The best free video DJ software is VirtualDJ: it mixes music videos at home for nothing, with its logo on the screen until you pay $19 a month for Pro. rekordbox also plays video on its Free plan, but the external screen shows a caution message until you move up to Creative at $18 a month. Among the other video mixing software for DJs, Serato needs Serato DJ Suite and djay needs PRO, while Traktor, Engine DJ and Mixxx do not mix video at all.
What video DJing is
You mix music videos instead of audio files, so when a track comes in, the crowd sees its clip on a TV, a projector or the venue's LED wall. A video crossfader follows your mix, transitions blend one clip into the next, and you can lay your DJ name, a logo or a line of text over the picture. Tracks without a clip get visuals: loops, album covers or a camera feed.
It is big in bars, weddings and open format, Latin and pop nights, where people sing along to clips they know. Electronic DJs use the same tools for visuals that move with the beat behind the booth.
Video mixing software for DJs: what each app gives you free
| App | Mixes video? | Free option | What you pay for video | Platforms for video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VirtualDJ 2026 | Yes, built in | Yes, at home, with the VirtualDJ logo on screen | Pro $19/month removes the logo and allows paid gigs | Mac, Windows |
| rekordbox 7 | Yes, built in | Plays on Free and Core, with a caution message on the external screen | Creative $18/month (€18) or Professional $36/month (€36) | Mac, Windows |
| Serato DJ Pro | Yes, with the Serato Video expansion | No, but new users get a 14-day DJ Suite trial | Serato DJ Suite $14.99/month or $499 once | Mac, Windows |
| djay Pro | Yes, a PRO feature | A free trial of PRO | PRO $6.99/month or $49.99/year (€6.99, €49.99) | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Traktor Pro 4 | No | No free tier | Not available | None |
| Engine DJ | No | Free, audio only | Not available | None |
| Mixxx | No | Free, audio only | Not available | None |
Prices checked October 2026. Yearly billing is cheaper on rekordbox, VirtualDJ and djay.
VirtualDJ is the only app where video costs nothing to start. Its price page gives the free version video, karaoke and every video effect, for home use without professional gear. The limits: the logo stays on the video output on Free and on Home ($4 a month, entry-level controllers only); the FAQ says controllers, mixers, timecode and advanced video features run 10 minutes at a time; and if you earn money with it, you need Pro. Our free DJ software guide covers the audio side.
rekordbox plays video on every plan, but on Free and Core AlphaTheta says a caution message appears on the external monitor. Its plan table lists video performance only on Creative ($180 or €180 a year) and Professional, the same plans that run SoundSwitch lighting (see our rekordbox Studio Plan news). Plug the screen into the computer: rekordbox does not send video out of a controller.
Serato keeps video in an expansion for Serato DJ Pro, and its pricing page shows no separate price for it: Serato Video comes in Serato DJ Suite, with DJ Pro, every expansion and Serato Studio. It links video effects to audio ones, records your set with HD video and plays MP3+G karaoke.
djay by Algoriddim mixes videos and photos with transitions, visual loops and overlays, out over HDMI or AirPlay. Its help center lists Video Mixing as a PRO feature on macOS and iOS only, so the Windows and Android apps lack it.
Traktor Pro 4, Engine DJ and Mixxx do not mix video: none lists a video feature, and Engine DJ and Mixxx support audio file types only. With them, the screen needs a separate visuals app or a VJ (a video jockey). Our DJ software comparison covers the rest.
What you need: computer, screen and files
- A laptop with power to spare. Video is far heavier than audio. rekordbox asks for an Intel Core i5 or better for its video function, where a Core i3 is enough for audio, and Serato puts video among the jobs for its high-performance specs. Video means a laptop (or an iPhone or iPad with djay), so see laptop or USB stick for hooking into a club mixer.
- A second output. Plug the TV, projector or LED wall into HDMI (or a USB-C to HDMI adapter), set it as an extended display rather than a mirror, and make the app's video window full screen on it. VirtualDJ and djay can also go wireless, but a cable is safer at a gig. Ask the venue tech beforehand which input and resolution their screen takes.
- Files that play everywhere. MP4 with H.264 video at 1920 x 1080 is the safe choice. rekordbox reads avi, mpg, mp4, m4v and mov up to 1920 x 1080; Serato recommends MP4 with H.264 and AAC audio; VirtualDJ also reads mkv, webm and wmv. 4K files are heavier, and above what rekordbox supports.
- Visuals for tracks without a clip. VirtualDJ shows covers, shaders, a camera or a slideshow; djay has audio-reactive visual loops; Serato gives away free DJ visuals packs. That is the electronic DJ's route: few techno sets need music videos, but a loop moving with the kick changes the room.
Where DJs get music videos legally
Record pools are subscription services that supply DJs with music, often as edits made for mixing. Some do video, with intros added and skits cut. Four we checked:
- Promo Only: video formats such as Club, Urban and Latin Video at $25 a month each, or POOL Video Silver at $50 and Gold at $75 a month. Its tip: the files also play as audio in software that reads MPEG-4.
- The Video Pool: HD and 4K videos, edits and VJ loops tagged with BPM and key, from $35 a month for 200 downloads, or $360 a year.
- VJ-Pro in VirtualDJ: a video catalog of promotional music videos played inside the app, $49.99 a month.
- Xtendamix: a large video pool with extended mixes; it shows prices after a free sign-up.
Prices checked October 2026. Not every record pool offers video, so check the plan page first.
Skip ripping from YouTube. YouTube's terms say you may not "access, reproduce, download" content without permission, and a rip is a stream squeezed for phones: thin audio on a club system, a soft picture on a big screen, no intro to mix in on.
Showing videos in public: the rights
A music video is a work of its own, on top of the song and the recording, so showing it to a room can need a license beyond the audio ones. In the UK, PPL says its sister company VPL licenses music videos in public spaces, and that gyms or nightclubs playing them are covered through TheMusicLicence (PPL's page). Video pools say what they cover: Xtendamix says its members are licensed when they use its service, and Promo Only says its rates are only for those who play in public. Ask the venue whether its license covers music videos, not just audio.
This is not legal advice. Rules differ by country, so check with the local collecting society; do DJs need a license? lists who to ask. Posting a filmed set? See recording and posting DJ sets.
Questions DJs ask about video mixing
Is there video DJ software free for beginners? Yes. VirtualDJ mixes music videos free at home with its logo on screen, and rekordbox Free plays video with a caution message.
Can I use my DJ controller for video? Yes, the video follows your decks. In free VirtualDJ a controller runs 10 minutes at a time; the $4 Home plan unlocks entry-level ones.
Can I mix music videos from YouTube? No. Its terms forbid downloading without permission; use a pool or catalog licensed for DJs.
Do I need a powerful laptop? More than for audio: rekordbox asks for at least an Intel Core i5 for video.
Video works best with songs the crowd knows. The Open Format crate shows the hip hop, R&B and pop tracks big DJs really play, each with a 30-second official preview: save the ones you want with the crate icon, then find their videos in your pool.