10 Best DJ Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2022
Who hasn’t found themselves in an impromptu party once in a while? These spontaneous events are super fun and give rise to an unexpected problem: how does one DJ without the console? Also, if you’re an up-and-coming DJ or even a pro looking for a more tactile and portable alternative to the laptop and setup, DJ apps for iPhone and iPad might be the right solution for you.
Before the advent of these superlative DJ apps, DJing using mobiles or devices other than laptops wasn’t considered the “real thing”. But apps like Edjing, Djay Pro, and DJ Player Pro changed the game completely.
They changed the existing perception as an increasing number of DJs started using these for their features and portability. These DJ apps prove to be all the buzz among DJs switching to virtual DJing as parties go virtual owing to the global pandemic.
10 Best DJ Apps For iPhone and iPad
1. Edjing
This app has created quite a buzz in the world of DJ apps. It is extremely popular with up-and-coming DJs for the multiverse of songs it offers. You can choose from a selection of more than 50 million tracks to remix while also getting the option to import tracks from your local storage, SoundCloud or Deezer. This flexibility in the source options is a highlight of this app as, more often than not, you wish you could just access your saved music and go ahead with the party.
The user interface is simple and easy to use for novices and pros alike. Edjing has a record button to help you record the music you make. There are in-app purchases for additional effects and features. These are useful if you don’t want to experiment out of the limited range of free mixing tools.
There are nagging ads in the free version that may disturb you, but you can always upgrade to the Edjing Pro app. This version is ad-free and is the perfect choice for experienced DJs. It is available at $5.49 on Google Play, App Store, and Windows. But the features available on the free version suffice too. The best part is that this app works seamlessly on iOS too.
2. Djay and Djay 2
Djay undoubtedly features in all lists of best DJ apps in 2021. This music mixing app is from Algoriddim, a developer who has a legacy in making top-notch DJ apps. This mixer has a disc format to allow you to get as close as you can to a physical deck experience. It is perfect for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows users. The developers also launched a version for Android users, the Djay 2 app.
The user interface is fuss-free and easy for aspiring DJs to use. One of the most popular features of this DJ app is its integration with Spotify. Although it requires you to have a Spotify Premium subscription, you can easily import your music from Spotify once you do. A seamless DJing experience includes supporting all file types, and Djay delivers in that zone.
You can match to keys on iTunes and record the performance too. Like Edjing, Djay’s free version offers many valuable tools and features free of cost, but you can also opt for Djay 2 at a monthly charge of $2.99 for advanced features like Spotify integration.
3. Pacemaker DJ
When talking of versatile DJ apps, you can’t miss Pacemaker DJ. This app is highly accessible for budding DJs and is available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and the Apple Watch. Pacemaker offers DJs to create original jams using iTunes and Spotify tracks (you need to have a Premium subscription).
The user interface is super fun and colorful, adding to the feel of the party! Many popular effects available on a physical set of decks are available on the app, like loop to reverb, chop-chop, 8-bit, etc. When you’re not in the mood to mix songs and sway the party or dance instead, the app will help you choose songs and create its own mix in autopilot mode.
Pacemaker is so popular because it is easy to use and loaded with features like sync beats, loop, and beat-skip, echoes crossfades, and much more. The app itself is free, but features are bought via in-app purchases.
4. Cross DJ
Like Algoriddim, the developer of Cross DJ, Mixvibes, is another veteran of the world of DJ apps. This app is a novice’s dream come true as all controls are far from being complicated. The free version of the app suffices, too, as it covers all fundamental functions essential to effective DJing, reverb, equalizer, slip modes, and tempo being some of them.
Other effects like delay, Hi-pass, SoundCloud integration are also available on the free version. A paid version exists, Cross DJ Pro if you’re looking for more features and effects to be at your disposal. That includes manual pitch adjustment, audio FX, and 72 samples. It comes at a price of $8.99 a month, but apart from that, individual features can be bought too.
You can switch to the autopilot mode like in Pacemaker if you need a break. A record option is there to help you save your jams. Editing or recording the track using your microphone is another perk this app gives.
5. Traktor DJ 2
This app is from a company that can easily be called a stalwart in the world of DJ apps, Native Instruments. And when a company of such eminent reputation launches a DJ app, they make sure they do an excellent job at it. The previous version lacked in a few places, but they made up for it with this launch.
Despite being the choice of seasoned DJs with years of experience, this app also has adequate accessibility for beginners. As Traktor DJ 2 is specifically designed for iPhones and iPads, the UI offers seamless functioning. The Jogwheel layout combines a host of different features like syncing, beat detection, hot cue controls, tempo fader, pitch bend, and much more in stacked waveforms, along with the classic Traktor Pro layout.
It is available at a slightly steeper price of $4.13 than the other apps. You can import your tracks from iTunes as well. You do require to be connected to the internet for this app to work without stopping. Traktor has everything an aspiring DJ would need in a DJ app.
6. DJ Studio 5
The company at the helm of DJ Studio is also responsible for another popular DJ app, DJ MixTools. Loopmasters revolutionized the DJing scene with this app, and the reason was the change in policy they brought. They have a “no-watermark” feature, seldom offered by other apps, and a pop-up facility to help creators make jams they want to.
The app is free and works best on an iPad. It offers all the essential features a budding DJ would require. It is a loop-based mixing app with a clean interface and outstanding performance. The output file can be recorded, and features like three-band EQ, customizable samples, and auto-mixing are also there.
The app also focuses on providing features that mimic a physical DJ’s experience, like two virtual turntables, skinnable decks, and discs. It is a very realistic approach to virtual DJing.
7. DJ Player Professional
This app is very well compatible with an iPad and iPhone for virtual DJing. You should consider this app if you’re a pro DJ and even if you are a beginner. It is available for free on the App Store and Google Play Store with in-app purchases and a $1.67 per month subscription plan.
A lot of the advanced features are unlocked only in the paid version, so if you’re a bedroom DJ, then this might not be your best option. The UI is relatively clean and contemporary, with handy spectral waveforms, EQ, looping functions, etc., on display. It may look intimidating at first with all the different things happening on screen, but once you get the hang of it, it will be easier. Plus, they’re all properly labeled.
iMect, the developer behind DJ Player Pro, has done a great job with it and churned out a powerful and efficient solution for DJs worldwide. There are two views; Performance and Classic. The Performance view delivers waveforms, and in a mirror-image format, so it’s easier to adjust to. Navigating through your playlists is reasonably straightforward.
8. Deej
From the pro-focused DJ Player Pro, this is a more beginner-friendly DJ app. It is designed to be used on iPhones and iPads to mix tracks and create your own jams. Adding effects is also a piece of cake once you try it out a few times. There are various effects available like sync beat, tempo, phaser, chorus, reverb, echo, flanger, and so on.
The app also has three-band EQ controls to allow your ease of mixing. One of the best features of this app is the SoundCloud, Dropbox, and Mixcloud support. You can upload your recorded jams on all of these apps. Various file formats like .mp3, .ogg, .aac, .wav, .wma, and so on are supported on Deej which makes for a very flexible and versatile DJ app.
If you’re a multitasker, you will love Deej as you can switch between apps, and your progress won’t be lost. This is always helpful if you receive a call, have an urgent mail to check, or just want a two-minute breather. All bedroom DJs would have a great time using this app. It is priced at $5.99.
9. Serato Pyro
Serato’s Pyro is a free version and isn’t considered to be precisely a DJ app; it’s an excellent way for beginners or those interested in DJing to start with. You have to start somewhere! It’s an interesting app if you want to play around with music and hear how different types of transitions would sound.
Experienced DJs prefer Syro’s pro software over Pyro, but this app will keep you engaged irrespective if you’re a genuine lover of music. You can integrate your Spotify Premium account to this and enjoy access to an endless library of songs to mix. The typical “two discs and mixer” layout is missing, which is otherwise characteristic of a DJ app.
The mixing part is done by Pyro, much like it’s on autopilot mode. You select a few tracks, and then the app matches other songs that’ll fit nicely on its own. Apart from Spotify, iTunes can also be used to import tracks. Easy, hassle-free, and excellent for parties!
10. Party Mixer 3D
This app is sure to let you create your own nightclub story to tell! The effects library is also vast and varied, like snare, echo, clap, audio FX, kick, etc. Party Mixer 3D is available for Android and iOS, so operating it on your iPhones and iPads won’t be an issue. Just go ahead and download it from the App Store.
The interface helps beginner DJs take the first steps with ease and learn with minimal effort or difficulties. If you want the job done without much of a hassle, this app works perfectly. You can mix songs and later store them on your device.
You can customize the playlists, and an autopilot mode is also available for when you are feeling lazy. The app is available free of cost on the App Store but included in-app purchases.
Conclusion
Mixing music requires complicated equipment and some basic outlays, even for a small event. But with every passing day comes the dawn of new technology, even in the world of DJing. Virtual DJ apps have become more popular and the norm in 2021’s virtual party scene. And many of these apps have free versions, which make for a great learning experience for those just starting as DJs. When it’s free, what have you got to lose anyway?
For a newbie, the access to professional-like software itself is a blessing! So what are you waiting for? Dive in the world of DJ apps, make a beat, and conquer the stage!