Are DJ Subscriptions Out of Control?
Recommendations to get your monthly payments down.
You don’t have to give up DJing. Here’s how to tackle DJ subscription fatigue head-on.
Are DJ Subscriptions Out of Control?
When did subscriptions become such an all-pervasive thing? Although they’ve been creeping in since the 2010s, it was the COVID pandemic that pushed us all into multiple subs. At first they seemed fun and convenient but now we feel trapped by them, our money getting sucked out monthly for access to things that we used to own.
Subscriptions are – for better or for worse – a part of life now, and this is true for DJing as well. Unless you’re a strictly hardware, vinyl-only old-school DJ or you’re rocking a fancy new DJ controller, you’re probably paying some kind of DJ subscription either monthly or yearly.
Companies like DJ subscriptions because they provide financial stability and predictability. Customers, on the other hand, are chaffing under the weight of too many financial burdens. Inflation, the rising cost of living, and too many subs have lead to subscription fatigue. But you’re stuck: if you stop paying, you can’t DJ – and that sucks.
It’s starting to feel like DJ subscriptions are out of control. It’s time to get some control back. In this piece, we’ll look at how much DJ subscriptions cost and how to reduce some of that monthly cash outflow.
The Cost of DJ Subscriptions
DJ software that you run on your computer is expensive, there’s no way around it. Here’s how much major software costs.
AlphaTheta rekordbox
- Perpetual license: None
- Subscription: From $12/month or $120/year to $36/month or $360/year
- More information
- Home page
Serato DJ Pro
- Perpetual license: $249/$449 for DJ Suite
- Subscription: $9.99 to $14.99
- More information
- Home page
Algoriddim DJ Pro
- Perpetual license: None
- Subscription: $6.99/month or $49.99/year
- More information
- Home page
VirtualDJ
- Perpetual license: $299
- Subscription: $19/month
- Home page
Native Instruments Traktor Pro
- Perpetual license: $149
- Subscription: None
- More information
- Home page
Lexicon DJ Library Management
- Perpetual license: None
- Subscription: $17/month or $10/year to $39/month or $390/year
- More information
- Home page
DJ Subscription Example Total
As you can see from the list above, DJ software comes in a variety of prices and features. Let’s assume that you’re a professional DJ and need software with the full complement of features. You also like the benefits that having an independent library management app brings, so that’s a requirement. Finally, you need a streaming music service as you like the convenience of being able to play any song at any time.
Here’s what that looks like in terms of monthly payments:
- AlphaTheta rekordbox Professional: $36
- Lexicon DJ Library Management Pro: $39
- Beatport Streaming Pro: $29.99
- Total: $104.99/month
How to Reduce Your Subscription Bill
Admittedly, the figure above is a little extreme. You could probably bring that down just by paying yearly rather than monthly. But still, it’s quite an outlay, especially if DJing is just a hobby. Here are some other ways to get that DJ subscription bill down to something that’s more manageable for you.
Buy upfront if you can. Some DJ software offers a perpetual license price, like Serato, VirtualDJ and Traktor. If you pay all at once, you’re not locked into an endless subscription.
Use a free or less premium version. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but rekordbox, Serato, and VirtualDJ offer free versions. In addition, rekordbox features four tiers of pricing, each unlocking more parameters and features. They may not give you the full experience but they’ll let you keep the party going.
Don’t stream music. Instead of paying for a stream when you’re probably just playing the same 10 songs all the time anyway, buy those tracks and cancel the Beatport contract. The artists will thank you for it too.
Cancel any unnecessary subs. Do you really need that standalone library management app? Can you do without Netflix or Amazon Prime? Take a hard look at your finances and cut loose anything that’s weighing you down.
Buy a standalone controller. Made for use without a computer, standalone DJ controllers have excellent DJ software baked right in. I realize that if you could afford a standalone controller you probably wouldn’t be having trouble paying for subs, but it may be worth it in the long run. I’ve included some recommendations in the forms of affiliate links at the bottom.
Use free software. Yes, there’s free DJ software. Mixxx is free and open source. While you may have to jump through a few hoops to get it set up with your controller of choice, it could solve a lot of your financial problems. If you have a Hercules controller, you can use the company’s own Djuced for free.
Are DJ Subscriptions Worth It?
Ultimately, whether DJ subscriptions are worth paying for is up to you and your financial situation. Unless you’re a scratch DJ with vinyl and turntables or you have a club-ready setup with independent CDJs with built-in software, you may just have to fork over the monthly cash.
Returning to our hypothetical total from before, that $105 a month, imagine that you’re a fully independent vinyl DJ. You have no need for subs because turntables and a mixer don’t need them. However, you’re still going to need records. New, 12” singles are now going for around $20 each, with used not far behind depending on quality and rarity. So it’s very likely that you’re spending more than $105 every month just on records. It’s all how you look at it.
In the end, DJing is more than just a past-time. It’s a way of life. And for many, it’s also their job. Subscriptions may be frustrating but they’re unfortunately unavoidable. At least for now.
DJ Controller Recommendations
Standalone DJ controllers give you the full DJ experience without having to dish out money every month on a subscription. Here are some recommendations. Not listed below but also recommended are AlphaTheta’s XDJ-AZ and Pioneer DJ’s Opus-Quad.
More Information
- All about DJ controllers
- All about DJing
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One response to “Are DJ Subscriptions Out of Control?”
Most people don’t need Lexicon, and your controller hopefully comes with some free version of a software. But still, compared to when you had to buy it all on vinyl back in the days, the monthly costs of even the most expensive options are a bargain. I started out with vinyl and switched to CDJs, that are still my favorites to this day but with a A&H mixer. Rekordbox does the job but when not in the studio I really enjoy Djay Pro with streaming on my iPad.