Every January, a lot of new guitars come out of their boxes, and by March a lot of them are leaning against a wall collecting dust. The guitar was rarely the problem. The problem is usually the route: a lesson format that did not suit the person, too much material with no order to it, or nobody pointing out that the buzzing on the B string comes from a flattened finger. This roundup compares the main online guitar lessons for beginners, explains who each route actually suits, and gives you a realistic plan for the first month so the guitar stays in your hands.
A quick note on how this page works: it is an editorial overview based on how each platform is designed and what it publishes about itself, written by people who teach and record guitar. We do not list prices, trial lengths or song counts, because those change constantly. Check each platform’s own site for current terms.
How to choose guitar lessons for beginners
Before comparing brand names, decide what kind of help you need. Most beginners fall into one of four camps:
- You want structure and video. A course that tells you exactly what to learn next, demonstrated by a teacher on camera. Fender Play, Guitar Tricks and JustinGuitar sit here.
- You want a game-like nudge to practise. Apps that listen to you play and score your timing and accuracy, such as Yousician or Simply Guitar.
- You want someone to watch your hands. A private teacher, in person or over video call, is still the only option that reliably catches posture and technique problems early.
- You already play a little. Deeper course libraries such as TrueFire, or a specific Udemy-style course on one style, are often better value than starting from lesson one again.
Three questions narrow it down fast: Do you learn better from a person talking or from a screen telling you when you are wrong? How many minutes a day can you honestly practise? And do you have a style in mind (acoustic strumming, blues, rock, fingerstyle)?
The best online guitar lesson platforms compared
Fender Play
Fender Play is a video-lesson subscription from the guitar maker itself, covering guitar, bass and ukulele. You pick an instrument and a style, and the platform builds a path of levels, each made of short courses that mix skills with songs. Lessons are deliberately bite-sized, which suits people practising in short sessions. Fender also offers practice features such as scrolling tab with a built-in metronome and backing tracks.
Best for: adult beginners who want a clear, style-based path and short daily lessons. Limitations: because lessons are short, theory and deeper technique are spread thin, and you get no personal feedback on your hand position. If you are buying for someone else, Fender sells a Fender Play 6-Month Subscription Prepaid Gift Card, which is a tidy way to gift a subscription alongside a first guitar.
Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks is one of the longest-running online guitar schools. Its beginner route, the Core Learning System, starts with Guitar Fundamentals (holding the guitar and pick, tuning, first chords, strumming, simple songs) and then branches into genre courses such as blues, rock, country and acoustic. Lessons combine video with written explanation, tab and notation.
Best for: learners who like a big, organised library and want to follow a style past the beginner stage. Limitations: the sheer size of the catalogue can tempt beginners to jump around instead of finishing the fundamentals, and like every video platform, it cannot see what you are doing.
JustinGuitar (free)
JustinGuitar is the free option that many paid platforms are measured against. The beginner course is free on the website and is organised into grades: the first covers the essential open chords, strumming patterns and play-along songs, with later grades adding the F chord, fingerpicking, blues and rock styles, and more rhythm and theory. There is a separate paid app, but the core teaching lives on the site.
Best for: self-motivated beginners on a tight budget, and anyone who wants a well-sequenced course with a patient teaching voice. Limitations: it is free, so there is nobody nudging you if you skip a week, and it is one teacher’s method rather than a menu of styles.
Yousician and Simply Guitar
These are interactive apps rather than video schools. You play along with on-screen notation or tab, and the app listens through your device and scores your accuracy and timing in real time. Yousician also covers bass, piano, ukulele and singing; Simply Guitar comes from the makers of Simply Piano. The game-style progress, goals and rewards are genuinely good at getting people to pick up the guitar every day.
Best for: people who need motivation and instant “was that right?” feedback, and younger learners. Limitations: an app can hear whether the right note sounded on time, but it cannot see a collapsing wrist, a thumb wrapped too far over the neck, or tension creeping into your shoulders. Gamification is not the same as technique coaching.
TrueFire and Udemy-style courses
TrueFire focuses on in-depth courses from many different instructors, with a strong lean toward blues, jazz, fingerstyle and improvisation. Marketplace platforms such as Udemy and Coursera-style course sites sell individual courses on single topics. Both work best once you know the basics; total beginners may miss a single guided path.
A private teacher, in person or online
A good teacher is still the fastest way to fix problems you do not know you have. They adjust the pace to you, choose songs you actually want to play, and spot bad habits before they set in. Online lessons over video call work well for most beginners, provided the camera shows both hands. The trade-off is cost per hour and scheduling. Many players get the best of both: a platform or free course for daily practice, plus a teacher every two to four weeks for a check-up.
Quick comparison
| Route | Format | Feedback | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fender Play | Short video lessons on style paths | None personal; practice tools | Busy adults, style-led learners |
| Guitar Tricks | Large video library, Core Learning System | None personal | Learners who want depth across genres |
| JustinGuitar | Free graded video course | None personal | Budget-conscious, self-motivated learners |
| Yousician / Simply Guitar | Interactive app, play-along | Real-time note and timing scoring | Motivation, kids, short sessions |
| TrueFire / Udemy-style | Topic or style courses | Varies by course | Players past the first months |
| Private teacher | Live, in person or video call | Full: hands, posture, musicality | Anyone who can budget for it |
What you need before your first lesson
You do not need much, but each item below removes a reason to quit:
- A playable guitar. A low, comfortable string height matters more than the brand. Our guides to the best acoustic guitars for beginners cover the options; on the electric side, the Yamaha Pacifica PAC012 is a long-standing beginner favourite that plays well out of the box.
- A tuner. An out-of-tune guitar makes correct fingering sound wrong, which is demoralising. A clip-on such as the Snark SN5X Clip-On Chromatic Tuner lives on the headstock, or you can use our free online guitar tuner.
- A few picks, a strap and a stand. A guitar on a stand gets played; a guitar in a case under the bed does not.
- A way to read tab. Nearly every platform uses tablature, so spend ten minutes with our guide on how to read guitar tabs before you start.
A realistic first month
Whichever route you choose, the first four weeks look similar. Aim for 15 to 20 minutes a day rather than one long weekend session; fingertips toughen and muscle memory builds through repetition, not marathon practice.
- Week 1: Tuning, holding the guitar and pick, and two easy chords such as Em and A minor. Expect sore fingertips. That is normal and fades.
- Week 2: Add G, C and D. Practise switching between pairs of chords slowly for one minute at a time. Chord changes, not chord shapes, are where beginners struggle.
- Week 3: A simple down-strum pattern in time with a metronome, then a down-down-up pattern. Play your first full song, even if the changes are late.
- Week 4: Two or three songs with four chords, plus a short single-note riff or melody from tab.
Some weeks will feel like no progress at all. Plateaus are part of learning any instrument, and they usually break when you slow down and clean up one small thing, such as a single chord change. For the bigger picture of what to learn after month one, see our step-by-step roadmap on how to learn guitar.
If guitar is part of a wider goal, such as writing and producing your own tracks, a mentor who covers both playing and production can save months of guesswork. That is what our music production coaching is built for.
Our verdict
There is no single best platform, only the best fit. If budget is tight and you are self-driven, start with JustinGuitar. If you want a polished, style-based path, Fender Play or Guitar Tricks are strong choices. If motivation is your weak point, an interactive app like Yousician will get you playing daily. And if you can afford even occasional private lessons, add them: a teacher’s eyes on your hands make every other route work better.
FAQ
Can you really learn guitar from online lessons?
Yes. Many players learn their first chords and songs entirely online. The main risk is unnoticed technique problems, so film yourself occasionally, compare it with the instructor, or book a teacher now and then for a check-up.
Should a beginner start on acoustic or electric guitar?
Start on the guitar that matches the music you want to play. Electric guitars usually have lighter strings and are easier on the fingers; acoustics need no amp. Every platform in this roundup teaches both.
How much should a beginner practise each day?
Fifteen to thirty focused minutes most days beats one long session a week. Short, regular practice builds calluses and chord-change speed far more reliably.
