7 Best DJ Controllers (2024): Expert picks for rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, and more

The rise of the DJ controller in recent years has been nothing short of incredible. Big brands such as Pioneer DJ, Native Instruments, Rane, and Hercules have been keyplayers in this by releasing a huge selection of products that cater to every type of DJ out there.

One of the main points behind this insane growth is accessibility. Modern DJ controllers have made entry into the world of DJing easier both financially and technically. Products on sale today offer a wide spectrum of features and functions. Such as 2-channel controllers for beginners to all-out vinyl-emulating masterpieces – the selection at the moment is absolutely brilliant.

The choices also go beyond just the financial and technical aspect, you have controllers optimized for Serato, rekordbox, VirtualDJ, and Traktor. Some controllers are even made specifically for certain devices such as desktops, laptops, and even down to operating systems like macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and sometimes, Linux.

In this article, I’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking for a familiar feeling of turntables, the easy use of CDJs, or the full-blown feeling of a club-ready setup, this article has it all. Including controllers that have seamless integrations with the world’s best DJ software too.

I’ve also made sure that this selection contains all in-stock products that are still being manufactured and are not discontinued, so you know you’ll be able to still buy one of the products in this list. I’ll be updating this article if a product becomes discontinued or globally out-of-stock.

Before we get going, it’s essential to understand what a DJ controller is. I often see a lot of confusion around what is considered a DJ controller as people tend to get them mixed up with standalone DJ systems. To put it simply, a DJ controller needs DJ software in order to work. A standalone DJ controller can work independently. If you like the sound of the standalone DJ systems more, then we have an article on those too, so check that out.

Now, let’s continue and I’ll tell you what I think the best DJ controllers are available today.

Best DJ Controller: Editors’ Choice

With so many options to choose from, this really wasn’t a straightforward selection process. However, the basis of my choice focuses on four main areas; performance, user-friendliness, value for money, and overall community love for the product. Therefore, my top pick for the best DJ controller would be the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4.

This controller has ticked all the boxes for me, with a fantastic blend of functionality, design, and world-leading tech packed into one tidy product. And considering its price point at under $400, it’s a steal as well.

The DDJ-FLX4 has a whole host of features, which is quite surprising at this price point. You have 2 channels, 2 deck controls, trim knob, 111.6mm jog wheel, beat FX, sound coloring FX, a sampler (yes!), hot cues, manual and auto beat loops too – what isn’t there to like?

You’ve also got plenty of connectivity, with 1 mic input, 1 master RCA output, 1 phones output, and 2 sets of USB type-c ports – one is for the computer connection and the other is for power.

It also works with a variety of DJ software, which is quite uncommon in this space – It just means you don’t have to commit too early on with a single software setup. The DDJ-FLX4 works with rekordbox, Serato DJ Lite and djay, so you have plenty to choose from. Do note though, that there are some features on the controller that work slightly differently (if not better) on certain apps than others. For example, the sampler allows you to work with 16 slots when using rekordbox, and only 4 slots on Serato. Similar story with the hot cues, 8 for rekordbox, and only 4 with Serato. Not a huge bummer, but just worth keeping in mind.

So yeah, definitely give the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4 some serious thought, I think it’s definitely the best overall DJ controller you can buy right now.

Best DJ Controllers: Product Lineup

There will also be some text here which I will need to add in. This needs to be a little more than a sentence but doesn’t have to quite be a full paragraph. This length is great.

In this buyers guide section, I’m going to tell you about all the various elements you need to keep in mind when choosing a DJ controller. Seeing as there are so many options on the market today, you’re highly likely to find a controller that meets all of your requirements, may it be from skill level to budget, or software integrations to design. Let’s get going.

1. Determine Your Skill Level

The first thing to think about when choosing any DJ equipment, not just DJ controllers, is your skill level. You need to ask yourself questions like “Is this overkill for me?” or “Do I really need all these features?”. The answers to these questions are very important in making the right buying decision. To make it easy, let’s break this down:

Beginner or Hobbyist DJ ($)

If you’re new to DJing or just doing it as a hobby, you won’t need all the latest features and functions. In fact, less is certainly more in this respect.

I remember when I started, I maxed out a credit card to get a brand new Hercules DJ console back in 2004 – this was a mistake and way overkill for what I needed. I ended up selling it and just getting a pair of Numark turntables instead – don’t worry, you have a lot more choice than I did back then.

For this level you simply need 2-channels, some jog wheels, a mixer, and maybe some simple FX controls. DJ controllers at this level often come bundled with some free DJ software so that helps you get familar and keep costs low. You don’t want to be spending too much at this stage, just get yourself familiar with DJing first.

At this beginner and hobbyist level, the DJ controller I would recommend is the Hercules DJControl Inpulse 500 or if your budget can stretch to it the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4.

Intermediate or Amateur DJ ($$)

If you have slightly more experience than a beginner or hobbyist, then you’ll be on the hunt for DJ controller with a few more features and functionality.

For this level, you’d be looking at 4-channels, more FX control, and integrations with some major DJ software like Serato or rekordbox. These type of DJ controllers offer a good balance between user-friendliness and enough features to keep you busy.

At this intermediate or amateur level, I would recommend the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4.

Professional or Touring DJ ($$$)

If you DJ career has really taken off, and you have a vast amount of experience behind the decks then you’d be looking at DJ controllers with professional-grade features and functionality.

For this level, you’re going to want tactile controls, great feeling jog wheels, multiple advanced FX, durable design, and superb sound quality with all the expected audio input and outputs from a professional piece of DJ equipment.

Tight integrations with the top DJ software too is a must for apps like Serato, rekordbox, and VirtualDJ, they need to seamless pair together with no glitches or incompatibility.

At this professional or touring level, I would recommend the Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV7.

2. Software Compatibility

With DJ controllers, the software is as key in this setup as the hardware itself. So its important to understand what DJ software you need in order for your DJ controller, and you, to perform correctly.

Serato

Serato has a huge following within the DJ community (me included), it’s been around since 1999 and is used by DJs all over the world at every level. It’s sleek user-interface and superb selection of features, makes this a very desirable platform. Particularly with vinyl DJs as it was one of the first DVS platforms to be released – although this story is very interesting, not for now though.

It is important to remember that not all DJ controllers work with Serato. Double check the technical specifications before purchasing. You can check out this full list of compatible DJ controller over on their website.

Who I would recommend Serato to: Intermediate and Professional DJs

rekordbox

Developed by Pioneer DJ, this app is mostly designed to work with their own controllers. However, in recent years they have introduced compatibility with many other DJ software providers. Which, in my opinion, was a smart move.

rekordbox is also loved by DJs around the world. Mostly for its library management setup which is reliable, easy to use, and rarely crashes.

Who I would recommend rekordbox to: Intermediate and Professional DJs

Traktor

Made by Native Instruments, the Traktor DJ software is typically exclusively with Native Instruments’ DJ controllers, but they can be used with limited funcationality with most other DJ software.

Traktor has been around for a long time, so this app is pretty well established and offers all the best features you would want and expect from this level of software.

Who I would recommend Traktor to: Beginner, Intermediate, and Professional DJs.

VirtualDJ

It is easy to forget that other DJ software options exist outside of the ‘big 3’ mentioned above. However, VirtualDJ is still a very popular solution that many DJs use. According to the VirtualDJ website, it has been downloaded more than 150,000,000 times and is used by more than 6,000,000 different users per day. From these claims, it is very popular indeed.

VirtualDJ is particularly popular with DJs that like to sync video with their sets. Together with Serato, these two apps are the only ones that are capable of using video sync – unless you use a specific VJ software, which is a bit more uncommon.

Who I would recommend VirtualDJ to: Intermediate, and Professional DJs.

3. Budget and Price Range

Lastly, before you go spending your hard-earned cash, let me help you understand the price brackets and what you can expect for your money.

Beginner and Hobbyist Level: $50 – $200

• Best for beginners and people completely new to DJing
• Only has basic features such as 2-channels, essential functionality, and light FX
• My choice at this level would be: Pioneer DJ DDJ-200

Intermediate and Amateur Level: $200 – $600

• Suited to DJs looking to expand their setup or explore new features
• Typically more functions and features, particular with FX, as well as a better build quality
• My choice for this level would be: Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4

Professional and Touring Level: $600+

• Aimed at full-time DJs who are very experienced and are serious about DJing
• Durable build quality, more channels, advanced features, and better software integrations
• My choice for this level would be: Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV7

Final Thoughts: Choosing Your DJ Controller

Trying to choose which DJ controller is right for you is a little trickier than first thought eh?

With all the factors involved and choices available, it can be hard to know which one is right for your setup. Hopefully this guide has been helpful in your research on DJ controllers and what you need to be aware of when choosing the best DJ controller for you.

It is so important to consider everything when making the decision. Such as skill level, budget, requirements, and where you plan to use or perform with it. You don’t want to be stuck with something that you overpaid for and have features that you’re never going to use. Otherwise, you would have just bought yourself an expensive collector of dust.

On a more serious note though, this could be the start of your career or even help enhance it. So it’s definitely worth taking the time out to really think about this and hopefully I’ve helped in some way too.

While my top pick, the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4, stands out for many reasons such as the price, features available, and compatibility for a variety of DJ software, it is good to remember that this might not be the ‘best’ DJ controller for you, and that’s why what I said above is really important. You shouldn’t take anyone’s word for it; doing your own research will always be the best approach.

Good luck with choosing, and I hope you pick the right one for you.

Let us know in the comments which DJ controller you went for!

How We Test DJ Controllers

At DJ Tech Reviews we are fortunate enough to get our hands on with, pretty much, any piece of equipment we would like to test. That’s precisely what our team of writers and reviewers do in order to write accurate, trustworthy, and informative content to help our readers make better buying decisions.

In all of our roundup articles, we aim to cover all types of DJ. Such as DJs that are more budget-minded, or perhaps those who are beginners; we make sure that we include products that suit everyone. That’s why, in this type of article, the products are labelled with certain tags such as “Best Overall DJ Controller” or “Best Premium Pick” etc.

From a more technical point of view, we do all the usual testing methods such scrutinizing build quality for components such as faders, jog wheels, pads, buttons – the whole lot. If a controller contains removable parts, we also test for robustness and precision.

After testing the build quality, we then move onto using the controller for its intended use – controlling the DJ software. We ensure that are the hardware knobs, buttons, and FX are exhibiting expected behaviour and actually doing what they’re supposed to.

Lastly, we analyze sound quality. Does this sound right? Is it too bassy? or too boxy? DJ controllers often have their own ‘sound’ so we attempt to dtermine what that is by using a mixture of studio monitors and head phones to accurate depict what their ‘sound’ is.

For more information, read more about how we test DJ gear, software, and services at DJ Tech Reviews.