# Gibson vs Visual Note

The clearest difference is rating: Gibson at 4.8 against Visual Note's 4.2. Gibson also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 5) and chart position (#76 vs unranked). Visual Note's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 61%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gibson sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Visual Note sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $12.90 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gibson holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gibson has 13K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Gibson's written reviews are positive against 73% of Visual Note's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gibson | Visual Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gibson-learn-to-play-guitar/id1116032929/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-note/id1559421796/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **73.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#76** | — |
| Size | 185 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoundio](https://appshunter.io/developer/493858308) | [Visual Note SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1445450040) |

## What reviewers say

### Gibson

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gibson-learn-to-play-guitar/id1116032929)

**Currently charting:** #76 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Learn guitar at your own pace with interactive lessons, real songs, and instant feedback. This app offers a comprehensive learning path for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, with a vast library of content and practice tools.

**Highlights:** Interactive step-by-step learning path, Real-time feedback on playing, Large library of lessons and songs, Guitar tuner and metronome, Tempo control and looping tools, Practice tracking and skill growth, Gibson TV for inspiration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gibson Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Gibson Premium Monthly | $22.99 | per month |
| Gibson Monthly + famous songs | $24.99 | per month |
| Gibson Premium Monthly+ | $32.99 | per month |
| Gibson Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Gibson Premium Yearly | $139.99 | per year |
| Gibson Yearly + Famous Songs | $159.99 | per year |
| Gibson Yearly + Famous Songs | $159.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $199.99 | per year |
| Gibson Premium Yearly+ | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Beginner-friendly
- 🚀 Effective teaching style
- 🚀 Plenty of songs
- 🚀 Interactive and immersive
- 🚀 Accurate feedback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🔒 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Limited free content
- 🔒 Headphones required
- 🔒 Lack of PC/Mac support

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Unreliable note/chord detection
- Upside down screen orientation issues
- Subscription issues (unable to access content)
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause, rewind, and adjust speed
- More comprehensive song library
- Skill-level based lessons
- Option to hear own guitar sound
- Improved note/chord detection


### Visual Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-note/id1559421796)

Learn to play guitar with interactive lessons, a vast song library, and customizable learning modes.  This app offers a comprehensive system for beginners and experienced players, including chord and scale handbooks, and the ability to upload your own tracks.  Enhance your learning with optional LED device integration for guided finger placement.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of songs to learn, Extensive lesson library, 6 learning view modes, Chords & scales handbook, Upload your own tracks, Guitar tuning, LED device integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Premium Access | $12.90 | per month |
| 3 Months Premium | $30.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Months Premium | $39.90 | per 6 months |
| 12 Months Premium | $75.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gibson free?

Gibson is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Visual Note free?

Visual Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gibson or Visual Note?

Gibson is rated higher. Gibson averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Visual Note averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Gibson or Visual Note have ads?

Neither Gibson nor Visual Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gibson or Visual Note?

Gibson ships an update every 10 days, and Visual Note every 10 days. Most recently, Gibson was updated on October 30, 2026 and Visual Note on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*