Visual Pinball vs Pianova
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Visual Pinball
Experience the full virtual pinball simulator with realistic physics, lighting, and sound. This open-source app offers a redesigned interface, enhanced table management, and the complete desktop experience for mobile devices. Enjoy a vast library of tables without ads or in-app purchases.
- Realistic physics, lighting, and sound
- Redesigned interface with Liquid Glass
- Full in-game menu for graphics and controls
- Support for various backglass and display types
- Easy table import and management
- Optimized memory usage
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The official Visual Pinball app. Built by volunteers since 2000 and open source since 2010, Visual Pinball is the simulator the virtual pinball community has been playing for over two decades. More than 70 people have contributed to it, and this app runs the same engine as the desktop version, so every table plays with the physics, lighting and sound its creator intended. No ads. No in-app purchases. No tracking. Made by volunteers. Two years of work from the Visual Pinball volunteers, in one update. Thank you for your patience, and for playing! A FRESH NEW LOOK • Redesigned for iOS 26 with Liquid Glass • Favorites and recently played tables at the top of your list • Search, sorting and three tile sizes • Light, Dark or System appearance • New loading screen that shows progress THE FULL DESKTOP EXPERIENCE • The complete Visual Pinball in-game menu for graphics, sound, controls and table options • Remap every button on keyboards and game controllers • Save settings for every table, or just the one you're playing MORE TABLES, LOOKING BETTER • Show the backglass and score display (DMD, alphanumeric or reels) on screen, right where you want them • Support for PUP packs, FlexDMD, B2S backglasses, video playback and VNI colorizations • All the latest physics and rendering improvements from the desktop version • Much lower memory use: textures are compressed on first load, then cached EASIER TABLE MANAGEMENT • Import .zip files, along with .vpx and .vpxz • Share any table as a single .vpxz file • The web file manager can now upload whole folders, extract archives, edit scripts and settings, and show the log live AND MORE • Many stability and memory fixes This version requires iOS 26.6 or later.
Pianova
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Exercise your memory while playing with music. PIANOVA is a musical memory game where you listen to, remember and repeat sequences of notes. Start with simple sequences and progress through increasingly challenging levels while putting your memory and concentration to the test. How do you play? Listen carefully to the sequence played on the piano. Then it’s your turn: repeat the notes in the same order. Each level adds a new challenge. How far can you go? 100 levels to master Progress from the first simple sequences to increasingly difficult levels. Every game is a new opportunity to improve your memory and beat your own record. A game to exercise your memory PIANOVA combines music and memory in a simple and entertaining experience. Listening to and remembering the sequences challenges you to stay focused and remember the order of the notes. Different ways to play • Easy — More time to memorize the sequences. • Normal — The classic PIANOVA experience. • Hard — Faster sequences for those looking for a greater challenge. • Free Play — Play all 12 piano keys with no lives or turns. • Daily Challenge — A new challenge every day to try to beat your best result. Play at your own pace You have lives to help you progress through the levels, and you can get more when you need them. You can also unlock the Premium experience to play without ads and enjoy unlimited lives. Listen. Remember. Play. Can you remember the entire sequence?
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Visual Pinball at none against Pianova's 4. Visual Pinball also leads on ads (none vs shown). Pianova's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.6). On price, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Pianova sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Visual Pinball asks for nothing beyond the download.
Visual Pinball ships an update fortnightly, Pianova every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Visual Pinball | Pianova |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (74 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 74 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 134 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jason Millard | Cristina Duart Alvarez de Cienfuegos |
Bugs and requests
Visual Pinball
Reported bugs
2 issues- Tables don't load for some users
- Certain complex/intensive tables error out or run at low FPS
Requested features
6 requests- List of most played tables
- Ability to reposition DMD
- Option to skip startup checks for some tables
- Ability to edit table scripts on the app
- Direct link to table depository
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- iPad version with more screen space
Pianova
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Visual Pinball
No in-app purchases
Pianova
- 3 lives$0.99
- 10 lives$1.99
- 25 lives$3.99
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- Premium$4.99
Questions
Is Visual Pinball free?
Is Pianova free?
Do Visual Pinball or Pianova have ads?
Which is updated more often, Visual Pinball or Pianova?
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