Play With a Pro
Play With a Pro is a Denmark-based two-sided online marketplace connecting 10,000+ learners with professional musicians for live video music lessons across 30+ instruments. It monetizes via a 20% commission on lessons, masterclass video sales, and institutional subscriptions for academic customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Play With a Pro does
Play With a Pro is an online music education platform founded in 2009 and headquartered in Birkerød, Denmark, operating as a two-sided marketplace that connects individual learners and institutional customers with professional musicians for live one-on-one video lessons across more than 30 instruments (flute, oboe, trumpet, cello, violin, piano, and various vocal styles). The platform's core offering is private lessons with hundreds of vetted teachers who set their own rates, typically $30–$120 per 30–60 minute session, with the company taking a 20% commission on completed transactions. Over time the product surface has broadened to include a library of 200+ hours of pre-recorded masterclass videos featuring 17 world-renowned artists such as Emmanuel Pahud (Principal Flute, Berlin Philharmonic), Ralph Kirshbaum, Maxim Vengerov, and Emmanuel Ax; the Purple Player mobile app for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac; a Branded Version for Schools ($1,780/year base for 20 teacher accounts); an Academic Solution subscription ($990–$1,499/year); and gift cards.
The technology stack centers on a proprietary browser-based video conferencing layer optimized specifically for music instruction, built on TokBox/OpenTok infrastructure, with uncompressed high-bitrate audio transmission, no auto-gain processing, and automatic recording of every lesson for later playback. Hosting and ancillary services are delivered through AWS, Heroku (Salesforce), and Cloudflare, with Stripe handling payment processing, Mailchimp/Mandrill for email, Google Analytics/Ads for marketing analytics, and Wistia for embedded video. The platform requires no software download for students and supports in-browser lessons on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Play With a Pro monetizes through four distinct streams: a 20% take rate on live lessons, one-time video purchases ($29.99–$995 per title or bundle), annual subscriptions for institutional customers, and one-time setup fees for white-label school deployments. Distribution is predominantly product-led and self-serve for individual consumers via the website and mobile apps, complemented by content marketing (blog), organic social (Facebook, Twitter), and direct enterprise sales for institutional products. The company is privately held and founder-owned (Adam Simonsen, a former Royal Danish Orchestra clarinetist educated at Juilliard), incorporated as Playwithapro ApS, with a self-reported community of more than 10,000 musicians globally and no disclosed external funding.
Play With a Pro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Play With a Pro
- Legal name
- Playwithapro ApS
- Website
- https://playwithapro.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Play With a Pro is a Denmark-based two-sided online marketplace connecting 10,000+ learners with professional musicians for live video music lessons across 30+ instruments. It monetizes via a 20% commission on lessons, masterclass video sales, and institutional subscriptions for academic customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Play With a Pro industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Music Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms (EDAMANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Music Education & Practice Software (Ear training, tutors, metronome tools) (MPAIAIAJ), Music & Audio Streaming Platforms (BPAMAJAC)
Keywords
Where Play With a Pro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Play With a Pro business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Lesson Transaction Fees: Play With a Pro charges teachers a 20% commission on completed lessons. Students pay per lesson (30, 45, or 60 minutes) at teacher-set rates. Transfers under $100 incur a $5 administration fee. Transfers over $100 are automatic monthly.
- Recorded Masterclass Videos: Pre-recorded instructional videos from world-renowned artists sold individually or as bundles. Videos cover fundamentals, masterclasses, orchestral studies, and interviews. Range from $29.99 to $995 per video/bundle.
- Academic Solution Subscription: Institutional subscription providing unlimited student access to over 200 hours of video content. Priced at $990/year for institutions or $1,499/year for unlimited access. Includes domain/IP-restricted or seat-based setup.
- Branded Platform for Schools: White-label solution providing schools with branded video conferencing, scheduling, and recording infrastructure. Base price $1,780/year for 20 teacher accounts, with additional teachers at $89/year each. One-time setup fee of $1,000.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Lessons (Student-Paid) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Gift Cards |
| Subscription | Annual | Academic Solution - Institution |
| Subscription | Annual | Academic Solution - Unlimited Access |
| Subscription | Annual | Branded Platform - Base Package |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Branded Platform - Setup Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Video Purchases |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Play With a Pro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Play With a Pro operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects individual students with hundreds of professional musicians and pedagogues for live, one-on-one music lessons delivered through its proprietary browser-based video conferencing platform optimized for music (uncompressed high-bitrate audio, no auto-gain). The platform also distributes an on-demand library of 200+ hours of pre-recorded masterclass videos from world-renowned artists and sells institutional subscriptions (Academic Solution) and a white-label Branded Version for Schools.
Product overview
Play With a Pro is an online music education platform that operates as a two-sided marketplace connecting students with professional musicians for live video lessons. The core product consists of private online music lessons conducted via live video conferencing, supplemented by a library of over 200 hours of pre-recorded masterclass videos featuring world-renowned artists. Additional offerings include a branded platform solution for educational institutions (Branded Version for Schools), institutional video subscriptions (Academic Solution), and gift cards. The platform also offers a mobile app (Purple Player) for streaming and downloading content. Teachers set their own prices for lessons, and the platform facilitates secure payment processing through Stripe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Online Music Lessons Live one-on-one video lessons between individual students and professional musicians/teachers across 30+ instruments and styles; conducted in-browser with music-optimized audio/video, automatically recorded for later playback; lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes at teacher-set rates ($30-$120), paid via credit card with the teacher paid after the successful lesson.
- Masterclass Videos On-demand library of 200+ hours of pre-recorded instructional videos from 17 world-renowned artists and pedagogues including Emmanuel Pahud (Principal Flute, Berlin Philharmonic), Emmanuel Ax, Ralph Kirshbaum and Maxim Vengerov; covers fundamentals, masterclasses, orchestral studies and interviews across 30+ instruments; sold individually ($39.99-$200) or as bundles (Full Pahud Bundle $99.99, All Kirshbaum Cello Lessons $74.99, Trumpet Bundle $199, Mega Bundle $400).
- Branded Version for Schools White-label online music teaching platform for schools and conservatories; includes music-optimized video conferencing, scheduling, recorded lessons, group lessons and broadcasts under the institution's own brand on a custom URL; $1,780/year for up to 20 teacher accounts plus $89/year per additional teacher, plus a one-time $1,000 setup fee covering server setup, school logo, custom copyright and domain-restricted access.
- Academic Solution Institutional subscription giving unlimited student access to 200+ hours of masterclass videos from 17 world-renowned artists, with structured video classes, sheet music materials, multi-device streaming and offline downloads; priced at $990/year for institutions or $1,499/year for unlimited access including future titles, with setup by domain restriction, IP restriction or seat-based access control.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $25, $50 and $100 denominations, redeemable for private online music lessons with any teacher on the platform; a $25 card covers approximately one private online lesson.
- Purple Player App Cross-platform application (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac) for streaming and downloading video content for offline viewing, with access to PDF materials and bonus assets; sold and distributed through Apple App Store and Google Play.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000+ musicians in global community learning from world-class teachers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Play With a Pro
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Play With a Pro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature5 records
Play With a Pro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- StripecoreStripe handles secure payment processing for all lesson transactions and video purchases on the platform. Subject to Stripe User Terms of Service. Enables credit card payments for per-lesson transactions.
- TokBoxcoreTokBox provides video conferencing infrastructure for lesson sessions. Usage-based pricing at $0.005 per subscribed minute. Supports 1:1, multi-party, and broadcast sessions.
- Apple App Store and Google PlayminorPurple Player app distributed through Apple App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices respectively. Enables offline video viewing for students.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Play With a Pro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TakeLessons: Online and in-person music lessons marketplace connecting students with vetted instructors. Directly comparable marketplace model with teacher-set pricing and platform commission.
- ArtistWorks: Online music lessons platform offering video exchanges with professional musicians across multiple instruments. Closely comparable as a two-sided music education marketplace with similar lesson-based monetization.
- Lessonface: Online music lessons marketplace offering live private and group lessons with professional musicians. Direct competitor in online music instruction with similar two-sided dynamics.
Broad incumbents
- MasterClass: Premium pre-recorded video course platform featuring world-class instructors across music and other disciplines. Comparable premium-content marketplace model and A-list talent positioning, though broader than music.
- Fender Play: Subscription-based guitar and bass lessons from a major instrument brand. Comparable online music education offering with subscription monetization, though narrower in instrument scope.
- Udemy: Large-scale online course marketplace covering music and many other subjects. Comparable instructor-set pricing and platform commission model, though broader category scope.
- Berklee Online: Online music school offering courses, certificates, and degrees from a leading music institution. Comparable in delivering premium music education digitally, though accredited rather than marketplace.
Emerging players
- Yousician: App-based interactive music education with subscription model covering guitar, piano, bass, and vocals. Comparable consumer music learning product with digital delivery, though interactive rather than teacher-led.
- Preply: Global online tutoring marketplace that includes music lessons alongside language and academic subjects. Comparable two-sided marketplace dynamics and self-serve booking model.
- MusicGurus: Online music education platform with video lessons from professional musicians across multiple instruments. Comparable instructor-led video content marketplace model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Play With a Pro social profiles
Digital presencePlay With a Pro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Play With a Pro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Play With a Pro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Play With a Pro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Play With a Pro
What does Play With a Pro do?
Play With a Pro operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects individual students with hundreds of professional musicians and pedagogues for live, one-on-one music lessons delivered through its proprietary browser-based video conferencing platform optimized for music (uncompressed high-bitrate audio, no auto-gain). The platform also distributes an on-demand library of 200+ hours of pre-recorded masterclass videos from world-renowned artists and sells institutional subscriptions (Academic Solution) and a white-label Branded Version for Schools.
Is Play With a Pro a public or private company?
Play With a Pro is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Play With a Pro founded?
Play With a Pro was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Play With a Pro based?
Play With a Pro is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Play With a Pro make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Lesson Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are recorded Masterclass Videos, academic Solution Subscription and branded Platform for Schools.
Who are Play With a Pro's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TakeLessons, ArtistWorks and Lessonface. Broad incumbents are MasterClass, Fender Play, Udemy and Berklee Online. Emerging players are Yousician, Preply and MusicGurus.
Does Play With a Pro have an API?
No public API is recorded for Play With a Pro.
What industry is Play With a Pro in?
Play With a Pro's product category is Online Music Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAI, Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAIAIAJ, Music Education & Practice Software (Ear training, tutors, metronome tools). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7372.