Streaming vs Buying: Choosing Between Beatport Streaming, Spotify and Apple Music

Think of it this way: buying is owning a book, streaming is a library card. The book stays when you cancel; the card stops working.

Basic difference

Buying: you keep the file and are safe if you cancel.
Streaming: instant access to a huge catalog, but it needs an internet connection and has limits such as USB export and recording (see common limits below).

Streaming services in rekordbox (official guide)

From the official rekordbox Streaming Service Usage Guide (7.2.18): guide.

SoundCloud: requires SoundCloud Go+ / DJ (listed as not supported in Japan).
Beatport: requires Beatport Streaming. Offline playback needs Professional.
TIDAL: requires TIDAL (listed as not supported in Japan).
Apple Music: requires an Apple Music subscription.
Spotify: requires a Spotify subscription.

Logging in requires an internet connection. Streaming services cannot be shown in the sub-browser.

Common limits (official rekordbox guide)

Loading into sampler slots
Playback via LINK EXPORT
USB EXPORT
Recording
Capturing audio from the enlarged waveform
Backup
Editing track information

Beatport Streaming (official Beatport terms)

Essential: plays on the Beatport site and apps. No DJ hardware or software integration.
Advanced: DJ hardware and software integration. No offline locker.
Professional: DJ integration plus an offline locker of up to 1,000 tracks.
Personal use only. Public performance needs a separate license.
Up to 5 registered devices, playing on one at a time. Account sharing is prohibited.

Source: Beatport terms. Prices are omitted because they change. rekordbox lists the CDJ-3000, CDJ-3000X, OMNIS-DUO, OPUS-QUAD and XDJ-AZ as supported hardware (rekordbox).

Apple Music (official rekordbox announcement, 2025-03-25)

An Apple Music subscription and an internet connection are required.
The OMNIS-DUO and XDJ-AZ (firmware 1.21) play directly over the internet without a computer (StreamingDirectPlay). No paid rekordbox plan is needed for this.
rekordbox for iOS (4.4.0) can import Apple Music tracks.
Works in rekordbox for Mac/Windows (7.1.0).

Source: rekordbox. AlphaTheta says older versions cannot load Apple Music after 2026-01-27 (rekordbox for Mac/Windows 7.1.0 or earlier, iOS 4.4.0 or earlier, OMNIS-DUO and XDJ-AZ 1.21 or earlier). See the AlphaTheta notice.

Spotify

Spotify’s terms license the service and content for "personal, non-commercial use". Whether public performance is allowed is not addressed in the terms text I could read. (Spotify terms)
rekordbox for iOS/Android supports Spotify (December 2025). A Spotify subscription and internet connection are required, and it works with the DDJ-FLX2, DDJ-FLX4 and DDJ-GRV6. (rekordbox)

Rule of thumb

Practice and discovery: streaming is handy.
Playing for an audience: purchased files do not depend on connection or subscription. Beatport and Spotify have personal-use terms, so read them first.

Key points

Buying is owning a book; streaming is a library card.
Streaming has common limits on USB export, recording and backup.
Beatport Streaming and Spotify are personal-use by their terms, so purchased files are safer for gigs.

Official resources and scope

Checked: 2026-10-22. Official information only. Support and plans change. Not verified on hardware. Related: Can djay and rekordbox use Spotify and Apple Music? / Where to buy music / Getting tracks into software