Simply Guitar App Review: Beginner Worthy?

Learning guitar can feel overwhelming, especially with all the choices for online lessons and the pressure to get your hands moving the right way.

It’s tough to stick with it when each chord change feels like a mile’s distance apart and practice becomes a bit boring.

Today, I’m sharing my HONEST review on the Simply Guitar app, after spending several weeks practicing with it on my iPad, running through various lesson packs and song challenges.

💡VIDEO DEMO

Should You Try Simply Guitar?

Like I said, I have been testing this app using the iPad(in the String Shock Studio). You can also use your cell phone but you have to turn it sideways, and depending on where you’re at, it can be awkward sometimes.

The app feels inviting from the second I open it. The graphics are bright and cheerful, which then leads you through a series of questions designed to evaluate exactly where you are and what you want from the lessons.

The layout is simple, and the lessons start off feeling much more like a friendly game than a class. It immediately takes the fear out of making mistakes and makes getting started a whole lot less stressful.

When I started learning guitar, progress felt slow (no online lessons back in 1984). Nowadays, lessons online can either be too easy or too complicated. This one feels “just right.”

I wondered if Simply Guitar could make things feel light and fun. From the first lesson, it’s clear that this app is designed to help newbie guitarists keep going at moments when they might otherwise quit traditional courses.

The app is visually appealing and simple to navigate, hence the name “Simply Guitar.” 😉

For a complete beginner, this will definitely motivate you to WANT to learn. Read here if you’re curious on how long it takes the average person to learn guitar.

In the above example, if you play the right chord, it shows green, and if it’s the wrong chord, it shows up red. Straightforward right?

Here’s what stood out right away after I signed up:

• The home page is straightforward, guiding me into a welcome video and the first set of chords without confusion. It avoids loading me down with theory or too many options. The bright purple and yellow color scheme also makes it feel friendly.

• The lessons break everything down step by step. Every movement, chord, and finger placement comes with slow, clear video examples.

• Unlike traditional books, I get instant feedback on every note and chord I play. If my fingers miss, the app lets me know right away, which helps me fix mistakes on the spot. Learn more about practice mistakes every beginner guitarist makes and how to fix them.

• New players will be thrilled to play along with real song snippets in the first hour. This is a big motivation boost. Even as an experienced player refreshing my basics, I got hooked on beating my high scores in song play-alongs.

Buy if:

• You want a less intimidating way to pick up guitar basics at your own pace.
• You prefer learning by playing popular songs rather than sticking to drills or heavy theory.
• You’re a beginner, a hobbyist, or someone eager to return to guitar after time away.

Skip if:

• You already have solid guitar technique and crave advanced material.
• You need precise feedback and live coaching for advanced playing or fingerstyle techniques.
• You find gamified lesson formats distracting rather than motivating.

Learning Content and Lesson Flow

The heart of Simply Guitar is its step-by-step lesson packs.

Each one aims at a specific skill, such as chords, your first songs, or strumming patterns. One thing I really appreciated? The lessons are short, nearly all are five to ten minutes each.

This makes it much easier to squeeze in a session between work or before bed, which matters a lot for busy adults or teens.

Here are some major strengths:

• Progress Tracking: Each skill unlocks only after you finish the previous one. I always know where I am along my adventure.
• Simple Progression: Tricky things like bar chords come up only after plenty of foundation work.
• Feedback: When I played open chords, the app picked up my notes through the mic. Whenever I got it wrong, a visual cue popped up instantly, which helped me from drifting too far off course.

For true beginners, the early lessons will have you strumming easy pop and rock tunes quickly. You will definitely impress your friends/family at parties and family gatherings.

There’s a light touch on theory and reading notation, which means you’ll get moving faster, but you may not build reading skills as thoroughly as with a formal course.

Song Library & Practice Motivation

Simply Guitar’s biggest pull for me is its modern song selection.

The app features well-known hits, current pop favorites, and those classic riffs everyone recognizes. Playing real songs is seriously motivating, and the app mixes them with skill drills to keep things balanced.

• Song Difficulty: Each song shows its level up front. I could move up to familiar tunes as soon as my skills unlocked them.
• Backing Tracks: Practicing with built-in backing bands makes the sessions feel more like jamming with musicians and less like exercises.

💡Quick heads up: some fan favorites are locked behind paywalls, which is pretty typical for most subscription-based learning apps. The free content lets you sample things, but the monthly plan is what gets you into the full library.

If Simply Guitar’s music library is a priority for you, it’s worth checking the latest selection before you pay. Overall, the regularly updated playlists and badge-chasing features mean there’s always something fresh to keep you practicing.

💡Sometimes you need a little extra motivation by getting your hands on some affordable, quality gear. Take a peek into the String Shock Gear Zone.

App Experience and Usability

I tried Simply Guitar on both iPhone and iPad. The interface was the same on both, and setup was a breeze. Download, grab your guitar, and start.

You don’t need to buy special gear, the built-in microphone suits most situations, though a loud or noisy room can throw off the chord detection from time to time.

• Clear visuals help you copy finger positions exactly, thanks to well-animated hands that match real-life views. This makes finger numbers and positions less confusing for beginners.
• Tuners and metronome tools are built in. The automatic tuner is both fast and accurate(Tuning is always #1).
• The app saves your progress automatically and remembers your spot. You can always pick up right where you left off, which helps keep practice consistent.
• Features also include looping tools and a diverse song library.

If you practice in a room with lots of echo or background noise, you might run into missed chord detection. Choosing a quieter spot helps accuracy, but that’s a small issue weighed against all the fun and convenience this app brings to practice time.

The bite-sized lessons and instant progress tracking make it easy to stick with a daily routine (even five minutes a day adds up fast). The reminders and achievement badges add a little extra push.

Simply Guitar App: Pros and Cons

Simply Guitar App Price

Price (as of December 2025):

• Currently: 14-day free trial, no commitment, cancel anytime
• The standard subscription costs $9.99/month, $119.90/yearly

Order Here:

For what’s included, the I think the price is more than fair. It costs less than even a couple of private lessons, and total beginners will find enough practice motivation for their money as they get rolling.

Compared to in-person lessons, Simply Guitar is much more flexible and saves you scheduling time. The low-pressure, colorful layout beats out dry classes for most people just getting started.

Summed Up?

• Simply Guitar sticks to the fundamentals, keeping things simple and song-focused rather than trying to be a full music school
• Ideal for anyone wanting an easy way to get started and keep good vibes flowing during daily practice
• I often found myself picking up the guitar
• Covers up to five profiles, great for families or households with multiple learners
• Even after playing 41 years, I had fun learning simple songs

I’ve been playing guitar 40 years now; writing, recording, and rocking in bands. Randy Rhoads, Warren DiMartini, and of course, Jimi Hendrix all lit the fire for me, and I’ve been chasing that passion ever since.