The best keyboard for beginners is one with touch-sensitive keys that fits your space. My pick is the Casio CT-S1, a compact 61-key keyboard. But if you can afford it, a weighted 88-key digital piano is a better first instrument for learning piano.
At Online Piano University I teach adults from the first lesson; this is what I recommend to them. It is the same gear my students use for my free 41-lesson course and for my upcoming method book series and its companion app.
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My pick
Casio CT-S1
Casio lists 61 keys with three touch-sensitivity levels (or off), 64-note maximum polyphony, a weight of 4.5 kg without batteries, and power from an AC adaptor or six AA batteries. It is compact, light and enough to start reading and playing.
What is the best keyboard for a beginner?
It depends on what the keyboard is for. If you want to learn piano, the first choice is a weighted digital piano; read digital piano vs keyboard for the reason. If space, travel or budget tier rules that out, a touch-sensitive portable keyboard is a reasonable start, and the list below is what I would choose from.
Which keyboards do I recommend?
Casio CT-S1
Who it is for: A small room, a travel kit, or a first trial.
Casio lists 61 keys and three levels of touch sensitivity, so soft and loud can sound different. It can run on batteries and has a headphone/output jack, which is useful for quiet practice. Bluetooth requires an optional adaptor, per Casio.
Casio Casiotone CT-S300
Who it is for: A beginner who wants a touch-sensitive Casiotone.
Named in the listing for its touch-sensitive keys. Check the maker's page for the full specification before buying.
Yamaha 61 touch-sensitive keys portable keyboard
Who it is for: A beginner who prefers Yamaha.
A 61-key Yamaha portable keyboard, listed with touch-sensitive keys. Check Yamaha's page for the current specification.
Yamaha 61-key portable keyboard with learning tools
Who it is for: A beginner who wants built-in learning aids.
Built-in learning tools can help with note finding. I would not rely on them, since a program cannot see your wrist.
Alesis Melody 61 MK4
Who it is for: The smallest budget tier.
A low-cost 61-key starter keyboard.
M-Audio Keystation 88 MK3
Who it is for: A student who wants 88 keys for apps and software.
An 88-key USB MIDI controller: it makes no sound on its own and needs a computer or tablet. It suits a student who already has apps and wants range.
All of them, and more, are on the keyboards page.
What features matter in a beginner keyboard?
Touch sensitivity. It is what lets soft and loud sound different, the first musical habit I teach. Without it every note sounds the same however hard the finger works. Full-size keys. They teach the hand how far a real keyboard stretches. A headphone jack. Daily practice depends on it. A music rest and a pedal input. Without a pedal input you cannot learn pedal technique. Power: mains, batteries or both.
What matters less: the number of sounds, rhythms, recording gadgets and built-in lessons.
Do I need 61 or 88 keys?
Sixty-one is five octaves and is enough to begin; 88 is the full range and what a real piano has. See 61 vs 76 vs 88 keys for how soon you will hit the limit. If you start on 61, plan on moving to 88 weighted keys within the first year.
Is a keyboard good enough for the free course?
Yes, for the early lessons. Many students begin the free 41-lesson course on whatever they have, and a touch-sensitive keyboard is a perfectly reasonable place to start finding notes, counting and reading. What the keyboard cannot teach is the weight of a real key, so as the pieces grow and your hands strengthen, you will feel the limit. That is the signal to move up to a weighted digital piano, and the sooner you do, the less you will have to unlearn.
What accessories does a keyboard need?
A stand that is stable and the right height, such as the OnStage KT7800+; a bench you can adjust (how to sit); a sustain pedal if the keyboard has an input (the guide); and wired headphones (my picks). A keyboard on a dining table with a dining chair is the most common bad setup I see described.
Should I buy a keyboard bundle?
Bundles are tempting because they include a stand, a bench, headphones and a pedal in one box. Read the contents carefully: the pieces are often the cheapest of their kind, and the bench in particular may not adjust. The Alesis Recital Play 88-key keyboard bundle is in my shop list; check the maker's page for what it includes and its key action before buying. I would rather you chose the keyboard well and added the bench and headphones separately.
Can I record a keyboard to send for feedback?
Yes. Record with a phone or a small recorder like the Zoom H1n (90-degree XY stereo microphones, per Zoom) and send the clip on the feedback page. A clear recording is all I need to hear your touch and rhythm.
Where to go from here
Gear only matters if it gets you playing, so here is the path I would take. First, start the free 41-lesson course: the lessons arrive in order, you set the pace, and it is also the foundation for my upcoming method book series and companion app.
Second, record yourself, even roughly, and send your playing to me for feedback. A teacher hearing your real sound is worth more than any purchase on this page.
Third, if you want a teacher beside you, or you are buying for someone who does, a gift certificate for online piano lessons is the gift that actually produces playing. You can also browse the rest of my picks in the OPU shop.
Where these specs come from
Every specification in this guide was read from the maker's own page. Models and regional versions change, so check the manufacturer page for your exact version before you buy.
Questions adults ask
What is the best keyboard for a beginner?
A touch-sensitive portable keyboard with full-size keys, such as the Casio CT-S1, if space or budget requires it. A weighted 88-key digital piano is better for learning piano.
Is a 61-key keyboard good for learning piano?
It is good for starting out. You will meet its limit within the first year, so plan to move to a weighted 88-key piano.
Do I need touch-sensitive keys?
Yes. Touch sensitivity lets soft and loud sound different, which is the first musical habit a pianist builds.
Can I learn piano from a keyboard's built-in lessons?
They help you find notes but cannot see your wrist or hear your touch. A teacher or the free course is a better guide.
Should I buy a MIDI keyboard to learn piano?
A MIDI controller makes no sound by itself and needs software. It suits students who already use apps, not as a first instrument.