Comparison

Guitarist's Reference vs Guitar Genius

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

Head to head
About

Guitarist's Reference

This comprehensive suite offers a vast collection of guitar chords, scales, and arpeggios with clear diagrams and detailed theory. It includes tools for finding chord-scale relationships, exploring alternate tunings, and even a virtual guitar for practice.

Highlights
  • 3000+ guitar chords with diagrams
  • 42 scale types including modes and pentatonics
  • Arpeggio finder
  • 36 alternate tunings
  • Chord-scale relationship guide
  • Virtual guitar
  • Guitar tuner
Features
Read full description

Introducing the Ultimate Guitarist's Companion - Your All-in-One Solution for Mastering the Fretboard: - Comprehensive Package: Elevate your guitar journey with an all-encompassing suite of tools and knowledge. Explore Guitar Chords, Chord Progressions, Scales, Triads, Arpeggios, Fretboard Note Mastery, Reverse Chord & Scale Finder, Chord Quizzes, Alternate Tunings, Guitar Tuner, Virtual Guitar and the intricate web of Chord-Scale Relationships. - Guitar Chord Encyclopedia: Unleash the potential of over 3000 commonly used guitar chords. Dive into chord theory and find clarity through easy-reference diagrams. Test your prowess with the Chord Quiz feature – a true test of your skills. - Mastering Guitar Scales: Demystify the realm of guitar scales fearlessly. From the basics to the sublime, our comprehensive scale reference transforms your fretboard knowledge. With 42 scale types spanning major, minor, pentatonic, modes, and more, you'll command all keys with confidence. - Unveiling Chord-Scale Relationships: Say goodbye to chord change anxiety. Our guide deciphers the intricate dance between chords and scales. Elevate your playing by understanding which scales harmonize with each chord, empowering you to navigate complex progressions effortlessly. - Modern Guitarist's Arpeggios: Seamlessly locate any arpeggio, regardless of your reading ability. Presented in intuitive diagram form, this feature benefits both beginners seeking structured guidance and professionals requiring arpeggio references for any musical scenario. - Alternate Tunings Explored: Dive deep into 36 of the most popular alternate tunings, expanding your creative horizons. Whether you're in Standard or Alternate Tuning, access Scales, Arpeggios, and Fretboard Notes effortlessly. Guitar Tuner: Our improved tuning feature now allows you to tune your guitar by ear across a wide range of preset alternate tunings. - Reverse Chord/Scale Finder Tool: Transform your musical ideas into named chords/scales effortlessly. Struggling to name a chord/scale you've crafted? This ingenious tool deciphers your fretboard inputs, revealing the chord/scale's identity. - Virtual Guitar: Immerse yourself in the guitar-playing experience right from your device. Our virtual guitar feature enables you to strum, pluck, and navigate the fretboard with a variety of alternate tunings. Whether you're a seasoned guitarist or a beginner, this feature provides a platform for practice, chord and scale experimentation, and the joy of guitar sounds without requiring a physical instrument. Take hold of virtual strings and let your musical creativity flow. Experience an unparalleled guitar journey, where knowledge meets practice in perfect harmony. Unleash your true potential with our All-in-One Guitarist's Package.

About

Guitar Genius

Enhance your guitar practice with interactive exercises, song mastering tools, and personalized routines. Learn scales, modes, and chords, and improve your playing speed and fretboard confidence. Organize your learning materials and track your progress for consistent improvement.

Highlights
  • Interactive fretboard exercises
  • Guitar scales, modes, and chord practice
  • Song and lesson practice tools
  • Adjustable tempo and playback speed
  • Progress tracking and daily reminders
  • Import songs from YouTube and Apple Music
Features
Read full description

Guitar Genius is everything you need to become the guitarist you want to be. Build a practice habit that sticks, finally understand the fretboard, learn and perfect the songs you love, master your solos, and keep every tool you need in one beautiful app. Practice can feel like a chore, or it can be the best part of your day. Guitar Genius makes it the second: clear, guided, and built to move you forward, whether you picked up a guitar last week or years ago. SEE THE WHOLE FRETBOARD The Scale Visualizer shows any scale in any key, anywhere on the neck. Toggle notes, intervals, or degrees, hear it played, and finally see how it all connects. Explore keys, modes, and the circle of fifths to understand the music you play. EVERY CHORD, EVERYWHERE Browse a huge chord library with every shape in all five CAGED positions, plus arpeggios and richer voicings. Forgot a shape? Chord ID names any chord from the frets you are holding. PRACTICE THAT STICKS Guided scale and chord drills on a fretboard that always shows the whole neck and slides between positions, so you never lose the context. A bright beacon shows the exact note to play next, and a preview tells you where you are heading before you get there. TRAIN YOUR EAR AND YOUR THEORY Sharpen your ear with interval and chord recognition, test your knowledge with a quick theory quiz, and master every note on the neck with the fretboard trainer. LEARN YOUR FAVORITE SONGS Loop any tricky section, slow it down without changing the pitch, and keep your own notes, tabs, and chords right beside the player. Works with your music and with YouTube. JAM AND SOLO When you want to just play, loop a chord progression and solo over a backing band with the scales that fit lit up on the neck. THE ESSENTIALS, DONE RIGHT A fast, accurate tuner with alternate tunings, a rock solid metronome, and a Speed Trainer that ramps the tempo to push your limits. BUILT TO KEEP YOU GOING Track your practice streak, follow guided paths, and get a daily nudge, so a little practice every day adds up to real progress. Beautiful, fast, and made by a small team who play guitar too. Download Guitar Genius and make practice the best part of your day. Some advanced features are available with Guitar Genius Pro. Terms of Use: https://karasik.co/apps/guitar-genius/terms Privacy Policy: https://karasik.co/apps/guitar-genius/privacy Contact Us: https://karasik.co/apps/guitar-genius

Screenshots

Guitarist's Reference4 screens
Guitar Genius4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Guitar Genius at Free against Guitarist's Reference's $19.99. Guitarist's Reference's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (4 vs 2). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

Guitar Genius is free to download; Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99 up front. Guitar Genius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Guitarist's Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Guitarist's Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Guitarist's Reference's written reviews are positive against 60% of Guitar Genius's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, Guitar Genius every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Guitarist's Reference versus Guitar Genius: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGuitarist's ReferenceGuitar Genius
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (16 ratings) — better4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews62.0% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB71 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMy App Catalog LLCYaron Karasik

Customer experience

Guitarist's Reference

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews179 reviews
Positive62.0%
Neutral15.6%
Negative22.3%

Guitar Genius

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Bugs and requests

Guitarist's Reference

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Chord finder not detecting all chord inversions
  • Issues with alternate tuning functionality
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to overlay multiple scales
  • Customizable chord/scale display options
  • Integrated tuner functionality
  • Support for more alternate tunings
  • Improved chord/scale audio playback

Guitar Genius

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Guitarist's Reference

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Guitar Genius

Subscriptions2
  • Guitar Time Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Guitar Time Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Guitarist's Reference free?
Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Guitar Genius free?
Guitar Genius is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Guitarist's Reference or Guitar Genius?
Guitarist's Reference is rated higher. Guitarist's Reference averages 4.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Guitar Genius averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.
Do Guitarist's Reference or Guitar Genius have ads?
Neither Guitarist's Reference nor Guitar Genius shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Guitarist's Reference or Guitar Genius?
Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, and Guitar Genius every 9 days. Most recently, Guitarist's Reference was updated on October 26, 2026 and Guitar Genius on October 24, 2026.

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