Free-to-try VJ tools
Hydra is a fully free browser-based live coding environment. The expressive ceiling is high, but you write code to drive visuals — the entry path is selective.
TouchDesigner offers a Non-Commercial Edition that is free for non-commercial use. It is a node-based environment with deep capability and a meaningful learning curve.
Resolume and VDMX are commercial products with demo builds. Real deployment requires paid licenses; if your usage is sustained, the investment is reasonable.
autovjclub is browser-based automated VJ, with a free demo and free baseline features. It specializes in song-recognition-driven automatic switching, so deeply expressive work is better served by dedicated software.
autovjclub pricing — the facts
- Demo: free, no sign-in
- Open app.autovj.club. Main features run without a Google account. Some limits apply, such as a cap on identification calls.
- Free account: free, sign-in only
- Signing in with Google saves settings to the cloud and syncs across devices (PC ↔ phone). No charge.
- Pro: ¥500 donation-based unlock
- Extra features (such as custom playlists) unlock via a ¥500 Stripe Checkout flow that doubles as a tip.
- Commercial venue use
- Operational use at venues has terms-of-service and rights considerations to confirm. Details live in the Docs "Rights and operations notes" page.
What you can do for free
- Output visuals with bundled Pixabay clips
- Genre-organized clips ship with the app, so visuals start playing without sourcing material first.
- Automatic switching by song recognition
- Mic input drives genre detection and preset switching. Available in the demo as well.
- Lyrics and Now Playing layers
- LRCLIB-fetched lyrics with nine display modes, and the Now Playing layer on song change, are part of the free baseline.
- Phone-based remote control
- Sign in with the same Google account on another device for remote adjustments.
FAQ
Will the free range stay free?
The demo and free-account baseline are intended to remain free. Any change to pricing structure would be announced in advance.
Can I use it commercially?
Commercial use depends on rights confirmation and terms of service. See the Docs "Rights and operations notes" page for the specifics around sources and lyric display.
Is Pro a one-time purchase?
Pro unlocks tied to ¥500 donation tips. See the pricing / donation pages for details.