What JustinGuitar offers for free

JustinGuitar is free to use. The site's core lessons, song tutorials, and practice routines do not require payment. You can learn beginner chords, strumming patterns, fingerpicking, music theory, and how to play hundreds of songs without spending money.

Justin Sandercoe, who runs the site, funds the free content through ads on the website and through a paid membership tier called JustinGuitar+. The free lessons are complete — they are not shortened versions designed to push you toward a paid upgrade. Many players learn guitar entirely through the free material and never pay.

The free section includes the Beginner Course (structured lessons from zero experience), the Intermediate Course, song libraries organized by difficulty, technique guides, and a practice routine builder. You can also watch Justin's YouTube channel, which mirrors much of the free site content.

Key Takeaways

  • JustinGuitar's core lessons, song tutorials, and practice tools are completely free and do not require an account.
  • The free content is full-length material, not trial versions — you can progress from beginner to intermediate without paying.
  • JustinGuitar+ is an optional paid membership that removes ads, adds video downloads, and provides a structured learning path, but is not necessary to learn.
  • The site is supported by advertising, so the free version includes banner ads and video ads within lessons.
  • YouTube hosts a large portion of JustinGuitar's free content, so you can access lessons there without visiting the website.

What the free version includes

The Beginner Course walks through open chords, basic strumming, and foundational technique across dozens of lessons. Each lesson is a video with written notes below. You move at your own pace with no time limit.

The song library lets you search by artist, difficulty level, or genre. Each song page shows chord diagrams, strumming patterns, and a video of Justin playing it. Thousands of songs are available this way — classic rock, pop, folk, blues, and more.

The practice routine builder lets you set how much time you have and what you want to work on (chords, scales, technique, songs). The tool generates a custom practice session and times each section. This is useful if you are not sure how to structure your own practice.

You also get access to technique guides covering barre chords, fingerpicking patterns, alternate picking, and other skills. These are organized by difficulty and include video demonstrations.

What JustinGuitar+ costs and adds

JustinGuitar+ is a paid membership that costs money per month or per year. The exact price varies by region and changes occasionally, so check the site directly for current rates.

The paid tier removes ads from the website and videos, lets you read videos to watch offline, and provides a structured learning path called the "Roadmap" that tells you exactly which lessons to do in order. Some users find the Roadmap helpful because it removes the choice of what to learn next; others prefer the free site's flexibility.

JustinGuitar+ also includes a "Chord and Scale Companion" tool that generates custom exercises and a priority support email for questions. For most beginners, these additions are not necessary — the free content is sufficient to learn.

How to access the free content

Go to justinguitar.com and browse the lessons directly. You do not need to create an account to watch videos or read lesson notes. If you want to save your progress or use the practice routine builder, you can sign up for a free account with an email address.

Alternatively, search "JustinGuitar" on YouTube. Justin's channel has thousands of videos covering the same material as the website. YouTube's interface is different but the lessons are the same.

The site works on desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers. There is no app required.

Ads and how they work on the free site

The free version displays banner ads on the website and video ads before or during lessons. These are how Justin pays for hosting and production. You cannot remove ads without paying for JustinGuitar+.

The ads are not intrusive compared to many free sites — they do not pop up over the video or pause the lesson mid-sentence. If you find ads distracting, that is the main reason to consider the paid membership.

Whether free JustinGuitar is enough to learn guitar

Yes. Thousands of people have learned guitar using only the free content. The Beginner Course is thorough, the song library is massive, and the technique guides cover everything a beginner needs. You will not hit a paywall that prevents you from progressing.

The free version does not include live feedback on your playing or one-on-one instruction — those would require a teacher. But for self-taught learning, the free material is complete and well-organized.

Most players eventually decide whether they want the paid membership based on whether they value offline downloads and ad removal. Neither is essential to learn.

Alternatives if you want something different

If you want live instruction, services like Fender Play, Yousician, and local guitar teachers offer that. If you want a different teaching style, YouTube has thousands of other guitar channels. If you want to learn songs by ear without tabs, that requires a different approach than JustinGuitar teaches.

JustinGuitar is structured, free, and thorough — but it is not the only way to learn. Try the free content first. If it clicks with you, stay. If you prefer a different approach, you have not lost money.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to access JustinGuitar's beginner lessons?

No. The entire Beginner Course is free. You can watch every video and read every lesson note without paying. You do not need an account, though creating one lets you track your progress.

Can I read JustinGuitar videos for free?

Not through the website. The free version streams videos only. JustinGuitar+ includes a read feature so you can watch offline, but the free version does not offer this.

Is JustinGuitar better than paid guitar apps?

That depends on your learning style. JustinGuitar is free and thorough but does not give real-time feedback on your playing. Apps like Yousician use your device's microphone to listen and correct you, which some people find helpful. Try JustinGuitar free first — if you like it, there is no reason to pay for something else.

Will I see ads in every JustinGuitar video?

Most videos have ads, but not all. The frequency and length vary. If ads bother you, JustinGuitar+ removes them entirely. Otherwise, they are part of how the site stays free.

Can I use JustinGuitar on my phone?

Yes. The website works on mobile browsers. There is no official app, but you can bookmark the site or watch JustinGuitar's YouTube channel on your phone instead.