Education · head to head
Elevate vs Simply Piano
Elevate
Education
Cognitive skills training app from Elevate Labs covering reading, writing, maths and speaking games
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Simply Piano
Education
Piano-only learning app from JoyTunes using microphone listening, no MIDI keyboard required
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.; Simply Piano microphone-based note detection is less precise than MIDI input for fast or dense passages, so advanced players eventually outgrow its accuracy ceiling.
- They diverge on capability: Elevate covers Daily game sets, Simply Piano covers Microphone-based listening.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Elevate and Simply Piano actually diverge.
| Attribute | Elevate | Simply Piano |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free with a Pro subscription | Per user per year or month |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, 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
- Progress tracking
- Reading and comprehension drills
- Maths and estimation games
- Writing and proofreading games
Only in Simply Piano
- Microphone-based listening
- Structured curriculum
- Popular song arrangements
- Kids mode
- Practice feedback
- Offline practice mode
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 Simply Piano
- Someone preparing for a maths or verbal reasoning assessment who wants low-stakes daily drillsnot Simply Piano
- A user comparing Elevate against Lumosity on whether they want practical skills or abstract cognitive gamesnot Simply Piano
- A buyer wanting to sample the format on the limited free tier before committing to a subscriptionnot Simply Piano
Simply Piano
- A complete beginner who owns an acoustic piano and wants structured lessons without a MIDI connectionnot Elevate
- A parent choosing a self-guided piano app for a child who does not yet take private lessonsnot Elevate
- Someone who wants heavily song-driven practice using popular music rather than only classical exercisesnot Elevate
- A household deciding between this and Flowkey based on trial experience and song catalogue fitnot 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.
Simply Piano
- Microphone-based note detection is less precise than MIDI input for fast or dense passages, so advanced players eventually outgrow its accuracy ceiling.
- Its curriculum is piano only, so anyone wanting to learn a second instrument needs a separate subscription to Yousician or another app.
- The free trial is limited, and meaningful progress requires the paid annual subscription at around $120 a year.
- Background noise and an out-of-tune acoustic piano can degrade the accuracy of the microphone-based scoring.
- It does not go deep into music theory or advanced classical technique, so a serious student will eventually need a human teacher alongside or instead of it.
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
Simply Piano
Free- Simply PianoFree
- Limited introductory lessons
- Premium$119.99/year
- Full lesson path and song library
- Progress tracking
- Family plan options available
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.
Choose Simply Piano if
- You need microphone-based listening.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want structured curriculum.
Questions people ask
- Is Elevate or Simply Piano better?
- Neither clearly leads. Elevate starts at Free and Simply Piano at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Elevate or Simply Piano?
- Elevate starts at Free and Simply Piano at Free.
- Does Elevate or Simply Piano run on more platforms?
- Elevate runs on iOS, Android. Simply Piano 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 Simply Piano is typically brought in for.
- What can Elevate do that Simply Piano cannot?
- Elevate covers Daily game sets, Personalised training plan, Progress tracking, Reading and comprehension drills. Simply Piano covers Microphone-based listening, Structured curriculum, Popular song arrangements, Kids mode.
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.
Simply Piano: Do I need a MIDI keyboard for Simply Piano?
No, it listens through your device microphone and works with any acoustic or digital piano.
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.
Simply Piano: How is it different from Flowkey?
Both use the same microphone-based, piano-only approach; the difference is mainly curriculum style and song catalogue, worth comparing via free trials.
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.
Simply Piano: Is there a kids version?
Yes, a simplified kids-focused mode and companion product exist for younger learners.
Related pages
More on Simply Piano
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