Top 9 Best Digital Pianos Under $500 2023 Reviews

When you think about buying a piano, even an electric one, you probably start bracing yourself for an expensive purchase.

However, this doesn’t need to be the case. Music is for everyone, and that being the case, it follows that instruments should be equally accessible.

Finding a good piano under $500 is possible. Is it easy? No. It takes time, effort, testing, and research. Time, testing, and research that we have already done for you.

We have spent lots of time with keyboards and we know the good from the bad. If you want a good piano for a good price, read on for a list of ten of the best digital pianos under $500.

Top 9 Best Digital Pianos Under $500 To Buy In 2023 Reviews

Name	Keys	Color	Dimensions	Weight
Best Choice Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 52.25 x 11.5 x 6 in	Weight 36 Pounds
Also Great Alesis Coda Pro View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 18 x 9 x 58.9 in	Weight 27 Pounds
Also Great Casio Privia PX160BK View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 11.5 x 52 x 5.5 inches	Weight 24 Pounds
Also Great Yamaha P71 View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 58.2 x 16.1 x 11.7 inches	Weight 21 Pounds
Also Great Alesis Recital View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 3.6 x 11.52 x 50.52 in	Weight 15 Pounds
Also Great Casio 88 Key Digital Piano Bundle - CDP-235CSCB View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 58.5 x 20.5 x 13 inches	Weight 75 Pounds
Also Great Yamaha PSR-EW300 View Price	Keys 76	Color Black	Dimensions 50.3 x 17.3 x 6.9 inches	Weight 17 Pounds
Also Great Artesia PA-88W Digital Piano View Price	Keys 88	Color Black	Dimensions 55 x 14 x 8 inches	Weight 30 Pounds
Also Great RockJam 61-Key Electronic Keyboard SuperKit with Stand, Stool, Headphones & Power Supply View Price	Keys 61	Color Black	Dimensions 35.4 x 9.8 x 5.9 inches	Weight 20 Pounds

1 Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano

We will start with the Yamaha P45. Yamaha is a giant in the instrument industry, for good reason. They make remarkable products, including the option before you today. The P45 is admittedly on the simpler side by their standards but benefits all the same from their competent engineering.

There are two big pros here. The keyboard, and the sound. Let’s start where you will start should you buy this piano.

The keys are weighted comfortable, and attractive. The plastic covers look, feel and play like the real thing. The weighted design will ensure that you can effortlessly transition from digital and acoustic.

The other big benefit that you get here is Yamaha quality sound. Using what they call “AWM” (Advanced Wave Memory) technology, this unit enjoys rich sound quality. The AWM tech ensures that the piano produces a sound quality resembling that of top acoustic options.

We did detect two cons that some users may find irritating. For one thing, the headphone jacks are inconveniently located. If you plan on using headphones you may find the positioning uncomfortable.

We also found that the keys make a feint squeaky noise.

These issues aside, it’s a great piano at a great price.

Our rating: (4.4 / 5)

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2 Alesis Coda Pro

Alesis isn’t nearly as big of a name as Yamaha. However, they do make good stuff, and the Coda Pro is a perfect example of their quality.

One thing that we noticed right of the bat was the voice options. Voice options refer to different sounds that the keyboard can produce. You get twenty here, which empowers you to vastly expand upon the traditional sound of a piano.

As a result, you can appropriate the noise of other instruments, and other tones. You can even combine these tones for a richer sound quality.

It also features the option to play along with 60 pre-recorded songs. This feature gives users the chance to independently learn complicated pieces.

You also get fifty accompaniment patterns for even more versatility.

In terms of issues, we will say that the feel of the keyboard is somewhat disappointing. It definitely does not feel exactly like acoustic. Still, for the other features, and the price, you may be willing to make the compromise.

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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3 Casio Privia PX160BK

Casio is another giant in the piano industry. The Privia PX-160BK is actually one of the most affordable options that we will be looking at today. For the price, it is a great opportunity to benefit from high-quality engineering.

With this option, you get two high-quality speakers and eighteen authentic piano tones. The sound has been optimized to resemble that of a grand concert piano. Is it actually going to sound like that? Probably not. Sound richness of that quality costs money.

However, their efforts at sound engineering greatness do pay off. Like all of the options in the Privia line, this piano sounds great.

Then there is the keyboard. Of course, like most good keyboards, the keys here are weighted. Casio takes things a step farther though and features tri-sensor technology. The hyper keyboard sensitivity ensures that every feint stroke is registered.

We did notice that the sustain pedal you get here isn’t so good. It’s awkward to use and doesn’t quite respond the way that the real thing does.

Our rating: (4.3 / 5)

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4 Yamaha P71

In another entry from Yamaha, we have the P71. This option is moderately priced relative to the range we are looking at and includes many high-quality features.

You get ten voices here, which is good for the price, and you even get the ability to combine them with dual mode.

It also seems to be engineered with the beginner in mind. The interface is easy to use, and the main features can be used with the touch of a single button.

And, of course, you also get the classic Yamaha sound engineering. As they do with all their keyboards, Yamaha has optimized this unit for concert piano level sound quality.

You do, unfortunately, get the same con with this unit that we got from the last Yamaha option. The keys click a little bit which will be irritating for experienced pianists.

Our rating: (4.4 / 5)

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5 Alesis Recital

Next, we have another option from Alesis. This piano is actually the most affordable option that we have seen so far, making it a good choice for the budget buyer.

This is going to be a good piano for the beginner. Besides being cheap, it is also easy to use.

You get lesson modes built into this keyboard which will help you to learn the instrument from home. It also features many features you would expect from any good keyboard. It comes with ten voice tones, weighted keys, and rich sound quality for the price.

You even get three months of free digital piano lessons with this keyboard.

In short, for the beginner, there is plenty to like. On the other hand, if you have more experience you may want to look for something else.

The keyboard doesn’t feel great, and you also do not get any pedals. This being the case, you may need to think about something a little more comprehensive if you are an advanced player.

Our rating: (4 / 5)

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6 Casio 88 Key Digital Piano Bundle – CDP-235CSCB

Here we have a nice bundle that gives you everything you could need out of digital set up. Fair warning: some places this package does retail for slightly over $500. However, even if you do pay that much, you will probably find it well worth it.

This set up comes with the keyboard, the bench, a furniture quality stand, and pedals.

It’s also just a good keyboard. You get 700 tones, 200 rhythms, and 152 easy to learn songs. And, of course (it is a Casio, after all) the sound quality is also just very good.

The biggest con might be the price hurdle. If you are hoping for something on the more affordable side, you aren’t finding it here.

We also found that the stand itself is a little bit fragile. It looks attractive but shows cosmetic wear easily.

That aside, this package is a great way to get everything in one package.

Our rating: (5 / 5)

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7 Yamaha PSR-EW300

This Yamaha unit is going to be great for the buyer looking for as many effects as possible. You get 574 voices 165 styles and 154 preset songs.

You can use these tones, songs, and accompaniments to learn various new songs independently. With that in mind, the EW300 makes for a great beginner keyboard.
It is also on the more affordable end of the price spectrum which will be nice for budget buyers.

There are down sides though. For one thing, you get 76 keys rather than the standard 88.

You also don’t get weighted keys here, which make it hard to adapt to acoustic play should you need to make the transition.

Our rating: (4.2 / 5)

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8 Artesia PA-88W Digital Piano

The Artesia is a basic keyboard, but it does have the benefit of coming with a decent bundle. You get the keyboard, a pedal and a carrying case, all for a very affordable price. It’s compact, lightweight, and it features three high-quality piano tones.

A nice feature given the price is the sensitivity of the keys. They are optimized to be very responsive to the precise strokes that you apply to the keyboard.

The three layered sound engineering produces surprisingly rich tones for a piano of this price range. It’s also very sturdy, which will be good if you intend to transport it, as the bundled carrying case allows for.

Of course, there are issues. For one thing, the keyboard interface isn’t quite what you would hope for. While the keys are weighted (semi-weighted, actually) they don’t feel anything like an acoustic unit.

The onboard sound is also pretty mediocre. For best results with practicing, you will probably want to consider headphones.

These issues may seem discouraging. However, considering what you get with the package, there is plenty of value to the PA-88W. It is a decent piano at a great price.

Our rating: (3.7 / 5)

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9 RockJam 61-Key Electronic Keyboard SuperKit with Stand, Stool, Headphones & Power Supply

We end with the most affordable option on the list. If you are on a tight budget, you will probably like what you see in the RockJam Superkit. For a low price, you get a stand, a stool, headphones, and a power supply system.

It even features an LCD screen for keen viewing on various songs. The keyboard comes with one hundred different sounds, one hundred different rhythms, and fifty demo songs that will help you learn new songs on your own.

It’s also loaded with a number of beginner friendly features. You get thirty free songs on the Simply Piano App, and you also get “face to face,” digital lessons for two months.

Buyers looking to independently learn the piano for an affordable price have plenty to like here. That said, there are certainly noteworthy cons.

For one thing, you only get sixty one keys, rather than the standard eighty eight.

The key board also is not touch sensitive. This means that it will play at the same volume regardless of how hard you play.

The tech is very oriented around tones, and learning aids. However, the RockJam certainly has not been made with the experienced pianist in mind.

Our rating: (4 / 5)

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Buying Guide For Best Digital Pianos Under $500

You’ve read the reviews, but perhaps you still are not entirely sure which option is for you. That is perfectly understandable. This is a big purchase, and there are lots of factors that go into selecting a digital piano.

If you are new to the piano buying game, or could just use a refresher, here are a few buying tips that should help.

Weighted Keys

Keyboard quality is key. Even if you are buying this piano for a beginner, you are going to want to get something with the best keyboard interface that you can get.

Why? Because all acoustic pianos feature heavy, weighted keys. This is the golden standard of pianos, and it is a quality that digital keyboards should do well to replicate.

Weighted keys will help you add nuance to your playing. They will also help you to adapt to acoustic pianos if and when you end up playing them.

If playing the piano is something that you do/will take seriously, the ability to play on an acoustic is a true must. Weighted keys are going to help make switching between digital and acoustic as effortless as possible.

Speakers

Most keyboards are going to come with between two and four speakers. The more that you can get, the better. An acoustic piano isn’t going to have any trouble at all filling a home with music. A keyboard on the other hand can be a little bit hit and miss.

The job of the onboard keyboard speakers is ostensibly to do the same thing, but that doesn’t always happen.

Four speakers should get the job done nicely. Two will be fine if they are good. When the speaker situation isn’t perfect, you may need to think about investing in external amplifiers. Headphones can also help.

Sound Effects

Keyboards often also feature a variety of sound effects, tones, and instrument voices. These features though not necessary to the strict pianist, can enhance your playing, and just be fun.

Keyboards on this end of the price spectrum don’t often feature loads of sound effects. However, there certainly are options available if this is a feature that is important to you.

Naturally, most keyboards under $500 are going to be more of the tabletop variety. However, you can get something with a basic stand by spending a little bit more money.

Space

Digital pianos can be sized to fit on a table top, or they can even be statement furniture pieces. Depending on your needs, you may favor one design over the other.

If you are living in a cramped house or apartment, the table top version will be for you. On the other hand, if you are trying to fill a space, you may want to go with a furniture-oriented piece.

Experience Level

Some keyboards are made with the beginner in mind. For example, you probably noticed that some keyboards even came with free lessons. Features like this are going to be great if you are just starting out.

However, if you are more experienced, these keyboards probably are not for you. Instead, look for something with responsive keys, and high quality sounds. The ultimate objective of serious players should be to get something that resembles acoustic pianos.

Conclusion

As you can see, getting a good piano for a great price is absolutely possible. The options that we have featured today are all good pianos for people of a variety of needs.

We did most of the work for you here. All that is left to be done is to identify needs, weigh them against the features of the options presented today, and make your choice. You will be glad you did when you enjoy a house filled with beautiful music at an affordable price.