Comparison

DiskPiano vs Pianola

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

Head to head
About

DiskPiano

Transform your Disklavier, PianoDisc, or QRS piano into a self-playing instrument. Access a vast library of over 10,000 hours of piano music, updated daily, with smart discovery and performance controls. Connect easily via USB or Bluetooth.

Highlights
  • Transforms acoustic pianos into self-playing instruments
  • Vast library of 10,000+ hours of piano music
  • Daily updates with new arrangements
  • Smart discovery by artist, song, or genre
  • Adjust tempo, transpose, pause, and skip songs
  • USB and Bluetooth MIDI connectivity
  • Compatible with Yamaha, PianoDisc, QRS, and Steinway pianos
Features
Read full description

DiskPiano: The Ultimate App for Self-Playing Pianos — Experience your piano come alive DiskPiano transforms your Yamaha Disklavier, PianoDisc, or QRS Piano into a living concert instrument that performs thousands of songs, from timeless classics to today’s biggest hits. — 10,000+ Hours of Piano Music - Updated Daily Access a vast, ever-growing library of piano performances. Enjoy a wide range of piano music, from movie-inspired themes and modern hits to romantic melodies, jazz, and classical-style pieces. New original arrangements and performances are added daily by our team of professional pianists and in-house producers. — Smart Discovery Browse by artist, song, or genre, or explore curated stations such as New Releases, TV & Movies, Anime & Asian Vibes, Kids & Family, Candlelight Romance, Christmas, Halloween, and more. — Smart Performance Control Pause, skip, change tempo, or transpose any song, while everything stays synchronized with your real piano’s performance. — Easy Connection: USB or Bluetooth Choose your preferred setup: - USB-MIDI (recommended) for best stability and instant response. Works with any USB-Type-C MIDI interface (around $25 on Amazon). - Bluetooth-MIDI for quick wireless control, compatible with Yamaha MD-BT01 and CME WIDI Master adapters. USB offers the most reliable performance for long sessions, while Bluetooth is perfect for fast, cable-free use. — Compatible Pianos and Keyboards Yamaha • Disklavier Mark II / III / IV • Disklavier e3 Series • DKC-800 / DKC-850 (controllers) • Disklavier ENSPIRE (latest generation) PianoDisc • Prodigy (Bluetooth MIDI and audio) • iQ (analog input) • CD-only models (via AirPlay or Bluetooth) • PDS128+ / PDS228 modules QRS • Pianomation II • PNOmation III (Wi-Fi enabled) Steinway & Sons • Spirio • Spirio | r (record-capable) Also works with digital pianos like: • Roland FP / RD / LX / HP Series • Kawai CN / CA / ES Series • Casio Privia Series • Nord, Korg, Kurzweil MIDI-capable keyboards Bring your piano to life, instantly. With DiskPiano, your instrument becomes a limitless music library of living performances, always expanding and always in tune with your mood. — Subscription Options Enjoy 15 minutes of free play every day. Unlock unlimited access with a monthly or yearly subscription. Unlock unlimited access with a monthly or yearly subscription. — Ready to Elevate Your Piano? Unlock all features starting at the selected subscription price. – Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation – Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period – Manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings – Help: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 Privacy Policy: https://diskpiano.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ — Fully Licensed Music All performances on DiskPiano are licensed through recognized rights organizations (such as ASCAP) and include in-house productions, purchased arrangements, and public-domain recordings. All titles are cleared for use within the app. If any copyright concern is raised, we will take immediate steps to review, correct, or remove the material.

About

Pianola

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
Read full description

Pianola transforms your MIDI-capable piano into an effortless musical experience. Whether you have a digital piano or an acoustic piano outfitted with a PianoDisc, QRS PNOmation, or Yamaha Disklavier system, Pianola makes playing your favorite songs as easy as do-re-mi. Connect iPhone or iPad to your piano wirelessly via Bluetooth or with a USB MIDI adapter, browse your MIDI file collection, and let the music play! Key Features • Wireless Bluetooth MIDI — Connect to any BLE-MIDI compatible device with a single tap. • USB MIDI Support — Connect using a USB to MIDI adapter or a USB OTG cable on supported devices. • Simple Library Management — Browse MIDI files from your device, iCloud, or network storage. Create playlists to organize your music. • Tempo Control — Speed up or slow down playback. • Velocity Curves — Fine-tune the dynamics to suit your piano and room acoustics. • Pitch Adjustment — Transpose playback in real-time. Great for vocalists who want to sing along. • Background Playback — Music keeps playing while you use other apps. • Ready to Play — Includes a MIDI library to get the party started. Designed for Everyone Pianola offers an interface that feels familiar and intuitive. Large, clear controls. No hidden menus. No overwhelming options. Just the features you need, right where you expect them. Transform your piano into the jukebox it was meant to be!

Screenshots

DiskPiano4 screens
Pianola4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: DiskPiano at Free against Pianola's $0.99. DiskPiano also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (16 vs 1). Pianola's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

DiskPiano is free to download; Pianola costs $0.99 up front. DiskPiano sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Pianola asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DiskPiano holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DiskPiano has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DiskPiano ships an update every 4 days, Pianola weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
DiskPiano versus Pianola: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiskPianoPianola
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.9 (16 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB110 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperLudovic LecerfDarrel Farris

Customer experience

DiskPiano

All ratings16 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pianola

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

DiskPiano

Subscriptions2
  • DiskPiano Monthly$19.991 Month
  • DiskPiano Yearly$199.991 Year
None

Pianola

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DiskPiano free?
DiskPiano 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, DiskPiano or Pianola?
DiskPiano is rated higher. DiskPiano averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Pianola averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do DiskPiano or Pianola have ads?
Neither DiskPiano nor Pianola shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DiskPiano or Pianola?
DiskPiano ships an update every 4 days, and Pianola weekly. Most recently, DiskPiano was updated on October 14, 2026 and Pianola on October 19, 2026.

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