Best MIDI controllers to buy in 2025: 8 best FL Studio controllers to buyLaunched in 1998 as a simple MIDI drum machine named FruityLoops, FL Studio has become one of the production community’s most beloved DAWs. Its intuitive interface and robust feature set have attracted a diverse user base, from those at the very start of their journey to seasoned pros like Martin Garrix and Metro Boomin.

READ MORE: “FL Studio’s duty is to get more people to stick with music-making”: CEO Constantin Koehncke on FL Studio 2025 and beyond

No matter what stage you’re at, incorporating a hardware controller into your setup can transform your workflow. Tactile control over effects, more efficient sequencing and arranging, highly expressive performances of virtual instruments — controllers can foster a more intuitive and hands-on production process.
Whether you need a realistic weighted keybed, knobs and faders for dialling in automation, or a pad-based setup for live performance, the right hardware controller will keep you in your creative flow and your eyes off the screen. And to help you find your MIDI controller soulmate, we’ve selected eight of the best options for FL Studio.
The top 8 controllers for FL Studio in 2025:

Novation FLkey – Overall best native FL Studio controller
Akai Fire – Best FL Studio controller for beatmakers
Nektar LX+ mk3 – Best budget FL Studio controller
NI Kontrol S-Series – Best FL Studio controller for keys players
IL Remote – Best mobile app for controlling FL Studio
Yaeltex Custom Controllers – Best modular FL Studio controller
Erae 2 – Best FL Studio controller with MPE support
iCON P1-M – Best DAW control surface for FL Studio

Novation FLkey – Overall best native FL Studio controller
Price: £99 (FLkey Mini) / £199 (FLkey 37) / £229 (FLkey 49) / £279 (FLkey 61)
Novation FLkey Mini
Kicking things off is the FLkey, touted by manufacturer Novation as the ‘ultimate MIDI keyboard for making music in FL Studio’. Available in four sizes from a compact 25-key controller with mini keys to a capable 61-key version, this controller is one of the few that have been designed specifically for use with FL Studio.
With that in mind, there’s plenty of additional functionality on board. All models come with a 2×8 pad grid that’s mapped to FL’s step sequencer, ready for playing straight into the Channel Rack or FPC, or triggering samples in Slicex. There are eight potentiometers alongside, which can control Image-Line plugins out the box. Those opting for the 49- or 61-key variants also get nine faders.
Throw in bells and whistles like transport controls, chord and scale modes, and a host of inspiring bundled software, and FLkey is sure to slide seamlessly into your existing workflow while uncovering new ways to create.
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Read our review of the FLkey 37 & FLkey Mini here.
Akai Fire – Best FL Studio controller for beatmakers
Price: £149

Developed in close partnership between Akai and Image-Line, the Fire will be instantly recognisable to those who’ve spent time with FL’s step sequencer. Mapped one-to-one to what you see on screen, programming beats with Fire is incredibly fast — and you can even chain up to four units for an extended 8×32 grid.
The device has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Drum Mode — akin to Akai’s own MPC — lets you control FPC and Slicex with the first quarter of the sequencer for a more traditional beatmaking workflow, while Performance Mode can be used to launch clips and audio directly from the device.
And while it won’t replace a proper keyboard, Note Mode transforms the pad matrix into three octaves for inputting melodies and chords. To top it off, there are four capacitive encoders and a handy OLED display along the top, with transport controls placed at the bottom of the unit.
While Fire has sadly been discontinued by Akai, it’s readily available on the used market and remains a premier choice thanks to its close-knit integration with FL Studio.
Read our review of the Akai Fire here.
Nektar Impact LX+ – Best budget FL Studio controller
Price: £89 (LX25+) / £138 (LX49+) / £170 (LX61+) / £246 (LX88+)

Nektar’s Impact LX+ keyboards are the perfect entrypoint if you’re looking for an FL Studio controller with a smaller price tag. Since the manufacturer handles hardware-to-software integration in-house, these devices map seamlessly to FL Studio and other DAWs from the get-go — so there are no headaches setting things up.
And while Impact LX+ isn’t going to break the bank, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on capabilities. Alongside its velocity-sensitive keyboard, users get 8 four-colour RGB pads, nine 30mm faders, and a range of handy transport controls.
Nektar unveiled the mk3 version of the LX+ at NAMM 2025, bringing new features like scale and chord modes, two new hold modes for creative legato effects, new loop playback and recording modes, and endless high-res encoders replacing the pots on previous models. They’re keeping schtum about a potential release date, so it might be worth holding off for an official announcement if you need this additional functionality.
Read our review of the Nektar Impact LX49+ here.
NI Kontrol S-Series – Best FL Studio controller for keyboard players
Price: £649 (S49) / £749 (S61) / £1,129 (S88)
Native Instruments Kontrol S88 MK3. Image: Simon Vinall
Native Instruments’ S-Series controllers have long been top of the pile for those seeking a more realistic feel. Built using high-end Fatar keybeds with polyphonic aftertouch, the 49- and 61-key models are semi-weighted, while the 88-key version boasts fully weighted hammer action.

READ MORE: Native Instruments: “We had to modernise our architecture… We’re now more aligned in new ways to integrate our hardware and software”

Of course, Kontrol is particularly well-suited to producers who are already part of the Native Instruments ecosystem. The controllers are specifically designed to integrate with Komplete software and NKS plugins, with a high-resolution screen and rotary encoders for browsing and editing patches without taking your eyes off your fingers.
Image-Line has officially supported these controllers since early 2024 — so if NI instruments and effects are a core part of your workflow, the S-Series and FL Studio are a match made in heaven.
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Read our review of the Native Instruments Kontrol S-Series MK3 here.
IL Remote – Best mobile app for controlling FL Studio
Price: Free

Want to experiment with external control of FL Studio without having to spend a dime or find space for yet another piece of gear? Or maybe you’re just looking for a MIDI controller that fits in your pocket. Image-Line’s free app for iPhone and Android — IL Remote — holds the key, connecting over Wi-Fi for wireless command of your DAW.
Effectively, IL Remote is FL Studio’s answer to the likes of TouchOSC or OSC/Pilot. Highly customisable, you can create your own modular configurations of virtual pads, faders, and knobs to control FL in a way that suits you. To get you started, Image-Line have included default ‘tabs’ for things like transport controls, a MIDI piano, clip triggering in Performance Mode, and dedicated modes for FPC, Slicex, and Gross Beat.
However, once you get familiar with custom layouts, the sky’s the limit. You can even connect up to 15 devices at once. Old phones or tablets lying around, looking for a new purpose? With zero cost to download, we reckon IL Remote is worth a try.
Yaeltex Custom Controllers – Best modular FL Studio controller
Price: Varies
Credit: Yaeltex
Jumping back into the physical world, Yaeltex is another manufacturer providing custom solutions to all your controller needs. Unlike fixed-grid controllers, Yaeltex lets you decide the exact layout of buttons, faders, rotary knobs, LED indicators, and even joysticks. Its web-based editor tool lets you create highly granular mappings for each component, from MIDI note and CC information to individual keystrokes.
If you have no need for a custom controller, you can select from factory models like the Turn, Btmkr, and Miniblock, or preconfigured devices designed by the wider Yaeltex community.
Yaeltex hardware looks the part too — it could easily become the centrepiece of your studio thanks to handcrafted wooden enclosures, a full rainbow of coloured buttons and lights, and the option to add a custom faceplate.
Naturally, you can expect to pay a pretty penny for these pretty devices. You’ll also likely need to spend some time mapping and tweaking scripts. But for power users who want total control over FL Studio, Yaeltex is a worthy solution.
Erae 2 – Best FL Studio controller with MPE support
Price: £809
Credit: Embodme
A rather unique entry on our list, the Erae 2 contains 16,000 embedded force sensors beneath a silicone skin, adding a tactile dimension to your workflow that’s quite literally an extension of your fingers.
Infinitely customisable, the Erae’s surface can be configured to do whatever you need — live looping, a drum pad layout, a sequencer, you name it. Each high-precision sensor outputs X/Y/Z values so you can dynamically bend, slide, and modulate individual notes — perfect for MPE-compatible VSTs in FL Studio.
Although FL Studio’s MPE support is still developing, nothing comes close to Erae 2 for expressive playing. If you need a hand getting started, check out this guide to setting up your Erae controller with FL Studio.
iCON P1-M – Best DAW control surface for FL Studio
Price: £459

Our list wouldn’t be complete without a console-style control surface for taking on mix tasks. And with no dedicated devices offering plug-and-play integration FL Studio, that’s where the P1-M from iCON enters the picture — along with a little bit of work on the user side.
The main focus of the controller is a bank of eight motorized faders that reflect the state of your mix console within FL Studio. A programmable 4-inch touchscreen displays a range of DAW functions, and with a few taps you can set the faders to control other aspects of the console like channel EQ, your FX slots, and stereo separation.
On top, the handy iMap software lets you tweak the functionality to your heart’s content. Check out this video from iCON Pro Audio to set up P1-M with FL Studio.
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