Education · head to head
Flowkey vs PictureThis
Flowkey
Education
Piano learning app with microphone or MIDI listening and a large licensed song catalogue
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
PictureThis
Education
Commercial plant identification app with a short free trial that converts to an annual subscription
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Flowkey has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Flowkey microphone-only users, without a MIDI keyboard, still hit the same accuracy limits as Simply Piano on fast or dense passages.; PictureThis the free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
- They diverge on capability: Flowkey covers Large licensed song library, PictureThis covers Plant identification.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Flowkey and PictureThis actually diverge.
| Attribute | Flowkey | PictureThis |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Per user per year or month | Per year, sold via a short free trial that auto-renews |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android |
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 Flowkey
- Large licensed song library
- MIDI keyboard support
- Microphone listening
- Slow-down and loop tools
- Video lessons
- Progress tracking
Only in PictureThis
- Plant identification
- Disease diagnosis
- Care reminders
- Plant care library
- Toxicity warnings
- My Garden tracking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Flowkey
- An adult returning to piano who wants to work toward specific known songs at a graduated difficultynot PictureThis
- Someone with a MIDI-capable digital keyboard wanting more accurate feedback than microphone listening alonenot PictureThis
- A learner motivated by a large, varied song catalogue rather than a strict beginner curriculumnot PictureThis
- A pianist wanting slow-down and loop tools to work through a specific difficult passage in a real piecenot PictureThis
PictureThis
- A gardener who wants ongoing care reminders and disease diagnosis, not just a one-off identificationnot Flowkey
- Someone willing to pay for a more polished interface than the free nonprofit alternativesnot Flowkey
- A plant owner who wants toxicity warnings for pets and childrennot Flowkey
- A buyer who reads the trial terms carefully and sets a reminder to cancel before it convertsnot Flowkey
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
PictureThis
- The free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
- Cancellation has to be done through App Store or Play Store account settings, not by deleting the app, which catches users off guard.
- It solves the same core identification problem that Seek, PlantNet and Merlin solve for free, so the paid tier is competing against genuinely free options for the same task.
- Care guidance for uncommon or exotic species is criticised as generic rather than specific.
- Being a commercial product from a company that publishes near-identical identification apps for other categories, its plant-specific depth is not obviously deeper than a dedicated botanical tool.
Pricing, plan by plan
Flowkey
Free- FlowkeyFree
- Limited free songs and lessons
- Premium$119.99/year
- Full song library and difficulty arrangements
- MIDI keyboard support
- Progress tracking
PictureThis
On request- PictureThis Annual$39.99/year
- Unlimited plant identifications
- Disease diagnosis
- Care reminders and guides
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose PictureThis if
- You need plant identification.
- You work on iOS, Android.
- You also want disease diagnosis.
Questions people ask
- Is Flowkey or PictureThis better?
- Neither clearly leads. Flowkey starts at Free and PictureThis at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Flowkey or PictureThis?
- Flowkey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flowkey and On request for PictureThis.
- Does Flowkey or PictureThis run on more platforms?
- Flowkey runs on iOS, Android, Web. PictureThis runs on iOS, Android.
- Can I use Flowkey for free?
- Yes. Flowkey has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PictureThis starts at On request.
- What is Flowkey best used for?
- Flowkey is most often used for an adult returning to piano who wants to work toward specific known songs at a graduated difficulty, someone with a midi-capable digital keyboard wanting more accurate feedback than microphone listening alone, a learner motivated by a large, varied song catalogue rather than a strict beginner curriculum, a pianist wanting slow-down and loop tools to work through a specific difficult passage in a real piece. Of those, an adult returning to piano who wants to work toward specific known songs at a graduated difficulty and someone with a midi-capable digital keyboard wanting more accurate feedback than microphone listening alone are not what PictureThis is typically brought in for.
- What can Flowkey do that PictureThis cannot?
- Flowkey covers Large licensed song library, MIDI keyboard support, Microphone listening, Slow-down and loop tools. PictureThis covers Plant identification, Disease diagnosis, Care reminders, Plant care library.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Flowkey: Does Flowkey support MIDI keyboards?
Yes, connecting a MIDI keyboard gives more precise note detection than microphone listening alone.
PictureThis: Is there a free version?
A limited free tier exists with restricted identifications and ads; full use requires the paid subscription.
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.
PictureThis: How long is the free trial and does it auto-renew?
The trial is typically about seven days and auto-renews into the annual subscription unless cancelled beforehand through your App Store or Play Store settings.
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.
PictureThis: Is PictureThis the same as PlantNet or Seek?
No. PlantNet and Seek are free nonprofit identification tools; PictureThis is a commercial subscription product with more built-in care features.
Related pages
More on PictureThis
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