Free guitar games come in three kinds: rhythm games where you tap notes in time, virtual guitars you strum on the screen, and lesson apps that listen while you play a real guitar. Real Guitar - Music Band Game and GuitarTuna both have more than 100M installs, and Ultimate Guitar mentions offline tabs.
Plenty of us first picked up a plastic guitar controller long before a real one. The good news is that a phone can now cover both: quick rhythm games for fun, and apps that help you learn chords on the guitar sitting in the corner.
I read the Google Play listing for each app below and noted the developer, the installs, the ads and in-app purchases labels, the rating and any offline wording. They're in no set order.
I've mixed games and learning apps on purpose, because people searching for guitar games usually want one of two things: something fun to tap along to, or a nudge towards playing for real.
Guitar games and apps in one table
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Guitar - Music Band Game | Gismart | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| GuitarTuna: Tune & Play Guitar | Yousician Ltd. | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Real Guitar: acoustic electric | Kolb Apps | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Guitar Band: Rock Battle | Supercharge Mobile | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Yousician: Learn & Play Guitar | Yousician Ltd. | 50M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Ultimate Guitar: Chords & Tabs | Ultimate Guitar USA LLC | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Offline access to your favorite guitar tabs' |
| Simply Guitar - Learn Guitar | Simply Ltd | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD | HGames-ArtWorks | 5M+ | Contains ads, no in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Music Hero Mobile: Guitar Game | MusicHeroGames | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Rhythmetallic: Rock Guitar Tap | Rhythmetallic Games | 100K+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
Ten ways to play guitar on a phone
Real Guitar - Music Band Game
A guitar simulator from Gismart that lets you play electric guitar without a band behind you. It's a light way to strum along and see whether guitar appeals.
GuitarTuna: Tune & Play Guitar
Mostly a tuner, but the listing also offers chords and tabs for a huge song library, plus trainers and tutorials. If you own a real guitar, this is the one to keep on your phone.
Real Guitar: acoustic electric
A virtual guitar from Kolb Apps with acoustic and electric sounds. You strum chords and play solos on the screen, so it's closer to an instrument than a game.
Guitar Band: Rock Battle
A rock band rhythm game where you compete against other players online. It's a game first and a learning tool second, and it's built for quick rounds.
Yousician: Learn & Play Guitar
A learning app for guitar, bass and singing. You play a real instrument and the app listens and guides you through lessons. It shows no Contains ads label.
Ultimate Guitar: Chords & Tabs
A big chords and tabs app that covers guitar, bass, piano, ukulele and more. The listing mentions offline access to saved tabs, and it's rated Teen.
Simply Guitar - Learn Guitar
Step-by-step guitar lessons that give you feedback as you play songs, for any age and any guitar. It shows no Contains ads label.
Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD
A tap-in-time rhythm game where you catch the notes as they rush towards you. It's rated Everyone 10+ and lists no in-app purchases.
Music Hero Mobile: Guitar Game
A rhythm game in the style of the console guitar games, with electric guitar or piano and well-known songs to play along to.
Rhythmetallic: Rock Guitar Tap
A tap rhythm game for heavy metal and hard rock fans, made as an alternative to pop and dance tracks. It's the smallest game here, at 100K+ installs.
Tapping for fun or learning to play?
Rhythm games (Guitar Band: Rock Battle, Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD, Music Hero Mobile and Rhythmetallic) are about timing. Notes fly towards you and you tap as they land. They're great fun, but they won't teach you where to put your fingers on a real neck.
Virtual guitars (the two Real Guitar apps) sit in the middle. You strum and pick on the screen, so you get a feel for chords and how songs are built.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Lesson apps (Yousician, Simply Guitar, GuitarTuna and Ultimate Guitar) expect you to have a guitar in your hands. They listen, show you chords and tabs, and help you practise.
Ads, ratings and what's behind the shop
Most of the apps here show a Contains ads label. Yousician and Simply Guitar don't, and Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD is the only one with no in-app purchases label. The lesson apps tend to keep their full courses behind in-app purchases, so expect the free part to be a taster.
Ultimate Guitar is rated Teen and Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD is rated Everyone 10+. The rest are rated Everyone.
From rhythm game to real chords
- Tune up first with GuitarTuna, because an out-of-tune guitar makes everything harder.
- Learn three or four open chords and switch between them slowly.
- Pick one song you love and look up its chords in a tabs app.
- Play little and often, since fingertips toughen up with regular practice.
- Keep a rhythm game for the days you just want to have fun.
Other games for music fans
Rhythm games are a great excuse to play side by side, and these Android co-op games for mates nearby work well when friends are in the same room.
If tapping in time is your thing, the button-mashing joy of beat em up games, old and new uses a lot of the same quick reflexes.
And for a calmer daily habit alongside your guitar practice, try one of the best daily word puzzle games for keeping your mind sharp.
Picking yours
If you just want to play, start with Guitar Band: Rock Battle or Rhythmetallic. If you've got a guitar gathering dust, download GuitarTuna and one lesson app, and give yourself a fortnight of short sessions.
Related guides live in the Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Can a guitar game teach me to play guitar?
Rhythm games teach timing but not finger positions. Lesson apps like Yousician and Simply Guitar are built for learning on a real guitar.
Are these guitar games free?
Yes. All ten are free to install from Google Play, and most list in-app purchases for extra songs or lessons.
Can I use any of these offline?
Ultimate Guitar's listing mentions offline access to your saved tabs. The other listings make no offline claim.
Do I need a real guitar?
Not for the rhythm games or the virtual guitars. Yousician, Simply Guitar and GuitarTuna are designed for use with a real instrument.
Which guitar game has no ads?
Yousician and Simply Guitar show no Contains ads label. The rest of the apps here do.
Are guitar games suitable for children?
Most are rated Everyone. Rock vs Guitar Legends 2017 HD is rated Everyone 10+ and Ultimate Guitar is rated Teen.
