The Best Free Ways to Auto-Set Hot Cues (Scripts and Tools)

Yes, you can get automatic hot cues free. CueGen and djcues are open-source tools that build cues from Rekordbox's own phrase analysis. Keystroke scripts cover Rekordbox on Mac and Serato. Rekordbox 7's CUE Analysis is also free for the 30-day trial.

Every free auto cue option has trade-offs in setup, platform, and accuracy. Below is every free way to set cue points that still exists, with each tool's status checked in September 2026.

Can You Really Set Cue Points for Free?

Yes, but "free" covers a wide range. Some options take one command. Others are scripts that press keys for you while you keep your hands off the computer.

Free usually costs you time instead of money. You may deal with command lines, Python installs, database backups, or code last tested on older Rekordbox versions.

Also know this up front: Serato has no built-in auto-cue feature. If cues appear after analysis in Serato, they almost always came from another tool like Mixed In Key.

CueGen (Free, Open Source)

What it is: CueGen is a free command-line program on GitHub that writes cue points straight into your Rekordbox database. Many guides call it a Mixed In Key add-on, but that's only half the story.

What it does: It has two modes. Phrase mode reads the phrase analysis Rekordbox already did and sets a cue whenever a new phrase group starts, like a chorus or outro. MIK mode imports the up to eight cues Mixed In Key detects, colored by energy level.

What it requires: Phrase mode needs no other software, so it's free end to end. MIK mode needs a paid copy of Mixed In Key, with Serato integration switched on so cues get written into your file tags. Either way, analyze your tracks first, make sure they show phrase data in Rekordbox, and close Rekordbox before you run CueGen.

Platform: Windows and macOS, according to its readme, which lists Rekordbox 6 as the requirement.

Pros:

• Truly free in phrase mode, MIT licensed
• Processes your whole library in one run
• Backs up your master.db before each run and can remove every cue it created
• Plenty of options: hot or memory cues, colors, max cue count, merge or overwrite, dry run

Cons:

• Command line only, no graphical interface
• The last release was September 2023
• Rekordbox 7 support is unconfirmed, and an open issue from May 2025 reports it failing on v7
• An older open issue reports errors on macOS

Who it suits: Rekordbox 6 users who are fine with a terminal, and anyone who already owns Mixed In Key and wants those cues in Rekordbox. On Rekordbox 7, run it with --dryrun first and keep your own backup.

djcues (Free, Python)

What it is: djcues is a free Python tool, published on PyPI, that builds cues from Rekordbox's own analysis.

What it does: It reads your Rekordbox database and looks at each track's phrase structure and vocal sections. It then proposes 8 hot cues and 8 memory cues based on a cue system you can edit in a CSV file. You review and adjust each cue before anything gets written.

What it requires: Python, some comfort installing packages from the command line, and tracks Rekordbox has already analyzed.

Pros:

• A review step before anything touches your library
• Backs up master.db automatically before writing
• Customizable cue layout

Cons:

• One DJ built it around his own preferences, as the repo says plainly
• Version support and maintenance level are unclear
• Python setup puts off non-technical users

Who it suits: Technical Rekordbox users who like the CueGen idea but want to check cues before they land.

Bide's AutoCuer (Free, Mac)

What it is: A free AppleScript on GitHub that drives Rekordbox's own keyboard shortcuts. It's the best-known auto cue script for Rekordbox.

What it does: It steps through a playlist, jumps to fixed bar positions, and sets a cue at each one. The Beginner script places 3 cues at bars 0, 16, and 32 using default hotkeys. The Advanced script places 8 cues at bars 0, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 64, and 80 once you set up extra hotkeys.

What it requires:

• A Mac with Rekordbox in Export mode, 1-player layout
• Analyzed tracks, with the beatgrid aligned to the first downbeat
• A US or UK keyboard layout and accessibility permission for Script Editor

While it runs, you can't touch the keyboard, click away, or let the Mac sleep. The readme warns the script will "fight you" if you try.

Pros:

• Free, simple download, no installs
• Easy to change cue positions in the code

Cons:

• Fixed positions ignore where the drop actually is
• A bad beatgrid means misplaced cues
• Tested only on Rekordbox 5.8 and 6.3 and older macOS versions, with no sign of updates since
• Ties up your computer for the whole run

Who it suits: Patient Mac users whose tracks follow predictable 16-bar structures. Test it on a small playlist first.

Free Keystroke Scripts for Serato

Serato can't auto-cue, so two hobby scripts copy Bide's approach:

• dice43/autoCue: A Python port written for DJs who can't run AppleScript. It sets 6 cues at fixed positions (0, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 40) using Serato DJ Pro's default shortcuts. Turn on quantize so cues land on the grid.
• aesrael/serato-cue: A Mac AppleScript that also needs a small tool called cliclick, installed through Homebrew. It sets 5 cues at bars 1, 9, 25, 41, and 65. It relies on the default shortcuts and screen layout.

Pros: Both are free, and they fill a real gap for Serato users.

Cons: Both share the same weaknesses as Bide's script: fixed positions, hands off the computer while they run, and maintenance status unknown. A Serato layout change can break them.

Who they suit: Serato users with lots of predictable dance tracks who don't mind babysitting a script.

Rekordbox 7 CUE Analysis (Free for 30 Days, Then Paid)

What it is: Rekordbox 7's built-in automatic cue feature, sometimes called Intelligent Cue Creation. Every free Rekordbox auto cue guide mentions it, but it isn't on the Free plan. After the 30-day trial you need a Core subscription or higher.

What it does: It places hot cues and memory cues using phrase analysis. You train it by adding cued tracks to the CUE Analysis Playlist and clicking Start. Pioneer recommends 30 or more tracks, with cues set on phrase boundaries.

Turn it on in Preferences > Analysis > CUE Analysis, choose hot or memory cues and how many, and protect existing cues. Then right-click tracks and choose Analyze > CUE (auto).

Pros:

• The easiest setup of any option here, with no scripts at all
• Learns your cueing style
• Maintained by AlphaTheta

Cons:

• Needs a pile of consistently cued training tracks
• Results vary by genre
• Works in Rekordbox only
• Paid after 30 days

Tip: Start the trial when you have time and run your whole library through it before it ends. For a full test, see Rekordbox 7 CUE Analysis Review.

Who it suits: Rekordbox 7 users who want the easiest route and can batch their library during the trial, or who already pay for Core.

Built-In Analysis and Manual Shortcuts

This is the always-free baseline. Let your software analyze BPM and beatgrid, then cue by hand using the same layout on every track, like intro on A and the drop on C.

In Rekordbox, C sets a temporary cue and M sets a memory cue. In Serato, turn on quantize, set beat jump to 32 beats (8 bars), then skip through the track and tap in cues as you go.

It costs nothing, risks nothing, and every cue matches your ear. The downside is speed on a big library. For layouts that work, see DJ Cue Points.

The Catch With Free Auto-Cue Tools

Free cue point software works, but it has patterns you should expect:

• Setup takes effort. Terminals, Python, Homebrew, custom hotkeys, keyboard layouts.
• Fixed positions guess. Keystroke scripts drop cues at set bars, so a track with a 32-bar intro gets cues in the wrong places.
• Phrase tools rely on Rekordbox. If phrase analysis misreads a track, the cues follow the mistake.
• Code ages. Several tools here were last tested on older software, and a Rekordbox update can break them.
• Database writes carry risk. Tools that write to master.db are only as safe as your backup.

For a few hundred tracks, none of this matters much. For thousands, the setup and cleanup add up.

When Paying a Little Is Worth It

If you enjoy tinkering, stick with the free tools. This section is for people who'd rather pay once and skip the setup.

KimiCue isn't free. It's a one-time $29 with no subscription. It listens for the actual drop in each track, rather than using fixed positions or phrase labels, and places 8 cues around it. It runs across your whole library in one go.

It works with both Rekordbox (via XML import, with no direct database writes) and Serato (cues written to your file tags). One honest limit: if your library is mostly jazz, funk, or hip-hop without drops, a phrase-based tool may suit you better.

Get KimiCue on Whop, or read Automatic Hot Cue Placement for the full paid and free comparison.

Which Free Option Should You Choose?

• Rekordbox 6, comfortable with a terminal: CueGen in phrase mode
• Already own Mixed In Key: CueGen in MIK mode
• Want to review cues before they're written: djcues
• Mac and Rekordbox, patient, predictable tracks: Bide's AutoCuer
• Serato user: dice43/autoCue or serato-cue, or manual shortcuts
• Rekordbox 7, want the easiest route: CUE Analysis during the trial
• Small library: manual shortcuts
• Want it done once, no setup, will pay a little: KimiCue

FAQ

Can you set cue points automatically for free?

Yes. CueGen and djcues create cues from Rekordbox's phrase analysis at no cost. Keystroke scripts do the same for Rekordbox on Mac and for Serato. Expect some setup either way.

Is there a free alternative to Mixed In Key for cues?

CueGen's phrase mode is the closest free option for Rekordbox users, since it needs no Mixed In Key at all. For Serato, free options are limited to fixed-position keystroke scripts. Neither detects energy the way Mixed In Key does.

Does Rekordbox set cues automatically for free?

Only during the 30-day trial. Rekordbox 7's CUE Analysis requires a Core plan or higher after that. On the Free plan, you can still use free third-party tools or cue manually.

Are free auto-cue scripts safe to use?

Mostly, if you prepare. Tools like CueGen and djcues write directly to your Rekordbox database, so back up your library before every run, even if the tool makes its own backup. Test any script on a small playlist first.

Is it worth paying for automatic cue points?

It depends on your library size and patience. For a small library, free tools or manual cueing are fine. For thousands of tracks, a one-time purchase can save hours of setup and fixes.

Conclusion

Free auto cue options genuinely exist. CueGen and djcues suit technical Rekordbox users. Bide's AutoCuer and the Serato scripts suit patient DJs with predictable tracks. CUE Analysis is the easy route while your trial lasts.

For most DJs, the best free way to set cue points is to pick the one tool that matches their software, back up first, and test it on a small playlist. If free gets too fiddly, paying once for automatic hot cues is an option, not a requirement.