MusicDesk vs Trio
MusicDesk
musicdesk.io
Trio
musicaltrio.comSide by side
| Figure | MusicDesk | Trio |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $14.99/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Music School Software | 8.1 (#8) | 7.3 (#16) |
| Spec score · Music Lesson Scheduling Software | 8.0 (#13) | 7.3 (#21) |
| Billing | MusicDesk supports recurring monthly family subscriptions and accepts major credit cards through Stripe. | Trio supports itemized family invoices, card and bank payments, autopay, and payment processing through Stripe; online payments require Pro or Max. |
| Scheduling | It supports one-on-one and group lessons, attendance tracking, lesson notes, substitute teachers, and teacher-specific schedules. | Features include recurring and group lessons, family self-booking, makeup credits, and calendar feeds for Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook. |
| Security | The privacy policy describes HTTPS/TLS traffic encryption, encryption at rest where supported by providers, hashed passwords, and role-based access controls. | Trio states that it uses TLS encryption in transit, database row-level security, access controls, audit logs for administrative actions, and magic-link, SMS-code, or passkey authentication. |
| Support | Email support is included for all users, and the FAQ says phone and video support are in the works. | Free includes the help center and Ask Trio; Pro includes ticket support with a one-business-day target, and Max includes priority support with a four-hour target. |
Plans
In their own words
MusicDesk
MusicDesk provides student management, scheduling, and billing tools for music teachers and schools. It supports one-on-one and group lessons, attendance tracking, lesson notes, substitute teachers, and teacher-specific schedules. Schools can bulk-import students, manage family contacts, assign students to teachers, and store notes and files. Families can view upcoming lessons in a portal, cancel within the school's notice window, and book makeups when enabled. Recurring monthly family subscriptions and major credit card payments are supported through Stripe. The service also supports instrument rentals and estimates teacher pay from lessons taught and attendance, using hourly or lesson-type rates; timesheets can be exported to CSV. MusicDesk runs in a browser on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, but has no separate iOS or Android app. Its plan costs $14.99 per month for one team member, with each additional teacher or admin adding $4.99 per month. New accounts receive 30 days of full-feature access without a credit card, and subscriptions can be changed or canceled anytime.
Trio
Trio is a web service for music teachers and studios to manage scheduling, billing, student learning, and family communication. Teachers can create recurring or group lessons, allow family self-booking, manage makeup credits, and publish calendar feeds for Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook. Families receive a portal for schedules, invoices, and practice assignments. Billing supports itemized invoices, card and bank payments, autopay, and Stripe processing; online payments require Pro or Max. Students can use assignments, streaks, badges, reminders, practice-video uploads, and a repertoire library. AI features compile lesson notes, answer questions through Ask Trio, draft messages, and import library material; teachers approve generated notes before saving. Max adds MCP connections for external AI assistants. Trio says it uses encryption, access controls, audit logs, and several sign-in methods. Plans are Free, Pro at $5 per month, and Max at $20 per month.