The 14+ Best Websites to Learn Guitar: Updated 2023!

Last updated on February 13th, 2023 at 02:40 am

When I was in my teens, there was no other way to learn guitar other than hiring a teacher or going to a music school, which is basically what I did.

This, however, has drastically changed in the past decade and now there are dozens, if not hundreds, of websites available that teach you how to play the guitar online, and most of them even have their own app that you can use to learn no matter where you are.

In this post, I will go over the best guitar teaching websites that are currently available and that actually deliver good results at a very reasonable price.

Best Overall

Guitar Tricks

Guitar Tricks features a wide array of courses and is the best site for beginners and intermediates.

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Great Teachers

Truefire

Truefire features extremely well-known teachers, such as Tommy Emmanuel, Robben Ford, and more.

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Third Option

JamPlay

JamPlay features a lot of lessons taught by well-known guitarists such as Mark Lettieri.

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Most of them have some free online guitar lessons or even free trials where you can get access to all the premium features for free for a limited time.

List of the Best Websites for Online Guitar Lessons:

Important Note: All of these sites are excellent and will serve you well, but the ones I like the best are the top three of this list.

Now, without further ado, let’s get started!

Guitar Tricks ($19.5 up to $179)

Best Online Guitar Learning Service Overall!

Once you sign up with Guitar Tricks you will be asked a series of questions that will determine what courses you’ll be recommended.

They will ask you how long you’ve been playing for, if you know how to read tabs and traditional music notation, what kind of guitar you’d like you play (acoustic or electric), and many other questions in order to find the right courses for you.

Then you can choose between signing up for the free plan or the full access;

The free plan lets you try 24 sample lessons from 12 instructors only, while the full access features over 11.000 guitar lessons, 1.000 song lessons, and 45 instructors.

I started with the free plan just to see what it’s all about, and after a couple of days I decided to upgrade to the full plan, and I have been using Guitar Tricks for the past few months now.

As far as the price goes, Guitar Tricks costs $19.95/mo., or you can pay $179 per year, plus the yearly subscription comes with some extra perks.

You can still sign up for a 14-day Free trial where you can see if Guitar Tricks really is for you, which it probably will be, because they offer such a huge number of courses on almost any genre in existence, and more often than not, you will find something that suits your needs.

Once you log in you will be able to see the different kinds of lessons available, such as; Beginner Lessons, Experienced Lessons, Learn to Play Songs, and Learn Styles of Guitar.

If you’re a beginner, you can click on the “Getting Started” tab on the left-side menu and this will take you to a page where you can get all the fundamental information about playing guitar, and some more advanced info as well.

You can also check out all the instructors available and find out what styles they teach, as well as what songs they can teach you.

Additionally, and this isn’t really that big of a deal but I like it, they have a huge free chord chart that you can use to learn some new chord shapes.

Also featured is the “Toolbox” section, which gives you access to a scale finder (it basically teaches you all the scales there are), the Jam Station, Metronome, Chord Finder, Tuner, and a couple more.

And lastly, just like with Active Melody and Master Guitar Academy, Guitar Tricks has an insanely active forum that you can use to learn and interact with other guitar players.

Out of all the Websites that teach guitar online, I have to admit that I like Guitar Tricks the most and that’s also why it’s the only one I currently use.

Website: Guitar Tricks.

Here is my full GuitarTricks Review where I go in-depth into all the different features, what I like and what I don’t, etc., so check it out!

Truefire (Free up to $249)

Website with the best-known Instructors (Tommy Emmanuel, etc.)

Truefire is a huge website for learning guitar that offers a massive number of lessons (in this case over 50.000) and it also gives you access to lessons in dozens of different genres, plus it’s not only for guitar players since they also feature Bass lessons, as well as lessons on how to play the ukulele, Banjo, Mandolin, Violin, Keyboard, and more.

It’s the site on this list that offers the highest number of lessons taught by really well-known guitarists, such as Tommy Emmanuel, Greg Koch, Larry Carlton, and many more. So, if you want to learn from the best, this is definitely a good place to do so.

When signing up, you’re asked about what instrument you play, your current level (Beginner, Late Beginner, Intermediate, Late Intermediate, and Advanced), the styles you like to play, how long you’ve been playing, and your overall goals, and all of this helps Truefire determine what specific courses you should start with.

With Truefire you get a complete 14-day Full-access Free trial that you can use to determine whether or not the platform is for you by checking out all of the available courses and lessons, making it an excellent way of determining whether or not the platform is actually worth it for you.

In terms of pricing, you have two options: Pay monthly or yearly. The monthly subscription costs $29 and the yearly subscription is $249, although they constantly promote it on their site for $179.99, so the yearly subscription is definitely the way to go if you plan on going through multiple courses.

If you’re looking for in-depth lessons & tutorials on how to play the Guitar, and if you’re also interested in getting access to all of the lessons on the other instruments they have to offer, then Truefire is definitely the way to go.

Website: Truefire.

Jam Play ($14.95 up to $299.95)

Well-known Teachers (Mark Lettieri, for example)

If you’re looking to learn from some of the best guitar players in the world, then JamPlay will certainly fit your needs.

Featuring popular guitar players such as Mark Lettieri from Snarky Puppy, Steve Stevens from Billy Idol, Bumblefoot from Guns n’ Roses, and more, the lineup is just impressive.

They offer courses for all levels; from beginners all the way to advanced, and in most popular genres, such as blues, fingerstyle, metal, bluegrass, and more.

You can also learn songs using interactive tabs and following a play-along demo, and you can even slow down the video playback of the lessons to be able to follow along better.

Now, unless you pay for a monthly/yearly subscription, or you sign up for the free trial, you will only be able to watch the introduction to each of the classes/courses.

With the free trial, you will gain access to all the courses and lessons available, as well as the Modern Rock and Acoustic JamTrack Packs, which are usually $20 each.

The monthly subscription costs $19.95 up to $299.95 per year, which comes with a lot of additional perks.

However, if you sign up with the link below, you’ll a 25% discount for the first month!

And lastly, Jam Play works on PC and on any iOS or Android device as well.

Website: Jamplay.

Fender Play ($9.99 up to $89.99)

More affordable alternative to the previous services!

Well, everyone knows about fender, right? But did you know that they also have online guitar, bass, and Ukulele courses?

You will be able to pick the style of guitar you want to play, acoustic or electric, as well as the genre, and songs, all according to your skill level.

After this, Fender Play will determine the path that you should follow according to what you have chosen.

This isn’t set in stone, of course, since you can jump onto any lesson or song you’d like since there are literally thousands of them on there.

The great thing is that you can use Fender Play anywhere you’d like, be it on a PC, Tablet, or phone, since it features an app both for Android and iOS devices.

One pro is that the lessons are short and straight to the point, and if you’re impatient like me, you won’t need to skip forward to get to the actual part you need.

Additionally, they film the lessons with loads of different camera angles and show you the best angle for each specific part, so you can always have a clear view of what is going on.

There’s also chords and tabs for each of the songs and exercises that you are learning, which makes it easy to watch the video and follow the chords at the same time.

As far as pricing, it’s $9.99/mo., or $89.99 per year, and the yearly subscription comes with a further 10% discount on Fender Guitars, Amps, and gear… not too bad!

Just like most of the websites on this list, Fender Play also offers a 14-day free trial.

However, you will be asked to put in your credit card details in order to start the free trial.

Of course, you can cancel before they actually charge you anything, so no issues there.

Website: Fender Play.

Guitareo ($15 up to $200/mo.)

One of the only services that offer private lessons!

Guitareo is an online guitar lesson service that is mainly geared towards beginners since it starts out teaching you the absolute basics, such as the different parts of a guitar, how to tune it, the basics of strumming, etc.

It does offer more advanced lessons as well and, similar to JamPlay and Truefire, Guitareo also has some pretty darn well-known instructors, such as Pete Thorn, Rob Scallon, and even Mark Lettieri (Snarki Puppy), who are all fantastic musicians and guitar players who are also great at teaching.

Overall, Guitareo offers just over 85 courses and 1000 lessons on different topics, such as strumming, improvisation, technique, how to actually record a guitar and make it sound great, timing & feel, songwriting, and more.

One additional feature is the “Songs” section, where you can learn your favorite songs and you can choose to play them in their original key or in the key of G, giving you a bit more flexibility, but if you really want to dive deep into the lessons and learn something specific, you can always book a private lesson with the instructor of your choice.

In terms of pricing, you have three options: You can pay monthly, which comes down to $15/mo., or $127 annually (or $10.58/mo. paid annually). Lastly, you have the option of paying for individual classes which cost $50 per 30 min.

Lastly, Guitareo offers a 7-day Free Trial and a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Website: Guitareo.

Justin Guitar ($9.49 to $99)

Yes, Justin is everywhere and everyone seems to be recommending his site.

The truth is that he is absolutely brilliant at teaching you the fundamentals in a slow and easy-to-understand manner.

Now, you will have access to loads of free information on his site such as; three modules about music theory, chords, scales, the caged system, arpeggios, etc.

There’s even a metronome, interval ear training software, and more, for free.

You can also purchase the complete music theory course for $9.99 for six months or at $99 for lifetime access.

However, he offers a mobile app which is where you’ll do most of your learning.

You can download the Justin Guitar App both on Android and iOS devices, which features loads of learning material on how to play chords, strumming, and also more advanced stuff as well.

With the app, you will have access to a couple of free lessons, but when you upgrade to the Premium plan, that’s where you’ll get access to a huge number of courses and lessons, as well as songs to play through, and a lot more.

Pricing on the app is $9.49/mo., or $69.99/year.

If you are a beginner or intermediate who wants lessons that are to the point and easy to follow, then Justin Guitar might be just for you.

Website: Justin Guitar.

This post is part of a big list I compiled about the best websites to learn musical instruments, and you can find that article here.

Tim Pierce Guitar ($19/mo. or $149/year)

Tim Pierce is one of the best and most well-rounded session guitarists ever!

He was part of some of the best-selling records of all time and recorded with artists such as; Bon Jovi, Joe Cocker, Michael Jackson, Dave Mathews, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, etc.

The list just goes on!

He teaches a masterclass on his website that features over 100 hours, over 1000 videos, Jam Tracks, and tabs.

Also, the masterclass keeps getting improved over time since he adds new lessons, more jam tracks, tabs, etc.

The lessons are separated into 7 different modules:

1. Lead Guitar
2. Rhythm Guitar
3. Blues Guitar
4. Gear, Tones, and Tips
5. Theory and Techniques
6. New Beginner Course
7. Special Guests

In addition to the masterclass, Tim Pierce also runs a very active YouTube channel that is simply packed with information, where he uploads once a week.

I absolutely recommend that you check out both his YouTube and Website!

Note: You can get a 14-day free trial but only if you sign up for the yearly subscription.

Website: Tim Pierce Guitar.

Fretboard Confidential (Free up to $127)

The guy behind Fretboard Confidential is David Hamburger, who has appeared at the Merlefest, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, and the Old Settlers Music Festival, as well as having played with Freedy Johnston and even Bruce Springsteen.

On his website, you’ll find a lot of information on how to play the guitar, mostly on Blues, Jazz, FIngerstyle, and Swing.

Luckily, he gives a lot of the information away for free here on his blog, but if you want you can purchase one of the premium courses that range from $37 to $127.

The way he teaches is extremely easy to understand and follow, but you already need to know a thing or two about playing the guitar if you want to get the most out of these courses.

This is why I would recommend his teaching mostly to Intermediate and advanced players, and not beginners because I think that beginners will have a really tough time following what is going on.

Website: Fretboard Confidential.

Active Melody (Free up to $10/mo.)

Active Melody is a website that offers both free and premium services to its users.

As of now, it features 388 different lessons about anything guitar related, plus there is one new lesson added every single week.

As a free user, you will be able to see the first part of every lesson but to access the entire thing, as well as the included video tablature breakdown, you will need to sign up for the membership.

You will also have access to the forum as a free user, as long as you create an account.

Additionally, 59 micro-courses are also available.

Once you upgrade to the premium account, which is $10/mo., or $69 per year, you will have access to all lessons, and tabs, as well as download Jam Tracks, and more.

They even have an “Artist Series” of lessons, where they teach you how to play in the style of certain guitarists, such as Willie Nelson, David Gilmour, Clapton, and many more.

Lastly, once a month they have a “Site Member Challenge” in which everyone who wants to participate can submit a video of themselves playing a pre-determined lesson song.

This isn’t a competition or anything, just a fun way to engage with the community!

Website: Active Melody.

Yousician ($7.50 up to $17.50/mo.)

Yousician is a website that doesn’t just offer online guitar lessons, but also lessons on how to play the bass, piano, ukulele, and singing.

It’s clearly aimed toward beginner musicians who are just getting their feet wet, meaning that if you’re an intermediate or advanced player, then you should consider GuitarTricks, JamPlay, or Truefire instead.

Just like most websites I previously listed, Yousician also offers artist-specific courses, in this particular case they have three: Metallica, Jason Mraz, and Juanes, and all of the courses are taught by the artists themselves, so you will actually be learning to play their songs just like they do.

To teach you, they use an app that is similar to Guitar Hero where you can see the notes on the fretboard that need to be played at any given moment.

As far as pricing goes, Yousician offers three distinct plans: The Premium, Premium+Personal, and Premium+Family plans, and you can pay for them annually ($90, $139, and $210 per year respectively), or monthly ($20, $30, and $45 per month respectively).

In addition to this, they offer a very limited free pass as well as a 7-day free trial to any of the premium plans that you can cancel at any time.

Here’s a screenshot of what their different plans have to offer:

Website: Yousician.

Master Guitar Academy (Free up to $199)

If you’re looking for online guitar lessons that cater to all players, no matter the level they are at, then MGA might seem very appealing to you.

The reason for this is that Robert Renman, the owner of the site and instructor of the courses, teaches everything; from the basics, up to really advanced concepts.

The number of courses available on his site is also astounding.

Now, of course, you will have to subscribe and pay either a monthly or yearly subscription to gain access to all the content.

However, you can at least try out some of the content with the free signup, which provides you with three free backing tracks and backing track videos, as well as one free lesson.

The main focus of the courses is on Blues, but you can also learn rock, country, theory, and much more.

Additionally, you can get your hands on free backing tracks as well.

Note: As a member, you will have access to more backing tracks and you can also download them, but it’s great that he gives you access to some of them for free!

As far as the membership prices go, they range from Free, with a couple of limitations, to $18.95/mo., $199/year., and up to $1999 for a one-time Lifetime purchase which includes all future courses and updates.

Lastly, there’s a very active forum on the site where you can talk to other guitarists and ask questions, etc.

Website: Master Guitar Academy.

Learning Guitar Now ($19.95 and $159.95)

If you’re really into blues, then Learning Guitar Now might fit your needs.

All the lessons are about blues guitar, be it in standard tuning, using a slide, open G, and more.

There is a “Play Like” Series where you will learn how to play like some of the most famous blues guitarists of all time, like Eric Clapton, BB King, Albert King, and more.

There are also a couple of free lessons available that you can access without having to create an account or anything.

However, if you want access to the tabs, then you will need to sign up for the premium subscription, which costs $19.95/mo., or $159 per year.

Learn Guitar Now is not as big, nor offers as many courses as some of the other sites on this list, but if you want to specialize in blues, then it’s definitely worth considering.

Website: Learning Guitar Now.

Blues Guitar Institute ($14.99 up to $99.99)

As the name implies, this is a site that focuses mainly on blues guitar, just like Learning Guitar Now.

It’s also more focused on acoustic guitar rather than the electric guitar. However, the concepts will, in most cases, translate from one to the other.

Here you will find quite a lot of free lessons, but if you truly want to access everything Blues Guitar Institute has to offer, then signing up for the premium membership is a must.

As far as pricing goes, you can pay for a monthly subscription of $14.99, or a yearly subscription of $99.99.

The benefits of signing up for the premium membership are that you will get access to over 35 courses, as well as monthly quick lick lessons, you will be able to download all the tabs available on the site, have forum access, as well as have access to new monthly courses.

Website: Blues Guitar Institute.

ArtistWorks ($105 up to $279)

I already mentioned ArtistWorks in my other post about the best sites to learn how to play the piano, which you should definitely give a read as well, and it’s a great site to learn to play multiple instruments, not just guitar.

Lucky for you, they offer way more courses about guitar than anything else, such as; Rock Guitar by Paul Gilbert, Beginner’s Guide to Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar by Martin Taylor, and more.

What sets ArtistWorks apart from the other sites on this list is that you can submit videos to be reviewed by the teachers, who will give you specific feedback on where you need to improve.

This is a fantastic way to actually create a teacher-to-student relationship, which is something that other programs don’t have.

Not only that, but you can see the reviews that teachers give other students and also learn from those!

As far as pricing goes, you can get a subscription for $105 every three months, or a yearly plan for $279.

However, this just gives you access to the specific course you purchased and not to all the courses/instructors on the site.

Website: ArtistWorks.

Which one should you go with?

I honestly like GuitarTricks the most; that’s also why I used the software for some time.

It’s got such a high number of quality lessons that I just feel like it’s the best overall choice for 99% of people.

If you’d prefer to go with another teaching website/app, then Fender Play will surely fit the bill because of how affordable it is.

You could certainly choose any one of them and get great results, these two are just my top recommendations.

Conclusion

As I already mentioned, I like GuitarTricks the most, but any of the websites on this list will surely add loads of value and useful information and will make you a better player as a result.

I hope This information was useful.

Have a wonderful day!