# Guitarist's Reference vs Solo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Guitarist's Reference at none against Solo's 2. Guitarist's Reference also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Solo's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 62%) and ratings volume (653 vs 16). On rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99 and Solo $17.99 up front. Solo sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Guitarist's Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Guitarist's Reference against 4.7 for Solo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Solo has 653 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 83% of Solo's.

Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, Solo monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Guitarist's Reference | Solo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$17.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitarists-reference/id304048049/reviews)** | [4.7 (653 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solo-fretboard-visualization/id1537057699/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **653** |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#74** |
| Size | 79 MB | 231 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [My App Catalog LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/304048052) | [Trio Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537057701) |

## What reviewers say

### Guitarist's Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitarists-reference/id304048049)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Comprehensive guitar reference
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Reverse chord finder
- 🚀 Detailed chord, scale, and arpeggio information
- 👍 Great for beginners and advanced players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔧 Missing some common chord and scale voicings
- 🔧 Chord playback implementation could be improved
- 🔧 Outdated or lacking support for newer iOS versions
- 🔧 Interface could use a more modern design

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Solo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solo-fretboard-visualization/id1537057699)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Master your guitar fretboard with this interactive trainer. Learn note names, intervals, chord changes, and scales through guided exercises. Designed by professional guitarists, it offers customizable workouts for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Fretboard visualization, Note name trainer, Interval shape memorization, Chord change outlining, Scale practice, Interactive fretboards, Customizable workouts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Custom Tunings | $1.99 | one-time |
| Custom Chord Progressions | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent practice tool
- 👍 Helps improve fretboard knowledge
- 👍 Versatile and configurable
- 👍 Detailed video tutorials
- 👍 Accurate note detection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Note detection issues
- 🐛 App crashes
- 🐛 Lack of customization options
- 🐛 Unintuitive for beginners
- 🐛 Limited functionality for the price

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when launching the app
- Inconsistent note detection
- Inability to save progress or settings

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create custom chord progressions
- Integrate metronome functionality
- Provide visual representation of intervals on staff
- Add option to practice natural notes only
- Implement option to hear chord tones in the background


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Guitarist's Reference free?

Guitarist's Reference costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Solo free?

Solo costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Guitarist's Reference or Solo?

Guitarist's Reference is rated higher. Guitarist's Reference averages 4.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Solo averages 4.7 from 653 ratings.

### Do Guitarist's Reference or Solo have ads?

Neither Guitarist's Reference nor Solo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Guitarist's Reference or Solo?

Guitarist's Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, and Solo monthly. Most recently, Guitarist's Reference was updated on October 17, 2026 and Solo on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*