Disclosure: Songwriter Suite is our own free app, made by Sandy Music Lab. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
New to this? Read how to learn guitar by yourself first for the basics, then use the picks below.
The right app won’t write your song for you, but it can catch an idea before it disappears, find the rhyme you’re stuck on, and help you hear a chord progression before you commit. I’ve compared the tools below for capturing lyrics, building progressions and recording demos. This list is part of our complete guide on how to write a song for beginners, and here I’m focused on the best songwriting apps for each part of that process.
The best songwriting app for most beginners is a free combo: Songwriter Suite for lyrics, chords and song structure in your browser, plus your phone’s voice memo app for melody ideas. If you want deeper chord-and-melody tools, Hookpad is the best paid upgrade. GarageBand (Apple) and BandLab (free) are the best for recording demos.
Quick Picks: Best Songwriting Apps Compared
| App | Best for | Price | Platforms | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Songwriter Suite (ours) | Lyrics + chords + structure, worship songs | Free | Web browser | You need multitrack recording |
| Hookpad | Writing chord progressions and melodies | Free; Standard $7.99/mo or $199 lifetime | Web | You only write lyrics |
| GarageBand | Recording demos on Apple devices | Free | iPhone, iPad, Mac | You use Android or Windows |
| BandLab | Free recording and collaboration | Free (in-app purchases) | iPhone, iPad, Android, web | You want offline-only tools |
| RhymeZone | Finding rhymes and near rhymes | Free | Web | You already use a rhyme tool |
| Voice Memos | Capturing melody ideas instantly | Free (built in) | iPhone, iPad, Mac | You need editing or chords |
Prices checked on the developers’ pages and the App Store at the time of writing. They can change, so check before you subscribe.
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Send My Cheat Sheet →1. Songwriter Suite (Free, Our Own App)
Songwriter Suite is the free browser app we built at Sandy Music Lab for writing songs from first idea to printable chord sheet. Full disclosure again: it’s ours, so weigh my opinion accordingly.
What it does:
- Lets you write lyrics in labeled sections (Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Tag) and drag them into order with a song map.
- Puts chords over lyrics, shows Nashville numbers, and plays progressions back so you can hear them.
- Includes a Rhyme & Word Finder with perfect rhymes, near rhymes, synonyms and syllable counts.
- Has a Key & Capo tool and a Congregation Key Finder that suggests a key that suits a room of singers.
- Offers a “From Scripture” flow that takes an ESV verse to a hook, key and chord chart, plus a faithfulness check for worship writers.
- Exports a PDF chord sheet and saves automatically in your browser.
Who it’s for: beginners, guitarists and worship songwriters who want lyrics and chords in one place.
Skip it if: you need to record multiple tracks. Pair it with GarageBand or BandLab.
2. Hookpad (Best Chord Progression App)
Hookpad from Hooktheory is a sketchpad for chords and melodies built around music theory. You pick chords by their number in the key, draw in a melody, and hear it played back. The free version includes chords and melody, smart guides, transposition and unlimited cloud saves. The Standard plan ($7.99 a month or $199 lifetime) adds more instruments, MIDI and MP3 export, lyrics, audio import and recording. An AI add-on called Aria can suggest chords and melodies for an extra $14.99 a month.
Who it’s for: writers who want to understand why chord progressions work and test ideas fast.
Skip it if: you mainly write lyrics.
3. GarageBand (Best Songwriting App for iPhone)
Apple’s GarageBand is free on iPhone, iPad and Mac. On iPhone and iPad it supports up to 32 tracks, touch instruments, a beat sequencer and a downloadable sound library. For songwriters, it’s the easiest way to turn a voice memo into a demo with guitar, drums and bass.
Who it’s for: Apple users who want to record demos.
Skip it if: you’re on Android or Windows. Try BandLab instead.
Want more recording options? See our list of the best guitar recording software and DAWs.
4. BandLab (Best Free Cross-Platform Studio)
BandLab is a free music-making app for iPhone, iPad, Android and the web. It includes a multitrack editor, drum machine, sampler and looper, plus an AI tool called SongStarter that generates royalty-free song ideas. It’s built for collaboration, so co-writers can work on the same project from different places.
Who it’s for: anyone who wants free recording on any device, and co-writers working remotely.
Skip it if: you prefer to keep everything offline.
5. RhymeZone (Best Rhyming Dictionary)
RhymeZone is a free web rhyming dictionary and thesaurus. Beyond perfect rhymes, it finds near rhymes, synonyms, related words, phrases and homophones, and it can sort results by syllable count, which is handy when you’re matching a melody.
Who it’s for: lyricists who get stuck on a rhyme.
Skip it if: your app already has a rhyme finder you like.
6. Voice Memos (Best for Capturing Ideas)
The simplest songwriting app is the one already on your phone. Apple’s Voice Memos is built into iPhone, iPad and Mac, and most Android phones come with a recorder app. When a melody shows up, hit record. Don’t trust yourself to remember it.
Who it’s for: everyone.
Skip it if: never. Use it alongside whatever else you choose.
How I Picked These Apps
I looked at each app the way a working songwriter would. Can it capture an idea in seconds? Does it help with the hard parts, like rhymes, chords and structure? Can you get your song out of it, as a chord sheet, an audio file or a shared project? And what does it really cost after the free trial?
I left off apps that hide basic features behind a paywall, apps that haven’t been updated in years, and apps that only work on one niche device. Every price on this page came from the developer’s own site or the App Store, not from memory.
One more tip: don’t install ten apps. Pick one for writing, one for recording and your voice memo app. A simple setup you actually use beats a folder full of tools you never open.
Songwriting App for iPhone
If you’re on iPhone, my recommended free stack is:
- Voice Memos to catch melodies.
- Songwriter Suite in Safari for lyrics, chords and structure (add it to your home screen for one-tap access).
- GarageBand to record a demo.
That covers the whole writing process without spending a dollar.
Lyric Writing App
For lyrics, look for three things: sections you can label and reorder, a built-in rhyme or word finder, and easy export or printing. Songwriter Suite does all three. If you prefer a plain notes app, pair it with RhymeZone in a browser tab. Our guide on how to write song lyrics shows how to use these tools in a real writing session.
Chord Progression App
For chords, the key feature is playback. You want to hear a progression before you build a song on it. Hookpad is the most powerful option. Songwriter Suite’s “From chords” tool is a faster, simpler choice if you play guitar and want shapes and Nashville numbers shown. Not sure which progression to try? Start with our list of chord progressions for different moods.
Which App Should You Choose?
| If you want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Write lyrics and chords together, free | Songwriter Suite |
| Learn and test chord progressions | Hookpad |
| Record a demo on iPhone | GarageBand |
| Record on Android or collaborate | BandLab |
| Find a rhyme fast | RhymeZone or Songwriter Suite’s Word Finder |
| Catch a melody before it’s gone | Voice Memos |
For more tools, see our roundup of the best guitar apps for learning, tuning and recording.
Learn more: How to Learn Guitar by Yourself explains what to look for before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free songwriting app?
For lyrics and chords, Songwriter Suite is free in any browser. For recording, GarageBand is free on Apple devices and BandLab is free on Apple, Android and the web. Most writers combine one writing tool with one recording tool.
Is Hookpad worth paying for?
If you write a lot of chord progressions and melodies, yes. The free version is useful, and the paid Standard plan ($7.99 a month or $199 lifetime at the time of writing) adds export, lyrics, recording and more instruments.
Can I write songs on my phone?
Absolutely. A phone can capture melodies with a voice recorder, hold your lyrics in a notes or songwriting app, and record a full demo in GarageBand or BandLab.