Learning to play guitar can be an extremely rewarding yet challenging experience, especially for beginners. While taking in-person guitar lessons is invaluable for hands-on guidance, guitar learning apps provide an accessible and affordable way to start learning on your own.
The best guitar apps act as virtual guitar tutors that you can take with you anywhere. They break down concepts into short, digestible lessons with the aid of visuals and audio. Many also listen to you play and provide instant feedback to help you improve faster.
In this comprehensive guide, I will cover:
- Benefits of using guitar learning apps
- Key features to look for in guitar apps
- In-depth reviews of the 14 best guitar learning apps
- Tips to get the most out of guitar apps as a beginner
Let‘s get started!
Benefits of Guitar Learning Apps
Here are some of the biggest advantages guitar apps have over traditional in-person lessons:
Convenience – Apps allow you to learn anywhere, anytime at your own pace. You can practice for short bursts during free time rather than committing to weekly lessons.
Affordability – Most guitar learning apps cost less than $20/month compared to $30 – $60 per hour for individual lessons. Many also come with free trial periods.
Interactive Learning – Apps listen to you play and provide real-time feedback for continuous improvement rather than waiting for instructor guidance.
Customized Lessons – Whether you‘re using an acoustic or electric guitar, apps provide tailored guidance for your skill level and goals.
Fun Learning Experience – Apps make learning enjoyable by integrating popular songs, gaming elements, and challenges rather than strict technical drills alone.
What to Look for in Guitar Apps
With hundreds of guitar learning apps available, it can get overwhelming finding one that suits your needs. Here are the most important features to evaluate:
User Interface – Ensure the app is easy to navigate and understand, especially if you‘re a complete beginner.
Guitar Tuner – A built-in tuner helps you easily tune your guitar before playing. This is an essential tool.
Interactive Feedback – The ability to listen to you play and provide real-time feedback makes for better progress.
Lesson Quality – Well-structured lessons designed for beginners help you build a strong foundation.
Song Library – A large catalog of popular songs keeps learning fun by letting you play along.
Pricing – Many apps come with free trial periods so you can test them out risk-free before subscribing.
Compatibility – Most run seamlessly on both iOS and Android platforms. Some even work on computers.
Now let‘s look at reviews of some of the best guitar learning apps ideal for beginners based on the above criteria.
Reviews of the Best Guitar Learning Apps
Fender Play
Fender Play likely has the most beginner-friendly and structured core curriculum out of all guitar learning apps. Backed by the iconic guitar brand, it excels at teaching guitar fundamentals through short 3 – 5 minute video lessons.
Standout Features
- Step-by-step video lessons organized into digestible learning paths
- Excellent instructors who break concepts down easily
- Over 1000 songs with varied difficulty levels
- liquorAdaptive difficulty that customizes lessons to your progress
- 7-day free trial available
Cost – $9.99/month or $89.99/year
Platforms – iOS, Android, Desktop
Overall, Fender Play strikes the perfect balance between theory and practical learning. The short video lesson format also makes it easy to learn on the go. The structured curriculum and quality instructors ensure you build strong guitar fundamentals.
Yousician
Yousician gamifies guitar learning by integrating popular songs, challenges and achievement tracking to keep you motivated. It also provides instant feedback on your playing through its automatic music recognition feature.
Standout Features
- Listens and gives real-time feedback on your playing
- Fun gaming elements with rewards and trophies
- Over 1500 songs ranging from beginner to advanced
- Left and right-hand mode for both types of guitarists
- Analytics to visualize your progress
Cost – $19.99/month (premium plan) but offers free and trial options
Platforms – iOS, Android, Desktop
Yousician makes guitar practice almost addictive through gamification while still providing strong fundamental teaching. The interactive feedback also ensures you ingrain good technique.
JustinGuitar
Created by renowned YouTube guitar instructor Justin Sandercoe, JustinGuitar brings a similar structured approach seen in Justin‘s popular video lessons to app form.
Standout Features
- Complete beginner‘s course to build strong fundamentals
- Over 1000 tutorial videos by Justin covering techniques, theory and songs catered towards beginners
- Intuitive app interface that‘s easy to navigate
- Detailed lessons on how to play over 3000 chords
Cost – $9.99/month or $59.99/year
Platforms – iOS, Android
Justin‘s friendly teaching style shines through in this app making lessons engaging for beginners. While more costly than competitors, you gain access to the entire library of instructional content catering specifically towards beginners.
GarageBand
While not solely a guitar app, GarageBand comes free with iOS and Mac devices allowing you to easily lay down guitar tracks over quality instrumental backing tracks across different genres.
Standout Features
- Features virtual guitar amps and effects
- Looping capabilities
- Built-in tuner and metronome
- A vast library of premade backing tracks and rhythms
Cost – Free, included with iOS and Mac purchases
Platforms – iOS and MacOS
GarageBand offers a fun way for guitarists to experiment with song ideas and riffs over professional backing tracks. The amp/effects customizations provide added possibilities without needing additional hardware. It‘s a great accompanying tool alongside dedicated guitar learning apps.
Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks has the most comprehensive lesson library out of any guitar learning platform with over 11,000 videos – making it almost an endless resource to continually hone your playing.
Standout Features
- 11,000+ tutorial videos covering techniques, theory, different genres/styles and songs
- Structured Core Learning System for beginners
- Challenges, jam tracks and interactive tools
- Detailed tracking for convenient access to your lesson history
Cost – $19.95/month billed annually after 14-day free trial expires
Platforms – iOS, Android, Desktop
While pricier than competitors, a Guitar Tricks membership gives you an ever-growing library of lessons to fit any learning style alongside their structured curriculum for beginners. Daily song and lick lessons make staying motivated easy.
JamPlay
JamPlay matches Guitar Tricks with over 7000 videos led by expert instructors organized as structured courses for all skill levels.
Standout Features
- Over 7000 videos on techniques, theory and songs
- Structured courses with defined outcomes for focused learning
- Detailed progress tracking
- Backing tracks to practice improvisation
- Active community of members to connect with
Cost – $19.95/month billed annually
Platforms – iOS, Android, Desktop
Like Guitar Tricks, JamPlay essentially functions as a virtual guitar college with structured courses at all levels. Their structured learning paths make sure you build skills effectively as a beginner rather than just improvising.
Simply Guitar
True to its name, Simply Guitar delivers guitar learning in quick and simple 5-minute daily lessons. Its color-coded fretboard also minimizes the initially steep learning curve most beginners face.
Standout Features
- Color-coded fretboard using a simple 5-color system
- 5-minute daily lessons structured into learning paths
- Feedback on your playing through device microphone
- Covers lead and rhythm guitar
Cost – $9.99/month or $47.99/year after 7-day free trial
Platforms – iOS, Android
By condensing lessons into easily digestible 5-minute daily chunks, Simply Guitar lowers the barrier of entry for complete beginners to make progress while still covering core fundamentals. The visual color-coded fretboard also connects theory to practice.
Rocksmith+
While not a traditional guitar learning app, Rocksmith+ gamifies the experience by having you play along to songs using your actual electric guitar connected to your device.
Standout Features
- Plays like a game – select songs based on mastery level and play along
- Over 6000 popular songs with more added weekly
- Adjustable difficulty
- Provides real-time feedback on playing accuracy
- Useful tools like built-in Tone Designer and tablature scoring
Cost – $14.99/month or $99/year
Platforms – PS5, Xbox X/S, PC
Rocksmith+ delivers a truly immersive way to learn guitar by playing along to popular songs at your skill level. The instant feedback helps reinforce good technique in a practical manner.
Ultimate Guitar
Boasting the world‘s largest catalog of guitar tablature, Ultimate Guitar is a versatile toolbox supplementing guitar learning rather than a dedicated lesson platform.
Standout Features
- 1.2+ million tablatures and chords for songs across different instruments
- Play along to tablature audio samples
- Tab learning mode with notation highlights
- Chord diagrams
- Gear catalog of instruments and equipment
Cost – Free access to 450K tablatures. $9.99 Premium monthly subscription unlocks full 1.2M+ library
Platforms – iOS, Android
Ultimate Guitar empowers self-guided learning by providing tabs and tools to play along to virtually any song. Use it to reinforce what you learn from other guitar apps by looking up tabs of songs you want to try.
Tips to Maximize Guitar Apps as a Beginner
Here are some tips to make the most out of guitar learning apps:
Use apps alongside in-person lessons – Apps serve great as supplemental tools for at-home practice when combined with occasional one-on-one guidance from a guitar teacher.
Set goals and commit to short, consistent practice – 15-30 minutes daily is better than 2 hours once a week. Goal setting keeps you accountable.
Be patient with progress – Learning an instrument is a journey measured in months and years, not days and weeks. Embrace the small wins.
Have your guitar properly set up – Using a guitar with poor string action and intonation makes learning much harder. Invest in a set up.
Use apps‘ social features – Connect with other members for accountability, questions and inspiration. Learning together speeds growth.
Conclusion
Guitar learning apps make starting out with guitar approachable and fun rather than intimidating. For less than $20/month, they provide on-demand access to structured lessons, popular songs and real-time feedback – eliminating barriers beginners typically face.
Use this guide to find a great starting point matching your budget and style. Consider combining multiple apps like Fender Play or JustinGuitar for fundamentals paired with Ultimate Guitar for tabs or Yousician for interactivity. Above all, set goals, practice consistently in short bursts and be patient.
Now grab your guitar and start shredding! The journey begins now.
