# Pianola vs Deck Lite

The clearest difference is price: Deck Lite at Free against Pianola's $0.99. Deck Lite also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs weekly). Pianola's advantage is chart position (#193 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Deck Lite is free to download; Pianola costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Deck Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Pianola ships an update weekly, Deck Lite every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pianola | Deck Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianola/id6758682682/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deck-lite/id6811968201/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#193** | — |
| Size | 110 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Darrel Farris](https://appshunter.io/developer/956914208) | [Joshua Rideout](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862462443) |

## What reviewers say

### Pianola

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianola/id6758682682)

**Currently charting:** #193 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Deck Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deck-lite/id6811968201)

This app provides a streamlined interface for loading and playing AUv3 audio plugins on iOS devices. It features a card-based browser for easy plugin selection and adaptable controls for different screen sizes and orientations.

**Highlights:** AUv3 plugin hosting, Card browser for plugins, Adaptable interface for screen size, Keyboard and controller support, MIDI controller integration, Live audio processing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pianola free?

Pianola costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Deck Lite free?

Deck Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pianola or Deck Lite?

Deck Lite is rated higher. Pianola averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Deck Lite averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Pianola or Deck Lite have ads?

Neither Pianola nor Deck Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pianola or Deck Lite?

Pianola ships an update weekly, and Deck Lite every 4 days. Most recently, Pianola was updated on October 3, 2026 and Deck Lite on October 11, 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.*