The best piano apps for intermediate and advanced players
Reviewer disclosure
We make MasterPiano, one of the apps on this page, so read it with that in mind. We list where other apps beat us and the cons of our own app. See how we write comparisons and tell us if anything is wrong.
Simply Piano, Flowkey, Skoove and Yousician are built for the first year. If you play Grade 5 pieces, prepare a diploma or study at a conservatory, they have little left to give. What advanced players still need from software is narrower: more reading every day, the right edition of a score, and honest feedback on accuracy and rhythm.
Beginner apps compared: best piano learning apps by level.
The short answer
Past Grade 4, an app will not replace a teacher, but four kinds of app still help. For scored reading and graded repertoire to Grade 8: MasterPiano or Piano Marvel. For endless reading material: Sight Reading Factory. For your scores on the music stand: forScore. For trusted urtext editions at diploma and conservatory level: Henle Library.
Which app fits your level
Grades follow ABRSM and Trinity. Prices are list prices seen in October 2026 and change often, so check the store before you buy.
| App | BeginnerFirst notes to Grade 1 | Early intermediateGrades 2 to 4 | IntermediateGrades 5 to 6 | AdvancedGrades 7 to 8, diploma, conservatory | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MasterPiano | Good | Strong | Strong | Good | From $8.33/mo (billed yearly) |
| Piano Marvel | Good | Strong | Strong | Good | About $18/month or $110 to $130/year |
| forScore | Limited | Good | Strong | Strong | About $25 one-time, optional Pro subscription |
| Henle Library | Not for this | Limited | Good | Strong | Free app, scores bought per piece |
| Sight Reading Factory | Good | Strong | Strong | Good | About $35 to $45/year |
| Pianote | Strong | Strong | Good | Limited | About $30/month or $200 to $250/year |
Each app, tested
MasterPiano
Best for daily scored sight-reading and repertoire through Grade 8.
- Price:
- From $8.33/mo (billed yearly)
- Free:
- 10 minutes of scored practice a day, free sheet music library
- Listens with:
- MIDI keyboard or microphone
- Reading:
- Real staff notation only
- Platforms:
- iOS, Android, Web
Good
- + 6,500+ real pieces graded into 100 levels, plus generated sight-reading
- + Scores every note and rhythm in real time over MIDI
- + Scales, arpeggios and chords as a structured technique track
- + Pieces on ABRSM exam lists are marked by grade
Not so good
- − No video lessons: it is a practice tool, not a teacher
- − Microphone scoring is weaker than MIDI on fast chords and pedalled passages
- − Small community and few pop songs next to Flowkey or Simply Piano
- − The first lessons are less playful than Simply Piano for small children
Testing note: Our own app, so we know its gaps best: through the microphone, dense chords and heavy pedal are sometimes scored as missed notes. Over MIDI the scoring holds up on Grade 8 pieces.
For: Players who want to read real sheet music fluently and see measurable progress, from first notes to Grade 8 and beyond.
Skip it if: Complete beginners who want a teacher on video holding their hand, or anyone who only wants to copy pop songs from falling notes.
Piano Marvel
Best for a studio with a teacher assigning graded work.
- Price:
- About $18/month or $110 to $130/year
- Free:
- Free plan with limited songs and scoring
- Listens with:
- MIDI keyboard (microphone in beta)
- Reading:
- Real staff notation
- Platforms:
- iOS, Windows, Mac, Chromebook
Good
- + SASR sight-reading test gives a clear benchmark score
- + Huge library with method books and teacher tools
- + MIDI scoring is accurate and mature
Not so good
- − Interface feels dated and takes time to learn
- − Needs MIDI for reliable scoring
- − Technique content is less structured than its repertoire
Testing note: The SASR test is the best sight-reading benchmark we found in any app. Finding a piece of the right level took longer than in any other app we used.
For: Classical students and teachers who want a method, assessments and a large graded library.
Skip it if: People with only an acoustic piano and no MIDI, or who want a modern, quick interface.
forScore
Best score reader for performers on iPad.
- Price:
- About $25 one-time, optional Pro subscription
- Free:
- None
- Listens with:
- None (sheet music reader)
- Reading:
- Your own PDF scores
- Platforms:
- iPad, iPhone, Mac
Good
- + Best sheet music reader on iPad
- + Annotations, setlists, page-turn pedals
Not so good
- − No teaching or scoring
- − Apple only
Testing note: The tool most advanced players we know already use on the music stand.
For: Advanced players and conservatory students who keep their repertoire as PDFs on an iPad.
Skip it if: Anyone who wants lessons or feedback.
Henle Library
Best editions for conservatory repertoire.
- Price:
- Free app, scores bought per piece
- Free:
- Free app, some free scores
- Listens with:
- None (score library)
- Reading:
- Urtext editions with switchable fingerings
- Platforms:
- iPad, Android tablets
Good
- + Urtext editions teachers and juries trust
- + Choose between fingerings from different pianists
Not so good
- − Each score is paid
- − No practice feedback
Testing note: The edition your teacher will ask for; it is a library, not a practice coach.
For: Conservatory and diploma students who need trusted urtext editions.
Skip it if: Beginners, or anyone on a budget building a large library.
Sight Reading Factory
Best unlimited reading drills at a chosen grade.
- Price:
- About $35 to $45/year
- Free:
- A few free exercises
- Listens with:
- None (you check yourself)
- Reading:
- Unlimited generated exercises
- Platforms:
- Web, iOS, Android
Good
- + Endless new exercises by grade
- + Cheap
- + Popular with teachers
Not so good
- − Does not score your playing
- − Exercises can feel mechanical
Testing note: Great supply of material; we had to judge our own mistakes.
For: Exam students and teachers who need endless fresh reading material at a set grade.
Skip it if: Players who want the app to listen and tell them what they got wrong.
Pianote
Best for contemporary styles, chords and improvisation.
- Price:
- About $30/month or $200 to $250/year
- Free:
- Free trial
- Listens with:
- None (video lessons)
- Reading:
- Taught in lessons, not practised in the app
- Platforms:
- iOS, Android, Web
Good
- + Real teachers and a large lesson archive
- + Strong on chords, accompaniment and improvisation
- + Active community and live sessions
Not so good
- − No note-by-note feedback on your playing
- − Most expensive app here
- − Light on classical repertoire and exams
Testing note: The best teaching in this list. Without feedback it is easy to watch lessons and practise less.
For: Players who want real teachers on video, with chords, improvisation and pop styles.
Skip it if: Players who want the app to listen and score what they play.
How we tested
We practised in each app in 2026 with a digital piano over USB MIDI and, where the app supports it, through the microphone. In every app we tried beginner material and the hardest material it offers, and checked whether it caught wrong notes, late notes and missed rhythm. We judged how far each app can take you, not how fun the first day is.
Try MasterPiano free
10 minutes of scored sight-reading a day are free, with no card. Play a piece at your level and see every note you hit or miss.
Start practising freeQuestions
What is the best piano app for intermediate players?
MasterPiano and Piano Marvel, because both use real notation and graded repertoire from beginner through Grade 8 and score your notes and rhythm. Flowkey and Simply Piano have little content above early intermediate.
Are there piano apps for conservatory students?
Yes, but as tools rather than courses: forScore to read and annotate scores, Henle Library for urtext editions, a recording app to listen back, and MasterPiano or Sight Reading Factory to keep sight-reading sharp. Interpretation and technique still need a teacher.
How do advanced pianists practise sight reading?
Read a lot of music a few grades below your playing level, every day, without stopping to fix mistakes. MasterPiano scores each attempt so you see your accuracy improve; Sight Reading Factory generates fresh exercises at a chosen grade.
Updates to this page
- Oct 22, 2026: First published.