Comparison

FingerFiddle vs Piano Sim

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FingerFiddle

Transform your device into a realistic string instrument. Control notes with your fingers and shape sound with bow-like movements. Experience the full expressive range of violin family instruments anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Realistic bow and fingerboard control
  • Expressive sound shaping
  • Pizzicato playing mode
  • Customizable fingerboard
  • Inter-App Audio/Audiobus support
  • Multiple violin family instruments
Read full description

Turn your iPad into an instrument of the violin family and play just like on a real instrument ! FingerFiddle introduces a new and highly sensitive musical experience with your IOS device. Your actions on the screen are turned naturally into an exceptionally realistic and responsive sound, whatever you do. Place your fingers on the fingerboard to change notes. Move your other hand on the screen to rub the strings with the bow and shape the sound continuously in real-time. Pluck the screen to play pizzicato. FingerFiddle responds accurately to your movements and lets you play with the full palette of violin expression, just like with a real instrument. FingerFiddle is a musical instrument that you can bring with you everywhere to play, practice, have fun and perform with others. It includes a full collection of fine-tuned instruments from the violin family (violin, viola, cello and double bass). The basic version comes with a cello, and other instruments are available to try and purchase. Wherever you are, at any time, pick one of the instruments and play music for real with FingerFiddle. Who is it for? Anyone interested in music playing can find something in FingerFiddle: - For the beginner, FingerFiddle is an affordable way to experience and enjoy fiddle playing, alone or in group. Play, practice to improve your playing, try different instruments and maybe, eventually, buy a real instrument… - For advanced players, FingerFiddle is a new instrument to discover and have fun with. Use it in your musical productions and live performances, when jamming with others, or just to sketch ideas. - In all cases, FingerFiddle is a musical instrument that is always right at your fingertips, whenever you feel the need to play music. Features: - Natural mapping between movement and sound: your finger is the bow ! - Outstanding sound rendering for a realistic output - Pitch is controlled with a fingerboard on the screen to allow fiddle-specific playing techniques (vibrato, glissando, chords) - The fingerboard is customizable: set its width and the space between notes for a comfortable playing - A specific area is dedicated to pizzicato playing - Inter-App Audio / Audiobus support (generator) - Very low memory requirement: no samples library is used - Inter App Audio and Audiobus support - The basic version includes the Cello from the Classic Collection. Other instruments are available as In App purchases (Violin, Viola, Double Bass, normal or with mutes)

About

Piano Sim

This app brings the piano experience to your device with high-quality sounds and versatile play modes. Explore different piano types, shape your sound with effects, and customize the layout for an immersive musical journey. Record and share your performances easily.

Highlights
  • Three distinct piano types
  • Multiple flexible play modes
  • Expressive real-time effects
  • Customizable key width and note display
  • Microtonal tuning and transpose function
  • Record, share, and screenshot performances
Features
Read full description

Step into the expressive world of piano performance with Piano Sim! Whether you're a seasoned pianist, a music enthusiast, or a curious beginner, Piano Sim brings the beauty of piano music to your fingertips. Featuring high-quality sounds, versatile play modes, powerful effects, and rich customization options, this app offers a complete and deeply immersive piano experience. Three Piano Types – Three Distinct Characters Explore a curated collection of premium piano sounds to match your musical mood and style: Grand Piano – Rich, warm, and resonant—perfect for classical and cinematic performances. Digital Piano – Clean, modern tones ideal for pop, ambient, and electronic compositions. Honky Tonk Piano – Bright and nostalgic with a slightly detuned charm—great for jazz, blues, and retro vibes. Flexible Play Modes for Full Musical Control Tailor your playing experience with three intuitive sound behavior modes: Multi Note Mode: Play freely with full polyphony—perfect for chords and expressive melodies. Single Note Mode: Only one note can play at a time—ideal for lead lines and monophonic styles. No Hold Mode: Notes stop immediately when you release the key, just like on a synth or organ. Expressive Effects to Shape Your Sound Reverb: Add spaciousness and ambiance to your performance. Chorus: Enrich your tone with lush, layered harmonics. Sensitive Play Mode: The lower part of each key plays louder when touched—allowing dynamic control key by key, simulating real pressure-based sensitivity. Visual and Functional Flexibility Note Display Options: Choose between traditional Do Re Mi notation or scientific note names like C1, D1, E1...—perfect for all skill levels. Adjustable Key Width: Seamlessly navigate all 88 keys of a full piano with adaptive key sizing, so you can play complete pieces even on small screens. Advanced Musical Controls Microtonal Tuning: Perform Eastern modes and alternative scales with precise pitch control. Transpose Function: Instantly shift the pitch of the entire keyboard to suit your voice or instrument range. Capture and Share Your Creativity Record Your Music: Save your performances with a single tap. Share Anywhere: Send your recordings via messaging apps or post them directly on social media. Take Screenshots: Capture visual moments of your performance and share them just as easily. Why Piano Sim Stands Out Three Distinct Pianos with beautiful, professionally sampled sounds Three Sound Modes for ultimate playing flexibility Real-Time Effects and per-key dynamics for expressiveness Microtone + Transpose Support for advanced musical exploration Recording, Sharing & Screenshot Features built into the app Customizable Layout and note display modes Modern, Intuitive Interface designed for all ages and skill levels Download Piano Sim today and experience the freedom, creativity, and power of piano music—wherever you go!

Screenshots

FingerFiddle4 screens
Piano Sim4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Piano Sim at Free against FingerFiddle's $2.99. Piano Sim also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). FingerFiddle's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (52 vs 5). On in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Piano Sim is free to download; FingerFiddle costs $2.99 up front. FingerFiddle sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Piano Sim sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Piano Sim holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FingerFiddle has 52 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FingerFiddle ships an update every 3 months, Piano Sim every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
FingerFiddle versus Piano Sim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFingerFiddlePiano Sim
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (52 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings52 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB130 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthias DemoucronAlper Kahriman

Customer experience

FingerFiddle

All ratings52 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral1.9%
Negative13.5%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive81.6%
Neutral2.6%
Negative15.8%

Piano Sim

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

FingerFiddle

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently (especially after iOS 11.2)
  • 3D bow and vibrato not working for some users
  • Mutes when starting recording in GarageBand
  • Vibrato function not activable for some users

Requested features

15 requests
  • Recording capability
  • Metronome
  • MIDI IN/OUT support
  • AUv3 support for DAWs
  • Support for Apple Pencil 2 pressure
Show 10 more
  • Fretless option
  • More instrument variety (guitars, woodwinds, brass, percussion, Indian Sarangi, Viola da Gamba)
  • Five-string bass option
  • Oversampling for improved sound quality
  • Customizable fingerboard pitch settings
  • Auto-vibrato mode
  • String ensemble sounds
  • Vertical bow movement option
  • More realistic fingerboard layout
  • Ability to choose pitch with a keyboard

Piano Sim

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

FingerFiddle

One-time9
  • Violin (Classic Collection)$2.99
  • Viola (Classic Collection)$2.99
  • Violin (Con Sordino Collection)$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Double Bass (Classic Collection)$2.99
  • Viola (Con Sordino Collection)$2.99
  • Cello (Con Sordino Collection)$2.99
  • Double Bass (Con Sordino Collection)$2.99
  • Classic Collection$8.99
  • Con Sordino Collection$8.99
1 purchases

Piano Sim

One-time1
  • Get Premium$9.99

Questions

Is FingerFiddle free?
FingerFiddle costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Piano Sim free?
Piano Sim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FingerFiddle or Piano Sim?
Piano Sim is rated higher. FingerFiddle averages 4.4 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Piano Sim averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do FingerFiddle or Piano Sim have ads?
Piano Sim shows ads; FingerFiddle does not.
Which is updated more often, FingerFiddle or Piano Sim?
FingerFiddle ships an update every 3 months, and Piano Sim every 2 months. Most recently, FingerFiddle was updated on October 21, 2026 and Piano Sim on October 9, 2026.

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