I've been playing guitar for over 20 years, and I still remember my first guitar lessons well. Back when I got started playing your choices were limited lessons from your school if they provided them, an expensive private tutor, an expensive classical guitar school, and that was pretty much it. Nowadays learning the guitar has never been more accessible though, thanks to the advent of the best online guitar lessons.
I believe getting lessons is a really important component of getting you into the guitar, and without lessons during my first year picking up the instrument, I wouldn't be playing today. Between myself and the rest of the MusicRadar team, we've tested a huge selection of online lessons that are available today, so whether you're a complete beginner with your first instrument, or you've got some years under your belt and want to plug some of those knowledge gaps, there will be something in this article to suit you.
At the moment, my favourite for beginner players is Fender Play. Its slick user experience, quality tutors, and excellent song choice make it perfect for first-timers. If you've already got some playing experience, then I'd recommend you check out Guitar Tricks. It's not quite as slick as Fender Play, but there's such a huge amount of content available it won't matter too much.
The best thing about online lessons is that they'll work out a lot cheaper than private tuition, and all you need is a device capable of going online and your instrument to get started. Myself and the expert reviewers here at MusicRadar have chosen a selection to cover all skill levels and budgets. Most of these platforms offer some form of trial, so we'd highly recommend checking those out before you commit to any particular platform.
For more information, check out our FAQs section and our how-to-choose guide for more help choosing an online guitar lessons platform.
My top picks
Best for beginners
✅ You're a complete beginner: With its slick UI and excellent pathways, Fender Play is perfect for beginner guitar players looking to take their first steps with the instrument.
❌ You're an intermediate player or above: Unfortunately once you get past the beginner phase, there's not as much content for players who already have a grounding in playing and theory.
When Fender entered the education game it was no surprise that it would make it box office, with high production values, lessons that featured popular songs, and a host of teachers who are totally at ease in front of the camera. Not to mention a great interface whether you're accessing it via a desktop or the dedicated app.
Once you sign up you will be asked to choose your instrument (eh, guitar, please – but bass guitar and ukulele options are also available) and then which style you want to learn. Choose from rock, blues, country, folk, and pop. Once you have chosen your style you can then choose your own path, with levels 1 through 5 in ascending order of difficulty.
The amount of content is constantly growing, so I've seen more intermediate lessons being added since it first started which could potentially make it great for beginners to grow with. That said, I'd definitely recommend looking elsewhere if you've already got a few years of playing experience.
The bite-sized lesson content is really nice for preventing beginners from getting overwhelmed, giving you short and sharp lessons you can quickly digest and apply to your playing. I could see this also being really useful for those days when you want to cram some learning in but are a little time-limited.
As a bonus, subscribers also receive a 10% discount on Fender instruments, which you could see as a great way for Fender to build brand loyalty. I see it as a way to get cheaper gear, which for beginner and younger players adds extra value to an already excellent quality and great value for money online lessons platform.
- Get 50% off an annual plan when you use our MusicRadar exclusive code musicradar50 at checkout.
"Overall, Fender Play is a comprehensive, intuitive tool that will undoubtedly help beginners. For me it's worth the cost, especially when you think face-to-face lessons are likely to be off the agenda for a little while longer. The structured approach works well, ensuring you’ll progress at a solid pace which never feels too stretched."
Read more: Fender Play review
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Slickly presented, great video | ★★★★★ |
| Features | More geared towards beginners | ★★★★☆ |
| Songs | Excellent song choices | ★★★★★ |
Best for intermediate players
✅ You're an intermediate player: If you already have some playing under your belt, Guitar Tricks is a fantastic option for improving your playing both in practice and theory.
❌ You're a big pop music fan: Whilst Guitar Tricks covers a lot of different styles, there are precious few popular pop artists available at the moment.
Guitar Tricks has been in the game a long time – since 1998, in fact – and has largely set the blueprint for online guitar lessons. With such a head start, Guitar Tricks has managed to build up an impressive array of resources including 11,000 lessons, artist and genre studies, tone advice, and 900+ song tutorials – more than all its counterparts at this point.
It has also managed to develop an extensive catalogue of content aimed at intermediate and advanced players, so in my opinion, it’s much more suited to already established players than some of the newcomers to this scene who are still developing a lot of their advanced resources (we’d include Fender Play in this category).
I do have to say though, Guitar Tricks is showing its age compared to many other sites. While it’s one thing to look a little plain, Guitar Tricks won’t be winning any awards in UX either. Whether it’s because they have so much content available they just can’t find an agreeable way to present it all, or they’re simply overdue a major redesign, the interface is definitely the biggest setback here. That’s not to say it’s not workable or that it has any serious issues though. The content alone is worth the price of entry, but there are certainly cleaner, clearer user experiences out there.
I like that for added peace of mind, Guitar Tricks offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so if you're not completely satisfied with the service in your first couple of months and you request a refund before your 60 days are up, you will get your money back.
- MusicRadar readers can get their first month of Guitar Tricks for just $1 right now by clicking the link.
"The quality of instruction is excellent. Over time, Guitar Tricks has honed its content to be fun, engaging, and motivating. A few of the older courses do feature long lessons that become wearing to endure, but the more recent 4k content is short, snappy, and immediate. Few lessons I viewed exceeded three minutes. As you’d expect, multiple camera angles capture all the detail, making it always easy for beginners to figure out what the picking hand and the fretting hand are doing."
Read more: Guitar Tricks review
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Not always presented well | ★★★★☆ |
| Features | Incredible amount of content | ★★★★★ |
| Songs | Unrivalled song choice | ★★★★★ |
Best for content volume
✅ You want lots of content: TrueFire has probably the most amount of content out of all the options here, meaning it will cover pretty much every base when it comes to learning guitar.
❌ You suffer from option paralysis: Conversely, if you're the sort of person who isn't a self-starter or gets easily overwhelmed, you may find it difficult to decide with such a huge content library.
TrueFire is one of the more expensive options on this list, but like ArtistWorks Guitar, it really packs in the content. Want to have a blues lesson from Robben Ford? Well, why not? With something in the region of 50,000 pieces of learning, this is undoubtedly the way to go if you've got an insatiable appetite for all things guitar.
I found in my testing that pretty much all styles are catered for, and all levels, too. Progress is easy to track and there are a whole host of learning tools to bring you up to speed if you're new to the instrument. For beginners, I'd definitely recommend taking the structured lessons rather than hopping from lesson to lesson, this will ensure you don't end up missing out on some crucial information.
There is a lot of content here, and for some beginners that could prove a little intimidating and potentially off-putting. It's not laid out as slickly as something like Fender Play, and with such a huge amount of content, it's easy to get lost. Therein lies both the weakness of TrueFire, and its biggest strength.
I really love the Slo-Mo and Looping feature that will help you take control of those parts that are giving you the most trouble, and I can personally attest to the value of slowing parts down and mastering them there before bringing them up to tempo. Starting slow is often the best way to master the ability to play quickly.
- Right now, TrueFire is also offering MusicRadar readers 30% off their first TrueFire purchase. Just add the code MRTF30 at checkout to claim your discount.
"My overall experience got me wondering about who would be best suited to choosing TrueFire. After all, competition in the online learning space is fierce. For me, TrueFire is best suited to a serious learner. Someone dedicated to honing their craft, who can picture a scenario in the future where the guitar is something they play - and can play - for fun instead of constantly banging through scales. There has to be an endgame, right? If that sounds like you, and you’re prepared to put in the hard yards, then TrueFire is a great choice."
Read more: TrueFire review
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Could be a lot for beginners | ★★★★☆ |
| Features | Incredible amount of content | ★★★★★ |
| Songs | Plenty of songs to learn | ★★★★★ |
Best for simplicity
✅ You want something easy to navigate: The slick Guitareo platform is nice and simple for beginner players to navigate, giving you everything you need without feeling overwhelming
❌ You already know some playing techniques: While great for beginners, if you already have some playing under your belt you'd be better off looking elsewhere.
Guitareo is one of the newer platforms on this list, and it has its sights aimed clearly at the younger, less advanced players. In fact, it is almost perfectly suited to people who have never picked up a guitar before, thanks to its guided lesson paths dealing with everything from the fundamentals through to crafting your own songs from the chords you’ve learned.
I found the content on Guitareo to be decidedly fun and creative, with plenty of lessons that stray away from the more usual content you'd find on other platforms, like 'how to prepare for recording' and 'learn 500 songs in 5 days'. These offer something a little less straight ahead than typical theory content, but are no less useful for that.
Navigating the website is really easy, even though there is a lot of content to get through. I like that you can learn by genre and there's plenty of structured content that will help you develop various guitar techniques. There's also plenty of ear training and music theory content, making it a really generous offering all around.
It lacks the bells and whistles of some of the bigger sites, with no interactive tabs, plus mobile integration isn’t as advanced as some others, but what Guitareo does have is bundles of charm. If the more intensive courses on offer from its competitors are a bit daunting, but you’re committed to making a positive start to your journey, then Guitareo might just be perfect for you.
- You can try Guitareo free for 30 days, which is the longest trial you can get from any of the platforms featured here.
"So who is Guitareo for, and why would a budding player pick it against its competitors? Essentially, I’d probably advise Guitareo as being ideal for anyone who is starting off and favours learning in short, sharp bursts. It’s laid out in such a way that you can quickly and easily find a lesson that works for you, and it has a general ‘light touch’ style that won’t intimidate younger players. "
Read more: Guitareo review
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Really clear and easy to use | ★★★★★ |
| Features | Lots of beginner friendly content | ★★★★☆ |
| Songs | Plenty of songs to get stuck into | ★★★★★ |
Best free lessons
✅ You want to learn theory: Justin Guitar has an excellent selection of theory lessons that will really help you get into advanced content like modes, chord theory, and loads more.
❌ You want to learn lots of songs: Although there are a good 600+ songs available, there are other options with much more choice in this department.
Justin Sandercoe is a really good teacher. He’s so good, that perhaps it’s only fair that he uses the internet to teach; that way he can spread the wealth. If you are a beginner, you should probably sign up now, because the beginner’s course is free and Sandercoe’s ability to walk you through the fundamentals is peerless.
There is a lot on JustinGuitar that is free to access and is complemented by a wealth of YouTube videos. You can choose lessons in theory or in skills, and there are lessons for all abilities. JustinGuitar offers one of the best experiences for absolute beginner guitarists, but there's still plenty of advanced content to sink your teeth into if you've already been playing for a bit.
With around 700 songs to learn, there's not as much here as some of the other options on this list, but considering the price of entry it's phenomenal value. The quality of the videos is second to none, with engaging lessons that are well-presented and easy to follow.
Sandercoe also provides affordable add-on apps ($/£1.99-$/£2.99) and a variety of subscription programs, such as a music theory course that delivers over 120 lessons with PDF, audio, and Guitar Pro downloads to support your progress.
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Really clear and easy to use | ★★★★★ |
| Features | Not as much content as others | ★★★★☆ |
| Songs | A little lacking in song choice | ★★★★☆ |
Best teachers
✅ You want feedback on your playing: ArtistWorks is unique in that it offers feedback on your playing from expert players like Paul Gilbert.
❌ You're on a budget: Of course, that pro-level advice doesn't come cheap, which makes this one of the more expensive options on the market.
ArtistWorks Guitar provides a wide variety of lessons with great instructors. It has the likes of Paul Gilbert, Jared James Nichols, and Andy McKee teaching their lessons, which makes it my favourite platform if you want the absolute best in terms of tutors.
Its Video Exchange Learning Platform connects pupils with their teachers to create the sort of personalised feedback that creates a more social online learning experience that can only accelerate a player’s development. You can submit a video of your own playing and an expert will look it over, making suggestions on where you can improve.
This type of online tutoring is more akin to the experience of having face-to-face tuition, rather than the decidedly one-way lessons most other platforms offer. ArtistWorks Guitar also features some of the most in-depth content I've come across out of any of the online platforms so if you prefer bite-size lessons then this might not be the platform for you. If you like to get stuck into the deep end with your guitar knowledge, then you'll absolutely love it.
The plans are tiered so that the longer you sign up for them the more you can learn, but even the most basic package includes unlimited access to lessons, the music theory workshop, and the Video Exchange Library, and users can make up to five video submissions to their designated teacher for assessment.
| Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Usability | Overwhelming for beginners | ★★★★☆ |
| Features | Excellent, in depth content | ★★★★★ |
| Songs | Plenty of song choice | ★★★★☆ |
Price comparison
If you want to see the best online guitar lessons head to head in terms of price, this handy table will give you a great overview of what's available, and how much it'll cost you.
| Service | Free trial | Monthly | Yearly | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fender Play | 7-days | £19.49/$19.99 | £144.99/$149.99 | N/A |
| Guitar Tricks | 14-days | £15.99/$19.99 | £141.99/$179.99 | N/A |
| TrueFire | 30-days | £21/$29 | £178/$249 | £1,800/$2,499 |
| Guitareo | 30-days (with MR promo) | £12/$15 | £95/$120 | £945/$1,200 |
| Justin Guitar | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| ArtistWorks | Sample lessons | £25/$35 (3-month)£21/$30 (6-month) | £198/$279 | N/A |
Also consider
The above choices for me represent the best of the best when it comes to online guitar lessons. I do appreciate that there's no one size fits all solution when it comes to learning, so here are some more great options you can look into.
How to choose
Picking which online lessons platform to go for will vary from one individual to another. There's no one platform that will suit every single player, so in my opinion, you should really take advantage of the free trials the majority of the lesson platforms in this article offer.
Taking the free trial allows you to determine how best suited it is to your learning, whether you're brand new to the instrument or you've been playing it for years. Here's what you should be looking out for when you're testing out any online lessons platform.
Content suitability: Are you a beginner? Or have you been playing for a while? Whichever it is, you'll need to pick a platform that caters to what you need. Fender Play and Guitareo are great for beginner players, whereas platforms like Guitar Tricks and ArtistWorks have more intermediate and advanced-friendly content.
Type of learning: Do you want to learn chords, scales, and theory? Or would you rather just learn your favourite songs? This should be a component in the one you choose. Look out for the number of songs they offer, structured lesson plans that teach you things like the CAGED system, or tuition from professional guitar players.
Extra tools: Many of the sites offer extra tools like tuners, metronomes, additional content, feedback from instructors, and lots more. These tools will augment your learning experience and can be invaluable for beginners, so make sure to explore these during your free trial to see what you can access.
Price: The final thing you should look at is the price. We have a price comparison table in this article that'll give you them at a glance, but it's up to you to decide whether you want to pay monthly, or save on an annual plan. If you have big bucks to spend, some platforms offer a lifetime tier that gives you access, albeit at a great cost.
FAQs
Are online guitar lessons worth it?
What you’re looking for from the best online guitar lessons is not that different from what you should be looking for from a real-life guitar teacher.
Communication is key. The ability to condense complex subjects – which, when you are first learning, the modes of the major scale and other tricky guitar concepts can be – into something that’s easily absorbed and understood is priceless. You want a person or a service that is accessible and enthusiastic. That will keep you wanting to come back for more and keep picking up the guitar.
It’s also a good idea to think about the sort of lessons you need, so you need to be clear - and honest - about what level you are at. The good news is that there is an abundance of programs to cater to players of all abilities – especially beginners. This is crucial. We’d be inclined to say that how a guitar lessons site tailors its teaching for beginners is a bell weather for how effective the program is likely to be for players looking to progress through higher levels.
Only you can say what sort of online lessons you need, but if you’re thinking of taking the plunge, then think hard about the areas that you want to improve on and see what options are available. Finding the time to practice can be an issue, too, which is why providers such as Fender Play deliver bite-sized lessons via an easy-to-navigate app, so you can learn a song or a riff one day, and then get back at it when you next have some free time.
When it comes to online guitar lessons teaching, delivery is everything. Are the videos in HD? Are there split screens so you can see what’s going on with both the fretting and the picking hand? Does the platform provide an animated tab? These are the sort of features that can demystify the lesson. The best sites will be available on apps for mobile and tablet, too, with downloadable materials so you can access the lessons on the go.
Can I get free online guitar lessons?
There are plenty of free online guitar lessons around, particularly on YouTube, however unless you know exactly what you’re looking to learn - something only more advanced players are likely to know – you’d be better off using a more structured system to progress you at the right pace without any gaps or giant leaps.
The great news is that most of the best online guitar lessons services we recommend here offer a free trial of anywhere from 7 days up to a full month, so you can try a few for size before you commit to the right one for you. Most are easy to cancel too, so if you really don't get on with a particular service, you're no worse off.
Then you have a platform like Justin Guitar, where the vast majority of content is completely free, with the option to buy additional content should you so wish.
What extra equipment do I need to take online guitar lessons?
For a basic setup all you really need is a guitar, a decent internet connection, and some kind of device for audio and video, whether that’s a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer is up to you. Of course, there are many useful tools you can use to augment your practice such as a pair of headphones so you can block out distractions and focus on your lesson, and a music stand to hold a notebook or your tablet if you’re using one.
When you’re learning guitar you want to be comfortable in your space, so investing in a good, comfortable chair (preferably without arms) is a must. Having enough space for your accessories like cables, clip-on tuners, guitar picks, and fresh strings is also another essential item, so a good quality desk will go a long wa
How many hours a week should I spend learning guitar?
This is entirely up to you really. For beginners, doing 30 minutes a day, five times a week is a great way to progress quickly. However with a busy modern lifestyle this may not always be possible. It really comes down to your personal motivations to learn the instrument. If you really want to play guitar, then you’ll make time to learn the techniques required, which is also one of the great things about online guitar lessons – you can take your lesson anytime, anywhere, no matter how busy your day has been.
If your aim is to go professional or become a session musician, then you’ll want to practice a lot more. Steve Vai allegedly practiced between 10 and 12 hours a day to achieve his impressive chops, but you don’t have to practice quite that much to get good. As a rough example, anywhere between 90 minutes right through to 4 hours has been cited as sufficient practice time by professional guitar players. The key is really in focusing your practice and making sure you’re always developing, rather than just noodling the same riffs for hours. Challenge yourself to learn new songs and techniques each time you practice and your progress will skyrocket.
Beginner guitar gear
Looking for the right guitar gear to help you improve as you journey through your beginner lessons? Our expert buyer's guides below are a great place to start.
- Start rocking with the best beginner electric guitars
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- Embrace the low end with the best beginner bass guitars
- These are the best cheap electric guitars
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How we test the best online guitar lessons
All of us here at MusicRadar had to start somewhere, so we've got a lot of experience with guitar lessons, both in the real world and online. A few of our writing team are also guitar teachers in their own right, so we have a unique perspective on what makes a truly great online guitar lessons platform.
When choosing what we believe to be the best online guitar lessons available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products or services in any given category.
First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product or service for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from price, features, and quality of content, to ease of use and lesson structure to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best online guitar lessons on the market right now.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
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