Fans hit out at the "lazy" performance following the 32-year-old pop star's stripped-down approach on Saturday night with a set that departed from expectations of a high-energy comeback, despite the singer getting a reported $US10 million ($A14 million) for the appearance.
Bieber, who recently released his album SWAG II, delivered a shorter performance featuring a mix of newer material and older tracks.
During the show, he appeared seated with a laptop, playing clips of his own music videos and earlier songs, while encouraging audience participation.
The performance marked his first time headlining the festival in the Colorado Desert, having previously appeared as a guest alongside artists including Ariana Grande, Chance the Rapper, Daniel Caesar and Tems.
Reaction to the set was immediate across social media platforms.
"Not Justin Bieber scammed Coachella out of $10million to play songs off of YouTube… " one user wrote.
Another said: "Justin Bieber giving us one of the laziest performances of all time."
Comparisons were drawn with Sabrina Carpenter's headline performance on the festival's opening night, which featured a larger-scale production.
"If Sabrina Carpenter did what Justin Bieber is doing right now, her career would be over," a commenter wrote.
Bieber's set, which began just before 11.30pm, incorporated viral video clips alongside his music, including internet memes and footage from earlier moments in his career.
"Justin Bieber is the worst headliner at Coachella in history because wtf you're just sitting with a laptop," a critic posted.
Another commented: "Justin Bieber 2026 Coachella performance may just be the worst mass streamed/televised performance… ever?"
But some viewers defended Bieber's approach, referencing his early rise to fame on YouTube.
One online user described the use of social media during the set as "a little iconic" since Bieber became famous through it, while another called him a "mastermind" and added, "some won't understand".
Among those attending was Katy Perry, who commented on the performance by saying: "Thank God he's got premium. Don't want to see no ads."
During the performance, Bieber invited audience participation by saying: "Help me with the songs tonight", while asking viewers to suggest tracks via livestream comments, which he then selected in real time.
The set also included archival footage of the pop star as a child, including an early cover of a song by Ne-Yo, which contributed to his discovery by Usher and Scooter Braun.
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