Best Guitar Tuner App (Free Options Compared)
Quick answer
Fender Tune is free on iPhone and Android, with auto, manual and chromatic modes and 26 tunings. A free Fender account adds Tune Plus tools. GuitarTuna's standard tuner is free, and its paid plans add 100+ tunings and songs. If you'd rather not install anything, our free browser tuner uses your device's microphone. In a noisy room, a clip-on tuner beats any phone app.
How to tune with a phone app (step by step)
- Go somewhere quiet. Phone mics pick up other noise.
- Choose standard tuning (E A D G B E) unless your song says otherwise.
- Hold the phone near the soundhole or the amp, then pluck one string firmly and let it ring.
- Tune up to the note. If the string is sharp, loosen it below the note, then tighten back up to it, so it stays in tune.
- Go through all six strings, then check them again, because each string you tune shifts the others slightly.
- If the display jumps around, switch to manual mode and tune by ear to the reference note.
The options
Fender Tune (free)
The App Store lists it as free for guitar, bass and ukulele. Modes are Auto, Manual (tap a string to hear its note) and Chromatic, with 26 tunings including Drop D and Open G, and custom tunings. A free Fender account unlocks Tune Plus: a chord library of 5,000+ chords, scales, drum tracks and metronome, and a Pro Tuner with cent and hertz readouts (A=420-460 Hz).
GuitarTuna (free tuner, paid extras)
Standard tunings are free. The Tools plan adds 100+ tunings across 15 instruments, chord games and a metronome. Play adds 20,000+ songs with chords and tabs, and Unlimited adds courses. Paid plans have a 7-day free trial, then auto-renew. It works on iOS, Android and the web. GuitarTuna showed us prices only in euros, so no USD price is given here.
FretCompare tuner (browser)
Nothing to install: open the tuner, allow the microphone and pluck. It is handy on a shared or school device.
When an app isn't enough
In noisy rooms, on stage, or if you change tunings often, a clip-on tuner reads vibration instead of sound. See clip-on vs pedal vs app tuners, the best clip-on tuners, and why a tuner can read right while the guitar still sounds off in clip-on tuner accuracy. If it won't stay in tune at all, see guitar won't stay in tune.
Safety: tighten strings slowly when tuning up. Going far past the note can snap a string, so keep your face away from the headstock while you tune.
FAQ
Are free tuner apps accurate enough?
For home practice in a quiet room, yes. Their usual weak point is background noise, not precision.
Do I need an account for Fender Tune?
The tuner works without one. Tune Plus needs a free Fender account.
Sources checked
- Fender Tune on the App Store (checked Oct 20 2026): apps.apple.com/us/app/fender-tune-guitar-tuner-app/id1107017950
- Fender Tune: What is Tune Plus? (checked Oct 20 2026): tune-support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002075631-What-is-Tune-Pl
- GuitarTuna plans & pricing (checked Oct 20 2026): guitartuna.com/pricing
- GuitarTuna FAQ (checked Oct 20 2026): support.yousician.com/hc/en-us/articles/48504694872209-Frequently-Aske
Not hands-on testing: FretCompare summarises official instructions and published facts. Steps and terms change, so follow the official page if it differs.