10 Best Guitar Apps UK 2024 | Ultimate Guitar, Fender Play and More

With a name that pays homage to all the original garage-based musicians, GarageBand is the first port of call for many millennials looking to make their own music from scratch. The application turns your device into a recording studio complete with a collection of instruments, so you can make music anytime, anywhere. 

It has all the essential features as well as live loops, virtual drummers and touch-play keyboards using the screen of your device. Best of all, it's 100% free. No in-app purchases or hidden fees, just hours of creating! 

If you struggle with tabs or you're a visual learner, having Fender play is as close as you can get to having your own virtual teacher. The app will ask you some questions early on, your answers to which it then uses to craft your personalised guitar learning course.

All the tutorial videos are created by professional, experienced instructors, and you can play along at your own pace. Not only are there guided videos, but with unlimited access to thousands of songs, there is something new to learn for every level.

JamUp Pro is arguably the number one multi-effects pedal application for guitar and bass. You see, this app doesn't just offer pre-sets. When you sign up, you get instant access to the ToneCloud, which contains thousands of unique combinations created by users of the app. It's like opening a never-ending treasure chest of tasty sounds! 

The program has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface as well as the option to purchase expansion packs. One of these gives the option to hold up to 50+ different pieces of equipment, and another, the ability to record.

If you've played the guitar for a little while, you'll have certainly come across Ultimate Guitar. These guys have been around since the dawn of time and offer, without doubt, the largest database of guitar tabs and chords on the internet. If you want to learn a song, chances are, you'll find it here.

Of course, you'll first need to understand how tabs work, but if you're not sure, there's an in-app purchase that allows you to unlock Ultimate Guitar Pro's 'play along' feature. 

If you're looking to learn or you've hit a bit of a creative dry spot, this app is sort of like a modern-day cheat sheet. All you need to do is pick a major or minor key and it will throw together a four-chord combination for you to play. 

It has plenty of useful features included, like a metronome and left-handed mode. Plus, if you find yourself using it often, there's a pro mode that will provide even more features at an additional cost. All you'll be left to do is come up with the melody – easy, right? 

This application gives you a multitude of virtual gear that you can rock out, practise and record with. It offers a huge library of 150+ amps and stompboxes, all from recognisable brands including Orange, MesaBoogie and Fender, so you'll be able to tune into world-class tones whenever, wherever.

It also has some DAW functions that allow you to build your sound and experiment before you hit the stage. This could even accompany you up there, providing you have the other necessary gear. 

With over 9 million users, BandLab blurs the lines between a music and a social media app. It is a multi-track editor that lets you record, mix and track a variety of instruments (including guitar) and combine them with MIDI instruments to create your own brand of music. 

There are free pre-sets for every type of music imaginable, from grunge to hip-hop and everything in between, so you'll never struggle to find new sounds to play around with. Our only concern is the social aspect could easily pull those who aren't focused away from what they're trying to create. 

This app is perfect for beginners as a guide to learning different chords, which are arguably the most essential part of guitar mastery. In only a few hours, you could go from knowing only a few chords to playing a few songs!

The app is simple and intuitive, making it very easy to navigate and enjoy. Unfortunately, it only gives you a certain amount of time to look up and learn chords, unless you cough up and pay for the pro version. While we're not against paying, they could have left the simple chord structures for beginners to explore without limits. 

Wouldn't it be great if you could carry your amp in your pocket? This app is about as close as you'll get, offering a backup for the times when you just want to get stuck into playing but you don't have all your equipment. PocketAmp is known for its rich tones, which can be hard to find when it comes to guitar apps.

Furthermore, latency issues are almost null and void thanks to the swift connection and program speeds. However, you'll want to check which version of iOS you have, as it doesn't work with versions older than iOS 11. 

This recording app from Songtree offers its users the ability to record over previously created tracks or start their own from scratch. The coolest part? You can share your recordings within the dedicated community and collaborate with fellow musicians, and it's all completely free.

However, there are some performance issues. Some users found the interface slightly confusing, as well as the app occasionally crashing. But with some patience, and possibly a few bug fixes from the developers, this could really become a five-star app.