SetPrep

Overview

SetPrep is a desktop app that turns an existing DJ library into an ordered set plan in a chosen mixing style. Its distinguishing strength is the planning around the tracks: roles, transition notes and explanations accompany the sequence, while the app leaves actual mixing and export to other tools.

Key features

SetPrep reads libraries from Rekordbox, Serato and Traktor, or a folder of audio files, then proposes a full set with an energy-arc role for each track. Each choice comes with a transition note and a plain-English rationale, making the output more useful as a set blueprint than a bare playlist. AI track selection, beat matching and automated mixing are among its capabilities, but it does not export mixes or separate stems.

Ten built-in mixing-style templates draw on analysis of real artist sets. That gives DJs a way to shape a plan around a chosen approach, though the plans are not a substitute for rendered audio. SetPrep can write colour codes, transition notes and star ratings back to the supported DJ libraries, putting planning decisions where a DJ already organizes tracks.

Library maintenance tools cover de-duplication, missing-file finding, filename repair and forgotten-gem discovery. Hot cues, loops, memory cues and structural cues are coming soon, so DJs who depend on those tools should not treat SetPrep as a complete cue-preparation solution today.

The privacy policy says the library remains on the user's computer and that library data and generated plans are not retained by SetPrep. Mix-planning prompts are sent to Anthropic's API. Account and forum data are hosted in Fly.io's London region and encrypted at rest; passwords use PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256. UK and EU users can request access, correction or deletion of their data.

Pricing

The Free plan costs £0/forever, needs no credit card and allows three generated mixes per calendar month. The quota resets on the first day of each month at local midnight. It includes email support, but the cap makes it best for occasional planning rather than frequent set preparation.

Pro Monthly costs £5.99/month for unlimited mixes, cancel-anytime terms and a licence for up to three of your own computers. Pro Annual costs £59.99/year and includes the same Pro features and three-computer licence, with the rate locked for the subscription year; it is also cancellable anytime. Annual pricing is the lower-cost option for a year of use, while monthly avoids committing to a subscription year. Pro adds priority email support.

There is no free trial, so the capped free plan is the way to assess the workflow before paying.

Platforms

The beta is available for Mac with Apple Silicon or Intel and Windows with x64 or ARM64. Downloads are invite-gated, which is a practical access hurdle. SetPrep is desktop-only, so it does not suit DJs seeking a phone or browser-based planning workflow.

Who it's for

SetPrep is best for DJs who already maintain a Rekordbox, Serato or Traktor library and want a structured set plan they can refine, with track roles and transition guidance written back to their library. Its folder mode also serves DJs whose audio is organized outside those applications. It is less suitable for anyone whose priority is producing a finished mix file, separating stems, or working on mobile.

Pros and cons

• Useful set context: track roles, transition notes and explanations make the proposed order easier to assess than a sequence alone.
• Works with established libraries: support for three major DJ apps, folder mode and writeback reduce the gap between planning and library organization.
• Practical housekeeping: duplicate, missing-file and filename tools address library problems alongside set planning.
• Meaningful free-tier ceiling: three mixes per month is enough for occasional use, but restrictive for DJs planning multiple sets regularly.
• No mix export or stem separation: SetPrep helps plan a set, not create a finished mix or isolate its audio components.
• Invite-gated beta: compatible Mac and Windows users still need an invitation to download.

Alternatives

AI DJ Software is a directory starting point for comparing products in the category. Consider CortexDJ instead if you want live decks, rendered mixes or export to Rekordbox and Serato on its free plan, as well as Mac, Windows and web access. CRATELAB is an option for a Linux or web workflow and synced cloud-library playback. Choose djay if you want mixing software across mobile, desktop and Meta Quest, with a free download and optional Pro features.

Offtrack is another freemium alternative with a free trial and Android, iOS and Mac support. AuraJam is a web-based option whose free plan allows five exports a day. automixer.ai offers browser-based projects and exports, with a free tier capped at three projects, six tracks per project and five exports monthly. Mixbridge is a free app for iOS and the web. MIXX Intelligence is a Mac alternative with a free Prepare plan for importing and analysing a crate.

Verdict

Choose SetPrep if you want an ordered plan built around your existing DJ library, with energy roles, transition guidance and library writeback. Its mix-style templates and housekeeping tools add value beyond sequencing, but the three-mix free cap, invite-gated beta and lack of mix export or stem separation make it a focused planning companion, not an all-purpose DJ production tool.