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Should I use Rekordbox?

DJ software for professional DJs - rekordbox.com

Depends. Buy it if you gig on Pioneer CDJs — USB export prep is the club standard. Bedroom DJs on simple controllers should stay on the free plan or pick Serato, Traktor, or Mixxx instead.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 40+ public sources: Reddit/forums, Trustpilot, official pages, and 2026 security advisories.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Core / Creative / ProfessionalSubscriptions; Techjockey lists from $36

Best for

  • Club DJs playing Pioneer CDJs
  • Mobile DJs prepping USB exports
  • Pioneer DDJ controller owners
  • Multi-device cloud library sync

Not for

  • Bedroom DJs — the free plan already covers you
  • Denon Prime / Engine gear owners
  • Anyone refusing recurring subscriptions
  • Linux users — no native support

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

DEF CON 34 research described unauthenticated filesystem access in the rekordbox ecosystem.

medium

Price increases announced 2023; features shuffled between subscription tiers.

medium

Users report losing old renewal prices at subscription renewal.

medium

Library lock-in: migrating to Denon/Engine requires conversion tools.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Industry standard for preparing USBs that run on club CDJs
  • Deep integration with Pioneer and DDJ hardware
  • Cloud library sync across devices
  • Free plan covers library prep for new DJs
  • Track analysis and smart playlists built in

Cons

  • Trustpilot sits at 1.8/5 — 'Poor'
  • Users call it buggy and frustrating
  • Recording ability moved behind paid plans
  • Monthly subscriptions resented; no flat-rate option
  • Active security vulnerability in PRO DJ LINK ecosystem

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/29/2026 - 12 sources - Active Aug 2026 advisory: major PRO DJ LINK vulnerability affecting rekordbox and CDJ/XDJ units — patch and check versions.

official x3review x6security x1news x2
  • PRO DJ LINK security vulnerability (Aug 2026), AlphaTheta confirmed a vulnerability in PRO DJ LINK affecting rekordbox and CDJ-XDJ gear; official notice issued Aug 8, 2026.
  • 'Pwning Rekordbox' DEF CON 34 disclosure, Researcher described unauthenticated filesystem access in what was called the world's most used DJ setup.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Features gated behind subscriptions users resent
  • Ease of use: 2/5. Users report buggy, frustrating workflows
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Cloud sync, deep Pioneer hardware integration
  • Support quality: 2/5. Trustpilot 1.8, 'Poor'
  • Security posture: 2/5. Major PRO DJ LINK vulnerability disclosed 2026
  • 1.8/5 Trustpilot rating 'Poor'
  • $36 Starting price Techjockey listing; official plans are subscriptions
  • Yes Free tier Library prep usable without paying
  • 1 major Known security advisories PRO DJ LINK, Aug 2026

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Library prep and USB export basics
  • Performance features limited

Core / Creative / Professional

Subscriptions; Techjockey lists from $36

  • Performance mode and recording gated here
  • Cloud sync in higher tiers
  • Official prices not shown in evidence

Security

Active Aug 2026 advisory: major PRO DJ LINK vulnerability affecting rekordbox and CDJ/XDJ units — patch and check versions.

  • PRO DJ LINK security vulnerability (Aug 2026)AlphaTheta confirmed a vulnerability in PRO DJ LINK affecting rekordbox and CDJ-XDJ gear; official notice issued Aug 8, 2026.⁷
  • 'Pwning Rekordbox' DEF CON 34 disclosureResearcher described unauthenticated filesystem access in what was called the world's most used DJ setup.

What users say

Longtime users praise the Pioneer hardware integration but blast bugs, subscription gating, and support.

“Rekordbox is single handedly the worst piece of software”
Reddit, r/Rekordbox
“I AM F@CKING DONE WITH REKORDBOX”
Reddit, r/PioneerDJ
“Why does Rekordbox get so much hate?”
Reddit, r/Beatmatch
Full analysis

Based on 40+ public sources: Reddit/forums, Trustpilot, official pages, and 2026 security advisories.

Club standard for Pioneer CDJs; buggy, subscription-gated, 1.8/5 on Trustpilot. Free plan or alternatives suit bedroom DJs.

Methodology

Based on 40+ public sources: Reddit/forums, Trustpilot, official pages, and 2026 security advisories.

Sources

  1. Read Customer Service Reviews of rekordbox.com (Trustpilot)trustpilot.com
    review
  2. Rekordbox is single handedly the worst piece of software — Redditreddit.com
    review
  3. Advice for DJ who's had enough of RekordBox — Redditreddit.com
    review
  4. New DJs do not need to pay for Rekordbox Creative or Pro — Redditreddit.com
    review
  5. Plans & pricing — rekordboxrekordbox.com
    official
  6. New prices announcement — rekordbox subscription planspioneerdj.com
    official
  7. Important Notice: Security Vulnerability in PRO DJ LINKrekordbox.com
    security
  8. There's a major security hole in CDJs, Rekordbox — CDMcdm.link
    news
  9. AlphaTheta issues security warning to rekordbox and CDJ/XDJ users — DJ Magdjmag.com
    news
  10. Review: Pioneer DJ's new Rekordbox 6 — DJ TechToolsdjtechtools.com
    review
  11. Why do so many DJs use rekordbox? — Crossfaderwearecrossfader.co.uk
    review
  12. rekordbox 7 Overview — rekordboxrekordbox.com
    official

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