# FingerBeat vs Pianola

The clearest difference is price: FingerBeat at Free against Pianola's $0.99. FingerBeat also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (66 vs 1). Pianola's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

FingerBeat is free to download; Pianola costs $0.99 up front. FingerBeat sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.49 per month. Pianola asks for nothing beyond the download.

FingerBeat holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FingerBeat has 66 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of FingerBeat's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pianola's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FingerBeat ships an update every 2 months, Pianola fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FingerBeat | Pianola |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fingerbeat/id321464820/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianola/id6758682682/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 137 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oktoid](https://appshunter.io/developer/387662757) | [Darrel Farris](https://appshunter.io/developer/956914208) |

## What reviewers say

### FingerBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fingerbeat/id321464820)

Transform any sound into music with this pocket sampler and drum machine. Record audio, slice it into playable hits, and create beats using a step sequencer or keyboard. Mix live, overdub vocals, and share your creations instantly.

**Highlights:** Record and sample any sound, Auto-slicing for playable kits, Step sequencer and keyboard, Live mixer with effects, Tape recorder and audio editor, Share projects and mixes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pay monthly, cancel anytime | $0.49 | per month |


### Pianola

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianola/id6758682682)

This app turns your MIDI-capable piano into an interactive music player. Connect wirelessly or via USB to play your MIDI files, control tempo and pitch, and organize your music library. It's designed for an intuitive and effortless musical experience.

**Highlights:** Wireless Bluetooth MIDI connection, USB MIDI support, Library and playlist management, Adjustable tempo and pitch, Background playback, Includes a starter MIDI library

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FingerBeat free?

FingerBeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pianola free?

Pianola costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FingerBeat or Pianola?

FingerBeat is rated higher. FingerBeat averages 4.7 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Pianola averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do FingerBeat or Pianola have ads?

Neither FingerBeat nor Pianola shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FingerBeat or Pianola?

FingerBeat ships an update every 2 months, and Pianola fortnightly. Most recently, FingerBeat was updated on October 31, 2026 and Pianola on November 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*