If you are planning to start a DJing career and your budget is a bit strained, here are some of the best free DJ software platforms you can download and test out right away.

1. Serato DJ Intro

Serato DJ Intro is a free software that is compatible with PC and Mac while delivering excellent mixing experience even with the available features. The basic setup includes four decks complete with full-color waveforms that visually represent bass, mid and treble audio frequencies. It also provides a high-quality mixer as well as a flexible integration with different music sources like iTunes.

Overall, the software is quite easy to use, and it can lock two, three or even four tracks to give a right mix at once, thus taking your DJ performance to the next level. Other reliable features worth noting include the sample player which enables you to add four additional samples simultaneously. Plus, all this can be done as you continue to mix your main tracks in real-time.

Furthermore, you can name four available cues and loops and quantize them so they match perfectly with the beat. You can also create track groups by keyword, genre, tempo, or other rules also known as “smart crates”.

Here are some of the additional features that are available with the full-fledged version of Serato DJ that, unfortunately, you won’t be able to get with the free one. It’s not a deal-breaker whatsoever, especially if you are just starting out, but you should definitely keep these limitations in mind.

2. Serato DJ Lite

In February 2018, Serato has released the very first iteration of Serato DJ Lite (previously known as Serato DJ Intro). Built on Serato DJ Pro technology, it’s still a free DJ software that can be used by Serato Intro users who have supported hardware. What’s more, Serato DJ Lite can be used for mixing without any hardware connected!

This overhauled release includes a number of updates including a 2-deck Practice Mode, a refreshed user interface, support for high-resolution screens, 64-bit support for better performance and stability along with an improved help and support section in-app.

In the meantime, if you want to get a cheap DJ controller and start testing the software itself, the Numark Party Mix seems to be another excellent entry-level piece of hardware that not only includes Serato DJ Lite but also comes with a built-in audio interface alongside all essential controls you’ll need to create the perfect mix. It even features LED light show well suited for mobile DJs who want to step up their game. Other viable options include:

Name	Bundled Software
Numark Mixtrack Pro 3	Serato DJ Lite	PRICING
Hercules DJ Control Inpulse 200	DJUCED DJ Software	PRICING
Numark DJ2GO2	Serato DJ Lite	PRICING
Hercules DJControl Starlight	Serato DJ Lite	PRICING
Numark PartyMix	Virtual DJ LE/Serato DJ Lite	PRICING
Pioneer DJ DDJ-WeGO4	Rekordbox DJ	PRICING

3. Mixxx

Some folks may underrate this software just because it is a freemium product but once you download it, you will understand how convenient and powerful it actually is. In fact, there’s a good reason why Mixxx is one of the best free DJing software platforms on the market today.

First off, it is advantageous since it can be used on a Mac, PC and even a Linux machine. The available feature set is high quality and can yield some excellent results in the club. Some of the essential features include but are not limited to four decks, FX chaining, RGB waveforms, and harmonic mixing/key detection.

It’s also perfect software for DJs who find themselves away from their own home decks and want to mix on the fly. All in all, Mixxx brings to the table decent UI design and device compatibility that makes is a viable option for DJs who want to dip their toes into professional DJing.

Although this software has several pros with the top one arguably being the free charge, it is essential you know that the application has no customer support as opposed to the paid version. But to avoid the issues that are prone to happen in the course of using the software, it is crucial that you test its functionality thoroughly in advance before taking the leap. Nevertheless, Mixxx has all the essential features that you will need to start off with your first DJ gig.

4. Virtual DJ Home

This is a veteran software that has been in the DJing industry for a long, long time. As it evolved the name of the software was changed since it was initially known as the Atomix MP3. This software is usually paid for, but you can still get a free version of the same.

On top, it supports up to 99 decks for convenient DJing. It also gives you excellent and reliable streaming of music from the different sources thus making your DJ set easy to pull off. Other reliable features that shouldn’t be ignored from this package include the support for video mixing unlike in many other applications. You can’t change, customize or remove the Virtual DJ video logo with the free version, though, so it’s definitely something that you should keep in mind.

Rather than that, you can take advantage of all other neat features available with Virtual DJ Home such as all audio and video effects, full customization, full-featured browser and library management, embedded editors alongside the full-fledged advanced DJ player. You can also record audio or video to files and can broadcast to other users.

It’s also worth noting that Virtual DJ Home does not allow MIDI controller support, neither you can use it in conjunction with an external analog mixer or timecode vinyls. Nonetheless, you can still download a companion iOS app for iPad and iPhone/iPod which negates the difficulties of mixing without proper hardware quite significantly. Filled with all the latest technology, VirtualDJ will indeed help you take your DJing skills to the next level.

5. MixVibes Cross DJ

This software is designed by one of the world leading DJ mix development companies and is intended for beginners or for people who may want to practice some DJing skills before they advance in their gigs.

The app has two decks, beat detection, three band equalizer, and also plenty of audio effects. It is compatible with Macs and PCs, plus it provides many other convenient DJ-friendly video features such as audio/video players and audio/video samplers, video effects, text and image titling, and more. The app also boasts a well-rounded set of DJing essentials, like beatgrid editing, Head-Up Display, master out limiter, recording, interface customization, MIDI mapping & multi-controller support.

Make sure you pick a laptop with enough resources under the hood when using this app, though, especially when it comes to performing with video since it’s really hard to get the text effects on the video to stop moving once you start them. Another drawback of MixVibes Cross DJ is the fact that many newer controllers aren’t supported with mappings.

6. UltraMixer

UltraMixer is another excellent professional DJ software that also provides a free trial version for both Mac and Windows users. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have to reboot the app every hour to keep it up and running. You also will have to decide whether you want to trial the Home, Basic, or Pro Entertain version. Opting for the latter will give you the ability to work with a Midi controller right off the bat.

Other than that, the professional DJ software offers full control over audio, video, and image files and allows you to simultaneously mix music and video files. The modern interface is completely user-adjustable with skins and widgets. Additional features available with UltraMixer include the “live-text” function, which displays short information and texts over shown images and videos, a 16-channel sampler, a 31 band EQ, smart looping, and 8 hot-cue buttons for live remixing.

The software can be controlled by a mouse and keyboard, but also supports more than 50 MIDI controllers for hands-on control. A smartphone remote app is also available in case you want to control the player, volume, transitions, and sampler functions wirelessly for some reason.

7. Zulu DJ

If you are a beginner and want a really simple and straightforward application, then you should definitely try out the Zulu DJ Software. The app allows you to mix your music live while applying effects on the fly, with real-time pitch and tempo adjustments, track crossfading, beat syncing, and others available.

If you need more audio tools and effects, Zulu DJ supports third-party VST plugins for those who might be interested. Users can import various audio file formats like wav, mp3 and many more into their DJ decks, mix them together live, then record their mixes and save them as an audio file.

8. KraMixer

If you are searching for a basic professional DJing software with high-quality algorithms then look no more. KraMixer is best known for providing decent audio performance thanks to the available FMOD sound engine. It is proven to be one of the fastest sound engines available today.

Beyond that, the app is equipped with the automatic BPM which blends perfectly with the inbuilt sound effects. Overall, it’s a pretty decent piece of DJ software but read the license agreement carefully as the app comes bundled with 3 Spyware/Malware programs. Make sure you remove these and run an adware removal tool after installing. Currently, there’s only a Windows version available for free download.

9. DJ Mix Lite

DJ Mix Lite is designed to play continuous music with cross fading, beat matching mixes between songs. DJ Mix Lite has built-in Beatlock Technology that makes it beat-aware. This technology does not alter your sound files, it just analyses them to find the beats.

That way it can perform fully automatic quality DJ mixes. You just have to fill your playlist and you are all set. You can optionally edit the mix position and length, listen to it in your headphones in case you want to do some further tweaks on the fly. Just like the KraMixer, DJ Mix Lite is only available to Windows users.

10. DJ PRODECKS

DJ PRODECKS is another free, yet less popular DJ software that certainly deserves its place on this list. The platform supports a wide range of input audio formats such as WMA, FLA, AAC and MP2, and of course, MP3 and WAV.

You can use virtually any professional DJ controller with the DJ PRODECKS while using up to three effects per deck simultaneously. These include echo, flanger and wah. Furthermore, you get three memory banks per deck for holding cue points and loops, as well as three sample slots per deck for one-shot effects.

Other handy features include auto loop and automix, real-time EQ and auto deck sync based on tempo, with auto beat detection. There’s a music library with support for using your computer’s keyboard as a controller.

11. YOU.DJ

The concept of YOU.DJ might seem a bit unconventional and innovative at first, but once you open it in your browser, everything falls into place. All you have to do is visit www.you.dj where you can start mixing your favorite tunes right away.

There are plenty of songs pre-loaded within this cloud-based DJ software, but you can also search for titles on SoundCloud and even YouTube with the provided search tool in the browser on the left. Furthermore, you can explore multiple genres or organize your tracks by creating custom playlists on the fly.

You will be surprised by the plethora of functionality and features available onboard, especially when you consider that this is a cloud-based software after all.

12. Party Cloud

If YOU.DJ is not exactly your cup of tea for some reason, you could try another completely cloud-based free DJ app. Party Cloud brings identical functionalities and a little bit different user interface than YOU.DJ. Keep in mind, though, that the software runs only on desktop computers that have the latest version of Flash Player installed.

When it comes to music preferences, the platform gives you access to more than 20 million songs database from SoundCloud which is more than enough to spin the disks all night long. Also, you have access to some basic features like automix, SFX, Loops, built-in mixer, and more.

13. Blaze

Some of you may argue whether or not Blaze should be included on this list but we consider it as a free DJ software nevertheless. Why? Simply because you can download it and start using it on your PC right off the bat while taking advantage of its full capabilities.

The catch? You need to reopen the free demo version every 30 minutes unless you want to get a license key for $14.99. Considering the Soundcloud intergration, beat and tempo sync, built-in audio effects, midi system, and timecode support, this price seems pretty reasonable but if you really insist on using the software for free, the demo version might indeed be a viable option to start with.

14. CuteDJ PRO

CuteDJ PRO is a relatively new DJ software application for mixing that allows you to play your digital music collection and control it using the software or a hardware controller.

CuteDJ is available for both PC and Mac users and offers a 30-day free trial. During this period you can run CuteDJ for 20 minutes per session and restart the software again after 20 minutes. It’s a good way to test it out and see if you like it.

The software’s layout is fairly traditional and looks similar to many popular digital DJing programs. The top half of the screen is where you mix and control your music and the bottom half of the screen is the audio library.

CuteDJ gives you the ability to mix audio, video and even karaoke files. Supported file include – MP3, M4A, WMA, AAC, OGG, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and more. The software is compatible with over 50 DJ MIDI/HID controllers on the market and it offers support for professional VST effects and AudioUnits, EQs, and filters.

15. DJUCED

DJUCED is another free DJ software platform available for both MacOS and Windows. Alongside the most common features that you’ll get with every other professional DJ software such as modular interface, full suite of effects, loops, hotcues, beatjump, and multilayer samplers, the app allows you to synchronize up to 4 decks while using SLIP and QUANTIZE modes to push the limits of traditional mixing.

DJUCED also offers seamless Beatport integration giving users instant access to over nine million tracks as well as curated selections from artists and labels. That way, you can easily create your own custom playlists on the fly regardless of the music genre you opt for.

Finally, you can save your set and share it on Mixcloud or Soundcloud, in just a few clicks. DJUCED is available in 14 languages and it’s completely free for use on your computer or laptop. Alternatively, you can unlock all DJUCED potential with a compatible DJ Controller.

16. djay PRO 2

Undoubtedly, djay Pro 2 is still one of the best tools on the iOS and Android platforms and even though it’s a paid DJ software, you can still download it and use it for 10 days absolutely free of charge.

The platform delivers pristine sound quality and a powerful set of features including high-definition waveforms, four decks, audio effects, video mixing, and more than impressive hardware integration.

The latest djay Pro 2 boasts an advanced library management system that is built around a sophisticated integration with DJ’s music library, Videos, Photos, and the file system itself. djay Pro 2 also offers its own playlists that make music management easier than ever.

djay Pro 2 can even automix your songs seamlessly by utilizing Automix AI that intelligently identifies rhythmic patterns and the best intro and outro sections of songs. The AI algorithms calculate optimal fade durations and automatically apply parameter changes to EQs and filters for a seamless transition.

Furthermore, the video mode in djay Pro allows you to mix photos and videos live and apply stunning audio reactive visualizers to your songs, perfectly synchronized to the music. It also offers native support for over 50 MIDI controllers and provides seamless integration with Pioneer’s CDJ and XDJ devices.

The free trial version offers a complete preview of the full version which you can run for 30 minutes per session. After 30 minutes, the software will terminate and you will need to restart djay. You can start the app as many times as you like during the trial period. After the 10-day trial period ends, you will still be able to run djay for 10 minutes per session.

DJing is pretty much a growing trend in the entire world right now, and it could be the fact that most people enjoy live performances not only in the clubs but also in many other places and events such as weddings, fashion shows, home parties, and so on.

On the other hand, it’s easy to become a DJ these days since all you need is an entry-level DJ controller like the Numark DJ2GO2 or Hercules Starlight, a decent laptop and the right software to start mixing your favorite tunes right off the bat.

Apparently, there are plenty of DJing software platforms available out there that can be easily acquired for free while still providing the best and desired DJing experience behind the decks that you will typically get from the premium solutions.

How to choose the best free software for your DJ performance?

This article includes some of the best free software applications that you can download instantly and play around with. What’s more, they all have various features that you will find relevant in your DJ gigs.

Nevertheless, some of the suggested platforms offer more features as opposed to others, so it’s highly recommended that you download the app you have opted for and find out whether you will be comfortable to work with it in a real-world environment.

As a rule, it should have straightforward features alongside easily accessible and intuitive controls, especially if you need to employ them on your first DJ gig.

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