Comparison

StringMaster vs Gibson

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

Head to head
About

StringMaster

This comprehensive music learning app offers tools for chord building, scale visualization, songwriting, and instrument tuning. It supports a wide range of instruments and provides features for both beginners and seasoned musicians.

Highlights
  • Chord building and detection
  • Scale visualization and playback
  • Songwriting tools
  • Chromatic tuner and metronome
  • Fretboard learning
  • Alternate tuning and capo support
  • Piano keyboard mapping
Features
Read full description

Introducing StringMaster, the original heart of the StringMaster family of applications that represent the pinnacle of advanced music applications for iPad and Mac, tailored for musicians ranging from relative beginners to seasoned guitarists. The StringMaster family has five versions catering to diverse needs with StringMaster providing most of the features of the Pro version, with the exception of Fretlight Guitar support and the Jam/MIDI capability, though in app upgrades are available for these features. Unlock a world of possibilities with support for chord building and detection, chord tones, scales, and songwriting, backed by a chromatic tuner, metronome, fretboard learning, flexible alternate tuning and capo support for any instrument in any orientation, and more. The StringMaster family boasts over 150,000 users and having held the #1 Music App position in 34 countries. It supports an array of instruments, from acoustic and electric guitars to bass guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, pianos, and even balalaikas. Dive into a rich sound library with distortion, reverb, or piano options for any instrument. Whether you're a guitarist, bassist, or multi-instrumentalist, StringMaster has you covered. Key features include chord building and detection, a comprehensive fretboard learning system, advanced songwriting tools, and flexible alternate tuning and capo support for any instrument in any orientation. StringMaster 4 introduces piano keyboard support, allowing seamless mapping of guitar chords to the piano keyboard. Explore the robust capabilities of StringMaster: * Play and discover chords and fingering with natural tones. * Display and play scales, including scale runs up the fretboard. * Visualize chord notes, suggested fingering, and Chord Tones. * Utilize the unique Note Finding capability to learn notes and their relative positions on the fretboard. * Benefit from the integrated Chromatic Tuner and Metronome, playable in the background. * Leverage StringMaster's chord-naming algorithms based on finger positions. * Unleash your creativity with the Song Writer, recommending chord progressions and facilitating songwriting. * Master instruments by comparing chords, patterns, and fingerings across a variety of instruments. * Output MIDI from played notes. Experience the next level of musical exploration and education with StringMaster – where versatility meets excellence. Join the global community of musicians who have made StringMaster their go-to app for musical innovation. Download StringMaster now and elevate your musical journey to new heights! Note that the App Purchase of StringMaster Pro includes full Fretlight Wireless support as well as the "Jam" capability.

About

Gibson

Learn guitar at your own pace with interactive lessons, real songs, and instant feedback. This app offers a comprehensive learning path for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, with a vast library of content and practice tools.

Highlights
  • Interactive step-by-step learning path
  • Real-time feedback on playing
  • Large library of lessons and songs
  • Guitar tuner and metronome
  • Tempo control and looping tools
  • Practice tracking and skill growth
  • Gibson TV for inspiration
Features
Read full description

Simply the best guitar learning app from Gibson. Perfect if you're looking for a fun guitar practice app that keeps you motivated. Looking for the best way to learn guitar at home? Start with Gibson's step-by-step learning path. Whether you're picking up a guitar for the first time or leveling up your technique, the Gibson App helps you learn faster with interactive fun lessons, real songs, and real-time feedback. Join millions of guitar players learning with the Gibson App. Build real skills across all styles — from your first chords to full songs, fingerpicking, and music theory. New songs added weekly. FEATURED IN TOP MUSIC MEDIA "The Gibson App is changing the guitar teaching game." — Rolling Stone "For those just starting their guitar journey, the Gibson app will be a godsend. The quality of tuition is second to none." — Guitar World "The Best Guitar Learning App" - Creative Outlet LEARN GUITAR FASTER WITH REAL-TIME FEEDBACK The app listens to your guitar and gives you instant feedback on your playing, helping you improve timing and technique with every session. Guitar lessons, real songs, interactive tabs, tuner, metronome, and real-time feedback — all in one app. 10,000+ LESSONS, EXERCISES & SONGS Explore a massive library of lessons and songs across multiple genres, including rock, blues, metal, pop, acoustic, and more. MASTER EVERY GUITAR SKILL Go beyond basic chords with a curriculum that covers proper finger placement, strumming patterns, lead guitar, fingerpicking, and music theory. Whether you want to read tabs or understand the fretboard, our world-class teachers guide you from beginner to pro across all genres. See your guitar skills grow in real-time with detailed tracking across 300+ techniques, chords, and playing styles—turning invisible practice into measurable mastery. STEP-BY-STEP LEARNING PATH (BEGINNER TO PRO) Follow a fun learning journey created by professional guitar teachers. You'll always know what to practice next, with lessons designed to keep you progressing. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LEARN & PLAY GUITAR - Free guitar tuner - Free metronome - Tempo control and looping tools - Free training Calendar to build a consistent routine TURN YOUR IPHONE/IPAD INTO AN AMPLIFIER Explore guitar sound effects, play along with your favorite music. Practice with an electric or acoustic guitar. JOIN THE COMMUNITY Connect with fellow guitar learners, get access to pro-level guidance, tips, and inspiration. WATCH GIBSON TV Gibson TV is packed with original series on guitars, music, and culture. Watch, and get inspired by legendary players and iconic stories. NEW TO GUITAR? - Is the Gibson App good for complete beginners? Yes. The Gibson App is designed to help complete beginners learn guitar from scratch with step-by-step lessons and a fun learning path. - Can I learn guitar on my own? Absolutely. The app is built for self-learners and helps you stay consistent with guided lessons and a Training Calendar. - Does it work with acoustic and electric guitar? Yes. The Gibson App works with any guitar. - Does the app teach real songs? Yes. Learn real songs with interactive tabs and video lessons. - Why should I choose Gibson app? Gibson is the best guitar learning app. Ask our users! HOW THE GIBSON APP WORKS - The app listens to your guitar and gives you feedback - Play along with fun lessons and easy-to-follow tabs - Advance at your own pace through the step-by-step learning FREE TRIAL Day 1: Start free trial Day 1 - 7: Full access to all lessons, songs, features Day 7: Subscription begins unless canceled Cancel anytime during the free trial, you won't be charged ABOUT The Gibson App is developed by Zoundio, a music-tech company based in Stockholm, Sweden, in collaboration with Gibson. CONTACT Have feedback, questions or suggestions? Contact us at app.support@gibson.com Apple's Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Gibson4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Gibson at Free against StringMaster's $14.99. Gibson also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (13K vs 24). StringMaster's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 61%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Gibson is free to download; StringMaster costs $14.99 up front. StringMaster sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Gibson sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for StringMaster against 4.8 for Gibson. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gibson has 13K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of StringMaster's written reviews are positive against 61% of Gibson's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StringMaster ships an update every 3 months, Gibson every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
StringMaster versus Gibson: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStringMasterGibson
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (24 ratings)4.8 (13K ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better61.1% of reviews
Number of ratings2413K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#75 — better
DevicesiPad, MaciPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB184 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGreat Apptitude Pty LtdZoundio

Customer experience

StringMaster

All ratings23 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral5.7%
Negative14.3%

Gibson

All ratings12,854 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral2.3%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews704 reviews
Positive61.1%
Neutral11.5%
Negative27.4%

Bugs and requests

StringMaster

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Gibson

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent app crashes
  • Unreliable note/chord detection
  • Upside down screen orientation issues
  • Subscription issues (unable to access content)
  • Incompatibility with older devices

Requested features

8 requests
  • Ability to pause, rewind, and adjust speed
  • More comprehensive song library
  • Skill-level based lessons
  • Option to hear own guitar sound
  • Improved note/chord detection
Show 3 more
  • Ability to save/mark songs in progress
  • Music theory lessons
  • Ability to create and play own songs

In-app purchases

2 purchases

StringMaster

One-time2
  • Fretlight Support$4.99
  • StringMaster Pro Upgrade$7.99
10 purchases

Gibson

Subscriptions10
  • Gibson Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Gibson Premium Monthly$22.991 Month
  • Gibson Monthly + famous songs$24.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Gibson Premium Monthly+$32.991 Month
  • Gibson Yearly7 Days trial$129.991 Year
  • Gibson Premium Yearly7 Days trial$139.991 Year
  • Gibson Yearly + Famous Songs7 Days trial$159.991 Year
  • Gibson Yearly + Famous Songs$159.991 Year
  • Yearly subscription7 Days trial$199.991 Year
  • Gibson Premium Yearly+14 Days trial$199.991 Year

Questions

Is StringMaster free?
StringMaster costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Gibson free?
Gibson is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StringMaster or Gibson?
Gibson is rated higher. StringMaster averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Gibson averages 4.8 from 13K ratings.
Do StringMaster or Gibson have ads?
Neither StringMaster nor Gibson shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StringMaster or Gibson?
StringMaster ships an update every 3 months, and Gibson every 10 days. Most recently, StringMaster was updated on October 12, 2026 and Gibson on October 18, 2026.

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