The Best Guitar Learning Apps for Beginners to Professionals
Hey guitar enthusiasts! As someone who's tested every major guitar learning app on the market, I'm excited to share my definitive ranking of the best guitar learning platforms available today. Whether you're just starting your musical journey or looking to break through that dreaded intermediate plateau, this comprehensive guide has got you covered.
After extensive hands-on testing, careful analysis of features, pricing, and user experience across tablet, desktop, and mobile, here's how the best guitar learning apps stack up - ranked from best to worst.
If you want to jump straight to the best app that I would recommend depending on what kind of learner you are - scroll to the bottom and look for the heading, Choosing Your Perfect Guitar Learning App.
The Ultimate Guitar Learning App Ranking
# 1. 🥇 Gibson App (9.5/10)
Price: Free with limited features | Premium: £16.99/month or £99.99/year | Premium+: £19.99/month or £119.99/year | 7-day free trial of Premium for annual plans only
Key Stats: 10,000+ lessons | 1 million users
Claim to Fame: #1 guitar learning app
Why It's My Top Pick
The Gibson App represents the gold standard of modern guitar learning applications and is by far the most thought through out there. Built specifically for mobile and tablet use, this app combines the legendary Gibson brand heritage with cutting-edge Audio Augmented Reality technology.
What Makes It Special
- Real-time feedback using advanced audio recognition that actually works reliably.
- Gamified learning with leagues, streaks, and challenges that keep you motivated.
- Celebrity lessons from renowned guitarists like Kirk Fletcher.
- Digital amp and pedals built right into the app for authentic Gibson tone.
- Weekly content updates including festive challenges, new songs and guides.
The app excels at making guitar learning fun and addictive rather than feeling like homework. The note recognition technology that syncs your playing with interactive tabs and backing tracks works seamlessly with minimal tech glitches. While the famous songs library isn't as extensive as some competitors, it's constantly growing and provides excellent value.
Best For: Players who want a modern, engaging app experience that makes learning guitar fun and motivational by giving you real-time feedback on what you play and how you play as well as encouraging you to play more to maintain your position in their user leagues. A bit of competition is always healthy and it's done in a way where the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) doesn't feel gimmicky, for kids, or solely for beginners.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 2. 🥈 TrueFire (9.0/10)
Price: £119.99/year on desktop (avoid the £249.99 in-app option - you still get in-app access through the desktop signup) | Black Friday deals often available for £99 | 14-day free trial - 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Key Stats: 85,000+ lessons | 30,000+ guitar tabs | 20,000+ jam tracks | 1,800+ courses | 400+ top artists and educators | 3,000,000+ guitar players
Claim to Fame: The #1 most trusted music education resource for guitar players of all skill levels.
The Content King
TrueFire has been the go-to choice for serious guitarists since 1999, and for good reason. With over 85,000 lessons, 30,000 guitar tabs, and 20,000 jam tracks from 400+ top artists and educators, it's simply unmatched in terms of content volume and quality.
What Makes It Special
- Interactive tab syncing that perfectly matches with video playback.
- Celebrity instructors including Steve Vai, Tommy Emmanuel, Yngwie Malmsteen.
- Advanced video player with multiple view options and PDF downloads.
- Virtual jam sessions with professional backing bands.
- Multi-instrument support (guitar, bass, banjo, ukulele, mandolin).
The recent improvements to their tablet and mobile app have been significant, though desktop remains the optimal experience. The sheer amount of content can be overwhelming for beginners, but for intermediate to advanced players looking to seriously improve their skills, TrueFire is unbeatable.
Best For: Serious guitarists who want comprehensive, high-quality instruction from world-class musicians.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 3. 🥉 Pickup Music (9.0/10)
Price: $29.99/month or $179.99/year | 14-day free trial + 60-day money back guarantee
Key Stats: 1000+ lessons | 60+ courses | 50,000+ players
Claim to Fame: We specialise in taking players stuck in a guitar rut and turning them into advanced guitarists.
The Modern Innovator
With a recently refreshed site and app (May 2025), Pickup Music feels like stepping into an Apple Store for guitar learning. Their focus on helping intermediate players break through the plateau into the advanced level is refreshing in a market oversaturated with beginner content.
What Makes It Special
- Cutting-edge UI/UX that feels like a modern app rather than a website.
- Personalised learning pathways based on your skill assessment.
- Live backing band integration where you can swap out the guitarist with your own playing.
- Weekly live group sessions and community feedback.
- Original song content that avoids licensing issues while focusing on technique.
The Pickup Music app is still building its content library, but what's there is of exceptional quality. The 91% improvement rate reported by members speaks volumes about their structured approach to advancement.
Best For: Intermediate players stuck in a rut who want modern, personalised instruction, with the ability to submit video footage of your playing for feedback from one of their expert instructors at no additional cost.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 4. Justin Guitar (9.0/10)
Price: Website mostly FREE | App (desktop signup) with an Annual Subscription Welcome Offer: £59 (20% discount) or £8/month| App (in-app signup) £114.99/year (with 7-day free trial) or £14.99/month
Key Stats: 976,000+ registered students | 1,340+ free lessons | 779+ song tutorials
Claim to Fame: Trusted by millions of students worldwide.
The Free Learning Champion
Justin Guitar deserves massive credit for providing the largest collection of free, high-quality guitar lessons available anywhere. With over 1,340 free lessons and a thriving community of 2.4 million learners, it's an incredible starting point for any guitarist.
What Makes It Special
- 90% of content is completely free - unprecedented in the industry.
- Comprehensive curriculum from Grade 1 to Grade 9 (advanced grades coming 2026).
- Massive community with forums, open mic events, and live sessions.
- Professional instructor network for one-on-one lessons.
- Multiple learning tools including strumming machine, chord library, and tuner.
The disconnect between the free website and paid app is confusing, and progress doesn't sync between them. However, the website alone provides enough free content to keep beginners busy for years.
Best For: Beginners who want comprehensive, free instruction with strong community support.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 5. Paul Davids Guitar (8.5/10)
Price: $199 per course (5 courses available - $129 for Loop School) | One-time purchase with lifetime access | 14-day risk free guarantee (30-day for Learn. Practice. Play) | 50% discount for any add-on courses at checkout
Key Stats: 5 online courses | 200+ videos
Claim to Fame: YouTube sensation with over 3.6m subscribers and multi-million video views.
The YouTube Educator
Paul Davids Guitar leverages his 3.6 million YouTube subscriber base to deliver thoughtful, well-structured courses focused on making you a better overall musician rather than just learning songs.
What Makes It Special
- Easy to follow and clear lessons.
- Detailed handbook guidance to download and print for offline use.
- Massive community with forums, open mic events, and live sessions.
- Focus on making you a better guitarist rather than a guide to learn more songs.
- Community Q&A Sessions at the end of each course where Paul takes your questions and feedback.
The lack of a dedicated app is compensated by excellent mobile/tablet responsiveness. Paul's teaching style is personable and easy to follow, though it can feel a bit cheesy at times. The lifetime access model is refreshing in a subscription-heavy market.
Best For: Players who want to understand music theory and become well-rounded musicians.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 6. Guitar Tricks (7.5/10)
Price: Free Basic Access membership | Full Access: $179/year (often discounted to $99 with welcome offers) or $29.95/month | 60-day money back guarantee
Key Stats: 11,000+ lessons | 1,000+ songs | 44 Instructors
Claim to Fame: Coached over 4 million members - most fun way to learn guitar.
The Desktop Learning Pioneer
As the self-proclaimed inventor of online guitar lessons ( founded in 1998), Guitar Tricks offers a comprehensive desktop-focused learning experience with over 11,000 lessons and extensive song library.
What Makes It Special
- Structured Core Learning System with guided paths.
- Excellent song selection for all skill levels.
- Professional instructor feedback via video submissions or live sessions.
- Comprehensive toolbox with tuner, chord finder, scale finder.
- Free content to try before you buy.
The app experience is notably poor with numerous bugs and sync issues. The desktop version excels but lacks modern interactive features like synced tabs (compared to the competition). The aggressive email marketing after signup can be off-putting. But if you catch an annual Full Access promo it's worth trying the desktop version for 12-months for the quality of their lessons, content, and song selection - although I'd pick either TrueFire or Guitar Tricks. Don't sign up to both.
Best For: Desktop learners who want structured lessons with a large song catalog.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 7. Simply Guitar (7.0/10)
Price: Free Basic Access membership | Full Access: $179/year (often discounted to $99 with welcome offers) or $29.95/month | 60-day money back guarantee
Key Stats: ~500,000 ratings in the Apple App Store of 4.7 average
Claim to Fame: Millions of learners in over 180 countries.
The Family Learning Solution
Simply Guitar shines in its focus on family-friendly learning, offering a gamified experience that works well for children and beginners. The family plan extending to piano, singing, and drawing apps adds significant value.
What Makes It Special
- Real-time note and chord recognition (works best with headphones).
- Gamified progression with sounds, animations, and streaks.
- Parent engagement tools with progress updates.
- Multiple instrument access under one family subscription.
- Child-safe learning environment with family member updates on learning progress.
The content feels somewhat childish for adult learners and lacks depth for intermediate+ players. The note recognition can be unreliable without proper setup (iRig recommended).
Best For: Families with children learning guitar, or absolute beginners who enjoy gamified learning.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 8. Fender Play (6.0/10)
Price: £17.99/month or £134.99/year | 14-day free trial
Key Stats: 55,000,000+ lessons taken | 3,000+ lessons available | 1,000+ songs
Claim to Fame: Start for free. Play for life.
The Brand-Backed Option
Fender Play benefits from the backing of one of guitar's most iconic brands, offering bite-sized lessons with MatchMySound technology for real-time feedback.
What Makes It Special
- Industry elite instructors backed by Fender's reputation.
- Multi-instrument support (guitar, bass, ukulele).
- Listening technology for play assessment.
- Brand integration with exclusive Fender gear discounts.
- Live instructor office hours.
Account management issues, with confusing separation between Fender shopping accounts and Fender Play. The content feels less structured and more self-directed than truly instructional, and advanced content is limited.
Best For: Beginners who want brand recognition and don't mind paying premium prices.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 9. Songsterr (6.0/10)
Price: £9.99/month | Free version available
Key Stats: 400,000+ songs | 1,300,000+ tabs | 60,000+ artists
Claim to Fame: Millions of guitarists, bassists and drummers worldwide have used Songsterr Plus.
The Tab Specialist
Songsterr serves as a cleaner, more organised alternative to UltimateGuitar, offering over 400,000 songs with 1.3 million tabs from 60,000 artists.
What Makes It Special
- AI tab generation from YouTube URLs.
- Community-driven content with revision history.
- Clean UI/UX across all platforms.
- Multi-instrument tabs (guitar, bass, drums).
- YouTube integration for original track playback (premium only).
The reliance on community-generated tabs means quality varies significantly. At £120/year, the subscription doesn't offer enough value over the free version for most users. Lacks structured learning paths or technique instruction.
Best For: Players who know specific songs they want to learn, aren't looking for lessons, courses or instruction, and prefer a cleaner interface than UltimateGuitar.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
Socials: None
# 10. Yousician (5.0/10)
Price: Premium: £7.99/month or £59.99/year | Premium Plus: £13.99/month or £89.99/year | Premium Plus - Family: £20.99/month or /£134.99/year | 7-day free trial of Premium Plus
Key Stats: 20,000,000+ active users | 10,000+ lessons | 2,000+ songs
Claim to Fame: Play the songs you love.
The Multi-Instrument Gamer
Yousician's strength lies in its gamified approach to learning multiple instruments simultaneously (guitar, bass, piano, singing, ukulele).
What Makes It Special
- Live feedback technology tracks your playing in real-time.
- Badge and streak systems for motivation.
- Celebrity endorsements from Billie Eilish, Metallica, Jason Mraz.
- Family-friendly interface with progress tracking.
- Cross-platform synchronisation.
Limited song selection (despite pitching itself as a song-learning platform) with regional restrictions significantly hampering the experience. The lack of instructor-led content and focus on beginner material limits long-term value. The companion GuitarTuna app offers better value as a free alternative to UltimateGuitar.
Best For: Complete beginners who want to learn multiple instruments with a game-like experience.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 11. Jamie Harrison Guitar (4.0/10)
Price: £39.99/month or £319/year | 7-day free trial
Key Stats: 50,000,000+ YouTube views | 400,000+ online followers | 30,000+ satisfied customers | 100+ hours of guitar courses
Claim to Fame: The world's highest-rated guitar courses.
The Specialist’s Dilemma
Jamie Harrison Guitar offers unparalleled instruction for learning John Mayer, Hendrix, SRV, and Clapton styles, backed by millions of YouTube views proving the quality of instruction.
What Makes It Special
- Specialised artist focus with authentic technique instruction.
- Custom roadmap generation based on your goals and time commitment.
- Tone & gear guides for every song to help match the sound of the real track.
- Plugin development for achieving authentic tones.
- Advanced technique focus for experienced players only.
The pricing has become prohibitively expensive since moving to subscription model. App quality is poor with bugs affecting core features like tab display. Content updates have stagnated, with minimal social media activity or new course releases.
Best For: Die-hard John Mayer fans willing to pay premium prices for specialised instruction.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 12. Rocksmith+ (3.5/10)
Price: £119.99/year | 7-day free trial
Key Stats: 7,500+ songs | 50 new songs added each month | 5,000,000+ learners
Claim to Fame: Guitar for the gamer.
The Gaming Experiment
Rocksmith+ attempts to gamify guitar learning through its video game heritage, offering 7,500+ songs with 50 new additions monthly.
What Makes It Special
- 3D interactive tabs with gamified visual feedback.
- PlayStation integration for console gaming experience.
- Community arrangements allowing user-generated content.
- Ubisoft Connect integration for rewards and achievements.
- Multiple arrangement options per song.
The focus on gaming over learning creates visual chaos that hinders actual skill development. The 3D tabs are difficult to follow during fast passages, making learning stressful rather than enjoyable. At £120 annually for what's essentially a game, educational value is questionable.
Best For: Gamers who want to play around with guitar-based games rather than seriously learn the instrument.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
# 13. Chordify (3.0/10)
Price: Free with limited access | Basic: £4.50/month or £27/year | Premium: £6/month or £36/year | Premium+ Toolkit: £8/month or £48/year first year | OFFER: £2/month or £24/year for first year then £48 for Premium+ Toolkit | 14-day money back guarantee
Key Stats: 36,000,000+ song chords
Claim to Fame: #1 platform for chords.
The One-Trick App
Chordify's AI-powered chord detection from audio is its sole claim to fame, automatically generating chord progressions from songs.
What Makes It Special
- AI chord detection from YouTube URLs or uploaded audio.
- Search by chords to find songs using specific chord progressions.
- Live chord recognition for practice (premium+ only).
- Multi-instrument support (guitar, piano, mandolin, ukulele).
- Music theory dictionary.
Recent reports suggest the main YouTube integration feature has stopped working. The narrow focus makes it difficult to justify subscription costs when better alternatives exist. Most useful as a free tool for occasional chord identification.
Best For: Musicians who occasionally need chord identification for covers or jamming, but not as a primary learning tool.
Full review coming soon - subscribe to my newsletter to be alerted when it's posted.
Honorable Mentions
Tabs: UltimateGuitar | Sheet Music Direct
Online Courses: Masterclass | Get Fret Wise | ArtistWorks
Printed Materials: The Guitar Institute | ChordFiles
🎯 Choosing Your Perfect Guitar Learning App
For Complete Beginners
Justin Guitar offers the best free starting point, while Simply Guitar provides excellent family-friendly paid options.
For Intermediate Players
Pickup Music specialises in breaking through the intermediate plateau, while TrueFire offers comprehensive advancement and education opportunities.
For Advanced Players
TrueFire remains unmatched for serious study, with Paul Davids Guitar and Pickup Music offering focused skill development.
For Mobile and Tablet-First Learners
The Gibson App provides the best app-native experience with modern features and regular updates.
For Budget-Conscious Learners
Justin Guitar's free content is unbeatable, with paid options starting at very reasonable prices.
💭 Final Thoughts
The guitar learning app landscape has evolved dramatically, with each platform carving out its own niche. The days of one-size-fits-all solutions are over - today's best approach is to match the app to your specific learning style, skill level, and goals.
The Gibson App tops our ranking for its innovative approach to mobile learning, combining brand heritage with cutting-edge technology. However, TrueFire, Pickup Music, and Justin Guitar each excel in their respective areas and could be the perfect choice depending on your needs.
Remember, no app alone will make you a great guitarist - consistent practice, proper technique, and a genuine passion for music remain the foundation of musical growth. These tools are here to guide, motivate, and accelerate your journey.
What's your experience with guitar learning apps? Drop a comment below and let me know which platform has helped your playing the most! Don't forget to sign up to my newsletter and to my YouTube channel for more in-depth guitar, gear & technology reviews and chit chat.
Keep playing, keep learning! 🎸
