Learning on a laptop, then 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
of 8 reviews recommend itand 39 owner reviews
Choose it if you are learning on a laptop and expect to play small gigs before long. Owners call it easy to learn on, and its Beatmatch Guide lights show which way to move the tempo fader and jog wheel while you learn to beatmatch by hand. It is full size with a metal backing plate, aux inputs, a balanced mic input and jack master outputs, and it runs Serato DJ Lite and DJUCED free. Reviewers fault the effects section, where the filter and effects share controls, and find the pads and meters dim in daylight. If scratching is the goal, the DDJ-REV1 has the layout for it; on a phone or the tightest budget, the FLX2 is the way in, and for a child, the Party Mix III.
- 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
The smallest budget, or a phone
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
of 10 reviews recommend itand 2 owner reviews
Choose it if the budget is tight or you want to mix from a phone or tablet. It runs rekordbox, Serato DJ Lite and djay, and a USB-C phone or tablet powers it over the one cable, so there is nothing else to buy. It leaves out gain controls, meters, a browse knob and a mic input, and several reviewers say most DJs will outgrow it. For a child or a casual first try, the Party Mix III trades rekordbox for stems buttons, Beat Align lights and a light show. If you are learning on a laptop, the Inpulse 500 is the full-size step up inside this band.
- 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
A child or a casual first try
Numark Party Mix III
A compact Serato and djay controller with stems buttons and lights; a strong first controller, not one to gig with.
Photos: Numark / inMusic
4 of 4 reviews recommend it1 owner review read
Choose it over the FLX2 if it is for a child or a casual first try. All four reviews recommend it to casual beginners: each channel has a full three-band EQ and a filter, Acapella and Instrumental buttons isolate stems, Beat Align lights show which way to nudge a track, and a light show adds to the fun in a small room. It runs Serato DJ Lite and djay but not rekordbox, and three reviews note that Bluetooth mode switches off its own outputs. It has no mic input, and reviewers say anyone planning to gig should spend more; the Inpulse 500 is the one to grow into first gigs on.
- Best for
- A child or casual beginner who wants EQ, stems and lights in one box.
- Skip it if
- You need a microphone input or built-in speakers, or plan to gig regularly.
What people praise
- Full three-band EQ and a filter on each channel, unusual at the price
- Dedicated Acapella and Instrumental buttons make stems easy to use
What to know first
- Bluetooth mode switches off the controller's own outputs and needs separate USB power
- No proper hands-on effects section
Video reviews
- Digital DJ TipsJul 2026
- Nick SpinelliJul 2026Recommends
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
of 9 reviews recommend itand 10 owner reviews
Choose it over the Inpulse 500 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, and Serato DJ Lite comes free with it. Reviewers fault the small, single-colour pads, and Beat Jump, Roll and recording wait for the paid Serato DJ Pro upgrade. For club-style mixing, a conventional layout like the Inpulse 500's is the closer match; 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
Also considered
- Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX. All twelve reviews recommend it as a Serato controller to learn on, for the screens in its 6-inch jog wheels, its long pitch faders and a build they call solid for the money. It isn't a pick because on 9 November 2026 no shop tracked here had it new in the UK, France or Spain: Thomann and Gear4music have dropped it from their feeds, and only bundles remain.
- Numark MixTrack Go. Numark's smallest controller, launched alongside the Party Mix III, with stems buttons and a filter that doubles as a bass cut; seven of ten reviews recommend it, and reviewers and owners say it fits in a backpack. As of 9 November 2026 it isn't a pick: its jog wheels are tiny, its pitch fader short and it has no full EQ, and Digital DJ Tips and DJcityTV point most beginners to the Party Mix III instead. The best mini DJ controllers picks it for travel and practice.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4. The default first controller in the main guide, and all ten reviews recommend it, but at the time of writing it sits just over this band in the US. It is the pick in the best DJ controllers under $500.
- Hercules DJControl Inpulse 300 MK2. The same Beatmatch Guide lights in a smaller controller for a PC or Mac. Only three reviews exist and no owner reviews could be read, and the full-size Inpulse 500 is often close in price, so compare the two before buying.
- Reloop Buddy. A 1 kg djay controller with Neural Mix stem controls and a slot for a phone or tablet; six of eight reviews recommend it. It has a two-band EQ and three of seven Thomann owners report hum on the outputs. The best DJ controllers for iPad covers it and its rivals.
- Hercules DJControl Mix Ultra. A battery-powered Bluetooth controller for djay on a phone or tablet, which four of six reviews recommend for casual mixing on the move. It has no audio outputs, so cueing runs through a mono split cable, and reviewers point to the FLX2 for anyone who wants to learn to play out.
- Numark Party Mix Live. Built-in speakers and a light show, which four of six reviews recommend for a child or a casual first-timer. Three say the speakers sound thin and that serious learners should spend more, and the Party Mix III, the pick for the same buyer, has no speakers but all four of its reviews recommend it.
- Reloop Ready. A Serato controller small enough to sit on a 13-inch laptop. Five of seven reviews recommend it, but as a travel or second controller; they call its price high for a first one.
- The Next Beat by Tiësto. Drives djay on an iPhone or iPad over Bluetooth. Only four reviews exist, two of them mixed, and all of them fault the hardware.
- Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200 MK3. Hercules' newest small controller, with Beatmatch Guide lights, Instrumental and Acapella stems buttons, and DJUCED and Serato DJ Lite.
- Roland DJ-202. A Serato controller with Roland's TR drum sounds and a step sequencer. It sits just above this band; the best DJ controllers under $500 covers it.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-200, DDJ-400 and DDJ-SB3. All three are no longer made. The FLX2 replaced the DDJ-200 and added its own outputs, the FLX4 replaced the DDJ-400 with the same club layout and Serato DJ Lite added, and Pioneer DJ names the REV1 as the DDJ-SB3's next-generation model. A used DDJ-400 still teaches the same skills on rekordbox.
- Numark Party Mix and Mixtrack Pro 3. Both are filed under Numark's legacy products. The Party Mix II and Mixtrack Pro FX replace them, and the Party Mix III is now the newest Party Mix; the Party Mix II has no product page here yet.
How to choose a DJ controller under $300
What the band buys
Up to about three hundred dollars buys a two-deck controller with a plastic body, a built-in sound card and the free version of its software. The extras that separate the picks are a mic input, aux inputs, jack outputs and guide lights on the Inpulse 500, the REV1's scratch layout, the FLX2's phone power, and the Party Mix III's stems buttons and light show. What none of them has is a balanced XLR output, a booth output or four channels; the best DJ controllers under $500 explains what the next step up adds, and the guide to two and four channels covers why two are enough to learn on.
Choose the software path first
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, and djay is built for phones and iPads. The FLX2 runs all three, the Party Mix III runs Serato DJ Lite and djay, and the REV1 and Inpulse 500 are Serato controllers. Serato DJ or rekordbox compares the two main paths.
What the free software leaves out
Serato DJ Lite comes free with every pick. It can't record your mixes, and some pad modes and features wait for the paid Serato DJ Pro. rekordbox is free to DJ with on the FLX2. Learn on the free version and upgrade when a missing feature gets in the way; Serato DJ Lite vs Pro lists the differences.
Laptop, phone or tablet
Two of the picks expect a laptop: the REV1 and Inpulse 500 are built for a PC or Mac. The FLX2 and Party Mix III work with phones and tablets as well, and a USB-C phone powers the FLX2 over its cable. The best DJ controllers for iPad covers the tablet route.
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. Two have RCA outputs, and the FLX2 and Party Mix III a 3.5 mm jack, with an RCA adapter in the Party Mix III's box; both suit home speakers. See the best DJ headphones and best DJ speakers. The best DJ controllers for beginners covers first controllers without the price limit, and the full best DJ controllers guide covers the picks beyond it.
How these picks are made
Each pick is the controller with the strongest evidence for its situation inside the band. 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 band is a round figure, so check the price beside each pick on the day. The methodology explains the whole process.
