Best song request app for DJs in 2026: an honest comparison
The SpecialRequest team8 min read
A song request app moves requests from your booth to your guests' phones: they pick a song, you decide what makes the set, and nobody taps your shoulder in the middle of a transition. There are several to choose from, and they aren't built for the same nights. Some are made for DJs, others for bands, karaoke hosts or house parties.
We make SpecialRequest, so we're not neutral. To keep this fair, everything we say about the other apps comes from their own websites and store pages, listed at the end with the date we checked them. And when another app is the better pick for a kind of night, we say so.
What to look for
Before the names, here's what makes the difference once the room is full:
- Nothing to install for guests. Every extra step loses requests. A QR code that opens a web page is the shortest way in.
- Control over the list. Votes to see what the room wants, a filter for explicit songs, and a way to keep requests within the songs you actually play.
- A path to your DJ software. A request you retype by hand in the middle of a set is a mistake waiting to happen.
- Tips that feel fair, for you and for the guest who pays.
- A price that fits your calendar. A monthly plan suits a resident DJ. If you play ten weddings a summer, you may want something else.
SpecialRequest
SpecialRequest is built for every kind of night, from weddings to bars, clubs and karaoke, and for performers who'd rather watch the dance floor than their phone. Guests scan the event's QR code and request from their browser, with no app and no account; those who want more can use the app on iPhone or Android, which keeps their requests and sends them notifications. They search Apple Music, Tidal or Spotify, vote for each other's requests, and can send theirs weeks before the party, from the link in the invitation.
With Premium, the songs you accept go into a Tidal or Apple Music playlist that Serato DJ Pro, rekordbox and djay Pro read, or VirtualDJ with Tidal (our guide). Song recognition then hears what you play and marks the request as played, without a tap. Tips follow the same idea: the guest's card is only put on hold, and charged when their song is detected live. Nobody pays for a song they didn't hear, and you have no refunds to manage.
- Free: unlimited private events, guests and requests, with votes, an access code and a filter for explicit songs.
- Premium: tips, DJ software sync, song recognition, requests limited to your repertoire, a booking page for your clients and a thank-you email to your guests after the night.
- Price: Premium is US$6.99 a month or US$59.99 a year (CA$9.99 and CA$79.99 in Canada). The Season pass, 3 months of Premium that don't renew, is US$19.99 (CA$24.99). On tips, the fee is 10% + $0.30, payment processing included. See pricing
- What it doesn't do: no requests by text message, no music bingo, lyrics or photo wall. Tips are part of Premium, DJ software sync needs a Tidal or Apple Music subscription, and kiosk mode is announced but not released yet.
Lime DJ
Lime DJ goes well beyond requests. Its site lists a lyrics player, music bingo, photo albums that guests fill and that play as a live slideshow, and guest pages translated into more than 100 languages. Guests scan a QR code or open a link, with no app to download, and choose from the song catalog you upload or, if you turn it on, from Spotify's. Tips go through Stripe, and you decide whether they're optional or required.
It's a strong pick for karaoke hosts, piano bars, bands and anyone who runs music bingo nights. For DJs, its site mentions a TIDAL integration that works with Serato and rekordbox.
- Price: Basic US$14 a month, Pro US$19 and Pro+ US$35, with music bingo included in Pro+. Yearly billing costs a little less.
- Free account: a demo song database and two music bingo games, to look around.
- Keep in mind: it runs in the browser, with an iPhone app for notifications.
RequestNow
RequestNow is the one built on text messages. You get a phone number in your local area code, and guests text their request to it, or scan a QR code, with no app. Everyone knows how to send a text, which helps with crowds who won't bother with a web page.
After the night, you can text everyone a thank-you or a promotion. Its site also lists tips, a photo wall called Momento, and SetList, for musicians who take requests from their own repertoire.
- Price: Lite US$7 a month, Pay Per Event US$19 for an event under 100 guests, and Unlimited Pro US$30 a month, with tips and every feature. Its pricing page doesn't list a free plan.
- Keep in mind: we found no mention on its site of song search in a streaming catalog, or of a link to DJ software.
NoSongRequests.com
NoSongRequests.com gives you one QR code for everything: song requests, shoutouts, tips, booking inquiries and your social media. Where it stands out is the ways to tip: its pages list Cash App, Venmo, Zelle and PayPal on top of credit cards.
For each request, it shows the song's BPM, key and energy level, and guests can upvote the requests they like. Its pages name Serato DJ, VirtualDJ, rekordbox and Traktor Pro among its integrations, and requests can be exported to Tidal, YouTube or Spotify. There's also a karaoke mode.
- Price: a free Starter plan with up to 100 requests a month, Pro at US$10 a month and Elite at US$20 a month, for teams with several profiles.
- Keep in mind: tips aren't part of the free plan.
RequestBox
RequestBox is a free app for iPhone and Android. The host opens a “box”, guests drop their requests in it and vote for each other's, and the most wanted songs rise to the top. Guests don't sign up, they find songs through Spotify's search, and you can protect the box with a PIN code.
Two things to know. Guests download the app to join a box, and a box stays open for up to 48 hours. Its store page also says it doesn't manage playback: finding and playing the music stays with you. For a house party or a casual night, it does the job at no cost.
mySet
mySet turns requests into income. You list the songs you play; fans pick one and add money to their request, boost a request that's already there, or simply leave a tip. It works at a show or on a live stream, fans don't need an app, and they can even become your monthly supporters.
The model is the opposite of a subscription. mySet is free for artists, who keep 100% of what they earn. Fans pay US$1.50 plus card processing fees on each payment, unless you choose to cover those fees yourself.
It fits cover bands, solo musicians and piano bars, where paying for a song is part of the fun. At a wedding or a corporate party, where guests don't expect to pay, a list built around paid requests is a harder fit.
Side by side
| App | Made for | Mobile app | Tips | Free plan | Paid plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpecialRequest | Every kind of night: DJs, bands, bars, venues, karaoke and private events | Yes, iPhone and Android, plus Mac and web; optional for guests | Yes, charged when the song plays (Premium) | Yes, unlimited private events | From US$6.99 a month |
| Lime DJ | Karaoke, bands and music bingo | iPhone app for the performer; none needed for guests | Yes, through Stripe | Demo account | From US$14 a month |
| RequestNow | Requests by text message | Not mentioned; guests text or scan | Yes (Unlimited Pro) | Not listed | From US$7 a month |
| NoSongRequests.com | Tips by Venmo, Cash App or PayPal | Yes; none needed for guests | Yes (paid plans) | Yes, 100 requests a month | From US$10 a month |
| RequestBox | House parties | Yes, and guests need it | Not mentioned | Free app | None |
| mySet | Bands and solo musicians | Yes; optional for fans | Yes, with paid requests | Free for artists | US$1.50 + card fees per payment, paid by fans |
Which one for your nights?
Choose SpecialRequest if
- You play all kinds of nights: weddings, private parties, bars, clubs or corporate events
- You want accepted songs in your DJ software, and played songs marked for you
- You want guests to pay their tip only when their song plays
- You'd rather buy a season than a subscription
Choose Lime DJ if
- You host karaoke, a piano bar or music bingo nights
- You want lyrics, photo albums and slideshows in the same tool
- Your guests speak many languages
Choose RequestNow if
- Your crowd would rather send a text than scan a code
- You want to text your guests after the night
Choose NoSongRequests.com if
- Your guests tip with Venmo, Cash App, Zelle or PayPal
- You want one QR code for requests, shoutouts and bookings
Choose RequestBox if
- You're hosting a house party or a casual night
- You want something free, and your guests don't mind installing an app
Choose mySet if
- You're a band or a solo musician with a song list
- Paid requests and boosts are part of your show
Most of these have a free plan or a free account, so the fairest test is a real night. Pick a quiet one, put the QR code on the tables and watch what guests do: how many scan, how many finish their request, and how the list feels from the booth.
Try it at your next gig
If you play weddings, private parties, bars or corporate events, here's how to try SpecialRequest at no cost:
- 1Create your free account, in the app on iPhone, Android or Mac, or on the web.
- 2Create your event and share its link, or show its QR code.
- 3Take requests as they come: accept the ones that fit, and let the votes guide you.
In SpecialRequest
The free plan covers unlimited private events, guests and requests, with no credit card. Premium adds tips, DJ software sync and song recognition when you want them. How to create an eventTry SpecialRequest for free
Create your first event in a few minutes. No credit card needed.