# Fender Play vs Donner Play

The clearest difference is rating: Fender Play at 4.8 against Donner Play's 2.4. Fender Play also leads on ratings volume (61K vs 23) and review sentiment (51% vs 28%). Donner Play's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fender Play sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Donner Play asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fender Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fender Play has 61K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Fender Play's written reviews are positive against 28% of Donner Play's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fender Play | Donner Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (61K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fender-play-learn-guitar/id1226057939/reviews)** | [2.4 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/donner-play/id1632150488/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **61K** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **51.5% of reviews** | 27.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#101** | — |
| Size | 113 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Fender Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1107017949) | [Donner LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1630863971) |

## What reviewers say

### Fender Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fender-play-learn-guitar/id1226057939)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Learn guitar, bass, or ukulele with guided video lessons, song tutorials, and practice tools. This app offers a personalized learning path for beginners and intermediate players, featuring feedback technology and a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Guided learning paths, 3000+ bite-sized video lessons, Extensive song library, Integrated lesson feedback, Practice tools (metronome, looping), Community support

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $44.99 | per year |
| Annual Plan | $74.99 | per year |
| All Access Annual Plan | $74.99 | per year |
| Annual Plan | $89.99 | per year |
| Annual Plan | $89.99 | per year |
| Annual Plan | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great learning experience
- 👍 Structured and progressive lessons
- 🎨 Variety of instructors and teaching styles
- ⏱️ Ability to learn at own pace
- 🎸 Helpful for beginners and intermediate players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to read chord charts and tabs
- 🔀 Inconsistent lesson pacing and difficulty
- 🐛 Buggy feedback mode and app crashes
- 🔒 Subscription issues and lack of transparency
- 🚫 Limited song selection and lack of advanced content

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription renewal and login problems
- Inconsistent lesson progress tracking
- Feedback mode not working reliably
- App crashes and freezes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Add left-handed support
- Improve chord chart and tab visibility
- Synchronize video with chord/tab display
- Implement real-time feedback and progress tracking
- Expand song library and include more advanced material


### Donner Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/donner-play/id1632150488)

Learn and create music with interactive lessons and tools. Connect to Donner instruments for real-time feedback, practice with various songs, and access professional masterclasses. This app supports your musical journey from beginner to advanced.

**Highlights:** Real-time instrument interaction, Song practice with e-drum, Music creation with synthesizer, Berklee-certified masterclasses, Practice tools (tuner, metronome)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fender Play free?

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

### Is Donner Play free?

Donner Play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Fender Play or Donner Play?

Fender Play is rated higher. Fender Play averages 4.8 out of 5 from 61K ratings, while Donner Play averages 2.4 from 23 ratings.

### Do Fender Play or Donner Play have ads?

Fender Play shows ads; Donner Play does not.

### Which is updated more often, Fender Play or Donner Play?

Fender Play ships an update monthly, and Donner Play monthly. Most recently, Fender Play was updated on October 27, 2026 and Donner Play on October 25, 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.*