Flowkey is one of the most popular piano apps in the world — and for good reason. But "popular" doesn't automatically mean "right for you". We build Notimo, so read this with that in mind; we'll still be fair, because pretending Flowkey is bad would be silly. It isn't.
Here's the honest comparison.
TL;DR
- You want to play your favorite songs as fast as possible → Flowkey. Its song library is the star.
- You want to actually read sheet music — so you can open any score and play it → Notimo. Sight-reading is the whole product.
- You have a MIDI keyboard and hate installing software → Notimo runs entirely in the browser, with USB and Bluetooth MIDI.
- You want video lessons from a filmed teacher → Flowkey.
The core difference: following vs. reading
Flowkey's learning model: a video of hands plays above scrolling notation, and a wait mode pauses until you hit the right key. It's a brilliant way to reproduce songs — you imitate what you see, and it feels great fast.
The catch: many long-time Flowkey users can play a dozen songs but still can't read an unfamiliar sheet. The skill being trained is following along, not reading.
Notimo flips this. Every mode — the 245-level path, the sight-reading test with a score, the daily 2-minute sprint — trains one thing: you see a note, you know what it is, you play it. Progress is slower per song at the start, and dramatically faster for every piece you ever learn afterwards.
Feature comparison
| Notimo | Flowkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Read music fluently (sight-reading) | Play songs from a library |
| Learning path | 245 structured levels + graded sight-reading test | Courses + song tutorials |
| Song library | Smaller, curated (149 songs + import your own MusicXML) | Very large, licensed hits |
| Video teacher | No | Yes (hand videos) |
| Works in browser | Yes — no install, PWA | App-first |
| MIDI keyboard | USB & Bluetooth, in the browser | Yes (in app) |
| Free tier | 15 lessons + sight-reading game + daily challenges | A handful of songs/lessons |
| Import your own sheet music | Yes (MusicXML/MIDI) | No |
| Leagues, streaks, share cards | Yes | Limited |
Pricing
Notimo Pro is €9.99/month billed yearly (or €11.99 monthly), and the free tier is genuinely usable — 15 lessons, the sight-reading game and daily challenges cost nothing. Flowkey is subscription-only for almost all content; check their current pricing, it has historically been in a similar range or higher depending on the plan.
If budget is the deciding factor: start free on both and see which one you open on day five.
Where Flowkey is honestly better
- Song selection. If your goal is "play Bohemian Rhapsody this month", Flowkey's licensed library wins, full stop.
- Video guidance. Seeing real hands play the passage helps some learners a lot.
- Polish across native apps. Flowkey's mobile apps are mature.
Where Notimo is honestly better
- You end up literate. Reading music is the difference between owning ten songs and owning every songbook in the library.
- Browser + MIDI. Plug in a keyboard, open a tab, play. No install, works on any laptop — including school and work machines.
- Import anything. Teacher gave you a PDF's MusicXML? Drop it in and practice it with real-time feedback.
- Measurable progress. A graded sight-reading score you can watch grow beats a "songs completed" counter.
The bottom line
Flowkey is a great song-playing app. Notimo is a music-reading app. Pick the skill you actually want in five years.
Want to test the difference right now? Try the sight-reading trainer free — you'll know within five minutes which camp you're in.
Related reading: Best free piano apps in 2026 · How to read piano sheet music in 30 days · Sight-reading exercises that actually work