Traktor Play: Native Instruments’ New Entry-Level DJ Software

If you’re a complete beginner looking to take your very first steps into the world of DJing, you’ve got more options than ever of where to start. Most of the industry leaders have free or stripped-back versions that let you get a flavour of what DJing’s all about without having to spend a load of money or get bogged down with complex features.

Now throwing their hat in the beginner DJ ring is Traktor. They’ve been a big name in the DJ world for about as long as there’s been such a thing as DJ software, but in recent years, they’ve seemingly struggled to keep up with the flurry of updates from their competitors. However, they’ve now made some big moves with a major update to their flagship Traktor Pro software, new hardware releases and this new beginner-friendly version of Traktor. 

It promises super easy-to-use functionality that can be used both standalone and with controllers, all coming in at a much lower price of £49. Let’s dive into what sets it apart from the regular Traktor, its competitors and whether it’s worth checking out. 

What Traktor Play offers

Traktor Play is designed to get anyone mixing straight away, with enough controls for basic DJing, without anything too overwhelming or complex.

Traktor Play gives you:

• Key detection and correction to keep transitions smooth
• A built-in limiter to prevent distortion
• Hot cues, looping and Flux Mode for basic performance control
• Mixer FX with quick filters and delays
• A Pattern Player with an 808 drum kit for layering beats
• Simple stem controls to just mute drums.
• Professional sound engine taken directly from Traktor Pro

At first glance, the layout of Traktor Play looks very familiar to anyone who’s used Traktor before.

Music access comes through Beatport Streaming, with two free months of Beatport Streaming Advanced for anyone signing up. This is pretty good for beginners to be able to instantly start mixing with streamed songs rather than having to download all their tunes, but compared to some of its competitors, it’s pretty limiting. Serato Lite and rekordbox both offer Apple Music and Spotify support that gives you a lot more flexibility, especially as most people already use one of those services for their daily listening.

Read next: To find out more about all things Traktor, check out our full review of Traktor Pro 4

Compatibility

Traktor Play works perfectly well on its own, but it’s also plug-and-play with several popular controllers:

• AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2
• AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX4
• Reloop Buddy
• Reloop Ready

The FLX units connect instantly, while the Reloop models need a quick setup. It’s not a super extensive list of supported gear, especially compared to some of the other software options out there, but it does cover a couple of the big options. Notably not listed are the Traktor controllers, like the new MX2, which come with the full version included.

This does, however, signal a more open approach from Native Instruments, which used to limit Traktor to its own gear.

Our thoughts

This is the first time in years that Native Instruments has made a true starting point for new DJs. rekordbox, Serato and djay have all focused on offering free, accessible software to pull beginners into their ecosystem. 

Traktor Play feels every bit as featured as any of these and, as is Traktor’s general focus, it feels really geared towards more creative performance. The addition of tools like the Pattern Player and simple Stems open up a lot more fun possibilities that you might not expect as a beginner, and things like the key and beat detection are as good as any you’ll find. 

Traktor Play is undeniably a great option, but it’s not without a few drawbacks. It costs £44/ $49 / €49, which, while very affordable compared to the full version, still represents a serious barrier to entry. Serato, djay and rekordbox all offer a completely free version that lets you try them out super easily. 

If this has inspired you to try DJing for yourself, Crossfader is the perfect place to start. Sign up for free and get three free courses, including our beginner guide to DJing with a laptop, plus a personalised learning plan to keep you progressing.

Traktor Play Feature Comparison

Information correct as of November 2025. Streaming availability may vary by region and device.

Traktor Play vs. Traktor Pro 4

Information correct as of November 2025. Feature availability may change with software updates.