Is Serato DJ Lite any good, and what are its biggest downsides compared with Serato DJ Pro? Here I’ll go over 6 important limitations you should know about before buying a Serato DJ Lite compatible controller or deciding whether the free version is enough for you.
You might also like: Best Free DJ Software (For PC & Mac)
Major updates:
– September, 2026 – Updated taking into account the newest features present in the software.
4 Hot cues & 1-8 bar loop limitations
This is a major limitation that will be mostly felt by DJs who had previous experience with 8 hot cues per bank and no limitations on loop length in other pieces of DJ software.
In Serato DJ Lite you are limited to 4 custom hot cues per track and you cannot utilize audio loops smaller than 1 bar or larger than 8 bars.
4 hot cues in many cases are just not enough. If you for example wanted to have 1 hot cue set in the beginning of your track and another one at the mix exit point, you would be left with just 2 free hot cue points for other purposes. For me this is truly a major inconvenience.
The loop limitation is also noticeable if you like using short loop rolls, as Serato DJ Lite’s Auto Loops only go down to 1 bar.
After upgrading to Serato DJ Pro, you get 8 Hot Cue slots per track and much more flexible loop controls.
Another limitation of Serato DJ Lite is the 4-sample limit. Serato DJ Pro gives you 8 sample slots per bank across multiple Sampler banks.
Serato DJ Lite limits the functionality of some DJ controllers
Serato DJ Lite is a free product created for the purpose of supporting dedicated entry-level DJ controllers out of the box, so that you can jump into the Serato DJ software ecosystem for free and right after unboxing your brand new device.
Many of the smaller portable DJ controllers such as Numark DJ2GO2 Touch or the Hercules DJControl Starlight can be upgraded to Serato DJ Pro, however in terms of hardware functionality and capabilities they are made strictly with Serato DJ Lite in mind and don’t benefit much from the paid Serato DJ Pro upgrade.
There are, however, entry-level controllers such as the Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV1 and Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX where some of the controls and pad modes become more useful after upgrading to Serato DJ Pro.
Depending on the controller, Pro can unlock things such as additional pad modes, 8 Hot Cues, the larger Sampler, and other performance functions.
Some more expensive controllers skip the Lite upgrade path entirely and unlock Serato DJ Pro while connected. I’ve explained how hardware unlock devices work here.
No mix recording function in Serato DJ Lite
In Serato DJ Pro you are able to record your mixes without any additional effort using the in-built mix recording utility.
When it comes to Serato DJ Lite, there is no such tool available and you will have to rely on external 3rd party software to record the audio coming from the Serato DJ Lite software to record your live performance.
For recording sound from Serato DJ Lite you can use software such as Audacity or OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) to record the system audio during your mix.
I’ve gone through the available methods in more detail here: Can You Record Your Mixes With Serato DJ Lite?
Limited access to Serato Expansions
Serato DJ Lite doesn’t give you access to the full Serato Expansion ecosystem. Features such as DVS, Serato Video, Pitch ‘n Time DJ, Flip, and the complete Serato FX package are part of Serato DJ Pro / Serato DJ Suite rather than the standard Lite feature set.
Serato Play is the main exception – it can also be used with Serato DJ Lite for a more complete laptop-only mixing workflow.
Also keep in mind that Lite itself now includes Serato Stems and a much better built-in FX system, so it’s considerably less bare-bones in this area than it used to be.
You don’t actually need Serato Play just to mix without a controller anymore. Serato DJ Lite has a free Practice Mode that lets you mix two tracks using your mouse and keyboard. Serato Play adds a more complete laptop-only workflow with additional mixer controls and hotkeys.
You can learn more about laptop-only DJing here: Can I DJ With Just A Laptop? – Do You Really Need A DJ Controller?
No 4 waveform view for supported 4 channel DJ controllers
If you’re using compatible 4-deck hardware such as the Numark NS4FX, Serato DJ Lite can still control the additional deck layers, but only two decks and waveforms are visible at a time. Serato DJ Pro gives you the additional multi-deck display options.
You might also like: New Numark NS4FX vs. Pioneer DDJ-FLX6 (Which One Is Better For You?)
Is Serato DJ Lite free?
Yes, Serato DJ Lite is completely free, as it is essentially the free cut down version of the Serato DJ Pro software. You should remember though, that Serato DJ Lite is really limited in comparison to the full version and it lacks many features that may be essential for highly technical professional DJ routines.
You can also use Serato DJ Lite without a controller through its free Practice Mode. This gives you two-deck mixing controls directly on your laptop, although a compatible DJ controller quite understandably will give you a much more practical hands-on workflow.
One area where Lite isn’t at much of a disadvantage is music streaming – it currently supports Apple Music, Beatport, SoundCloud, Spotify and Tidal, just like Serato DJ Pro. I’ve covered the setup process for all of these here.
The conclusion – Is Serato DJ Lite any good?
Serato DJ Lite is very limited in terms of features, and while it can most certainly satisfy a beginner DJ for a while, it is not a highly viable option for more advanced users, even on an intermediate level.
Lite version of Serato DJ is meant to be outgrown fast and its made in such a way that in a short time of using it you will start to realize how many important features you’re missing by not upgrading to the full proper version of Serato DJ software – Serato DJ Pro.
With that being said, Serato DJ Pro is certainly not your only option when it comes to professional DJ software.
You might also consider checking out other pieces of DJing software such as VirtualDJ, NI Traktor or Rekordbox. Be sure that the DJ software you choose in the end is fully compatible with your chosen DJ controller.
In general Serato DJ Lite gives beginners all the important tools that are needed for performing simple mixes and transitions, but it lacks all the intermediate and advanced features that are crucial when you’ve already learned all the basics and want to move ahead.
That’s why if you know you’re serious about DJing using Serato DJ software, I would advise you to jump straight into Serato DJ Pro or choose another DJ software solution and save yourself the time of adjusting to new software when you inevitably decide to upgrade.
If however, you’re not set on DJing just yet and you just want to test things out for a bit, Serato DJ Lite is a nice piece of software that can ease you into the world of DJ controllers in no time. It will do just fine when you’re starting out.
If you want to know more you should definitely check out my comparison of Serato DJ Pro and Serato DJ Lite here: Serato DJ Lite vs. Pro (12 Most Important Differences)
If you want my actual hands-on experience with Lite rather than just a feature comparison, I’ve also reviewed Serato DJ Lite separately here.