Comparison

Pianist vs Original Piano

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

Head to head
About

Pianist

Experience a realistic piano on your mobile device with a full 88-key keyboard. Record, overdub, and save your musical compositions. Features include virtual pedals, dual keyboard layout, and a configurable metronome for practice.

Highlights
  • Full 88 key piano keyboard
  • Record and save compositions
  • Overdubbing and note removal
  • Virtual soft and sustain pedals
  • Dual keyboard layout
  • Configurable metronome
Features
Read full description

The first widely available mobile multi-touch piano, Pianist has been featured in a number of Apple advertising campaigns and was one of the 'Awesome iOS4 Apps' in an Apple iTunes promotion. Sound On Sound magazine listed Pianist in its pick of the Top 20 iPhone Apps, and T3 Magazine in its Top 100 iPhone Apps. Pianist has also been recommended by media sources such as the Mail On Sunday and Fox News. Pianist is considered so influential that it has now been listed as one of three examples of musical instrument apps in the primary academic reference: "The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments". - Full 88 key piano keyboard sampled from a real piano for maximum authenticity. - Record and save your compositions for later playback. Overdub as many times as you want, and remove unwanted notes. - Virtual "Soft" and "Sustain" pedals, and expression depending on where you press the key. - Optional dual keyboard layout allows you to reach even more keys without the need to scroll. Up to four octaves can be displayed and played at once. - Stay in time with a completely configurable metronome. To take your music creation to the next step, be sure to also check out our new app: Looptical Music Studio.

About

Original Piano

Features
Read full description

Step into a world of endless musical possibilities with the Customizable Piano app, where you control every detail of your piano experience! # Your Piano, Your Style: This is the only piano app where your settings reflect your personal style and musical vision. # Personalize Your Piano: Change the color of the keys and the background to match your mood or style. From classic ivory tones to vibrant neon or soothing pastel themes, the choices are yours! # Fully Customizable Keyboard Size:  Adjust the width and height of the keys to perfectly suit your fingers and playing style. # Save Your Custom Settings:  Create your perfect piano setup and save it for easy access, anytime you want to play. # Endless Creative Possibilities:  Whether you're practicing, composing, or just playing for fun, the Customizable Piano app gives you the freedom to design the piano of your dreams. # Play Your Favorite Melodies: Enjoy a beautifully designed keyboard featuring the iconic Do-Re-Mi scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C), with the authentic sound of a real piano. With Customizable Piano, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. Unleash your musical creativity and experience a piano like no other!

Screenshots

Pianist4 screens
Original Piano4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Original Piano at Free against Pianist's $3.99. Original Piano also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months). Pianist's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). On in-app purchases 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

Original Piano is free to download; Pianist costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pianist ships an update every 6 months, Original Piano every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Pianist versus Original Piano: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPianistOriginal Piano
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.6 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMooCowMusic Ltd.Taisuke Hosokawa

Bugs and requests

Pianist

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Keyboard gets stuck or changes configuration
  • App freezes or crashes after extended use
  • Sustain pedal not functioning properly
  • Bluetooth speaker connectivity issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for iPhone 5/newer displays
  • Implement MIDI export/import
  • Integrate with music streaming apps
  • Expand sound library with more instruments
  • Improve scrolling and key accessibility

Original Piano

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Pianist

No in-app purchases

None

Original Piano

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pianist free?
Pianist costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Original Piano free?
Original Piano is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pianist or Original Piano have ads?
Original Piano shows ads; Pianist does not.
Which is updated more often, Pianist or Original Piano?
Pianist ships an update every 6 months, and Original Piano every 5 days. Most recently, Pianist was updated on November 10, 2026 and Original Piano on October 31, 2026.

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