djay - DJ App & AI Mixer

Review by eFreeware

djay is a DJ application for Android from Algoriddim. It turns a phone or tablet into a full DJ system, and the reason to consider it is the breadth of what it pulls together: streaming catalogs, your own files, beat-matched automatic mixes and stem separation in one place. The app is free to install, with an optional PRO subscription, and it has been downloaded more than 10 million times.

What makes it interesting is that it does not ask you to choose between being a casual listener and a performer. You can let the software build a mix and leave it running, or take manual control of the decks, effects and loops. That range is unusual for Android, where DJ tools often lean heavily one way or the other.

The rating sits at 3.8 from over 223,000 ratings, which suggests a capable app that has not pleased everyone. I would read that as a sign to check the requirements below before committing, particularly if you plan to use stem separation or hardware.

Automix and the stem tools lead the pitch

The headline feature is Automix, which the developer describes as AI-powered. It analyzes tracks to find rhythmic patterns, then picks what it considers the strongest intro and outro sections so one song flows into the next with beat-matched transitions. In practice, that means you can queue up a set and let djay handle the blending while you do something else, or step in when you want to take over.

Neural Mix separates a song into vocals, drums and instruments as it plays. That opens up live remixing: you can drop the vocal out of one track, keep its beat, and layer something else on top.

Both features are the kind of thing that used to require a laptop and specialized software. Having them on a phone is the core of djay's appeal, and it is what separates the app from simpler mixing tools that only crossfade between two files.

What you get beyond the headline features

The music sources are the practical backbone. Spotify and Apple Music are integrated, giving access to millions of tracks and, in Spotify's case, your own playlists. TIDAL, SoundCloud, Beatport and Beatsource are also supported, each with its own catalog character, from underground and premium tracks to electronic and open-format music. Local files stored on the device are available too, so a library you already own is not left out.

djay ships with a built-in library of DJ-ready tracks across popular genres, free to use. That is a useful starting point if you have no streaming subscription and want something to mix immediately.

On the performance side there is a sequencer for building beats over a track, a looper that supports up to 48 loops per track, and beat-matched sequencing of drums and samples. A content library adds hundreds of loops and samples. The audio toolkit covers key lock, time-stretching, pitch shifting, mixer, filter and EQ controls, more than 50 effects including echo, flanger, crush and gate, crossfader effects, looping and hot cues, automatic tempo and key analysis, auto gain and colored waveforms.

Pre-cueing is handled through split output mode or an external audio interface, letting you hear the next track in headphones while the main output goes to the speakers.

Hardware support and what it asks of your device

djay works with DJ controllers over Bluetooth MIDI and USB MIDI. Bluetooth support covers four controllers: the AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX-2, the Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 and two Hercules models, the DJ Control Mix and DJ Control Mix Ultra. Over USB it supports the Pioneer DJ DDJ-WeGO4 and DDJ-WeGO3, the Reloop Mixtour, Beatpad, Beatpad 2 and Mixon4. If you already own one of those, the app can put it to use.

The requirements are where you need to pay attention. Older devices cannot run Neural Mix, which needs ARM64 hardware. Not every Android phone can handle an external audio interface, and that includes interfaces built into some controllers, so a controller that works on one phone may not work on another.

Streaming has its own conditions. Streaming songs require both an internet connection and a supported subscription. You cannot record streamed songs. Neural Mix is off the table with Apple Music or Spotify as the source, a real limitation given how central both services are to the app's pitch. Track availability can also vary by account and country, and service pricing and availability differ by region.

Costs, subscriptions and the free tier

The app itself is free with no ads, and there are in-app purchases. The optional PRO subscription is described as a single subscription that covers djay Pro across all your devices, with access to all PRO features plus more than 1,000 loops, samples and visuals. If you work across a phone and a tablet, that cross-device arrangement is the part that matters most.

Spotify access requires Spotify Premium, TIDAL requires the TIDAL DJ Extension, and SoundCloud requires SoundCloud Go+. Those are costs on top of anything you pay inside djay, and they are worth factoring in before you build a workflow around a particular catalog.

The included djay Music library and local files mean you can mix without any streaming subscription at all.

How I would approach it

Start with the included tracks and whatever files are already on your device. Automix is the gentlest way in: load a few songs, let it handle the transitions, and listen to how it chooses intros and outros.

Once the basics feel natural, move to Neural Mix and the looper. Stripping vocals out of a track while it plays is the kind of thing that rewards experimentation, and the sequencer and sample library give you material to layer on top. If you own one of the supported controllers, connecting it early makes sense, since the hardware layout will shape how you mix.

Before relying on djay for a live set, confirm two things on your own device: that your controller or audio interface is recognized, and that Neural Mix runs. Those are the two areas where device support varies most, and finding out in advance is far better than discovering it mid-performance.

If you plan to stream, decide which service you will use and check that the tracks you want are available in your country. And if recording your sets matters to you, keep in mind that streamed songs cannot be recorded, so a set built from local files is the route that allows it.

A capable DJ setup with conditions attached

djay packs a surprising amount into a free Android app: streaming integration, automatic mixing, stem separation, a large effects set, pre-cueing and controller support. For a hobbyist who wants to learn to mix, or someone who wants a compact setup for small events, it covers the essentials and then some.

The caveats are real but specific. Neural Mix needs ARM64 hardware, some devices cannot use external audio interfaces, streamed songs cannot be recorded, and Neural Mix is unavailable when playing from Apple Music or Spotify. Streaming catalogs require their own subscriptions, and PRO is a separate purchase.

I would suggest it to anyone who wants to mix music on Android and is willing to check their device against those requirements first. If your hardware fits and you accept the streaming limits, djay offers a lot for a free download.

What's new

• Various bugfixes and improvements