CogNote
CogNote: A low-cost open-source option for scheduling lessons, tracking progress, and supporting families. Ranked #10 of 24 in Music Lesson Scheduling Software by our editors (8.2/10); pricing: Free plan · 30-day trial; best for open-source studios and self-hosters.
At a glance
- Editor score8.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 30-day trial
- Best forOpen-source studios and self-hosters
- Free planYes
- Paid from$5/mo
- Student recordsYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Recurring lessons, attendance, notes, and calendar feeds in one system
- Self-hosted plan includes unlimited students, lessons, and sheet music
- Family portal combines schedules, practice links, and lesson notes
Where it doesn't
- Hosted Free is capped at 5 active students and 5 practice lessons
- Stripe is the listed payment integration
- Feature breadth and integrations are narrower than category leaders
Our verdict on CogNote
CogNote is an open-source studio management suite for individual music teachers and private studios. It covers recurring weekly lesson scheduling, one-tap attendance, student and family records, lesson notes, progress analytics, calendar feeds, quizzes, flashcards, and practice tools. The family portal gives students and families access to schedules, practice links, and notes, while lesson notes can be sent by email and displayed in the portal. It suits teachers who want scheduling and practice administration in one web-based system, particularly those interested in hosted or self-hosted deployment.
Pricing is structured around three plans. Self-hosted costs $0 one-time and includes unlimited students, lessons, and sheet music, with optional use of the teacher’s own Stripe account for tuition and export anytime. Hosted Free costs $0 per month, supports up to 5 active students, includes 5 practice lessons and 5 sheet music items, and keeps sending invoices free. Hosted Pro costs $5 per month with monthly billing and adds unlimited students, lessons, and sheet music, plus the family portal and practice tools. Hosted Free includes a 30-day full trial before continuing as a free plan with soft caps.
The standout value is the combination of operational records and student practice features: attendance, progress analytics, calendar feeds with automatic cancellation removal, quizzes, and flashcards extend beyond basic lesson booking. Teachers can also export or switch to self-hosting from Hosted Pro. The trade-off is a narrower integration and ecosystem profile, with Stripe listed for payments. Teachers who need affordable scheduling, family communication, and practice administration should consider CogNote; studios seeking broader integrations or a larger platform ecosystem should compare alternatives.
Questions about CogNote
Does CogNote have a free plan? Yes: the Self-hosted plan is free; paid plans start at $5/mo (Hosted Pro).
Is there a free trial of CogNote? Yes: a 30-day free trial.
What does CogNote run on? Web. It runs in the cloud and self-hosted.
What does CogNote integrate with? 1 integration: Stripe.
Who is CogNote built for? Solo users and small businesses (our editorial estimate).
Your product? Our editors can test CogNote in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
CogNote pricing
All 3 CogNote plans and prices →
CogNote fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $5/mo |
| Student records | Yes |
| Recurring lessons | Yes |
| Attendance tracking | Yes |
| Online payments | Yes |
| Student portal | Yes |
| Calendar sync | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 1 integrations: Stripe |
| Pricing | Free plan · 30-day trial (source) |
| Website | cognote.studio |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
CogNote integrations
CogNote lists 1 integrations on its own site.
- Stripe
Alternatives to CogNote
- TrioA low-cost toolkit covering scheduling, payments, portals, practice, and studio communication.9.4
- GroovConnectA free music-school system covering scheduling, billing, attendance, and reporting.9.2
- AdagioA low-cost, mobile-friendly hub for lessons, practice, billing, and communication.9.0
See all CogNote alternatives →
Also Ranked In
CogNote is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
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