Keyboarding Without Tears vs KORG GEC5 Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Keyboarding Without Tears
This app provides touch-typing practice for K-5 students using a game-based curriculum. Licensed users can log in to access assigned activities and develop essential computer skills. An educator account is required for access.
- Game-based touch-typing activities
- Pre-keyboarding lessons
- Developmentally appropriate lessons
- Online progress monitoring
- Digital citizenship training
- Cross-curricular connections
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Access the Keyboarding Without Tears K-5 student curriculum. This app is available for licensed students of Keyboarding Without Tears web-based program and serve as a companion app for touch-typing practice on mobile devices. Students can login and access their Keyboarding Without Tears activities assigned to them by their educator. An existing educator account in +Live Insights educator dashboard is required to access the app. The Keyboarding Without Tears K-5 curriculum features: • Effective, game-based activities • Pre-keyboarding and touch-typing lessons • Developmentally appropriate lessons by grade • Easy online progress monitoring • Digital citizenship and general computer readiness activities • Strong English Language & Arts and other Cross-Curricular connections
KORG GEC5 Controller
This software provides a comprehensive system for group instruction in music, language, or technology labs. It offers flexible modes for lectures, individual practice with teacher eavesdropping, and collaborative group work, enhancing classroom efficiency and engagement.
- Multiple practice and instruction modes
- Fully-digital stereo sound
- Intuitive software user interface
- Flexible audio routing
- Open curriculum compatibility
- Lecture, Practice, and Group modes
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GEC5 Lab System Controller The Korg Group Education Controller (GEC5) represents the most advanced system in group instruction technology. With an intuitive, easy-to-use software user interface, multiple practice and instruction modes, fully-digital stereo sound - the Korg GEC5 Lab System will take any music, language or technology lab to a new level of high efficiency and create a superior classroom experience. The advanced, yet easy-to-use audio routing in the GEC5 is compatible with any digital audio signal, so get creative and build a room with any combination of electronic instruments including digital pianos, guitars, synthesizers, and even MIDI-controlled software instruments. Want to do even more? Integrate computers with your lab and take learning to a new level of excitement and capability. Unlike other systems, the Korg GEC5 is completely open and allows you to use any curriculum that suits your classroom best. The sky is the limit! For over 20 years Korg has worked extensively with educators all over the world with overwhelming success in thousands of music, language and technology labs. This expertise in educational technology has led to the development of the Korg GEC5 Lab System - the most user-friendly, flexible and powerful lab control system available. Software Control Application MULTIPLE MODES MEAN FLEXIBILITY There are three main modes of GEC5 operation. Each of these can be selected within the software interface at the teacher’s station: Lecture Mode: Present material and instruction in a lecture format. All students hear the teacher’s microphone and instrument or computer allowing for a captive and quiet audience. - Tap the Student Instrument/Student Stations button and allow the students to play along. - Tap and hold to exclude a student from the lecture for independent work. - Double tap to bring a student into the lecture for comments or questions. Practice Mode: Practice mode is used when the students are working independently. Each student hears only his or her own instrument or computer. In Practice Mode, the teacher has the option of “eavesdropping” on the student and initiating 2 way communication with the student for individualized instruction. - Double-tap to eavesdrop, double-tap again to talk - Tap All Call to call attention to the group - Single tap to clear eavesdrop - Performance Mode allows the teacher to hear all of the students and their instruments at the same time while each student can only hear themselves, their instrument and the teacher’s audio. Group Mode: This mode is used when students are working together in groups (two or more student workstations in any conceivable configuration). Each student in a group can hear his or her own instrument as well as the instruments or computer and microphone of the other members of their group. - Tap and hold to select students to put in a group, then select New Group - Recall Auto Group Presets - Make your own custom presets for each class *This app must be used with the GEC5 hardware system available from an authorized Korg Dealer. http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/gec5/index.php
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: KORG GEC5 Controller at 5.0 against Keyboarding Without Tears's 3.7. KORG GEC5 Controller also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 4%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Keyboarding Without Tears's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
KORG GEC5 Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of Keyboarding Without Tears's written reviews are positive against 25% of KORG GEC5 Controller's.
Keyboarding Without Tears ships an update every 2 months, KORG GEC5 Controller every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Keyboarding Without Tears | KORG GEC5 Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 4.1% of reviews | 25.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 11 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Handwriting Without Tears & Get Set for School | KORG INC. |
Customer experience
Keyboarding Without Tears
KORG GEC5 Controller
Bugs and requests
Keyboarding Without Tears
Reported bugs
10 issues- App crashes frequently
- App freezes during use
- External keyboards are not recognized
- Progress is deleted without warning
- Puzzle pieces do not work correctly
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- Screen does not rotate
- No sound after sign-in
- Login issues (PIN required, invalid email)
- Inconsistent skipping of review content
- Grammar errors in the app
Requested features
11 requests- Make the app more fun and engaging
- Fix the keyboard recognition issue
- Improve app performance and stability
- Allow skipping of review content
- Ensure puzzle pieces work correctly
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- Fix screen rotation issues
- Add sound to tutorials and lessons
- Clarify PIN/license requirements
- Make the app available to the general public
- Improve grammar and spelling
- Use the default iOS keyboard
KORG GEC5 Controller
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Keyboarding Without Tears
No in-app purchases
KORG GEC5 Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Keyboarding Without Tears free?
Is KORG GEC5 Controller free?
Which has better reviews, Keyboarding Without Tears or KORG GEC5 Controller?
Do Keyboarding Without Tears or KORG GEC5 Controller have ads?
Which is updated more often, Keyboarding Without Tears or KORG GEC5 Controller?
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