Flashnote Derby vs Piano Pals
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flashnote Derby
This app transforms music note learning into an engaging game for young musicians. It offers various ways to practice and play, with customizable drills to suit any student's level. Track progress and make learning fun, whether at home or in lessons.
- Gamified note recognition races
- Practice mode with no timer
- Play notes on instrument or MIDI
- On-screen piano keyboard input
- Customizable clefs and note ranges
- Multiple engaging themes
- Teacher tools for assignments and progress tracking
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Flashnote Derby is a fun, effective way for kids to learn to read music through fast-paced note flashcard games. Perfect for piano, guitar, band, orchestra, and general music students, this teacher-created app turns note recognition into an engaging game that works equally well at home or in music lessons. ———— Learn to Read Music — Fast Each race is a fast-paced challenge: identify notes correctly as you learn to read music faster and speed your horse toward the finish line. Missed or slow answers allow the other horse to catch up. After each round, students can review the notes they missed— turning every race into a meaningful learning opportunity. ———— New! Practice Mode (No Timer, No Stress) Students can now choose a relaxed 'practice mode' with unlimited time for each note. Perfect for beginners, this mode builds accuracy and confidence before racing competitively. ———— Multiple Ways to Answer Players can answer flashcards in a variety of ways: • Play the note on any instrument. Flashnote Derby listens and recognizes what you play (including transposing instruments). • Use a MIDI instrument • Tap on-screen letter names • Or play notes on the on-screen piano keyboard ———— Fully Customizable for Any Student Tailor each drill to match your student’s level: • Treble, bass, alto, or tenor clef • Select specific note ranges or individual notes • Add sharps, flats, or full key signatures • Adjust time limits (or remove them entirely in Practice Mode) • Expand difficulty all the way up to five-and-a-half ledger lines above and below the staff. As skills grow, you can increase the challenge. Higher difficulty earns higher scores—keeping students motivated. ———— Multiple themes keep practice fresh In addition to the classic horse race, students can take flight with the whimsical Pretty Pegasus course, blast through an arcade-style space challenge in Ecliptic Encounter, or switch to the seasonal Reindeer Race during the holidays. ———— Built for Teachers, Loved by Students Flashnote Derby is designed to fit easily into lessons: • Quick to set up and perfect for a 1–2 minute warm-up • Send homework assignments directly to students • Track progress automatically • See which notes need more review Teachers see real improvement. Students stay engaged. Parents appreciate the progress. ———— Why Flashnote Derby Works Many students struggle because drilling note names feels boring and difficult. Flashnote Derby turns this essential skill into a game—one they’ll want to keep playing. A little daily practice adds up quickly, and students learn to read music with confidence. ———— Get on the road to confident music reading today! Download Flashnote Derby and help your young musician master notes with joy—not frustration.
Piano Pals
This app makes learning piano fun for children through engaging games and interactive levels. It teaches note recognition, key identification, and how to play real songs without traditional drills or a teacher. The initial level is free, with a subscription unlocking the full curriculum.
- Learn music notes
- Recognize piano keys
- Play real songs
- Sight-reading practice
- Memory games
- Works with on-screen or MIDI keyboard
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The fun way for kids to learn piano — one playful tap at a time. Piano Pals helps young learners learn music notes, recognise the keys, and play their first real songs. No boring drills. No teacher needed. Just bright, friendly levels that turn note recognition into a game your kid will actually ask to play. Whether they're tapping the on-screen piano or playing along on a real keyboard, Piano Pals builds the foundation every piano skill rests on: knowing where the notes live, and being able to read them. Try Level 1 for free today — full content requires a subscription The first level is completely free to play. To unlock the full curriculum (all songs, Echo memory rounds, sight-reading, and the mastery levels), you'll need an active Piano Pals subscription. Subscription details are listed at the bottom of this description. What your child will learn (full subscription required for all but Level 1) • Every white key on the piano — C, D, E, F, G, A, B • Their first real songs: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Ode to Joy (subscription required) • Sight reading — how to read music notes on the staff and play them straight from sheet music (subscription required) • Listening and memory skills through our Echo mode — we play a melody, your child plays it back (subscription required) • A confident sense of "I can do this" that carries into real piano lessons Why kids love it Levels are short — usually 1 to 3 minutes — so the win comes quickly and the next one is always one tap away. Stars, streaks, and a cheerful cat companion make practice feel like play. Kids who would never sit through a 30-minute lesson happily come back day after day. Why parents love it • No ads. No third-party tracking. No chat features. • Works with the on-screen piano OR a real MIDI keyboard if you have one. • A gentle daily streak system encourages a few minutes of practice each day. • Built by a parent who wanted their own kid to learn piano — and couldn't find an app that actually worked. • Try the first level free, then a 7-day free trial gives you (and them) plenty of time to decide. Cancel anytime. How it works Start with the basics: a single note appears on a colourful card, your child taps the matching piano key (this part is free in Level 1). With the subscription, the levels grow: more notes, faster pace, no hints. Then comes the magic — their first song. Then memory rounds. Then real sheet music. Each step builds on the last so kids are never overwhelmed, just gently challenged. Subscription details Piano Pals offers an optional yearly subscription which unlocks the full curriculum beyond the free Level 1. • Free content: Level 1 (C, D, E intro) is fully playable without a subscription. • Subscription required for: all other levels including the songs, Echo memory mode, sight reading on the staff, and the mastery curriculum. • Length and price: Yearly subscription. The exact price is displayed inside the app before purchase and is shown in your local currency. • Free trial: New users get a 7-day free trial. No charge unless you keep the subscription past the trial. • Auto-renewal: Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscription by going to your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://www.adamlyttleapps.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.adamlyttleapps.com/privacy Help your child discover the joy of music — one note at a time. Download Piano Pals today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Piano Pals at Free against Flashnote Derby's $4.99. Piano Pals also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). Flashnote Derby's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (105 vs 5). On rating, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Piano Pals is free to download; Flashnote Derby costs $4.99 up front. Piano Pals sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Flashnote Derby asks for nothing beyond the download.
Flashnote Derby holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flashnote Derby has 105 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Flashnote Derby ships an update every 6 months, Piano Pals weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flashnote Derby | Piano Pals |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (105 ratings) — better | 3.6 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 105 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #22 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 110 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Luke Bartolomeo | App All Day Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
Flashnote Derby
Piano Pals
Bugs and requests
Flashnote Derby
Reported bugs
15 issues- App crashes on launch or during use
- White screen on startup that auto-closes
- Note recognition fails, particularly for E note
- Low instrument octave recognition issues
- Data and student names lost after updates
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- Settings menu disappears or becomes inaccessible
- Speed selection buttons unresponsive
- Email preset sending feature non-functional
- Password reset system broken
- Master device cloning feature not working
- Audio detection marks answers before notes are played
- Incorrect display scaling on iPad and tablets
- Slider controls difficult to use on mobile devices
- App incompatible with Safari and some browsers
- Family sharing not recognized despite being enabled
Requested features
16 requests- Restore previous speed options (Walk, Trot, Canter, Gallop)
- Option to customize number of test notes (return 10/20 options)
- Remove or tone down negative feedback sounds
- Add more theme options (animals, seasonal themes)
- Untimed mode without racing element
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Two-octave keyboard display for better note differentiation
- Support for sharps and flats
- Alto and tenor clef options
- Female jockey character option
- Combined treble and bass clef exercises
- Better search visibility in app stores
- Family sharing support improvements
- External audio interface compatibility
- Improved mobile responsiveness for sliders and controls
- Better instructional videos with audio/visual note examples
- Personalized high scores for multiple users
Piano Pals
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Flashnote Derby
No in-app purchases
Piano Pals
- Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Annual Subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Year
- Piano Pals: Music Notes Challenge$79.99
Questions
Is Flashnote Derby free?
Is Piano Pals free?
Which has better reviews, Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals?
Do Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals?
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