The Best Roland Keyboards [2025]

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If you've made it as far as this page, you already know you want a Roland keyboard. Roland's reputation as one of the best, if not the best, digital keyboard brands precedes them, and so you've set out in search of the best Roland keyboard for your needs.

Established in Osaka, Japan in 1972, the Roland Corporation has been responsible for creating some of the most iconic electronic instruments of all time, playing a, well, instrumental role in the evolution of whole genres of music. Played by the likes of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Daft Punk, and Tame Impala, legendary Roland products like the Juno-106 synthesizer and TB-303 bass synthesizer established the Roland name as a major player in the synth and keyboard game.

In this article, I'll show you what I think are some of the best Roland keyboards out there right now, from the best-of-the-best to more affordable picks, smaller options, most versatile Roland keyboards, and more. I'll lay out each keyboard's standout specs and features, including keybed types, effects, connectivity, and more.

Whether you're in search of fully-weighted 88-key stage piano, or just a little arranger synth for the studio and practice, I'll guide you through your search for the best Roland keyboard for your needs.

Why Trust Me?

I'm a musician and keyboardist with over 20 years of experience playing onstage and in the studio. But it's not my qualifications as a pianist that really matter today—it's my experience working with Roland on some awesome projects, including my experience at NAMM 2025 in which the Roland team led me through demos of some of their newest and most cutting-edge products.

I also had the opportunity to sit down with the iconic Roland artist Patrice Rushen and talk about her favorite features on Roland's new flagship keyboard line, the V-STAGE (and of course sampled the goods for myself). The V-STAGE, which you'll learn a bit more about below, represents the cutting edge of keyboard technology, with just about everything you could want from a stage piano—organized in such a way as to make the user experience more streamlined and intuitive than ever.

I've played keyboards from just about all the leading brands (check out my guide to the best 88-key weighted keyboards to see how they all stack up), and so I think I have a solid enough knowledge base to judge which keyboards are worth your time, and which ones to skip. Now, let's get to work finding you the best Roland keyboard for your individual needs.

Best Roland Keyboards

1. Best Overall - Roland V-Stage88 Stage Piano

SPECS: 

• Keys: 88 Weighted Ivory Feel
• Sound Engine: 4 x Engines: ZEN-core, SuperNATURAL Electric, V-Piano, VTW Organ
• Presets: 400 Tones, 512 Scenes, 128 Scene Chains
• Effects: 9 x Chorus, 7 x Reverb, 93 x Multi-effects (16 systems)

You searched for the best... and here it is.

Designed with a gigging musician’s workflow needs in mind, the V-STAGE88 (also available in 76-key) represents Roland’s understanding that user experience is every bit as important as top-line tones—especially in a live performance setting.

“The whole idea behind the V-STAGE,”  Roland’s Dustin Good informed me in a personal product demo at NAMM 2025, “is having everything you need for stage and performance right on the top panel. Of course there’s a lot of very powerful menu options for when you’re in the studio [...] while we do have a very deep modeling in there that you can tweak, right on the top panel you’ve got the most impactful controls.”

And, as I heard in the demo, the V-STAGE series’s four advanced sound engines combine Roland’s latest cutting-edge sound technologies with tons of customization and control for all the depth, clarity, and detail you need in any setting.

One of the best new features, according to Good, is “scene remain,” for “when you’re on the stage, if you’re sustaining a big layer, with reverb trails and all that, and you switch to your next scene, you’re not going to have any cutoffs.” 

With four sound engines (featuring unlimited polyphony on the acoustic piano and organ settings), deep modeling capabilities, adjustable stereo width, and so much more at your fingertips, there’s no question that you can find the sounds in your head on a V-STAGE keyboard. But what’s perhaps most compelling is just how easy it is to find those sounds—even in real time onstage.

Grammy-winning artist Patrice Rushen likes "its immediacy. You look at it and it makes sense to you, just visually, you see where everything is and you can get to things quickly. If you’re playing, and something happens in the moment, and you need to reach for something in real time, you don’t have to go through a lot of windows and things like that to find things. The things that we use the most, you can get to them right away. The sounds are really good—but primarily it’s the setup."

Reasons to Avoid:

• As Roland's top stage piano, it's priced for pros

2. Best Value - Roland RD-88 EX 88-key Digital Stage Piano

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: ZEN-Core, SuperNATURAL
• Keys: 88 PHA-4: Weighted, Hammer-action
• Other Controllers: 2 x Mod Wheels, 8 x Control Knobs (both assignable)
• Presets: 400 Scenes, 3000+ Tones
• Effects: 6 x Reverb, 8 x Chorus/Delay, Sympathetic Resonance

The RD-88EX Stage Piano jams premium features into a more portable (and affordable) package, making a compelling choice for beginners and pros alike.

If you're after a premium stage piano but are unwilling (or unable) to shell out for the top-of-the-line, you can't go wrong with the RD-88—Roland's best workhorse stage piano for gigging players. For those who want many of the same premium features you get with the V-STAGE, but without the eye-bugging pricetag, look no further.

With the same ZEN-Core and SuperNATURAL sound engines as Roland's flagship V-STAGE, plus the same Ivory Feel weighted keys, and all the connectivity you need—all crammed into a lightweight, durable chassis that's perfect for taking on the road, the RD-88 is a natural choice for gigging pros who need professional-grade sound and playability plus portability.

Regarding the interface, you can also find the same ethos at play here as with the V-STAGE. Roland makes it really easy for players to navigate their keyboards, allowing you to call up tones, effects, and presets easily in the heat of the moment—perfect for players like me who get really irritated dealing with complicated menus when they are just trying to jam.

Reasons to Avoid:

• 88 keys is still a big unit—read on to find something a bit more portable

3. Best Roland Synth – Roland JUNO-DS88 88-key Synthesizer

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: ZEN-Core, 8-part
• Keys: 88 PHA-4 Standard Keyboard; Escapement, Ivory Feel
• Other Controllers: Pitchbend, Mod Lever, 4 x Sliders, 4 x Sound Modified Knobs
• Pads: 8 x Pads
• Number of Presets: 128 x Scenes, 2 x Banks, 128 x User
• Presets: 3800 x Tones, 95 x Drum Kits
• Effects Types: 8 x Reverb/Mic Reverb, 10 x Chorus
• Arpeggiator: Yes
• Sequencer: 8-track, 64 Steps Max

While the JUNO-DS88 isn't technically Roland's "best" synth (you'll find their most premium synth further down this list), it's the one that packs the most value. Similar to the RD-88EX, the JUNO-DS88 has been loaded up with tons of premium features, but comes in a portable and lightweight chassis, and with a streamlined workflow—accessible enough for beginners, but robust enough for pros.

Synthesizers are complex instruments—that's kind of the point—but the JUNO-DS88 is easy to use, with a large color display and great hands-on controls that make playing and programming feel intuitive and natural.

3,800 tones (and that's before you add Roland Cloud expansions) mean you'll never run out of inspiration, and you can import your own WAV samples to create totally original sounds—combine with onboard tones, add effects, and more.

Plus, you get a great stage piano as a part of the package—with 88 Ivory Feel hammer-action keys and the same ZEN-Core keyboard tones as Roland's digital pianos, the DS88 is great for pianists as well as programmers.

Reasons to Avoid:

• I wouldn't recommend a synth to novice keyboardists—start with a simple piano like the FP-10

4. Best for Portability - Roland GO:KEYS 5 Keyboard

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: ZEN-Core
• Keys: 61 Box-shape, Velocity
• Other Controllers: Master Volume Slider, Pitch Bend Wheel
• Polyphony: 128-voice
• Presets: 1154 Tones, 74 Drum Kits, 203 Styles, 256 User Scenes
• Effects: Multi-effects, Chorus, Reverb

Part of the point of a digital piano is that it's portable by nature. If you're looking for Roland's most portable, yet still feature-packed, digital keyboard, look no further than the GO:KEYS line. With Roland's ZEN-Core sounds engine, 128-voice polyphony, and as many tones, scenes, and presets as you could reasonably need, the GO:KEYS 5 packs just about everything you could want—shy of about 27 keys, anyway.

The GO:KEYS 5 is perfect for all experience levels, with the price tag to prove it. Beginners will appreciate Roland's intuitive layout, which makes it really easy to call up different sounds and presets, as well as its realistic sounds, which will immerse you in the music and let your creativity flow. Pros, meanwhile, will find no shortage of functionality, plus the added benefit of giving their back a break while schlepping around to gigs (it weighs under 10 pounds).

Perhaps most compellingly (as regards the portability factor), you can run this thing on 6 AA batteries. It has "go" in the name for a reason, after all. Take this baby to the park and jam al fresco. A microphone input makes it ideal for buskers as well.

Reasons to Avoid:

• 61 keys may be limiting for some

5. Best Under $1000 - Roland FP-30X Digital Piano

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: SuperNATURAL
• Keys: 88 PHA-4, Weighted, Progressive Hammer Action
• Escapement: Yes
• Polyphony: 256 Notes
• Presets: 12 piano, 20 electric piano, 24 other tones
• Effects: Ambience, Rotary Speaker, Modulation

Sometimes when you're in search of the "best," what you really mean is "the best you can afford." Fortunately, Roland knows a thing or two about packing some of their best features into more affordable options, like the FP-30X.

This one's for the dedicated pianists out there who don't need all the pitchwheels, synth pads, and drum loops. Instead, you get 256-voice polyphony, Roland's SuperNATURAL sound engine, and 88 Progressive Hammer Action keys with variable touch sensitivity for a super-realistic piano-playing experience, free of distracting screens and sound effects.

As a passionate acoustic piano player myself, I love the FP-30x because it's the closest thing to a portable grand piano you can get. A multi-amped stereo speaker system means great sound onboard, and headphones only elevate the experience more.

Reasons to Avoid:

• Mainly for pianists—synth enthusiasts, look elsewhere

6. Best Under $500 - Roland FP-10 Digital Piano

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: SuperNATURAL
• Keys: 88 Hammer Action
• Touch Sensitivity: 5 Types, Fixed Touch
• Escapement: Yes
• Polyphony: 96 voices
• Presets: 4 Piano tones, 2 Electric piano tones, 9 others

Beginners and students need look no further than the FP-10, which is basically a lite version of the FP-30—meaning, less polyphony, fewer tones, and a less premium keybed, but the same SuperNATURAL sound engine and slim portable profile.

For just under $500 (okay, with tax and shipping it might be a bit over) you can get a premium piano playing experience with a lot of Roland's best features, making the FP-10 a perfect pick for beginners and casual players who just want a quality instrument without the fluff.

Reasons to Avoid:

• Definitely what I would consider a "beginner" instrument

7. Best for Home Studio - Roland FANTOM-8 Music Workstation Keyboard

SPECS:

• Sound Engine: ZEN-Core, V-Piano, VTW Organ, SuperNATURAL
• Keys: 88 Semi-weighted, Graded Hammer Action with Aftertouch
• Other Controllers: Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever, 2 x Assignable Switches, 25 x Knobs, 9 x Sliders, 2 x Wheels
• Pads: 16 x Pads, 4 x Banks
• Polyphony:256 Notes (ZEN-Core), Unlimited (V-Piano)
• Number of Presets:10 Factory Settings, 20 User Settings
• Presets: 3500+ Tones, 90+ Drum Kits
• Effects Types: 9 x Chorus, 7 x Reverb, Master Compressor, Master EQ

Jeez... just look at that (highly abridged, mind you!) specs list. The FANTOM-8 is for the maximalist studio rat who pulls no punches and wants the world at their fingertips. With the same sound engines as the V-STAGE, premium keys, controllers and pads out the ying-yang, 256-voice polyphony, and just way too much to list here, this is technically what I would call Roland's "Best" synthesizer.

I personally would not know what to do with all of that. I'm just a humble piano player, after all. But I can assure you that if you're looking to go hard, and money is no object, the FANTOM is the best of the best.

Reasons to Avoid:

• Whopping price tag
• Scary amount of controls

The Verdict

To recap: "the best" isn't always what's best for everyone. But if you want the best Roland keyboard, I would say that title belongs to the V-STAGE88.