Ukulele vs Guitar: Which Should You Learn First?

The ukulele and the guitar are close cousins, and many people can't decide which to learn first. One is small, cheerful and quick to start; the other is bigger, louder and more versatile. Both are great choices. The right one depends on the music you love, your hands, your budget and what you want to be playing a year from now.

This guide compares the two honestly: how they differ, which is easier, what each costs, how skills transfer, and how to choose.

Ukulele vs guitar at a glance

Which is easier to learn?

The ukulele is easier to start. With four strings, small frets and soft nylon, the first chords take minutes. Some ukulele chords need only one finger: C is a single finger on the A string at the 3rd fret. Many beginners strum a whole song in their first week.

Guitar takes longer at the start, but goes further. Six strings mean bigger chord shapes, steel strings need finger calluses, and barre chords are a real hurdle. In exchange, guitar has a much wider range, both higher and especially lower, and it's the instrument behind most of the music people want to play.

Long term, neither is "easy." Advanced ukulele playing is as demanding as advanced guitar. The difference is mostly in the first few months.

Size and comfort

Ukuleles come in four main sizes: soprano (smallest), concert, tenor and baritone (largest). The concert and tenor sizes suit most adult hands. For young children, a soprano ukulele fits far better than even a small guitar, which is why so many music classes start with ukulele.

Guitars also come in smaller sizes (1/2, 3/4, parlor), and short-scale electric guitars are comfortable for smaller hands. See our guide to guitar for small hands.

Cost

A decent beginner ukulele usually costs less than a decent beginner guitar, and it needs no extras. An electric guitar also needs an amp or headphone amp, cables and possibly a pedal. With either instrument, avoid the very cheapest models; they often don't stay in tune and have high action that makes them hard to play. A good setup from a music shop helps either one.

How chords compare

Here's the key fact: a standard ukulele is tuned like the top four strings of a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret. So the finger shapes are the same, but the chord names are different.

Here are the four most common ukulele chords, written as frets on the G, C, E and A strings:

With C, Am, F and G, you can play the hugely common C – G – Am – F progression on ukulele within a day or two. On guitar, the same progression needs a full C, G and Am, plus an F that's usually a challenge at first. See the easiest guitar chords for the guitar side.

How skills transfer

Whichever you start with, much of what you learn carries over:

• Rhythm and strumming: almost identical.
• Chord changes and finger independence: transfer directly.
• Chord shapes: the same shapes, renamed (see above).
• Music theory and ear training: fully transferable. Our guide to music theory for guitar beginners applies to both.
• Singing while playing: the same coordination.

Going from ukulele to guitar mostly means adding two lower strings, building calluses for steel strings, and learning the guitar names for shapes you already know. Going from guitar to ukulele is even quicker.

Who should choose the ukulele?

• Young children, roughly 4 to 8 years old.
• Singers who want simple, cheerful accompaniment fast.
• Travelers and anyone short on space.
• People who love Hawaiian, folk, indie-pop and singalong music.
• Anyone nervous about starting an instrument and wanting quick wins.

Who should choose the guitar?

• Anyone who dreams of rock, blues, metal, jazz or fingerstyle guitar.
• People who want to play lead lines, riffs and solos.
• Players who want a full, rich sound to accompany singing.
• Older children and adults who are motivated by guitar music specifically.

The best predictor of sticking with an instrument is loving the music it makes. If your favorite songs are guitar songs, start with guitar, even though it's a little harder at first. Our guide to learning guitar as an adult and the best age to learn guitar cover what to expect.

Can you learn both?

Absolutely, and many people do. A common path is to start on ukulele for quick confidence, then move to guitar after a few months with chord changes and rhythm already in place. Others learn guitar first and pick up a ukulele later as a fun, portable second instrument. Since the skills transfer, time spent on one is never wasted.

Acoustic, electric or classical guitar?

If you choose guitar, the next decision is which type. Electric guitars are often easiest on the fingers, classical guitars have soft nylon strings but wide necks, and steel-string acoustics are the classic choice for strumming and singing. Our comparison of acoustic vs electric guitar walks you through it, and easy guitar chords for kids has advice for young beginners.

The bottom line

Choose the ukulele if you want the fastest, friendliest start and love its bright sound. Choose the guitar if you're drawn to guitar music and want an instrument that grows with you into any style. Either way, the first step is the same: a few minutes a day, a handful of chords, and a song you love.

What you need to get started

Whichever you choose, a tuner is essential. Our free online guitar tuner works for guitar; ukulele players can use any chromatic tuner.

How fast will you play your first song?

On ukulele, many beginners strum a simple four-chord song within the first week. On guitar, most people play a basic song with three or four chords within a few weeks of short daily practice, and steel-string players need a little extra time for their fingertips to toughen up. Either way, consistency matters more than the instrument: ten minutes a day beats an hour once a week. Our guide to how long it takes to learn guitar sets realistic milestones.

Fretwork teaches guitar from the very first chord, step by step, with a short daily plan. The first two stages are free, no card required.

Frequently asked questions