Comparison

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer vs Donner Play

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer

Master your guitar or bass fretboard with this fun and easy trainer. Using scientifically proven methods, it helps you memorize notes quickly through bite-sized practice sessions. Build muscle memory by playing on your actual instrument.

Highlights
  • Memorize guitar/bass notes
  • Spaced repetition learning
  • Practice on real instrument
  • Track progress
  • Bite-sized practice sessions
  • Supports multiple instruments
Features
Read full description

Every guitar/bass player knows that they *should* have the fretboard memorized, but they don't because it's tedious and boring. Fret Pro can do all the hard work for you! With just 10 minutes a day, you’ll have the fretboard memorized in no time. It's easy and fun! SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR INSTRUMENT Having the notes on your guitar or bass fretboard memorized is the most important step toward becoming fluent in the language of your instrument. When you master the fretboard, you can spend less time thinking and more time enjoying playing music. PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS - "I’ve had lessons on-and-off for 10 years, but never did the work of really knowing the notes on the fretboard. I didn’t think it really mattered. But now, concepts I slightly understood before are falling into place, and I’m able to communicate with my teacher in the same language. Recommended." - "I’ve been struggling to memorize the notes on the fretboard for awhile now. This app really helped me get the practice I needed!" LEARN GUITAR FRETBOARD FAST Fret Pro is the fastest way to memorize the music notes on your guitar fretboard. Using scientifically-proven spaced-repetition techniques, Fret Pro helps you memorize each note in the most efficient way. Practice sessions are organized in bite-sized chunks so you can practice as much or as little as you want! BUILD REAL MUSCLE MEMORY Fret Pro is a different kind of fretboard trainer. You build muscle memory and fretboard vision by playing notes on your *real guitar or bass*. FREE FEATURES - Play notes on your real guitar or bass (or both). The natural notes on your first two strings are FREE. - Track progress toward fretboard mastery - Use your device's built-in microphone (an audio interface) - Have your device speak the notes for screen-free practice UPGRADE FEATURES - Unlock all notes on all strings - Focus practice on a specific string or strings - Focus practice on natural notes only or all notes SUPPORTED INSTRUMENTS - 6 string guitar - 7 string guitar - 8 string guitar - 4 string bass - 5 string bass - 6 string bass - Mandolin - Guitarlele/Ukitar - Want something else? Contact us at support@fretpro.app TIPS - The Fret Pro app works best with an acoustic guitar or bass, or an electric guitar or bass with amplifier. It will also work for an unamplified electric guitar and bass in very quiet environments. - The app listens for you to play the correct note, but that doesn't mean you can't make things more exciting. Try practicing different picking patterns, techniques, and rhythms. - Use your favorite effects and pedals like delay, reverb, or distortion! We'll still recognize if you play the right note… though pitch modulating effects probably won't work :) - Try to visualize a fretboard in your mind as you play each note. Can you play each note without looking at your fretboard? - Use the String Focus in settings to hone in on a specific string until you know it by heart. Memorizing the notes on your guitar or bass is a great way to take your playing to the next level. Supplement your current music practice or lessons with ten minutes per day and you'll be surprised at how fast you learn the notes. NOTE FROM THE DEVELOPER Hi! Fret Pro is an indie app made by one guy (me!), who is deeply passionate about music. It is my top priority to build an app that is actually *useful*. There is no nonsense and no tricks to steal your time or money. I actually want the Fret Pro app to be so good that you can STOP using it because it served its purpose (helping you memorize the notes) and you don't need it anymore! Got an idea to help make Fret Pro better? Send me a message at support@fretpro.app! The app is under active development and I’m constantly thinking of ways to make memorizing and visualizing the fretboard faster and easier. Thanks so much for your support, feedback, and reviews! Subject to Apple's standard license agreement https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Donner Play

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)
Read full description

Donner Play, the best one for you to change the way to learn and create music. With Donner series instruments, it kick starts your musical journey easier. 1. Seamless interaction with Donner instruments provides real-time feedback to improve your playing efficiently. 2. Play various songs with the Backbeat e-drum to challenge yourself, or create and arrange music easily with the MEDO portable synthesizer in seamless sync with your gear. 3. Berklee-certified masterclasses covering drums, digital pianos, guitar/bass, and MIDI production offer you structured, professional music training. 4. The built-in toolset includes tuner, chord finder, metronome and more to support efficient practice and performance. Whether you're just starting or already progressing, Donner Play is your go-to place for learning, improving, and creating music.

Screenshots

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer4 screens
Donner Play4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer at 4.8 against Donner Play's 2.5. Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 29%) and ratings volume (806 vs 22). Donner Play's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Donner Play asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer has 806 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer's written reviews are positive against 29% of Donner Play's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer ships an update weekly, Donner Play monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer versus Donner Play: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFret Pro Guitar Notes TrainerDonner Play
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (806 ratings) — better2.5 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews68.8% of reviews — better29.4% of reviews
Number of ratings806 — better22
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB154 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFretboard Hacking LLCDonner LLC

Customer experience

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer

All ratings806 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews144 reviews
Positive68.8%
Neutral9.7%
Negative21.5%

Donner Play

All ratings22 ratings
Positive31.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative63.6%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive29.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative70.6%

Bugs and requests

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect note recognition
  • Microphone issues after app relaunch
  • Inconsistent progress tracking

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add custom tunings
  • Allow selecting specific notes/areas to practice
  • Incorporate solfege and scale degrees
  • Provide progress tracking across devices
  • Add metronome functionality

Donner Play

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer

Subscriptions6
  • Monthly7 Days trial2 variants$5.991 Month
  • Monthly + Family7 Days trial2 variants$9.991 Month
  • Yearly14 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Yearly + Family7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly + Family14 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time3
  • Unlock all notes$4.99
  • Lifetime$64.99
  • Lifetime + Family$79.99
None

Donner Play

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer free?
Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer 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, Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer or Donner Play?
Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer is rated higher. Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 806 ratings, while Donner Play averages 2.5 from 22 ratings.
Do Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer or Donner Play have ads?
Neither Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer nor Donner Play shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer or Donner Play?
Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer ships an update weekly, and Donner Play monthly. Most recently, Fret Pro Guitar Notes Trainer was updated on September 23, 2026 and Donner Play on September 21, 2026.

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