If you want to learn guitar, the good news is that there are more ways than ever to take up this rewarding hobby. And with the advent of music learning apps, it's easier than ever to learn to play without leaving your home. The countless guitar learning apps out there can make it tough to choose which one you want, so we've compiled 10 options we think you might like. Here are our top picks for the best guitar learning app.
The Best 10 Guitar Learning Apps
Model | Rating | Price | Full Review |
---|---|---|---|
Guitar Tricks | |||
Jamplay | |||
Fender Play | |||
Tom Morello Masterclass | |||
Artistworks Guitar | |||
Truefire | |||
Jamorama | |||
Play Worship Guitar | |||
Guitar Mastery Method | |||
Guitar Control |
Review of our Top Picks
The guitar app market has exploded in recent years. And while anyone can do a good job of helping you learn how to play, it's important to know enough about each one to make an informed decision. Here are our picks for top guitar learning apps.
1. Guitar Tricks -- Best for Serious Players
Important Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
If you've read any of our reviews of full guitar learning sites, you already know about Guitar Tricks. This guitar app is essentially a portable version of the site. It includes the same core learning system as the full site. It's free, making it a great option for the guitar player on a budget.
Please read our very in-depth Guitar Tricks Review and its one to one comparison with other big guitar learning apps - Truefire, JamPlay and Fender Play.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the best app for serious players on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.
JamPlay -- Best Variety
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Cons
Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
JamPlay's website is one of the best for beginners, and their guitar lesson app, somewhat surprisingly, is thorough but also free. With this app for iOS and Android, you can access lessons for beginners through advanced players. You also get access to song lessons, backing tracks, and collections of exercises. You don't quite get the full benefit of paid JamPlay members (like live masterclasses), but what you get is pretty close.
You may read our head to head comparison of JamPlay with other apps like Guitar Tricks and True Fire here.
Our Star Rating
This free app offers a number of features, and we think it has the best variety on the list. We give it five out of five stars.
Fender Play -- Best for Multi-Instrumentalists
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Cons
Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
Fender Play is a great guitar app if you're new to guitar, bass, or ukulele. Plenty of people know about it thanks to Fender's reputation as an excellent guitar builder. Fender Play asks you to pick an instrument and a genre path, and the video tutorials taught by a rotating cast of instructors will help you learn quickly. After each lesson, you have an opportunity to practice what you learned with guitar tabs and a metronome.
Please read its one to one comparison with Guitar Tricks here.
Our Star Rating
Since it lets you practice with three different instruments, we think this is the best app for multi-instrumentalists, and we give it four and a half out of five stars.
Tom Morello Masterclass -- Best for Songwriters
Important Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
The Masterclass platform doesn't offer all-inclusive courses to help you learn how to play guitar -- instead, it offers courses taught by acclaimed musicians (as well as athletes, home specialists, etc.). Each class has a specific focus. And in this one, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine is your guitar teacher. You'll learn about Morello's influences and how he constructs his songs.
Like a lot of Masterclass classes, this one is suitable for all skill levels -- much of it focuses on developing your own creative voice. This Masterclass is only available with a subscription to Masterclass, which is somewhat expensive -- it's $180 per year, and there is not an option to pay monthly. However, there are no additional in-app purchases, and a subscription gives you access to every course on the site.
Our Star Rating
This class isn't a stand-alone way to learn guitar, but it's part of one of the most unique apps available. We give it four out of five stars.
Artistworks Guitar -- Best Feedback
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
Most of the time, when you see an in-person guitar teacher, you'll learn guitar from just one person. But when you take lessons online, you often have plenty of guitar teacher options. Artistworks Guitar is a site offering a select cast of accomplished instructors. You also get the best feedback of any site -- in addition to learning from video tutorials, you can submit videos of you playing for personalized feedback. You also have the option of taking lessons that count toward certificates that can be applied for college credit.
Our Star Rating
We appreciate the opportunity for personalized feedback that Artistworks gives you. We give it four out of five stars.
TrueFire -- Best Collection of Learning Tools
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
TrueFire is another site that goes to great pains to select its instructors. This app has lessons taught by both Grammy-winning artists and renowned session musicians. From the start, the site is easy to use -- you choose which genre you'd like to study, although there is an entire section for beginner guitar lessons.
But TrueFire really stands out in terms of its extra practice features -- synced guitar tabs scroll along with your playing, slow motion, and looping features make learning easier, and handy progress tracking helps you monitor how close you are to your goals. TrueFire is compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows.
If you want to dig deeper into the features of Truefire, please read detailed review or its head to head comparison with JamPlay, and Guitar Tricks.
Our Star Rating
We think this site has the best practice features and learning tools on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.
Jamorama -- Best Community
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
This site was founded by Mark McKenzie, a contributor to Guitar Player magazine (one of the best guitar publications out there) and the founder of The Guitar Guy YouTube channel. Jamorama is primarily designed for those who are just beginning to play guitar -- most video lessons cover basics like simple guitar chords and guitar tabs. As its name suggests, Jamorama also features plenty of exciting backing tracks.
These can make a major difference in the early stages of learning -- keeping up with the track gives the player the feeling of playing with a full band. Jamorama also has more of a community than other app options -- you can access a forum, and a regularly-updated blog offers helpful tips for guitarists.
Our Star Rating
We like the idea of a blog and a forum on a guitar app, and we think Jamorama has the best community on the list. We give it 3.5 out of five stars.
Play Worship Guitar -- Best for Christian Guitarists
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
In searching for the best guitar apps, you may have noticed that worship music is not commonly represented as a genre path. But if you want to learn to play praise and worship songs fairly quickly, Play Worship Guitar is an excellent site to start. It was founded by Aaron Anastasi, a guitarist and vocal coach who has also created separate learning apps for singers.
This site is designed to get you playing guitar chords and full songs relatively quickly. Anastasi is a personable instructor, and you can play along with his video lessons before practicing on your own. However, Play Worship Guitar isn't just about guitar chords -- Anastasi will introduce the CAGED system and teach you simplified versions of popular Christian songs. This system is available as a website, and it isn't yet in app form.
Our Star Rating
We think this is a straightforward system to introduce you to worship music. We give it 3.5 out of five stars.
Guitar Mastery Method -- Best Lessons on Techniques
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Cons
Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
Guitar Mastery doesn't get as much exposure as sites like Guitar Tricks and JamPlay. However, it's a thorough site that will help take your playing to the next level. This music lesson site uses a different membership structure than most -- instead of paying a subscription fee, you purchase individual courses. A popular course is Guitar Mastery 101, and you can purchase it for $139, which gives you lifetime course access.
You can join the VIP club for an additional monthly fee. Courses do come with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Some of them are very intensive -- for example, a 10-week Master the Fretboard workshop is designed to improve soloing. This course is $197. Like some sites on the list, this one is a website and doesn't appear to have an Android or iOS app.
Our Star Rating
This app has some great courses, but it's certainly unusually expensive. We give it three out of five stars.
Guitar Control -- Best Instrument Variety
Important Features
Pros & Cons
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Brief Review & Star Rating
Review
Guitar Control is a versatile app that can teach you everything from your first guitar chords to how to shred on lead guitar. Those just beginning to play can start with the site's section of beginner lessons. You can take lessons on how to play lead guitar and rhythm guitar, and there are also several genre-specific courses. You can start with a limited offering of free courses, and premium access is $29.95/month or $500/lifetime. Both purchases come with a money-back guarantee.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the best site to choose if you want to learn a few different instruments. We give it 3.5 out of five stars.
Buying Guide: How Do You Choose the Best Guitar App?
Now we've outlined our guitar app choices. But if you're new to guitar, it might be hard to know what exactly to look for. In this section, we'll take you through some things to consider before committing.
What Levels Does It Cover?
A lot of learning apps are geared toward beginners, but that isn't always the case. It's wise to make sure a given app has a strong foundational program -- ideally, it will teach a bit of music theory and give you a solid grounding in techniques you need to advance.
It's up to you whether you want an app that just guides you through the beginning stages of learning how to play guitar or if you want something to grow with. Guitar apps like Guitar Tricks include lessons and tutorials that are great for experienced guitarists as well. Of course, you always have the option of starting with a beginner-focused app and then graduating to something more advanced.
What Genres Does it Focus On?
Many people learning guitar starts out with an idea of what genre they want to play. And it goes without saying that you want to make sure any guitar app you choose covers your chosen genre. For example, many apps, like Fender Play, let you choose a genre path. While they offer several options, metal is not present. So if you want to be a shredder, you'll probably need to look elsewhere.
Can You Try Before You Buy?
Especially if you choose one of the more expensive apps for guitar lessons, you probably will want to try it out before committing. Luckily, a lot of apps offer a free trial or a free membership with limited features. This can be a good way to see whether the video lessons and other features are a good fit for you.
This isn't to say you should write off guitar apps with no free trial. Most apps give you a pay-by-the-month option. While monthly fees are more expensive than a free trial, paying this way is a great option for evaluating the app before committing to a longer membership.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're looking for a complete course or just need something that makes chords strumming a little more fun, the best guitar learning app for you is out there. While we think any of the above options would make a good choice, our favorite app on the list is Guitar Tricks.
It's one of the first sites for guitar lessons to pop up, and it has the largest lesson collection of any app on the list. Plus, artist studies and skill tutorials will keep even experienced players challenged. We also recommend TrueFire -- this site's synced guitar tabs, looping capabilities, and additional free tools make it an excellent guitar app for players of all levels.