Comparison

GuitarGuide vs Fretwise

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

Head to head
About

GuitarGuide

This tool helps guitarists build and explore chord progressions with real audio playback. It offers next-chord suggestions, chord diagrams, and the ability to save your creations. Ideal for songwriters and guitarists looking to experiment with new sounds and tunings.

Highlights
  • Chord progression building
  • Next-chord suggestions
  • Real guitar audio playback
  • Chord diagrams and voicings
  • Saved progressions
  • Multiple and custom tunings
Features
Read full description

GuitarGuide is a practical songwriting tool for guitarists. Build chord progressions, preview what comes next, hear your ideas with real guitar audio, and save the progressions you want to keep. It is made for the moment when you have a chord idea and need to figure out where it should go next. Features include: * Progression building * Next-chord suggestions * Real guitar audio playback * Chord diagrams and voicings * Saved progressions * Multiple tunings * Custom tunings * Theme and accent color options * Premium tools for deeper chord exploration GuitarGuide is useful for: * Songwriters building chord progressions * Guitarists exploring new voicings * Beginners looking for chords that work together * Self-taught musicians learning through sound * Players writing in alternate tunings Instead of only showing isolated chord shapes, GuitarGuide helps you hear how chords work together in context. Start with a chord, preview possible directions, add what sounds right, and keep writing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Fretwise

Features
Read full description

Fretwise is the ultimate guitar companion app with everything you need to learn, practice, and play better guitar. GUITAR TUNER • Accurate pitch detection with visual gauge • See how sharp or flat you are in real-time • Clean, intuitive analog-style display • Works with acoustic and electric guitars METRONOME • Adjustable tempo from 20 to 300 BPM • Multiple beat patterns (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 beats) • Visual beat indicator • Tap tempo support CHORD LIBRARY • Extensive chord voicing collection • Multiple fingering positions for each chord • Clear fretboard diagrams with finger positions • Barre chord indicators • Major, minor, 7th chords and more VISUALIZE ANY SCALE • Over 40 scales including major, minor, pentatonic, blues, modes, and exotic scales • See notes displayed across the entire fretboard • Choose between note names or scale degrees • Overlay two scales to compare — see shared and unique notes at a glance CAGED SYSTEM • Learn the 5 CAGED positions for any scale • Navigate between positions with ease • Understand how patterns connect across the neck 3 NOTES PER STRING • Practice efficient picking patterns • 7 positions covering the entire fretboard • Perfect for speed and technique development DIATONIC TRIADS • See all triads within any scale • Roman numeral notation (I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°) • Understand chord-scale relationships FEATURES • Clean, intuitive interface • Light and dark mode support • Left-handed mode • Full VoiceOver accessibility • Works offline Whether you're a beginner learning your first chord or an advanced player exploring exotic modes, Fretwise is your complete guitar practice companion.

Screenshots

GuitarGuide4 screens
Fretwise4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Fretwise at none against GuitarGuide's shown. GuitarGuide's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.4). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. GuitarGuide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Fretwise sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GuitarGuide ships an update weekly, Fretwise fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
GuitarGuide versus Fretwise: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGuitarGuideFretwise
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.4
Further details — not scored
Size124 MB4 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperGUITARGUIDE LLC.Sebastian Bolling

In-app purchases

2 purchases

GuitarGuide

Subscriptions2
  • GuitarGuide Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • GuitarGuide Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
1 purchases

Fretwise

One-time1
  • Lifetime Unlock$2.99

Questions

Is GuitarGuide free?
GuitarGuide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Fretwise free?
Fretwise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do GuitarGuide or Fretwise have ads?
GuitarGuide shows ads; Fretwise does not.
Which is updated more often, GuitarGuide or Fretwise?
GuitarGuide ships an update weekly, and Fretwise fortnightly. Most recently, GuitarGuide was updated on October 30, 2026 and Fretwise on November 3, 2026.

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