Best Guitar Learning App

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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

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

Guitar Tricks Online Guitar Lessons
  • The free version lets you try out a limited lesson suggestion
  • The paid version is $19.99 per month and gives you access to the full site
  • You can choose from more music genres than you can with most sites
  • Core Learning System gives you the foundational knowledge you need to succeed as a guitar player

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • It offers a free version to try out
  • It's available for iOS and Android
  • The paid version offers all the resources the full website does
  • It offers detailed lessons in an impressive range of genres

Cons

  • Because of the wealth of material it has, it can be tough to navigate on the app
  • Compared to many apps on the list, it's fairly expensive

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

  • This free app has regular content updates that are free and require no additional fee
  • It offers lessons for beginners and more experienced players in 20 different genres
  • Separate video lessons for learning songs help you learn the music you love
  • You can access backing tracks to play along with and lick libraries to expand your repertoire

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Even though it's free, you get many more options than you do with paid guitar apps
  • Lessons are designed and taught by professional musicians, college professors, and other experienced players
  • Scale libraries help you teach different scales in different keys
  • Chord library helps you learn and memorize different chords in multiple voicings

Cons

  • The many features of this app may make it overwhelming for those just beginning their learning
  • Some users have reported that the app has trouble saving progress

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

  • Different genre paths let you customize your learning from the start
  • High-quality video lessons show you how to play in great detail
  • It offers a free trial, but after that, the cost is $9.99 per month or $89.99 per year
  • Musical concepts are often taught with classic and contemporary songs

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Compared to many paid apps, it's very affordable
  • It lets you learn bass, ukulele, and guitar with on subscription
  • There's a good balance of theory and application
  • It's compatible with both iOS and Android

Cons

  • There isn't a whole lot here for players beyond the beginner stage
  • Choices of genre paths are somewhat limited

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

  • Its sections on developing your creative voice and things to consider before performing make it ideal for newer performers
  • A thorough rundown of Morello's gear can help you decide which amps, pedals, etc to buy
  • The Masterclass app is compatible with Android and iOS devices
  • It's a great way to get some insight into the process of an acclaimed musician

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • This class offers more guidance through the creative process than most guitar apps do
  • A separate lesson on studio recording will help you get started with your home studio
  • Case studies of songs give you insight into the creative process and can help develop your playing and songwriting
  • The course topics ensure that there's something for beginners and experienced players alike

Cons

  • The Masterclass subscription you need for this course is somewhat expensive
  • If you only intend to play acoustic guitar, you may not get a whole lot out of the lessons on gear

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

  • Available courses span many genres, including blues, classical, bluegrass, rock, and more
  • There are three subscription plans: 3 months for $35/month, 6 months for $30/month, and 12 months for $23.25/month
  • You can also take classes in vocals, French horn, banjo, ukulele, and more
  • While ArtistWorks does not have an app, the website can be accessed on Android and iOS devices

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • All instructors are high achievers in their field
  • Membership options let you take as many courses as you want
  • Certificate courses let you earn college credit
  • Video Exchange learning lets you get personalized feedback

Cons

  • Subscription options are more expensive than many sites
  • The site is not currently available in-app format -- just a webpage

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

  • It hosts over 40,000 guitar lessons -- more than most app choices
  • It includes bonus learning tools like an online metronome and guitar chord charts
  • It's compatible with Android and iOS devices, as well as Mac, Windows, and Linux computers
  • Subscription plans are $29/month and $249/annual, and it also comes with a free trial

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • You get to learn from incredible teachers
  • The free trial does not ask for a credit card, so there's no risk of being charged
  • You can learn guitar in one or many genres
  • The new version of the site has scrolling guitar tabs and other features to help your learning

Cons

  • It's more expensive than many of the apps on the list
  • Compared to some apps, there are more courses for intermediate players than there are for beginners

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

  • While beginner-friendly topics like basic guitar chords feature prominently, you'll also be introduced to exciting new picking patterns
  • The site does a good job of teaching you music theory as you play guitar
  • Jamorama has a well-rounded program that will teach you techniques, scales, and different musical styles
  • It has an unusual membership structure -- a free basic membership gives you a limited preview, and a one-time payment of $97 gives you lifetime access to the site

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • The founder is a knowledgeable guitarist and guitar teacher
  • This is not an app that offers in-app purchases, so there are no hidden fees getting in the way of your learning
  • The blog and forum can make learning guitar online feel a little less isolating
  • Guitar theory is taught with a practical approach that you're more likely to retain

Cons

  • There's no option for a pay-by-the-month membership
  • With a free membership, you can only access a very limited set of courses

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

  • The instructor designed the course with the attention of teaching worship guitar in 30 days
  • It is $17 per month, making it more expensive than many app choices
  • It includes a separate short course called Songwriting Bootcamp for players who want to start writing songs
  • Specific exercises help you master chord changes,, basic fingerpicking, and other skills you need to be successful

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • It's one of the few worship-song focused apps
  • It addresses chord changes, the CAGED system, and other common sticking points for beginners
  • If you focus on your playing, you should be proficient in worship guitar in 30 days
  • It teaches different chords and strumming patterns to help you eventually write your own songs

Cons

  • It doesn't offer a lot for those beyond the beginner stage
  • It's relatively expensive for a simple program

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

  • Intensive courses go over topics in great detail
  • Your playing is likely to rapidly improve using this method
  • There are lots of lessons on specific guitar techniques and styles -- this is a fun way to expand your abilities
  • Available add-ons include one-on-one lessons and studio time with Charlie Wallace, the guitarist who developed the site
  • Styles of music covered are primarily blues and rock

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • While it's challenging, this site is likely to help beginners improve their playing quickly
  • The site employs a variety of music instructors to offer different perspectives
  • Available courses go in-depth and cover a lot of genres
  • Members get access to an exclusive Facebook group

Cons

  • It's much more expensive than most guitar apps
  • In order to access some premium features, you have to apply and be accepted into the VIP group

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

  • Like some of the best guitar sites, this one comes as a website --it does not yet have an Android or iOS app
  • Every lesson comes with tabs and chords so you can follow along
  • It offers lessons for everyone from beginners to advanced students
  • Membership includes bonus tools like backing tracks and chord charts

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Interactive curriculum never gets dull
  • You can also take lessons in the bass, banjo, violin, harmonica, and keyboard
  • Lessons are shot in high-definition video with clear audio
  • Instructors include Grammy winners and great session musicians

Cons

  • Some students have complained about the site billing them extra
  • Membership options are fairly expensive

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.

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