Guitar Start Guide
Yes. JustinGuitar’s core lessons are genuinely free, and they are excellent. We are not going to pretend otherwise to sell you something — if free works for you, use it. What free does not give you is a decision made on your behalf: what to practise today, what comes after that, and when you are ready to move on. That is the thing beginners actually stall on, and it is the one thing a paid course is really selling.
So the honest split: if you are disciplined and happy to build your own path, JustinGuitar is the best free option there is. If you know you stall on deciding what comes next, that is worth about $97 once — and Jamorama gives you 60 days to find out whether it is.
See why we recommend Jamorama →
Song-based lessons that listen to your playing and give instant feedback — a low-pressure way for beginners to start.
Try Simply Guitar free →It sounds too good to be true, so let’s answer it straight: is JustinGuitar really free? Yes — the core lessons on justinguitar.com are genuinely, properly free, with no paywall and no trial timer. Justin Sandercoe has taught millions of beginners this way for years. But “free” doesn’t mean there’s nothing to buy, so here’s exactly what costs nothing, what’s paid, and whether the free route is enough on its own.
What’s genuinely free on JustinGuitar
The heart of JustinGuitar — the structured beginner course — is free on the website. You get a complete, sequenced path from your very first chord through strumming, changing chords smoothly, and playing full songs. There’s no account paywall to reach it. This isn’t a stripped-down teaser either; it’s a full curriculum that many people learn to play on without ever spending a penny.
- The full beginner grade courses, in order, on the website.
- Thousands of song tutorials on YouTube and the site.
- Free tools like chord references and practice guidance.
- No time limits, no daily caps, no credit card required.
So what’s the catch?
There’s no hidden catch on the free lessons — but there are optional paid extras, and that’s how the project sustains itself. The honest “catch” is that free learning demands more self-discipline. You have to organise your own practice, decide what to work on, and stay motivated without an app nudging you or grading your playing. Some people thrive on that freedom; others prefer the structure and feedback of a paid app or course.
What JustinGuitar charges for
The paid options are add-ons, not gates on the core lessons. Prices change, so the figures below are approximate at the time of writing.
| What | Approx. cost | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
| Website beginner course | Free | This is the main event |
| JustinGuitar app (with feedback) | around $10–$20/month or ~$100/year | Optional — adds app-based practice |
| Standalone premium courses | around $50–$100 each (one-off) | Optional deep dives |
| Songbooks / tips / donations | Varies | Optional support |
The paid app adds a more guided, app-style experience with practice tracking, which some beginners find helps consistency. But you can complete the beginner journey entirely for free if you’re motivated.
Is free enough, or should you pay?
For most beginners, the free JustinGuitar course is genuinely enough to get playing well. Pay for extras only if you want the app’s structure and feedback, or a specific deep-dive course. If you’d rather have everything bundled into one guided paid product, compare the Fender Play cost and read our Fender Play review, or see our Jamorama review for a full course option. For the wider view of learning routes, our guitar apps section helps you weigh things up.
If you only pick one thing: JustinGuitar’s free tier is genuinely generous, but if you’d like a single guided course with built-in songs and progress tracking, Jamorama is the paid path we’d point you to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JustinGuitar free forever, or just a trial?
The core website lessons are free with no trial period and no expiry. You can learn from them indefinitely without paying.
Do I need the paid app to learn?
No. The app is optional. It adds practice tracking and a more guided flow, but the free website course covers the full beginner path on its own.
How does JustinGuitar make money if it’s free?
Through the optional paid app, standalone premium courses, songbooks and voluntary donations. The free lessons stay free; the extras fund the project.
Is free JustinGuitar good enough for a complete beginner?
For most people, yes. The structured beginner grades take you from zero to playing songs. The main thing you supply yourself is the discipline to practise regularly.
What to Read Next
Prefer one structured course you own for life over renting an app? Jamorama is our top recommendation — a 10-part video course, pay once, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
See what’s inside Jamorama → Read our reviewHow we reviewed this (updated 16 October 2026): this page is based on the vendor’s official information, pricing and policies and on public user feedback. We have not hands-on tested JustinGuitar.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we genuinely rate.