Learning on a laptop
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
Choose it if you are learning on a laptop at home and don't yet know which software you want. It runs rekordbox and Serato DJ Lite free, plus djay and Traktor Play, so the choice can wait. Smart Fader and Smart CFX get beginners mixing quickly, though some of those options work only in rekordbox. If you already know you want Serato, the Mixtrack Platinum FX is built around it; on a smaller budget, the FLX2 runs the same apps.
- 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
Starting on a small budget
AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2
A small two-deck controller for rekordbox, Serato and djay with its own outputs; most DJs will outgrow it.
Photos: AlphaTheta Corporation
Choose it over the FLX4 if the budget is small or the controller has to travel. It runs rekordbox, Serato DJ Lite and djay on a computer, or on a USB-C phone or tablet that powers it over the same cable, and unlike the DDJ-200 it replaces, it has its own master and headphone outputs. It leaves out gain controls, meters, a browse knob and a mic input, and several reviewers say most DJs will outgrow it. If you expect to play out, start on the FLX4.
- Best for
- First-time DJs mixing from a phone, tablet or laptop on a small budget.
- Skip it if
- You want gain, meters, a mic input or track browsing on the hardware.
What people praise
- Runs rekordbox, Serato DJ Lite and djay on a phone, tablet or computer
- Easy to set up and learn on as a first controller
What to know first
- Most DJs will outgrow it; reviewers point to the DDJ-FLX4 for anyone more serious
- No gain controls or level meters on the unit
Video reviews
- BPM SupremeOct 2024Recommends
- Karl ThomasOct 2025Warns off
Starting 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
Choose it over the FLX2 if you will DJ in djay on the phone or iPad you already own. It works with the free djay app, unlocks the features it has controls for, including Neural Mix stems, and holds the tablet in a slot at the back. A phone or tablet needs its own charging cable plus a USB power supply or power bank, and djay's features vary by platform, so check the app on your device first. Look elsewhere if you want a three-band EQ or a mic input; three of seven Thomann owners also report hum on the outputs.
- 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
Starting on Serato
Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX
A Serato starter controller with screens in its 6-inch jogs and FX paddles; Lite limits and a plastic body are the cost.
Photos: Numark
Choose it over the FLX4 if you already know you want Serato, the software many scratch and open-format DJs use. It unlocks Serato DJ Lite free, and the screens in its jog wheels show BPM, time, pitch and key while you learn to match tempos on its long pitch faders. Lite can't record your mixes or mix four decks, so expect to pay for Serato DJ Pro once you outgrow it. If scratching is the main goal, the DDJ-REV1 has the layout for it.
- Best for
- Serato beginners who want jog-wheel screens, FX paddles and long pitch faders.
- Skip it if
- You need a booth output, a mic on recordings, or a backpack-sized controller.
What people praise
- Screens in the jog wheels show BPM, time, pitch and key
- FX paddles make effects quick and fun to throw in or hold
What to know first
- Serato DJ Lite holds it back: no recording and no four-deck mixing without a paid Serato DJ Pro upgrade
- Basic performance pads: small, red-lit, dim or unresponsive, with four per deck doing most of the work
Video reviews
- DJ CarloMay 2020Recommends
- AlchemixSep 2022Recommends
Learning to scratch
Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV1
A battle-style Serato controller with big jogs and FX paddles; the pads are small and some modes need Serato DJ Pro.
Photos: Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta Corporation
Choose it over the Mixtrack Platinum FX if scratching is why you want to DJ. Its mixer and jog wheels are laid out like a Pioneer DJ DJM-S scratch mixer between two turntables, so the habits carry over to battle gear, and Serato DJ Lite unlocks Scratch Bank to practise with. The layout takes adjusting to if you later want club-style mixing, and Beat Jump, Roll and recording wait for Serato DJ Pro. When you outgrow it, the DDJ-REV7 is the step up.
- Best for
- Beginners learning to scratch on a DJM-S and turntable style layout.
- Skip it if
- You prefer a club-style layout or need more than one RCA output.
What people praise
- Easy to learn on as a first controller
- Battle layout copies a DJM-S mixer and turntables, a direct path to scratch gear
What to know first
- Small, single-colour performance pads, cramped for large fingers
- Beat Jump, Roll and recording need the paid Serato DJ Pro upgrade
Video reviews
- BPM SupremeJun 2023Recommends
- DJcityTVJan 2022Recommends
Growing into first 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
Choose it over the FLX4 if you expect to play a friend's party or a bar before long. It is full size, its mic and aux inputs have their own controls, and the master comes out on jack sockets as well as RCA. Its Beatmatch Guide lights still teach manual beatmatching, and it runs Serato DJ Lite and DJUCED free. Look elsewhere if effects matter: the filter and effects share controls and run one at a time.
- 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
Also considered
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-200. No longer made; Pioneer DJ has archived it, and the DDJ-FLX2 replaces it with its own master and headphone outputs.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-400. No longer made; the DDJ-FLX4 replaced it in 2022 with the same club layout and added Serato DJ Lite, phone support and Smart Fader. A used DDJ-400 still teaches the same skills on rekordbox from a laptop.
- Hercules DJControl Mix Ultra. A battery-powered Bluetooth controller for djay on a phone or tablet, and four of six reviews recommend it for casual mixing on the move. It has no audio outputs, so cueing runs through a mono split cable, and to learn to play out reviewers point to the FLX2.
- Hercules DJControl Inpulse 300 MK2. Beatmatch Guide lights and DJUCED's DJ Academy lessons, built to learn on. Only three reviews exist and no owner reviews could be read, it works only with a PC or Mac, and the full-size Inpulse 500 has the same guide lights plus aux inputs, so compare their prices. A used original Inpulse 300 has the same guide lights but works with DJUCED, not Serato.
- Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3. A new two-deck controller with guide lights, stems and Serato DJ Lite, which We Are Crossfader called about as cheap as a proper controller gets in August 2026. It has one review so far and no record yet.
- Roland DJ-202. A Serato controller from 2017 with Roland's TR drum sounds and a step sequencer, for beginners who also want to make beats. Roland still lists it, but reviewers and owners find the sequencer buried under shift and pad modes and the build light.
- Reloop Ready. A Serato controller small enough to sit on a 13-inch laptop. Reviewers see it as a travel or second controller and call it priced high for a first one.
- Native Instruments Traktor MX2. For anyone set on Traktor: all eight reviews recommend it as an entry to Traktor, with the full Traktor Pro 4 included. Reviewers note it costs more than the FLX4, which also runs Native Instruments' free Traktor Play, as does the FLX2.
How to choose a beginner DJ controller
Choose the software path first
The software decides more than the hardware does, and every pick unlocks a free version of at least one program. rekordbox is the library format Pioneer DJ's club players read, so it suits anyone heading for a DJ booth. Serato DJ is widely used for scratching and open-format sets, and djay is built for phones and iPads. Serato DJ or rekordbox compares the two main paths.
Laptop, phone or tablet
Most beginner controllers expect a laptop. The FLX2, Buddy and FLX4 also work with phones and tablets. A USB-C phone or tablet powers the FLX2 over its cable, while the other two need extra power: a USB supply or power bank for the Buddy, a USB power adapter or 9V mobile battery for the FLX4. Some, like the Inpulse 300 MK2, work only with a PC or Mac. The best DJ controllers for iPad covers the tablet route.
What the free software leaves out
Serato DJ Lite comes free with five of the six picks. It can't record your mixes, and some pad modes and features wait for the paid Serato DJ Pro. On the FLX4 and FLX2, rekordbox is free to DJ with. Learn on the free version first and upgrade when a missing feature gets in the way. Serato DJ Lite vs Pro lists the differences.
Learning to beatmatch
A sync button will match tempos for you, but long pitch faders and guide lights are there so you can learn to do it by ear. The Inpulse 500's lights show what to adjust, and the Mixtrack Platinum FX shows BPM and pitch on its jog wheels. The beatmatching tutorial walks through it, and the jog wheel guide covers the types.
What else you'll need
Every pick needs a laptop, phone or tablet running the software, plus headphones and powered speakers; none of them comes with speakers. Five have RCA outputs and the FLX2 a 3.5 mm jack, which suit home speakers. See the best DJ headphones and best DJ speakers, and if you'd rather skip the computer, a standalone controller has one built in. The full best DJ controllers guide covers the picks beyond a first controller.
How these picks are made
Each pick is the controller with the strongest evidence for a beginner's 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.
