Your first controller
Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4
The default first controller: easy to learn on rekordbox or Serato, with limits you will meet when you start playing out.
Photos: Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta Corporation
of 10 reviews recommend itand 22 owner reviews
Choose it over the Inpulse 500 if you are learning at home. It runs rekordbox and Serato DJ Lite free, plus djay and Traktor Play, so you can choose software later. Once you play out, its single RCA output and two channels become the limits: the Inpulse 500 suits small gigs and the FLX10 suits four decks.
- Best for
- Learning to mix on rekordbox or Serato, with skills that carry to club gear.
- Skip it if
- You want four channels, a booth output or balanced outs.
What people praise
- Easy to set up and learn on
- Smart Fader and Smart CFX get beginners mixing quickly
What to know first
- Single RCA master output, no booth or balanced outs
- Two channels and a basic FX section; owners expect to outgrow it
Video reviews
- DJ BlakeyApr 2025Recommends
A first controller for small gigs
Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500
A full-size two-deck Serato and DJUCED controller with mic and aux inputs; the effects section is its weak spot.
Photos: Hercules
of 8 reviews recommend itand 39 owner reviews
Choose it over the FLX4 if your first gigs are close. It is full size, adds aux inputs and jack master outputs, and its guide lights teach manual beatmatching. It runs Serato DJ Lite and DJUCED free. Look elsewhere if you lean on effects.
- Best for
- Beginners and budget mobile DJs who want room to grow and play small gigs.
- Skip it if
- You lean heavily on effects, or often play outdoors in daylight.
What people praise
- Easy to set up and learn on
- Features of dearer controllers at its price
What to know first
- Effects section is limited: filter and effects share controls, and one effect at a time
- Pads, cue buttons and meters are dim in bright rooms or daylight
Video reviews
- Passionate DJMar 2025Recommends
- DJ BarrJan 2021Recommends
Mixing on a phone or iPad
Reloop Buddy
A 1 kg djay controller with Neural Mix controls and a tablet slot; the two-band EQ and tight layout are the cost.
Photos: Reloop
of 8 reviews recommend itand 7 owner reviews
Choose it over the FLX4 if you want to mix on a phone or iPad and travel light. It weighs about 1 kg, holds the tablet in a slot at the back, and has dedicated controls for djay's Neural Mix stems. It is not the bargain it looks: if you don't need it to be portable, the full-size Inpulse 500 gives you a bigger mixer and a mic input. Three of seven Thomann owners report hum on the outputs; two fixed it with better cables or a ground isolator.
- Best for
- djay users who want portable stem mixing from an iPad or phone.
- Skip it if
- You need three-band EQ, a mic input or full-size controls.
What people praise
- Dedicated Neural Mix controls for drums, instruments and vocals, the first controller built for them
- Small and light enough to travel, at about 1 kg
What to know first
- Only two-band EQ, with no mid control
- Cramped controls, with the EQ knobs close to a docked tablet
Video reviews
- justin spiegelOct 2025Recommends
Scratching
Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV7
A scratch controller with motorised platters; the catches are price, an external power brick and plastic platter clips.
Photos: Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta Corporation
of 10 reviews recommend itand 11 owner reviews
Choose it over the cheaper DDJ-REV1 if scratching is central to how you play. Its platters are motorised, so they behave like turntables, and since 2024 firmware it runs rekordbox as well as Serato DJ Pro. If you only play Serato, compare the Rane ONE MKII: it launched for less and adds hardware stems controls, but it runs Serato DJ Pro, not rekordbox.
- Best for
- Scratch and battle DJs who want turntable feel in one portable unit.
- Skip it if
- You never scratch, need a standalone unit, or want a cheaper two-channel controller.
What people praise
- Motorised platters feel close to real turntables
- Screens in the platter centres cut down on looking at the laptop
What to know first
- Runs from an external power brick rather than a built-in supply
- Platter top plates clip on with thin plastic tabs; a few owners report platter trouble or lifting trim
Video reviews
- The DJ ConnectApr 2022Recommends
Four channels on an iPad
Reloop Mixon 8 Pro
A four-channel Serato and djay Pro controller built around iPad DJing; the mirrored deck layout takes getting used to.
Photos: Reloop
of 13 reviews recommend itand 11 owner reviews
Choose it over the FLX10 if you DJ from an iPad. It can connect a computer and an iPad at the same time, and Serato DJ Pro comes unlocked; the full djay Pro needs a subscription. Try the mirrored layout before buying if you can.
- Best for
- djay Pro DJs, especially on iPad, who want four channels and full connections.
- Skip it if
- You want a club-style layout, onboard effects or dedicated Serato stems controls.
What people praise
- Solid, weighty build with a metal top panel
- Jog wheels with built-in displays for BPM, time and pitch
What to know first
- Mirrored deck layout takes getting used to
- Many functions sit behind Shift or are poorly labelled, so there is a learning curve
Video reviews
- Passionate DJNov 2024Recommends
- CROSSFADRSep 2023Mixed
Four decks and stems
Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX10
A 4-channel rekordbox and Serato controller with hardware stems; dearer than the DDJ-1000 and dense with features.
Photos: Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta Corporation
of 12 reviews recommend itand 19 owner reviews
Choose it over the Mixon 8 Pro if you play from a laptop and want stems. It unlocks both rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro, and has the XLR, booth and two mic connections that clubs and weddings need. Its stems sound better in Serato than in rekordbox, reviewers say.
- Best for
- Club and mobile DJs on rekordbox or Serato who want hands-on stems.
- Skip it if
- You have no use for stems or four channels, or want a standalone unit.
What people praise
- Hardware stems controls make live mashups and acapellas easy
- Runs rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro, with Serato DJ Pro unlocked free
What to know first
- rekordbox's stem separation sounds rougher than Serato's
- Much of the feature set goes unused unless you want stems; Mix Point Link needs preparation
Video reviews
- ThoziJan 2026Recommends
- PACHINCO MusicJul 2024Warns off
Also considered
- AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2. A smaller way into rekordbox, Serato DJ Lite and djay, and seven of ten reviews recommend it as a first controller. It leaves out gain controls, meters and a mic input, and reviewers point to the FLX4 for anyone who expects to play out.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV1. The way into scratching for less than the DDJ-REV7: all nine reviews recommend it as an entry-level battle layout. Features are held back for the paid Serato DJ Pro upgrade.
- Hercules DJControl Inpulse T7. The cheapest controller with motorised platters: all four reviews recommend the vinyl feel of its 7-inch platters under real vinyl, and owners at Thomann and Guitar Center repeat the platters and the stems buttons. Reviewers place it as a way to learn vinyl-style mixing in Serato. It isn't a pick because the REV7 covers scratching on more evidence and runs rekordbox too, while the T7's shell is plastic, its faders have play, it has no inputs for other decks and no booth output, and a few owners report noise or dead units.
- Rane ONE MKII. A motorised Serato controller from August 2025, and all six reviews recommend it for the platter feel, hardware stems controls and 29 built-in effects that also work on turntables. Reviewers warn that its busier layout can overwhelm beginners. It is the scratch pick in the best Serato controllers; the REV7 stays the pick here because it runs rekordbox too.
- Native Instruments Traktor MX2. The one to look at if you want Traktor: all eight reviews recommend it, with the full Traktor Pro 4 included and a loud, clean sound card. It has two channels and no XLR output, and the best Traktor controllers covers the alternatives.
- Hercules DJControl T10. Belt-driven platters for scratching, on sale since September 2026. Its three reviews all came within two weeks of launch, too soon to judge how the drive holds up.
- Rane FOUR. Ten of eleven reviews recommend this four-deck Serato controller, mostly for its stems controls and metal build. Rane still lists it, but Thomann has dropped it and Guitar Center lists it as no longer available, so it is hard to find new.
- Rane Performer. The Rane FOUR with motorised 7-inch platters. All three reviews recommend it for the platter feel, the hardware stems controls and the build, and the nine Thomann owners read agree. It weighs 12.8 kg, costs more than the Four and still needs a laptop running Serato DJ Pro or VirtualDJ, so it isn't a pick: the REV7 covers scratching with rekordbox as well as Serato, and the FLX10 covers four decks and stems on more evidence.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-1000 and Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3. Both are no longer made. The FLX10 replaced the DDJ-1000, and the S4 has gone from Native Instruments' lineup.
How to choose a DJ controller
Start with the software
The software decides more than the hardware does. rekordbox is the library format Pioneer DJ's club players read, so it suits anyone heading for a DJ booth; see what rekordbox is. Serato DJ is widely used for scratching and open-format sets. djay is built for phones and iPads. Most first controllers unlock a free version of one or more of these. The full versions with recording and extra effects are a paid licence or a subscription, and each pick's product page lists what's included.
Two channels or four
Two channels are enough to learn on and for most home mixing. Four channels let you run four tracks or plug in turntables and media players, and they cost more and take more desk space. The guide to two and four channels explains the difference, and the best four-channel controllers compares them.
Jog wheels
Bigger, heavier jog wheels are easier to nudge and scratch with; small ones are fine for beatmatching. Motorised platters, like the DDJ-REV7's, behave most like vinyl. The jog wheel guide covers the types.
Outputs
A single RCA output is fine for home speakers. For gigs you want a balanced XLR master output, and a booth output so you can hear yourself, plus a mic input for announcements. Check this before buying: it is one of the two limits reviewers raise most about the FLX4.
What else you'll need
Every controller here needs a laptop, phone or tablet running the software, plus speakers and headphones. None of them comes with speakers. If you'd rather skip the laptop, a standalone controller has the computer built in. For the rest of the setup, see the best DJ headphones and best DJ speakers.
How these picks are made
Each pick is the controller with the strongest evidence for its situation. The evidence is what professional reviews conclude and what owners report on retailer sites, compiled for each product, with every source linked on its product page. No controller here was tested in a lab. Prices come from daily tracking across the retailers we link to, and the status beside each one compares today's price with the lowest recorded. The methodology explains the whole process.
