Mixxx
Free DJ software with two or four decks, beat matching and support for many DJ controllers.
Our verdict
Mixxx is the free DJ program that Linux users actually use, and for a home or hobby DJ it covers the job. You get decks, a crossfader, beat detection, cues, loops, effects and recording, and it drives a wide range of controllers without extra payment.
What it will not do is inherit your old library. Serato and Virtual DJ store cue points, loops and crates in their own formats, and Mixxx cannot read them. Your music files come across fine, but the preparation work on top of them does not. Plan on rebuilding cues for the tracks you actually play.
If you DJ for money on club equipment, check your controller against the Mixxx hardware list before you commit, and keep a Windows machine until you have done a full rehearsal on the new setup.
What's good
- Free with no paid tier and no hardware unlock fees
- Works with a long list of DJ controllers out of the box
- Automatic beat detection, looping, hot cues and recording
- Runs on Linux, Windows and macOS, so you can try it before you switch
What to know first
- Cannot open Serato or Rekordbox libraries, so cue points and crates do not come across
- Some newer controllers need a community mapping that may lag behind release
- No official support line if a gig goes wrong
- The Flathub build is listed as unmaintained, so a distro package is the safer choice
The details
- Cost
- Free
- Open source
- Yes (GPL-2.0-or-later)
- How you install it
- App store (Flatpak), .deb installer, .rpm installer, Built-in app store
Windows apps it can replace
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