Comparison

Piano Tree vs Root Notes

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

Head to head
About

Piano Tree

Learn to play the piano with interactive lessons and real-time feedback. Follow on-screen notes, practice at your own pace, and explore a song library. Ideal for beginners and self-taught learners of all ages.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step practice
  • Real-time feedback
  • On-screen piano
  • Scrollable piano view
  • Song library
  • Metronome
Read full description

Piano Tree makes learning piano simple, fun, and accessible for everyone. Whether you’re a complete beginner, returning to the keys, or exploring music for the first time, Piano Tree guides you through step-by-step practice with real-time feedback. Follow the notes on screen, play at your own pace, and improve naturally with visual guidance and interactive exercises. Features: • Practice Mode – Play the note on the cursor to advance. Get instant feedback with correct/incorrect note indicators. • Real-Time Note Detection – Works with both digital and acoustic pianos! We also have an on-screen piano, ideal for simpler songs or just on-the-go practicing! • Scrollable Piano View – A smooth, responsive piano visualization built for learning and exploration. • Song Library – Start with beginner pieces and progress through more challenging songs. • Looping & Section Practice – Filter out any selection for further practice. • Metronome – Practice with customizable tempo and pulse settings. Piano Tree is built for anyone curious about learning music: children, adults, and self-taught learners alike. Stay motivated, grow your skills, and enjoy your musical journey at your own pace! New exercises and songs are added regularly. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://piano-tree.com/privacy

About

Root Notes

Features
Read full description

Can you read sheet music at a glance? Root Notes turns sight reading into a short daily game: a note appears on the staff, you find it on the piano keyboard, and the app keeps track of what you actually know. Rather than drilling the whole staff at once, each level grows one note at a time - starting with two notes and ending on all twelve, accidentals included. - Separate treble and bass clef courses, 20 levels each - Six short stages per level, a couple of minutes at a time - Free play mode with the full keyboard - Notes you miss come back more often, notes you know fade out - Every note is played back, so your ear learns along with your eyes - No ads, no accounts, nothing to sign up for Made for beginners working through their first pieces, and for anyone who plays by ear and wants the notation to finally click. Privacy Policy: https://cemgames.com/privacy

Screenshots

Piano Tree4 screens
Root Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

Piano Tree and Root Notes are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both are free to download. Piano Tree sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Root Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Piano Tree ships an update every 5 days, Root Notes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Piano Tree versus Root Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPiano TreeRoot Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPiano Tree LimitedCem Kamiloglu

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Piano Tree

Subscriptions4
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Teacher Monthly$17.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Teacher Yearly$214.991 Year
1 purchases

Root Notes

One-time1
  • Premium$0.29

Questions

Is Piano Tree free?
Piano Tree is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Root Notes free?
Root Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Piano Tree or Root Notes have ads?
Neither Piano Tree nor Root Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Piano Tree or Root Notes?
Piano Tree ships an update every 5 days, and Root Notes every 4 days. Most recently, Piano Tree was updated on October 13, 2026 and Root Notes on October 14, 2026.

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