Comparison

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.

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

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.

Highlights
  • Vast chord library
  • Suggested fingering
  • Audio demonstrations
  • Chord search
  • All positions and inversions
  • Apple Watch app
  • Export as PNG/MIDI
Features
Currently charting
Read 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

Guitarist's Reference4 screens
GtrLib Chords Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Guitarist's Reference versus GtrLib Chords Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGuitarist's ReferenceGtrLib Chords Pro
Price$19.99$8.99 — better
Rating4.8 (16 ratings)4.8 (128 ratings)
Positive reviews62.0% of reviews84.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16128 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#191 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMy App Catalog LLCBijoy Thangaraj

Customer experience

Guitarist's Reference

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

GtrLib Chords Pro

All ratings128 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive84.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative12.0%

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

GtrLib Chords Pro

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Guitarist's Reference

No in-app purchases

None

GtrLib Chords Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Guitarist's Reference free?
Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GtrLib Chords Pro free?
GtrLib Chords Pro costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro?
Guitarist's Reference and GtrLib Chords Pro are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 16 and 128 ratings respectively.
Do Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro have ads?
Neither Guitarist's Reference nor GtrLib Chords Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Guitarist's Reference or GtrLib Chords Pro?
Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, and GtrLib Chords Pro every 2 months. Most recently, Guitarist's Reference was updated on October 13, 2026 and GtrLib Chords Pro on October 12, 2026.

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