Can you DJ with Spotify or Apple Music? What streaming does
Spotify and Apple Music now work inside rekordbox, Serato and other DJ apps, with limits. What streaming can't do in a club, and where it helps most.
On this page
Yes, you can DJ with Spotify or Apple Music, as long as you use supported DJ software, pay for the right subscription and have an internet connection. Spotify Premium works in rekordbox, Serato, djay and others, and Apple Music works in rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro. The limits matter, though. Streaming tracks can't be exported to a USB stick for CDJs, can't be recorded in rekordbox, and depend on the service's terms for public use. Streaming is very good for practice, preparation and judging new music. For club gigs off USB, you still need files.
Which DJ software supports which service
As of October 2026, based on announcements from the companies involved:
| Service | DJ software support | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | rekordbox, Serato, djay (desktop); rekordbox and djay on iOS and Android; VirtualDJ, Cross DJ and Edjing Mix | Spotify Premium, internet connection |
| Apple Music | rekordbox (including iOS), Serato DJ Pro 3.3.0 or later | Apple Music subscription, internet connection |
| Beatport Streaming | rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, djay Pro, VirtualDJ, Engine DJ OS, CDJ-3000/X and more | A Beatport Streaming plan that includes DJ integration |
Spotify's newsroom announced the integration on 24 September 2025, saying Premium users can access their libraries and playlists in desktop DJ software from rekordbox, Serato and djay in 51 markets. Updates to the same post added rekordbox and djay on iOS and Android (11 December 2025), then VirtualDJ, Cross DJ and Edjing Mix (15 September 2026).
rekordbox announced Apple Music support in March 2025. Serato's support center says Apple Music streaming needs an active subscription and Serato DJ Pro 3.3.0 or later.
What you can't do with streamed tracks
The restrictions come from the DJ software makers and the streaming services, and they're the main reason streaming hasn't replaced files for club DJs. rekordbox's streaming FAQ is the clearest list:
- No USB or SD export. Streaming tracks "Cannot be exported to a USB storage device or SD memory card."
- No Spotify or SoundCloud in EXPORT mode. Apple Music, Beatport Streaming and Tidal are available there, but still can't go to USB.
- No recording. The FAQ says the recording function can't be used, "due to copyright restrictions set by the streaming services."
- No stems on Apple Music or Spotify tracks. Track separation doesn't work on them in rekordbox.
- No backup or editing. Track information can't be edited, and streamed files aren't included in rekordbox backups.
- No sampler. Streaming tracks can't be loaded to the sampler deck.
Serato has its own limits. Its Apple Music page notes: "It's not currently possible to add Apple Music streaming tracks to Serato crates or smart crates." You work from Apple Music playlists instead.
And all of it needs a connection. rekordbox's Spotify and Apple Music announcements both say an internet connection is needed to play tracks.
Public gigs and licensing
Being able to load a track into DJ software doesn't settle whether you may play it to a paying crowd. Consumer streaming subscriptions are generally for personal listening, and rules for public performance vary by country and venue.
Beatport is unusually explicit about this for its own DJ-focused service. Its streaming terms say content is for personal use and: "Use of Streaming for public performance purposes will require additional licensing, which is not included as part of your subscription." Check the terms of whichever service you use, and ask the venue or promoter how they handle performance licensing, before you rely on streaming for paid work.
What streaming is good for
None of this makes streaming useless for DJs. It's very good at the parts of the job that happen before a gig.
- Judging new music. Hearing a whole track on proper speakers, not a short preview, is the best way to decide whether to buy it.
- Trying combinations. Testing whether two tracks mix well before you pay for either.
- Practice and home mixing. A large catalogue to practise with, without buying everything first.
- Preparing sets. Building rough playlists and sketching an order, then buying the tracks you commit to.
That's why it makes sense to stream to evaluate and buy to perform. Do DJs have to buy their music? explains the options side by side, and Spotify playlist to rekordbox covers what happens when you try to move a playlist across.
Spotify, Apple Music or a DJ-focused service?
General streaming services carry huge catalogues but are built for listeners. Underground electronic releases, extended mixes and DJ edits can be missing, and you can't take tracks onto CDJs.
Beatport Streaming is built for DJs. Its plans page, as of October 2026, lists monthly plans at $10.99 (Essential), $15.99 (Advanced), $29.99 (Professional) and $34.99 (Professional+) in the US, with a 30-day free trial. The page describes Advanced as the plan for DJ platform integrations and lists 1,000-track offline storage and lossless FLAC streaming from the Professional plan. The same licensing note applies: streaming for public performance needs additional licensing. Is Beatport worth it? compares buying and streaming there.
A simple streaming-to-crate workflow
- Collect candidates from wherever you find them: mixes, charts, recommendations, Shazam.
- Listen properly on streaming, at full length, on speakers or good headphones.
- Decide keep or reject for each track.
- Buy the keepers as files from a store.
- Import the files into your DJ software and prepare them as usual.
The pillar guide on how DJs find new music covers the collecting step.
Doing this with CatchIt!
CatchIt! is a Mac app with a free iOS companion built for the listen-and-decide step, with streaming as the player.
- Playback. Tracks in the Inbox play through Apple Music, or through Spotify using your own Spotify developer Client ID: Premium accounts get full tracks, Free accounts get 30-second previews.
- Decide with the keyboard. Return keeps a track and Space rejects it.
- Import playlists. A Spotify or Apple Music playlist of up to 500 tracks can be imported for review, with that service connected.
- Hand off to stores. Kept tracks go to a Wishlist with search links for Bandcamp, Beatport, YouTube and Google, and can be saved to an Apple Music playlist.
CatchIt! doesn't play tracks inside DJ software or move them into rekordbox; it sits before that step. See Getting started for connecting a service.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I DJ with Spotify Free?
- No. Spotify's announcement of its DJ software integration says it's for Premium users, and rekordbox's own page states that a Spotify Premium subscription is needed to use the integration.
- Can I put Spotify or Apple Music tracks on a USB stick for CDJs?
- No. rekordbox's streaming FAQ says tracks from streaming services can't be exported to a USB storage device or SD card, and that Spotify isn't available in EXPORT mode at all. For a USB-based club setup, you need files.
- Do I need internet to DJ with Spotify or Apple Music?
- Yes. rekordbox's announcements for both services say an internet connection is needed to play their tracks. Plan for that before a gig at a venue with weak signal or Wi-Fi.
- Is streaming in DJ software legal for public gigs?
- It depends on the service's terms and on the venue's licences, and it varies by country. Beatport Streaming's terms, for example, say its subscription is for personal use and that public performance needs additional licensing. Read your service's terms before relying on streaming for paid gigs.
- What is streaming good for, then?
- Practice, home mixing, trying track combinations before you buy, and judging new music on proper speakers. A practical split is to stream to evaluate and buy the tracks you'll play out.
Sources
- Spotify Newsroom: Spotify Premium Integrates With Leading DJ Software in 51 Markets
- rekordbox: rekordbox for Mac/Windows now supports Spotify
- rekordbox: Apple Music support
- rekordbox FAQ: Streaming services (ver. 7)
- Serato Support: Using Apple Music streaming with Serato DJ Pro
- Beatport Streaming: plans
- Beatport Support: What are the terms of use for Beatport Streaming?