# Simply Guitar vs Visual Note

The clearest difference is rating: Simply Guitar at 4.7 against Visual Note's 4.2. Simply Guitar also leads on ratings volume (394K vs 5) and chart position (#32 vs unranked). Visual Note's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 40%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simply Guitar sells 11 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.

Simply Guitar holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simply Guitar has 394K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Simply Guitar'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.

Simply Guitar ships an update fortnightly, Visual Note every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simply Guitar | Visual Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (394K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-guitar-learn-guitar/id1476695335/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-note/id1559421796/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **394K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 40.5% of reviews | **73.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | — |
| Size | 258 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simply Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/492065449) | [Visual Note SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1445450040) |

## What reviewers say

### Simply Guitar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-guitar-learn-guitar/id1476695335)

**Currently charting:** #32 Top Grossing · Education, #66 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Learn to play guitar with interactive, step-by-step video lessons from music experts. Receive real-time feedback on your playing and master chords, tabs, and techniques to play your favorite songs. Includes a built-in tuner and regular content updates.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step video lessons, Real-time playing feedback, Learn chords and songs, Guitar fundamentals and techniques, Built-in guitar tuner, Progress tracking

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Individual Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Individual Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Family Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $29.99 | per month |
| Simply Guitar Premium | $119.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $119.99 | per year |
| Simply Guitar Premium | $149.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $179.99 | per year |
| Simply Guitar Premium | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for beginners
- 🚀 Helpful and easy-to-follow lessons
- 😄 Entertaining and humorous instructor
- 🎸 Ability to play along with songs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent note/chord recognition
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔇 Microphone issues with sound detection
- 🤔 Limited content after initial lessons

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to recognize correctly played notes/chords
- Tuner inaccurately reports strings as out of tune
- Resets progress when making minor mistakes

**Requested features**

- Allow skipping of lessons/songs
- Add speed/tempo control options
- Improve tuning accuracy and reliability
- Expand song library and lesson content


### 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 Simply Guitar free?

Simply Guitar 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, Simply Guitar or Visual Note?

Simply Guitar is rated higher. Simply Guitar averages 4.7 out of 5 from 394K ratings, while Visual Note averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Simply Guitar or Visual Note have ads?

Neither Simply Guitar nor Visual Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simply Guitar or Visual Note?

Simply Guitar ships an update fortnightly, and Visual Note every 10 days. Most recently, Simply Guitar was updated on September 27, 2026 and Visual Note on September 27, 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.*