Top 11 Free DJ Mixing Software: Updated 2023!

Last updated on February 13th, 2023 at 02:41 am

Finding a good mixing software is essential for any DJ. It should be intuitive, easy to use, and most important of all the workflow needs to be one you absolutely love.

In this post I’ve compiled the 11 best free DJ mixing software out there which are excellent both for beginners and also seasoned DJs.

At the end I’ll give you my top 3 choices as well as a quick guide on how to improve your skills faster.

Let’s get started with…

Virtual DJ (Windows, Mac)

Virtual DJ 2020 is the latest version of the software which is an updated and more mature version of the Virtual DJ 2018 Software App.

It is one of the most powerful free DJ software apps out there and it comes with loads of features such as;

Huge Controller Support: It supports over 300 controllers.

Video Mixing: Supports all popular video formats and up to 4k resolution, additionally multiple effects are included.

Visualizations: Allows you to use on-screen visualizations which adapt to the way your audio behaves.

Karaoke Support: Built-in support for karaoke playback with on-screen lyrics display.

Video Graphics: Display graphics on screen with built-in videoskins ready for use on video walls or projectors.

Smart Automix: Automatically detects tempo, key, etc. and creates the best mix transitions.

Broadcast and Streaming: Allows radio, podcast, and social media live broadcasting not only of audio but also video.

Scratch DNA: Allows you to automate Scratch routines.

Sandbox Mode: Prepare the upcoming mix ahead of time without interrupting what’s currently playing.

One of the improvements of the 2020 update comes in the form of a much more mature-looking User Interface; It has a much more professional look and the color scheme isn’t as brightly colored, like the previous version.

This is an improvement because when you’re DJing at a club, you don’t want to see a lot of flashing lights on your screen.

Now, only the important elements like the Cue and Play buttons, etc. are highlighted.

However, it comes with loads of skins that allow you to make it look however you want.

Another improvement is the advanced harmonic mixing feature that allows you to automatically sync the key of two or more songs.

What this allows you to do is to mix two songs without them clashing or sounding as if they don’t belong.

However, it will only work automatically if the key is +1 or -1 semitone off. If it needs to be adjusted any more than that you’ll need to do it manually.

The last addition to Virtual DJ 2020 is the Event Scheduler;

The Event scheduler let’s you line up a series of commands such as playing songs in a playlist, play videos after that playlist, or your DJ name, etc., and this is all automated.

Virtual DJ is by far the best free DJing Software out there because of all the awesome features it provides.

If you don’t have actual gear to mix with, then you could use the iOS Companion App which could help you out, even though I’d highly recommend getting a controller.

Additionally, this app can be used to control the mix from a distance.

Download Virtual DJ here.

Mixxx (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Mixxx is a DJ mixing software created and maintained by the open source community. It’s free, offers great basic capabilities, supports around 30 external midi DJ controllers, and it even works on Linux.

As far as the design goes, Mixxx has a pretty good looking and clean interface.

However, it’s also very customizable; You can turn on or off some elements of the interface that you want or don’t want. Show or hide FX, samples, the preview player, the library, the EQs or the mixer, etc.

It features a two or four deck mode, as well as FX chaining, RGB waveforms, BPM and key detection, as well as a Master Sync to match the tempo and beats of up to four songs.

Mixxx can also be integrated with iTunes and Traktor libraries, allowing you to drop fresh tracks from both of them into your mix.

Additional features include;

Auto DJ: Allows you to create a playlist and Mixxx will automatically mix the songs.

Sampler Decks: Load up to 64 sampler decks to layer sounds over your mixes.

Hotcues: Mark places in the tracks. Remix and mash up tracks with accurate hotcue triggering

Broadcast: Stream live over the internet.

Gain Normalization: The song’s loudness is automatically adjusted when loading a deck to maintain a consistent volume.

Mixxx is an excellent free beginner DJ software app which, if you’re new to all things DJ, is worth giving a try.

Download Mixxx here.

Cross DJ (Windows, Mac)

I already mentioned Cross DJ in my best free mobile DJ Apps post, which is a fantastic mobile app.

The desktop version of this software is also excellent and it might be a good choice for most beginners out there, plus it supports 90+ controllers and they even have a list of them on their website.

It is, in fact, the only true cross-platform DJ software and it works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices and it provides all the essential features you could need to do live mixing or to simply mix on the go.

With the free version of the software you get;

Two Decks, beat matching, a 2-channel mixer with 3-band EQ, volume faders, crossfader, 2 effect units which include Delay, Phaser, Flanger, etc., 8 hot cues/loops per track, key detection, pitch bend, and more.

Additionally, you can integrate your iTunes playlist and load the songs on Cross DJ with ease.

Video mixing is also available in Cross DJ and you can even use the Webcam input to stream video into the editing interface and sync it to the audio. However, if you decide to mix video then be sure to get a PC which has more power than what they list under the minimum System Requirements.

Download Cross DJ here.

Serato DJ Intro (Windows, Mac)

Serato DJ intro is a free DJ mixing software that is designed to allow you to do traditional two- or four deck mixing of digital music files, and it also supports up to 30+ different controllers.

It comes with all the traditional DJ controls such as; scratch, nudge, pitch, bend, and EQ, as well as Sync which allows you to sync the tempo of the two tracks so that they fit together nicely.

The interface looks pretty good and it’s super intuitive, plus the waveforms are colored to visually represent the bass-, mid-, and high frequencies which can be really helpful during a live performance.

You can use Cue points which allow you to quickly access specific parts of the song and then quantize them so that they match the beat, and then you can also loop or repeat the selected sections.

The Sample Player can play up to four short simultaneous samples, audio loops, sound effects or full-length tracks in addition to the two tracks you’re mixing, and this can all be done in real-time while mixing.

Serato DJ intro includes all the traditional effects such as; Echo, Reverb, Phaser, Flanger, HPF, LPF – Three FX chain-able for each deck.

All previous software apps I described can integrate iTunes or other music services. This is no different with Serato DJ Intro since it allows for iTunes integration, which means that you can load fresh tracks directly from it.

Sadly, Serato DJ Intro is now in its Legacy state, meaning that it won’t receive any more updates since it’s been now replaced by Serato DJ Lite, which is the next one on this list.

Download Serato DJ Intro here.

Serato DJ Lite (Windows, Mac)

DJ Lite, which was released in 2018, is the newer and upgraded version of Serato DJ intro. It’s built on the same technology as Serato DJ Pro, which means that it’s just as powerful but lacks a couple features, and it also supports 30+ controllers.

It comes with a new and updated user interface which just looks amazing, and even though it doesn’t have as many features as the pro version, it provides you with more than enough to get started.

One of the best features it comes with is the “Practice Mode”, that allows you to use the program without having any hardware connected to it, and it lets you mix as well as preview tracks, create loops and Cue points, create crates and sub-crates, name all of them, and more.

It’s a great way of getting started with DJing without investing absolutely anything.

You can get some Free Sounds from Loopmasters, such as Airhorns and Backspins, as well as other great samples that sound absolutely amazing and which can help you sound better instantly.

Here are some of the included features;

Music Streaming: You can access SoundCloud and Tidal to get new high-quality music.

Built-in Lightshow: For creating a sound-reactive atmosphere at parties.

Practice Mode: Use without any connected hardware.

64-bit Support: For better performance and stability.

High-Resolution: It supports high-resolution screens.

Serato DJ Lite can be one of the best DJ mixing software for the sole reason that if you ever need to move on to a better one, you can simply upgrade to the Pro version, which means that you won’t have to learn another mixing app all over again.

Download Serato DJ Lite here.

UltraMixer (Windows, Mac)

Contrary to all the DJ previous mixing software on this list, UltraMixer isn’t really free. But you can download the trial version which will work for an entire hour.

This is the main reason why I included it since one hour is actually a lot of time, plus after that one hour all you need to do is reboot it and you can use it for another hour again.

Once downloaded you’ll need to choose between the Home, Basic or Pro Entertain versions. The latter one will let you use any of the 80+ supported MIDI controllers right from the start.

Additionally, a smartphone app is also available, in case you want to control UltraMixer from a distance.

This is useful if you’re at a dinner party and you’re in charge of the music but don’t want to leave the people hanging.

Now, just like Virtual DJ, UltraMixer can mix Audio, Video and Images, plus it features the “live-text” function that lets you display short informational text over videos and images while they are playing.

Also included are; a four-player mode, a 31-band EQ, loads of effects, smart looping, 8 hot-cue buttons for live mixing, and a 16-channel sampler.

One additional perk is that you will get 16 free soccer clips which are completely free-off-charge, that can be used with the video sampler and played in the background while the music is going.

Just like all the previous DJ software on this list, UltraMixer is also capable of integrating with iTunes.

Lastly, even though the Interface looks very good right off the bat, you can customize it however you want; change the skins, move all the widgets around to your liking, etc.

Some of the included features are;

Controller Support: It supports over 80 controllers.

Video Mixing: Supports all popular video formats, additionally multiple effects are included.

Visualizations: Allows you to use on-screen visualizations which adapt to the way your audio behaves.

Karaoke Support: Built-in support for karaoke playback with on-screen lyrics display.

Free soccer clips: 16 completely free-of-charge soccer videos to play with the video sampler.

iTunes Integration: Quickly search for songs on iTunes and mix them.

Download UltraMixer here.

Note: Give the website some time to load, it’s slow at times.

Zulu DJ (Windows, Mac)

One thing that sets Zulu DJ apart from the previous DJ software on this list is that it doesn’t just support the traditional four decks, but rather six of them.

However, it is mostly geared towards beginners for its simplicity and ease of use.

Note: It’s free to download and use, but you will only have access to the free trial version which lasts 14 days. After this it will stop supporting some of its features but you will still be able to use the software.

Each deck has its own individual controls, including a timeline of the loaded song with beats highlighted to help when synchronizing the two decks.

The Zulu DJ app allows you to mix your music live and apply effects like distortion, reverb, compression, delay, EQ, etc. in real-time;

With tempo adjustment, real-time pitch control, beat syncing, crossfading, and more.

The Zulu DJ app allows you to mix your music live and apply effects like distortion, reverb, compression, delay, EQ, etc. in real-time;

With tempo adjustment, real-time pitch control, beat syncing, crossfading, and more.

Autoplay is also included, which lets the software itself mix the music and control the transitions.

It also supports third-party VST plugins, which is always useful!

Additionally, you can import MP3 and .WAV files and Zulu DJ will scan and automatically assign a beat to them.

The Android Mobile App of Zulu DJ is also available to download for free from the play store and it can be useful especially for those you want to be able to practice while on the go.

Lastly, Zulu DJ supports live real-time streaming of your mixes over YouTube.

Download Zulu DJ here.

If you’re interested in finding out more about free mobile DJ apps, then check out this post I wrote on that topic.

Blaze Free DJ (Windows Only)

Blaze DJ is a simple yet great looking free DJ app.

The interface looks modern and clean and I absolutely love the color scheme, plus the waveforms have a colored spectrum which helps visualizing the bass, mids and highs.

It comes with built-in BPM detection as well as syncing ability and loads of DJ essential effects which give you the possibility to adjust your mixes in real-time to your needs and liking.

Additionally, Blaze DJ includes all the basic functions that other DJing Software out there have, like; Cues, Loops, 3-Band EQ, Filters, and more.

Lastly, you can integrate it with Soundcloud to have instant access to millions of tracks completely for free.

Now, the Free version of Blaze DJ will only work for 30 minutes at a time and you will have to reboot the program to continue using it.

The good news is that if you like it, you can upgrade to the Pro version for only $15.

Download Blaze DJ here.

Cute DJ (Windows, Mac)

Cute DJ is very similar to Blaze DJ in the sense that if you only use the free version the program will stop working every 20 minutes and you will need to restart it.

Note: This is only during the 30-day free trial, after this you’ll need to purchase it ($49.95)

However, Cute DJ is powerful and it allows you to control and mix your music using your PC or a controller.

As far as the interface goes, it looks fairly similar to the traditional software apps; it’s clean and intuitive.

Cute DJ supports all the best-known audio files such as MP3, .WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, and more, and it’s even capable of mixing video and karaoke files.

Lastly, Cute DJ supports over 90 controllers and iTunes Integration, and it also comes with loads of the traditional effects DJ’s use.

Some of its features are;

Automix: Complete automatic mixing, One-click, let CuteDJ mix your favorite playlist automatically.

Auto Beat-Matching and Sync: Auto-beat detection allows you to instantly match BPM of two tracks for a perfect beat mix.

Loops and Cue Points: Seamless live looping. Supports automatically or manually set loop in and out points.

Harmonic Match: Automatic Key detection, keylock, key matching and pitch scaling.

Download Cute DJ here.

DJ Prodecks (Windows Only)

DJ Prodeckts has a very brightly colored user interface that makes the workflow super intuitive and which can help you find things quickly.

It supports all the standard audio formats such as MP3, .WAV, WMA, AAC, and more, as well as loads of controllers.

With DJ Prodecks you can use any of these three effects per deck simultaneously; Echo, Flanger and Wah.

Additionally, it comes with the Automix function, as well automatic beat detection, beat sync, scratch effects, auto loop, and more.

You can also change the pitch of each track, slow it down or speed it up to manually to sync it to another track.

This one is 100% free with no limitations whatsoever.

Download DJ Prodecks here.

You.DJ (Browser Based)

Now, You.dj is completely different than all the other software I described earlier because it’s actually used directly from your Internet Browser… no need to download anything!

This might seem a bit unconventional, but if you’re a beginner tipping your toes into this whole DJing thing, then having a mixer directly available on your browser can be pretty handy.

Not only does it come with loads of pre-loaded songs, but you can also upload your own audio files, or even find music both on YouTube and SoundCloud by using the search bar on the left.

The free version only comes with 6 different effects available which are; Slicer, Looper, Crush, Kick, Echo, and Flanger.

If you want to have access to all the other effects you’ll have to upgrade “DJ Level 2” which isn’t cloud based, meaning that you will have to download and install it. DJ Level 2 sells for $19.99.

Lastly, it comes with a basic EQ and a filter.

For being a free cloud-based DJ mixing software, You.dj is pretty damn awesome! So, check it out!

Here’s a link to You.dj.

My Top 3 Recommendations

Virtual DJ: It’s simply the best DJ software overall; with all the included features, controller support, etc.

Mixxx: Great for any beginner.

Serato DJ Lite: It comes with included samples for free, and it makes the upgrade easy because you will keep using the same program, only with more features.

Learn how to DJ the right Way!

I believe that anyone can become an excellent DJ by learning everything on their own.

However, sometimes it just makes more sense to learn from someone who has had to jump through all the hoops so that you don’t have to.

There are loads of free videos on YouTube that add a lot of value and that can teach you most of what you need to learn. Here are the two channels I’d recommend;

• LaidBack Luke
• Jon Sine

Now, free content is great, and it even is enough most of the times. However, there are a couple courses out there which are designed to help you reach your goals faster.

I wrote a post about the best DJing courses out there that will be of help to you.

The ones I’d recommend the most are from DJ Courses Online since they offer great quality courses at an affordable price, especially since it’s subscription-based, which means that you can pay for a single month and do all the courses you want.

If you even want to get more bang for your buck, getting the yearly subscription will save you a total 50%.

Find the best Music files to download

I wrote a post about the best places to find music for DJs to download. In most cases you will need to pay for a subscription, but in some others you can get some music files for free and completely legally.

Which controllers should you get?

Conclusion

Like I mentioned, the three software I’d recommend the most are Virtual DJ, Mixxx and Serato DJ lite, however all of them are great.

If you are completely new then check out You.dj since it’s an easy way to find out if you actually like DJing or not.

I hope this information was useful!

Have a wonderful day!