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Education · head to head

Elevate vs Flowkey

Elevate logo

Elevate

Education

Cognitive skills training app from Elevate Labs covering reading, writing, maths and speaking games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flowkey logo

Flowkey

Education

Piano learning app with microphone or MIDI listening and a large licensed song catalogue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Elevate the free tier limits daily games enough that the personalised programme the app is designed around is effectively a paid-only feature.; Flowkey microphone-only users, without a MIDI keyboard, still hit the same accuracy limits as Simply Piano on fast or dense passages.
  • They diverge on capability: Elevate covers Daily game sets, Flowkey covers Large licensed song library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Elevate and Flowkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Elevate and Flowkey differ
AttributeElevateFlowkey
Pricing modelFree with a Pro subscriptionPer user per year or month
PlatformsiOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Elevate

  • Daily game sets
  • Personalised training plan
  • Reading and comprehension drills
  • Maths and estimation games
  • Writing and proofreading games

Only in Flowkey

  • Large licensed song library
  • MIDI keyboard support
  • Microphone listening
  • Slow-down and loop tools
  • Video lessons

Both cover

  • Progress tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Elevate

  • An adult wanting short daily practice on workplace writing and proofreading skillsnot Flowkey
  • Someone preparing for a maths or verbal reasoning assessment who wants low-stakes daily drillsnot Flowkey
  • A user comparing Elevate against Lumosity on whether they want practical skills or abstract cognitive gamesnot Flowkey
  • A buyer wanting to sample the format on the limited free tier before committing to a subscriptionnot Flowkey

Flowkey

  • An adult returning to piano who wants to work toward specific known songs at a graduated difficultynot Elevate
  • Someone with a MIDI-capable digital keyboard wanting more accurate feedback than microphone listening alonenot Elevate
  • A learner motivated by a large, varied song catalogue rather than a strict beginner curriculumnot Elevate
  • A pianist wanting slow-down and loop tools to work through a specific difficult passage in a real piecenot Elevate

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Elevate

  • The free tier limits daily games enough that the personalised programme the app is designed around is effectively a paid-only feature.
  • As with the brain training category generally, evidence that improved performance on Elevate specific games transfers to broader real-world cognitive or task performance is weaker than marketing framing implies.
  • The annual subscription auto-renews and, as with most mobile subscriptions, must be cancelled through app store settings rather than inside the app itself.
  • Game variety within each skill category is finite, and long-term daily users report the exercises becoming repetitive after extended use.
  • It does not replace structured instruction for skills like reading comprehension or maths where a genuine foundational gap exists; it is practice and drilling rather than teaching from first principles.

Flowkey

  • Microphone-only users, without a MIDI keyboard, still hit the same accuracy limits as Simply Piano on fast or dense passages.
  • Its curriculum is less structured around fundamentals than Simply Piano for a complete beginner with no prior reading ability.
  • It is piano only, so a household wanting to cover guitar or other instruments needs a separate subscription elsewhere.
  • The song licensing model means catalogue availability can shift over time as licences change, occasionally removing a previously available arrangement.
  • Full benefit of its more precise feedback mode requires owning a MIDI-capable keyboard, which is an additional cost beyond the subscription for anyone with only an acoustic piano.

Pricing, plan by plan

Elevate

Free
  • Elevate Pro$9.99/month
    • Free tier gives a limited number of games per day
    • Pro unlocks the full game library and personalised training plan
    • Annual Pro plans typically run $44.99 to $59.99, cheaper per month than monthly billing

Flowkey

Free
  • FlowkeyFree
    • Limited free songs and lessons
  • Premium$119.99/year
    • Full song library and difficulty arrangements
    • MIDI keyboard support
    • Progress tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Elevate if

  • You need daily game sets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want personalised training plan.
Elevate review

Choose Flowkey if

  • You need large licensed song library.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want midi keyboard support.
Flowkey review

Questions people ask

Is Elevate or Flowkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Elevate starts at Free and Flowkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Elevate or Flowkey?
Elevate starts at Free and Flowkey at Free.
Does Elevate or Flowkey run on more platforms?
Elevate runs on iOS, Android. Flowkey runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Elevate for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Elevate best used for?
Elevate is most often used for an adult wanting short daily practice on workplace writing and proofreading skills, someone preparing for a maths or verbal reasoning assessment who wants low-stakes daily drills, a user comparing elevate against lumosity on whether they want practical skills or abstract cognitive games, a buyer wanting to sample the format on the limited free tier before committing to a subscription. Of those, an adult wanting short daily practice on workplace writing and proofreading skills and someone preparing for a maths or verbal reasoning assessment who wants low-stakes daily drills are not what Flowkey is typically brought in for.
What can Elevate do that Flowkey cannot?
Elevate covers Daily game sets, Personalised training plan, Reading and comprehension drills, Maths and estimation games. Flowkey covers Large licensed song library, MIDI keyboard support, Microphone listening, Slow-down and loop tools. Both handle Progress tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elevate: Is Elevate free?

A limited number of games per day are free. The full library, personalised training plan and progress tracking require Elevate Pro.

Flowkey: Does Flowkey support MIDI keyboards?

Yes, connecting a MIDI keyboard gives more precise note detection than microphone listening alone.

Elevate: Does Elevate improve real-world cognitive ability?

It reliably improves performance on the specific games practised. Evidence that this transfers broadly to real-world cognitive or task performance is limited, consistent with the brain training category generally.

Flowkey: How is it different from Simply Piano?

Flowkey emphasises a large licensed song catalogue with graduated arrangements, while Simply Piano leans more into a structured beginner curriculum.

Elevate: How is Elevate different from Lumosity?

Elevate focuses on practical skills such as reading, writing and workplace maths, while Lumosity is built around broader abstract memory, attention and reasoning games.

Flowkey: Do I need a MIDI keyboard to use it?

No, microphone listening works with any piano, but MIDI support improves accuracy if you have compatible hardware.

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