Report updated Apr 5, 2026
Synthesia
v10.9.2Aspiring piano players of all skill levels who want to learn songs quickly without the barrier of traditional sheet music reading.
What Is Synthesia?
Launched Dec 10, 2012
Updated Feb 2023
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
What are the key features?
Visual learning interface that displays notes falling onto a virtual piano keyboard
Connects to external digital pianos to provide real-time feedback and play-along capabilities
Interactive mode that pauses the song until the user hits the correct note
Compatible with hardware keyboards that feature built-in note illumination
Built-in tool to record and save user performances
Allows users to toggle between traditional sheet music and falling note blocks
What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
“Recent user voice shows a excited sentiment. Users appreciate educational value and midi and customization support, but report ui/ux - key size and technical bugs and performance.”
What Users Love
It helps me improve my piano skills
It teaches so well
I love Synthesia as it's great for MIDI files!
I can download other soundfonts too
Pain Points
So I wish these keys were bigger
Hard to play when the Keys are too small
It keeps kicking me out
The midi plays too high or too low notes
High confidence · 49 reviews available
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- Advanced MIDI and lighted keyboard hardware integration
- Unique one-time purchase pricing model
- Support for custom MIDI and soundfont imports
Cons
- Poorly optimized UI for mobile touch targets (small keys)
- Infrequent update cadence (last updated Feb 2023)
- Technical bugs in MIDI playback and app stability
What is the market outlook?
Growth Opportunities
- Redesign mobile interface for better accessibility on small screens
- Capitalize on subscription fatigue in the music ed tech market
- Expand the internal song library to reduce reliance on external files
Market Threats
- Market leader Simply Piano's superior gamification and marketing
- Hardware-specific apps from Casio and ROLI
- Declining app store rankings due to technical debt
Who competes with Synthesia?
The Nemesis
Why it's a threat
- +
Weaker sentiment at 48/100 — but still a direct threat
- +
Higher rated at 4.4★ vs 3.9★
Contenders
Combines proprietary lighted hardware with a falling-note app interface, directly competing with Synthesia’s lighted keyboard integration features.
Hardware-Integrated Learning
A more academically focused contender that uses MIDI connectivity for assessment and tracking progress through a massive song library.
Instant MIDI Feedback
Perfect Piano - Learn to Play
Revontulet Soft Inc
A highly popular utility that mimics Synthesia’s falling note interface and MIDI keyboard support, often used as a free alternative.
A highly popular utility that mimics Synthesia’s falling note interface and MIDI keyboard support, often used as a free alternative.
Peers
MuseScore－Sheet Music & Chords
MuseScore BVBA
The primary source for MIDI files and sheet music that Synthesia users often import into the app for practice.
The primary source for MIDI files and sheet music that Synthesia users often import into the app for practice.
GarageBand
★4.1 (113K)Apple
Includes built-in piano lessons and robust MIDI recording capabilities that overlap with Synthesia's recording features.
Includes built-in piano lessons and robust MIDI recording capabilities that overlap with Synthesia's recording features.
forScore
forScore, LLC
The industry standard for digital sheet music management on iOS, used by the same advanced users who utilize Synthesia's notation view.
The industry standard for digital sheet music management on iOS, used by the same advanced users who utilize Synthesia's notation view.
What are the key takeaways?
Synthesia is a exciting music app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 3.9/5 rating from 3.5K reviews, it excites its users from users. Users particularly appreciate educational value, though ui/ux - key size remains a common concern.
Best for: Aspiring piano players of all skill levels who want to learn songs quickly without the barrier of traditional sheet music reading.
How much does it cost?
Model: freemium
Strong anti-subscription positioning; uses a one-time 'unlock' fee to appeal to users wary of recurring monthly costs.
iOS Version
10.9.2
Release Date
Dec 10, 2012
iOS Price
Free