JustinGuitar vs Guitar Tricks: Is Free Enough?
Quick answer
Start with JustinGuitar if cost is the issue. It says its Beginner Course is free, and Grade 1 covers the eight essential open chords and common strumming patterns. Pay for Guitar Tricks when you want a very large song and style library (11,000+ lessons, 1,000+ songs) with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Guitar Tricks plans & 14-day free trial ↗
Buttons go to each official site, not an affiliate link; confirm trial terms there.
Choose JustinGuitar if
You want one teacher's graded path from Grade 1 upward for free, and you are fine finding songs yourself or adding the paid app later.
Choose Guitar Tricks if
You want lots of song lessons and styles in one place and a 60-day refund window, and the monthly price is fine for you.
Read the Guitar Tricks review Guitar Tricks plans & 14-day free trial ↗
Trial: 14-day free trial (billing collected, no charge for 14 days; auto-converts unless cancelled) (official site, not an affiliate link).
The deciding difference
Price and breadth. JustinGuitar's core courses are free, and only extras such as the Lessons & Songs app are paid. Guitar Tricks charges $29.95/mo, and for that you get many instructors' lessons across styles and its Core Learning System. Its 60-day guarantee lets you try it properly.
Key facts side by side
| JustinGuitar | Guitar Tricks | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free Beginner Course; paid app (price varies by location) | $29.95/mo; Saves $60 vs monthly (total not shown) |
| Free trial | Not needed for free courses | 14 days (card required) |
| Refund | Not verified for the app | 60-day money-back guarantee |
| Structure | Beginner Grades 1-3, Intermediate 4-6, Advanced 7 | 11,000+ lessons, 1,000+ songs |
A sensible way to try both
- Start JustinGuitar's free Grade 1 now. Module 0 covers tuning, reading chord boxes and holding a pick.
- Practise for two weeks. If you are keeping it up and enjoying it, you may not need to pay for anything yet.
- If you miss song depth or want a different teaching style, start the Guitar Tricks trial and judge it against what you have already learned.
- Before the trial ends, decide or cancel using our Guitar Tricks cancel steps.
More options: Guitar Tricks alternatives, Guitar Tricks review, best lessons for complete beginners.
FAQ
Is JustinGuitar really free?
JustinGuitar's store page says its Beginner Guitar Course 'and many others' are free. The Lessons & Songs app is paid, and the price varies by location.
Is Guitar Tricks better than JustinGuitar for beginners?
Not automatically. Both give beginners a structured path. Guitar Tricks adds a much larger song library and a refund guarantee, at a price.
Sources checked
- Guitar Tricks (checked 2026-10-20): www.guitartricks.com/pricing - support.guitartricks.com/hc/en-us/articles/216287417-How-muc - support.guitartricks.com/hc/en-us/articles/10303323626647-Ho
- JustinGuitar store and FAQ (free courses, app pricing varies by location) (checked Oct 20 2026): www.justinguitar.com/store
- JustinGuitar Beginner Guitar Course, Grade 1 outline (checked Oct 20 2026): www.justinguitar.com/classes/beginner-guitar-course-grade-one
- JustinGuitar Lessons & Songs app page (checked Oct 20 2026): www.justinguitar.com/store/lessons-songs-app
Prices are US-dollar list prices. Some platforms (Yousician, for example) price by country, so you may see a different price outside the US. JamPlay is now sold as JamPlay + TrueFire All Access. Confirm current terms at checkout. Common questions about trials, refunds and billing are answered in our online guitar lesson FAQ.
How this page was made
An editorial comparison built from each platform's own published prices, trials and refund terms - 4 sources checked (listed above), last verified Oct 2026. Not based on hands-on testing. How we rate.
Update log: Oct 2026 - prices, trials and refund terms re-checked against official pages (date per source above).