How We Rate Piano Apps: The MetaScore Method
Every app on this site gets one number: the MetaScore, a 0–10 composite of public ratings. No sponsored placements. No pay-for-rank. Here is exactly how it is computed — including the parts where the method is weak.
The formula
| Source | Weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| App Store ratings | 25% | Largest verified-user sample; hard to fake at scale |
| Google Play ratings | 25% | Second verified-user sample; catches Android-only sentiment |
| Reddit sentiment | 20% | Unfiltered long-term user opinion (r/piano and related) |
| YouTube reviewer consensus | 15% | Reviewers who actually demonstrate the product |
| Expert review sites | 15% | Structured comparisons with consistent criteria |
Update cadence
Scores and prices are re-verified monthly. Every page carries a "prices verified" date so you can see how fresh the data is. An app that raises prices or ships a bad update will see its score move within a cycle — freshness is the entire point of doing this programmatically instead of by hand.
Limitations — read this part
- We synthesize public ratings; where we've used an app ourselves, we say so. We do not claim hands-on testing we did not do.
- New apps get provisional scores. An app with one or two rating sources (like Piano Player) carries a provisional badge — the number is our best synthesis, not a confident measurement.
- Ratings can be gamed. Developers incentivize reviews; stores host fake ones. Weighting five independent source types dampens this but does not eliminate it.
- Scores are averages, not prescriptions. The top-ranked app is the best bet for the average learner, not for you specifically — use the persona pages and quiz to match your situation.
- Evidence volume matters. We rank conservatively when sources are thin: a 7.9 from 3 sources sits below a 7.9 from 6 sources in our ordering.
Money and independence
This site is reader-supported: we may earn commissions when you buy through our links, and one app (Piano Player) holds a labeled featured-partner slot. No app can pay for a higher MetaScore or a better rank — scores are computed from public data by a fixed formula, and the formula does not take money as an input. Read the full disclosure.
Prices and ratings verified September 27, 2026. How we rate apps.