Guitarist's Reference vs GtrLib Chords Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
GtrLib Chords Pro
Access a comprehensive library of guitar chords with detailed fingering and audio demonstrations. Quickly find any chord, explore inversions, and view positions across the fretboard. This tool is designed for guitarists of all levels.
- Vast chord library
- Suggested fingering
- Audio demonstrations
- Chord search
- All positions and inversions
- Apple Watch app
- Export as PNG/MIDI
Read full descriptionHide full description
Explore the vast and comprehensive collection of guitar chords in GtrLib Chords Pro. Get all the possible positions of any chord throughout the fretboard along with its suggested fingering and audio demonstration. Use the built-in search to quickly get to any chord that you are looking for. GtrLib Chords is an invaluable tool in the pocket of any guitarist. • Vast and comprehensive chord library for guitar. • Includes suggested fingering for every chord. • Browse all the chords for every root note. • Explore all the inversions of a chord. • Change the root note with simple taps. • Search and quickly find any chord in any key. • Browse all the possible positions for every chord. • Search any chord directly using Spotlight. • Export any chord as a PNG image or MIDI file. • Includes a standalone app for Apple Watch. • VoiceOver support - makes the app accessible for users who are blind or have low vision. • Widgets - Quickly access recently viewed chords. • App Clips - Explore any chord in detail without having to install the complete app. • Includes support for Dark Mode. More on GtrLib Chords Pro for Apple Watch: GtrLib Chords Pro bundles a standalone app for Apple Watch and makes “most of the guitar chords you will ever need” accessible on the Apple Watch. You can quickly access any chord using just a few taps or using the context menu. Listen to any chord by just tapping on it.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: GtrLib Chords Pro at $8.99 against Guitarist's Reference's $19.99. GtrLib Chords Pro also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 62%) and chart position (#191 vs unranked). Guitarist's Reference's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On rating, ads, in-app purchases 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
Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99 and GtrLib Chords Pro $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Guitarist's Reference against 4.8 for GtrLib Chords Pro. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GtrLib Chords Pro has 128 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Guitarist's Reference's written reviews are positive against 84% of GtrLib Chords Pro's.
Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, GtrLib Chords Pro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Guitarist's Reference | GtrLib Chords Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | $8.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (16 ratings) | 4.8 (128 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | 84.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 128 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #191 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 79 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | My App Catalog LLC | Bijoy Thangaraj |
Customer experience
Guitarist's Reference
GtrLib Chords Pro
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
GtrLib Chords Pro
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Guitarist's Reference
No in-app purchases
GtrLib Chords Pro
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Guitarist's Reference free?
Is GtrLib Chords Pro free?
Which has better reviews, Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro?
Do Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro?
Other comparisons















