Comparison

StringMaster vs Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs

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

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs

Learn guitar with structured lessons and interactive tools designed for beginners. Progress from your first chord to playing your favorite songs with over 1,500 hits available. Features include a tuner, practice routines, and a songbook with chord filters.

Highlights
  • Structured learning path
  • Bite-size video lessons
  • Interactive exercises
  • Guitar tuner
  • Progress tracking
  • 1,500+ song library
  • Adjustable tempo song player
Features
Read full description

LEARN GUITAR – LESSONS WITH 4,5M+ HAPPY STUDENTS Learn guitar easily with Justin Guitar, the ultimate guitar learning app, created by the world’s best guitar teacher - JUSTIN SANDERCOE. Trusted by millions of learners, Justin’s proven method guides you from your first chord to your favorite songs – with real results that users love! Designed for complete beginners, this app leverages on Justin’s 20+ years of teaching experience and makes learning guitar simple and fun. WHY YOU’LL LOVE JUSTIN GUITAR 1. Learn with a Proven Method - Structured learning path that guides you step-by-step - Keeps you practicing consistently from absolute beginner to confident player - Course level covers beginner Grades 1, 2 & 3! 2. Engaging, Bite-Size Lessons - 210 video lessons (36+ hours total) designed for all beginners - Short, easy-to-follow modules that fit any schedule - Learn what to practice, how long, and when to progress - Daily Practice Routine combines all key exercises into a simple 10-minute plan 3. Interactive Tools for Real Progress - Interactive exercises to strengthen your skills - One-Minute-Chord Change exercises for speed and accuracy - Color-chord system for faster chord learning - Easy-to-use guitar tuner - Progress tracking to keep your learning journey on track 4. Play Songs You Love - Over 1,500 hit songs - New songs added regularly - Module songs matched to your skill level - Songbook with chords filter - Create playlists, auto-play, and share NEW SONG PLAYER UI - Enhanced visuals and smoother navigation - See the next chord with diagram or the strumming pattern - Display lyrics for easier sing-along - Play with a full band sound and optional vocals for a “real stage” experience - Adjustable tempo – slow down or speed up songs to practice at your own pace - Strumming pattern exercises – practice and adjust strumming along with the song YOUR PERSONAL GUITAR TEACHER Justin’s friendly, engaging style makes learning fun and structured. Even tricky skills like chord changes and strumming feel easy to master — like having a personal guitar trainer. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LEARN GUITAR IN ONE APP All your guitar tools in one place: lessons, practice routines, songbook with chord filter, tuner, and a beginner-friendly song player. Learn, practice, and play your favorite songs while tracking your progress and building confidence every day. Millions of learners worldwide love how Justin Guitar makes guitar simple and effective — start your journey today and see how far you can go! We’d love to hear your feedback - email us at justin.ios.feedback@musopia.net *Not optimized for Apple Mac* *Minimum requirements for this app: - iPhone 6S or later (2015+) - iPad 5th generation or later (2017+) - iPad mini 4th generation or later (2015+) - iPad Air 2nd generation or later (2014+) - iPad Pro (2015+) - iOS 15.0 or later Important subscription information Justin Guitar offers several FULL ACCESS subscription packages that unlock unlimited access to the entire song collection of Playground and all the stages of the Guitar Learning Path. New song releases are also included. Subscription purchases are charged to your iTunes account upon confirmation of the purchase. All subscriptions will AUTOMATICALLY be renewed unless the auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will be charged a renewal price equal to that of the original subscription within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renew by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Subscriptions are non-refundable and may not be cancelled during an active subscription period. Our privacy policy can be found at http://musopia.net/justin-privacypolicy Terms of use: https://musopia.net/terms

Screenshots

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs at Free against StringMaster's $14.99. Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (27K vs 24). StringMaster's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 72%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). 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

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs is free to download; StringMaster costs $14.99 up front. StringMaster sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs has 27K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of StringMaster's written reviews are positive against 72% of Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StringMaster ships an update every 3 months, Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
StringMaster versus Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStringMasterJustin Guitar Lessons & Songs
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (24 ratings)4.8 (27K ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better71.7% of reviews
Number of ratings2427K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#119 — better
DevicesiPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB549 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGreat Apptitude Pty LtdMusopia

Customer experience

StringMaster

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

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs

All ratings27,413 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews1,263 reviews
Positive71.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative21.5%

Bugs and requests

StringMaster

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistencies between app and website content
  • Rating system not always working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to customize practice routines
  • Option to track progress on advanced chord changes
  • Offline mode for users with limited internet access
  • More advanced lessons and content for intermediate players

In-app purchases

2 purchases

StringMaster

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

Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs

Subscriptions9
  • Full Access 1 Month$8.991 Month
  • Full Access 1 Month7 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Unlock Guitar Lessons & Songs$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Justin Unlimited Access 1Month2 variants$10.991 Month
  • Justin Unlimited Access 1Month$19.991 Month
  • Full Access 1 Year7 Days trial$64.991 Year
  • Learn Guitar Pass7 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Justin Unlimited Access 1 Year7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Justin Unlimited Access 1 Year7 Days trial$129.991 Year

Questions

Is StringMaster free?
StringMaster costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs free?
Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StringMaster or Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs?
Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs is rated higher. StringMaster averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs averages 4.8 from 27K ratings.
Do StringMaster or Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs have ads?
Neither StringMaster nor Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StringMaster or Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs?
StringMaster ships an update every 3 months, and Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs every 2 weeks. Most recently, StringMaster was updated on November 1, 2026 and Justin Guitar Lessons & Songs on November 4, 2026.

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