# Flashnote Derby vs Piano Pals

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flashnote Derby | Piano Pals |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.8 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashnote-derby/id453126527/reviews)** | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piano-pals-learn-music-notes/id6760113261/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **105** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 69.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#23** | — |
| Size | 110 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luke Bartolomeo](https://appshunter.io/developer/453126530) | [App All Day Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514345817) |

## What reviewers say

### Flashnote Derby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashnote-derby/id453126527)

**Currently charting:** #23 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging gamified learning experience with racing themes
- 🎵 Effective tool for learning note reading and music literacy
- 🎨 Customizable themes and visual designs
- ⚙️ Highly customizable settings for notes, speed, and difficulty
- 👨‍🏫 Teacher-friendly features with student tracking and presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezing issues
- 🔊 Harsh negative feedback sounds (booing) discourages learners
- 🎵 Inaccurate note detection, especially for E note and lower instruments
- 📱 Poor mobile responsiveness and slider controls on phones
- ⚠️ Data loss after updates without warning

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Piano Pals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piano-pals-learn-music-notes/id6760113261)

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.

**Highlights:** Learn music notes, Recognize piano keys, Play real songs, Sight-reading practice, Memory games, Works with on-screen or MIDI keyboard

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Piano Pals: Music Notes Challenge | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flashnote Derby free?

Flashnote Derby costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Piano Pals free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals?

Flashnote Derby is rated higher. Flashnote Derby averages 3.8 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while Piano Pals averages 3.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals have ads?

Neither Flashnote Derby nor Piano Pals shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flashnote Derby or Piano Pals?

Flashnote Derby ships an update every 6 months, and Piano Pals weekly. Most recently, Flashnote Derby was updated on October 19, 2026 and Piano Pals on October 10, 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.*