Comparison

Fretboard Learning vs Axe

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

Head to head
About

Fretboard Learning

Master the guitar fretboard with interactive games and comprehensive learning tools. Practice your ear, learn hundreds of chords and scales, and customize your learning experience with various tunings and modes. Track your progress with detailed statistics and explore music harmony.

Highlights
  • Educational games for fretboard notes
  • Learn over 500 chords
  • Master all scales in different boxes
  • Customizable tunings
  • Left-handed mode
  • Interactive Circle of Fifths
  • Metronome
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Are you new to the guitar? Or maybe you're a seasoned player who's looking for a little help getting your ear back in shape. Either way, Fretboard Learning is your best bet for learning the notes on your guitar. Fretboard Learning offers the best educational games to learn the notes on your guitar. You can practice your musical ear, learn more than 500 chords all over the fretboard, learn all scales in all the different boxes, and customize your experience by selecting your favorite tuning or creating a new one of your own! Left-handed mode is also available. The app includes: - Differents game modes - More than 500 chords all over the fretboard - All scales in all the differents boxes - Custom tunings or create your own - Left handed mode - Different notes notation - Circle of fifths: an interactive and fun tool to explore music harmony - Metronome - Statistics of your results - Detailed heat map of the fretboard

About

Axe

This app transforms guitar learning into an arcade-style game. Navigate a fretboard maze by naming notes, mastering scales, and conquering triads. It's a fun, engaging way to complement traditional guitar lessons.

Highlights
  • Fretboard maze navigation
  • Note identification gameplay
  • Scale pattern practice
  • Triad mastery mini-games
  • Arcade-style challenges
  • Complements guitar lessons
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Axe Master: Unleash Your Fretboard Fury! Embark on a musical adventure like never before with Axe Master – the revolutionary guitar education/game app that transforms learning into a thrilling game of skill and knowledge. Picture this: Navigate a fretboard maze like a guitar-wielding hero, but instead of traditional controls, you conquer the frets by naming notes on the fly. Dodge devilish adversaries, seize power-ups to vanquish foes, and obliterate obstacles with your newfound fretboard prowess. Yet, there's more to this game than meets the eye. To triumph over the challenges, you'll delve into scale patterns and master triads – the very building blocks of chords. Axe Master seamlessly integrates entertainment and education, making the fretboard your playground. Why choose Axe Master? • Fretboard Mastery Made Fun: Say goodbye to tedious memorization. Axe Master turns learning the notes on your guitar into a fast-paced and enjoyable experience. • Arcade-Style Excitement: Test your fretboard knowledge in an exhilarating arcade-style game. Can you name the notes swiftly enough to outsmart the devils and conquer the fretboard? • Tailored Learning: Whether it's note identification, scales, or triads, Axe Master offers focused mini-games to hone specific skills. Customize your learning journey and master each aspect of guitar playing. • Complement Your Lessons: A perfect companion to traditional guitar lessons, Axe Master adds an element of fun to your practice routine. Elevate your playing and watch as memorization becomes second nature. • No Strings Attached Pricing: Unlike other apps, Axe Master is a one-time purchase with no subscriptions or in-app purchases. Gain unlimited access to a world of guitar education at a fraction of the cost of a single private lesson. Unleash the Axe Master within you and revolutionize the way you learn the guitar fretboard. Transform practice into play – your journey to fretboard mastery begins now!

Screenshots

Fretboard Learning4 screens
Axe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Fretboard Learning at Free against Axe's $2.99. Fretboard Learning also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 months). Axe's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). On ads, chart position, device support and iOS requirement 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

Fretboard Learning is free to download; Axe costs $2.99 up front. Fretboard Learning sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Axe asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fretboard Learning ships an update every 3 days, Axe every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Fretboard Learning versus Axe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretboard LearningAxe
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.7 (485 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings485 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#120 — better#121
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.2
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMustapha AOUASTakehito Furuyama

Customer experience

Fretboard Learning

All ratings485 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews43 reviews
Positive69.8%
Neutral9.3%
Negative20.9%

Axe

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Fretboard Learning

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Identify by sound produces no audio or disturbing beep sound
  • Notes on lower half of fretboard not selectable
  • Missing button for sharps/flats (D# not available when shown)
  • Low E string gets stuck on D in custom tuning setup
  • Broken links to Twitter and website in about section
Show 4 more
  • Screen cutoff in horizontal orientation
  • Enharmonic errors in some scales
  • Pro access lost after app reinstall
  • Incorrect answer options not provided for some questions

Requested features

14 requests
  • Octave differentiation (C1, C2, C3, etc.)
  • Support for different number of strings and instruments (bass)
  • Actual guitar note sounds instead of generic beep
  • Horizontal/landscape orientation support
  • Ability to select specific frets and notes in all game modes
Show 9 more
  • Single string isolation practice mode
  • Backing tracks for practice
  • CAGED system mapping
  • Unlimited practice mode option
  • Show correct answer after wrong selection
  • Chord support for alternate tunings
  • Share button for scales and chords
  • Full fretboard view with scrolling instead of limited sections
  • Customizable game progression pace

Axe

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Fretboard Learning

Subscriptions1
  • All Access Package$1.491 Month
One-time1
  • All Access Package$9.99
None

Axe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fretboard Learning free?
Fretboard Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Axe free?
Axe costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Fretboard Learning or Axe have ads?
Neither Fretboard Learning nor Axe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fretboard Learning or Axe?
Fretboard Learning ships an update every 3 days, and Axe every 3 months. Most recently, Fretboard Learning was updated on September 23, 2026 and Axe on September 21, 2026.
Which is more popular, Fretboard Learning or Axe?
Fretboard Learning currently peaks at #120 in the App Store charts, and Axe at #121. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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