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Education · head to head

Lightspeed Systems vs Simply Piano

Lightspeed Systems logo

Lightspeed Systems

Education

Filtering, classroom management and student safety monitoring for K-12 device fleets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simply Piano logo

Simply Piano

Education

Piano-only learning app from JoyTunes using microphone listening, no MIDI keyboard required

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Simply Piano has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lightspeed Systems no module has published pricing, so districts cannot benchmark a quote without running a formal procurement, and the eventual figure depends heavily on which co-operative contract they buy through.; 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: Lightspeed Systems covers Filter, 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 Lightspeed Systems and Simply Piano actually diverge.

Attributes where Lightspeed Systems and Simply Piano differ
AttributeLightspeed SystemsSimply Piano
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per year or month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows, macOSiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: 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 Lightspeed Systems

  • Filter
  • Alert
  • Classroom
  • Insight
  • Signal
  • MDM
  • StopIt
  • Hall Monitor

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.

Lightspeed Systems

  • A district with 15,000 take-home Chromebooks that needs filtering to follow the device onto home and public networksnot Simply Piano
  • A technology director being asked to justify the edtech budget, who can use app usage data to cancel licences nobody opensnot Simply Piano
  • A school board that has agreed to safety monitoring but has no staff able to respond to alerts at night, and so buys the human review servicenot Simply Piano
  • A one-to-one iPad rollout wanting device enrolment, filtering and teacher screen control from one vendornot Simply Piano

Simply Piano

  • A complete beginner who owns an acoustic piano and wants structured lessons without a MIDI connectionnot Lightspeed Systems
  • A parent choosing a self-guided piano app for a child who does not yet take private lessonsnot Lightspeed Systems
  • Someone who wants heavily song-driven practice using popular music rather than only classical exercisesnot Lightspeed Systems
  • A household deciding between this and Flowkey based on trial experience and song catalogue fitnot Lightspeed Systems

Where each one falls short

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

Lightspeed Systems

  • No module has published pricing, so districts cannot benchmark a quote without running a formal procurement, and the eventual figure depends heavily on which co-operative contract they buy through.
  • Alert detection and the 24/7 human review that makes it actionable are priced separately, so a district that budgets for Alert alone ends up owning the overnight triage burden itself.
  • The agent model means coverage stops at the managed device, and students moving to a personal phone on mobile data are outside filtering and monitoring entirely, which undercuts the compliance claim in the exact scenario administrators worry about.
  • Teacher screen monitoring is frequently deployed without training, and lessons stall while staff learn the interface, so the first term of a Classroom rollout often produces complaints rather than the intended benefit.
  • Buying eight modules from one vendor makes renewal a single high-value negotiation with no partial leverage, and districts locked into a multi-year co-operative contract cannot easily drop a module that underperforms.

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

Lightspeed Systems

On request
  • Lightspeed Filter$undefined/year
    • Device-level content filtering on and off network
    • YouTube and social media policy controls
    • Quoted per student device per year
  • Lightspeed Alert$undefined/year
    • Safety signal detection
    • 24/7 human review sold as an additional service
    • Quoted
  • Lightspeed Classroom, Insight, Signal, MDM, StopIt and Hall Monitor$undefined/year
    • Each sold as a separate per-student module
    • Quoted, commonly bundled

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 Lightspeed Systems if

  • You need filter.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want alert.
Lightspeed Systems review

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.
Simply Piano review

Questions people ask

Is Lightspeed Systems or Simply Piano better?
Neither clearly leads. Lightspeed Systems starts at On request and Simply Piano at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lightspeed Systems or Simply Piano?
Simply Piano has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Lightspeed Systems and Free for Simply Piano.
Does Lightspeed Systems or Simply Piano run on more platforms?
Lightspeed Systems runs on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows, macOS. Simply Piano runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Simply Piano for free?
Yes. Simply Piano has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lightspeed Systems starts at On request.
What is Lightspeed Systems best used for?
Lightspeed Systems is most often used for a district with 15,000 take-home chromebooks that needs filtering to follow the device onto home and public networks, a technology director being asked to justify the edtech budget, who can use app usage data to cancel licences nobody opens, a school board that has agreed to safety monitoring but has no staff able to respond to alerts at night, and so buys the human review service, a one-to-one ipad rollout wanting device enrolment, filtering and teacher screen control from one vendor. Of those, a district with 15,000 take-home chromebooks that needs filtering to follow the device onto home and public networks and a technology director being asked to justify the edtech budget, who can use app usage data to cancel licences nobody opens are not what Simply Piano is typically brought in for.
What can Lightspeed Systems do that Simply Piano cannot?
Lightspeed Systems covers Filter, Alert, Classroom, Insight. Simply Piano covers Microphone-based listening, Structured curriculum, Popular song arrangements, Kids mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lightspeed Systems: How much does Lightspeed Filter cost per student?

Lightspeed does not publish rates. Pricing is quoted per student device per year and varies with district size, module mix and which purchasing co-operative contract you buy through.

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.

Lightspeed Systems: Is 24/7 human alert review included with Alert?

No. Alert provides the detection; the staffed round-the-clock review service is an additional purchase, and it is usually what districts actually need.

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.

Lightspeed Systems: Does filtering work when students are at home?

Yes, the agent runs on the device rather than the network, so policy follows the Chromebook or laptop off site.

Simply Piano: Is there a kids version?

Yes, a simplified kids-focused mode and companion product exist for younger learners.

Lightspeed Systems: What does Insight actually do for the budget?

It reports which licensed apps are opened and by whom, which districts use to cancel subscriptions with low usage. It also flags whether an app meets named privacy and accessibility standards.

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