles rather than a single-user subscription.

Yearly plans include a free 7-day Premium trial and convert to a yearly subscription unless canceled at least 24 hours before the trial expires. flowkey also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. Only Premium can be purchased through the App Store or Play Store; Classic and Family must be purchased through the web app. There is no lifetime plan.

Platforms

Android, iOS, and web support make flowkey accessible across mobile devices and browsers. MIDI connection is available with a compatible keyboard or piano, which can improve note recognition for learners who have suitable equipment.

Who it's for

flowkey is best suited to piano learners who want to combine structured study with recognizable songs and need controls for repeating or slowing down passages. Solo learners focused on classical or public-domain material can consider Classic; those who want contemporary, screen, or game music need Premium. A household with several learners can use Family's five profiles. It is a weaker fit for anyone expecting broad free access or a lifetime purchase.

Pros and cons

Pro: Thousands of arranged songs across skill levels give learners a wide choice of practice material.
Pro: Wait Mode, looping, slower playback, and hand-specific practice let learners work through challenging passages at their own pace.
Pro: Courses cover theory, chords, and sheet-music reading alongside song practice.
Con: The free account includes only a few songs and lessons, so it offers limited room to learn before choosing a paid tier.
Con: Premium music genres require a higher-priced plan than Classic, which may matter to learners drawn to pop, rock, jazz, or screen and game music.
Con: Annual subscriptions require upfront payment and trial cancellation at least 24 hours before expiry to avoid conversion.

Alternatives

Skoove is another freemium piano-learning option on Android, iOS, and web, with selected course lessons free and a 12-month Premium plan billed at $149.99 every 12 months. Consider it if its course-led offer better matches your priorities.

Piano Marvel is worth considering for learners who want a free tier with 150+ songs, performance feedback and scoring, 200+ lesson exercises, and 25 video lessons; its Premium plan costs 17.99 USD per month.

Complete Music Reading Trainer is a freemium option for learners seeking a dedicated music-reading trainer, with a subscription at 0.99 USD per month.

Simply Guitar is an alternative for people looking for a guitar-learning app.

Yousician, JustinGuitar, Melodics, and Simply Piano are other options to compare.

Browse the Music Learning Apps directory for more choices.

Verdict

Choose flowkey if you want piano lessons and song practice in one app, especially if Wait Mode and the focused practice controls suit the way you learn. Its broad library is the main reason to pay, but the free tier is too limited for extended use and the right paid tier depends on which music you want to play.

	Do It By Ear	flowkey
Free plan		Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from		$8.33/mo
Platforms	Web	Android, iOS, Web
Live feedback	Yes	Yes
Curriculum scope	mixed	mixed
Practice tools	Yes	Yes
Progress tracking	Yes	Yes
Platform support	web	multi-platform
Free plan		Yes
Paid from		16.49 /mo
Included instruments		1

Do It By Ear vs flowkey

Do It By Ear

flowkey