Kontakt Player is the free version of Kontakt. It gives you access to a selection of high-quality instruments and any third-party libraries officially licensed for Kontakt Player. The full version of Kontakt goes further: it lets you use thousands of additional "independent" libraries, customize sounds in detail, and even build your own instruments.
A full platform for music creation
Kontakt is where musicians find the right sound at the right moment. Trusted by millions, it's a platform of virtual instruments that offers powerful tools and a growing library ecosystem to keep your creativity moving.
Built for people who make music and put it out there
From film scores to park jams, from bedroom beats to full studio sessions, musicians everywhere are bringing Kontakt to life. Watch our latest artist feature to learn how producer Hunna G made Kontakt with his audience.
Make Kontakt with real sound
Kontakt 8 comes loaded with over 900 instruments, from full orchestral sections to choirs, drums, synths, world instruments, and more. Because Kontakt is the industry standard for developing your own libraries, you’ll have access to thousands of partner and indie libraries trusted by pros.
Make Kontakt with performance
Kontakt isn’t just about sound, it’s about feel. Humanized performances and expressive instruments respond with the nuance of real players, so your music breathes with life.
Make Kontakt with creativity
Kontakt gives you the tools to move from a quick sketch to a complete track. Start with a riff or chord, expand it into progressions and variations, and shape it into a finished arrangement.
Make Kontakt with Leap
Leap is Kontakt’s fun, performance-ready sampler that captures ideas as they happen. Load loops, one-shots, or kits and start reshaping them in real time. It combines the spontaneity of a looper with the freedom of sampling, so you can experiment and turn impromptu moments into tracks without slowing down.
Smart tools for instant creativity
Just like you, we’re always building and adding. In Kontakt 8.6, we’ve introduced new tools to spark inspiration and help you jump straight into making music.
Transform simple chords into moving, rhythmic patterns that drive your track forward.
Spark inspiration with ready-to-play musical phrases that adapt to your style.
Lock in groove with customizable rhythmic patterns that add momentum and flow.
Add natural variation to timing and velocity for more organic, lifelike performances.
Instantly trigger rich, full harmonies from a single key or pad.
Shape major and minor voicings, choose roots, and stack extensions to craft chords your way.
Explore new scales and modes that push your music in unexpected directions.
Shape dynamics and feel by dialing in how hard or soft your sounds respond.
The ecosystem the industry builds on
Kontakt is the platform the industry builds for. Independent developers and leading sound houses design instruments specifically for it, and with the full version of Kontakt you can unlock them all. From cinematic scores to club-ready beats, the Kontakt ecosystem grows every day.
Third-party developers
Kontakt enables the creation of thousands of sample-based instruments from hundreds of top builders like Audio Imperia, Spitfire, Slate + Ash, Teletone Audio and many more. Many of these are made for the free Kontakt Player, so you can explore even before purchasing the full version of Kontakt.
Explore the sounds inside Kontakt
Kontakt 8 comes loaded with the Factory Library, plus Conflux – a totally new sound design tool, 12 brand-new Leap Expansions and the much-loved Hybrid Keys from the Play Series.
Included with all Kontakt purchases
The Kontakt Factory Library comes packed with everything you need to get started. There’s thousands of meticulously recorded samples across more than 900 individual instruments and the new combined presets powered by Chords and Phrases will spark inspiration from the get-go.
Orchestral
The comprehensive, integrated collection of sampled string, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections in the Orchestral collection are all taken from Orchestral Tools’s flagship product range: The Berlin Series. Recorded with the finest musicians, in situ, on the Teldex Scoring Stage in Berlin, these libraries are used by AAA-list film, media, and game composers.
Acoustic
Get creative with flutes, dulcimers, recorders, bagpipes, fiddles, a hurdy gurdy, and a range of gongs and percussion sounds with editable MIDI patterns. The Acoustic collection packs 60 meticulously recorded instruments that let you add layers of unique character to tracks. Cross borders and continents to tap into distinctive, authentic sounds across varied locations, including Ireland, Turkey, Japan, Cuba, Armenia, and beyond.
Band
Whether it’s rock, funk, jazz, or soul, you can find the authentic sounds you need in the Band collection with a range of acoustic and electric sounds. Choose from different articulations and playing styles, and dial in extra character with a range of controls, including vibrato and sustain. The collection also has a range of drum kits, which come with preset grooves that can be exported with MIDI drag and drop.
Beats
Find your flow and lay down rhythmic patterns fast. Choose from 288 pre-made Grooves across 90 kits, or free-play your own rhythms with a keyboard or pads. You can also use MIDI drag and drop to export the Groove patterns into your DAW for editing, and further customize your drum sounds with a range of studio-grade effects including chorus, flanger, reverb, and delay.
Choir
The Choir collection delivers choral vocals that span the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass pitch ranges. There’s also a range of high-quality patches including the vowels: Aah, Eh, I, Ooh, Uh, and Mmm, as well as sustain, marcato, staccato, and staccatissimo articulations.
Synths
Get all the pads, leads, arps, and basses you could ever need, including a Soundscapes category for evolving, cinematic textures. From the earliest vintage gear to sci-fi-ready FM and modular rigs, the Synths collection contains a huge range of electronic sounds, along with high-grade effects that let you dial in sweeping filters, echoing delays, roomy reverbs, and more.
Vintage
Vintage is a collection of 292 deep-sampled electronic instruments that delivers the rich, timeless warmth of analog synthesis, tube compression, and tape saturation. Draw from the sounds of some of the most sought-after synths, drum machines, and classic gear, for the highest quality textures and timbres.
Leap Expansions
Leap is an ultra-fast and playful new way to manipulate audio files in Kontakt. These 12 included Leap Expansions are the first in a new series of curated packs of construction kits, loops and samples for specific genres and styles.
Curated picks for every kind of musician
Whether you’re producing beats, writing songs, scoring films, or exploring global traditions, Kontakt has the sounds and tools to match the way you make music.
For producers
Factory Library 2
Beats
Drum kits, loops, and MIDI patterns designed for modern production.
Factory Library 2
Synths
All the pads, leads, arps, and basses you need, plus evolving soundscapes, vintage gear, and futuristic textures shaped with filters, delays, and reverbs.
Factory Library 2
Vintage
Classic synths, drum machines, and retro tones.
For songwriters
Factory Library 2
Band
Authentic rock, funk, jazz, and soul instruments, from guitars and bass to full drum kits with grooves ready to drop in.
Play Series
Hybrid Keys
Blended pianos, synths, and keys with rich textures and modern twists, perfect for warm chords, airy pads, and experimental tones.
Leap Expansions
Hot Vocals
Contemporary R&B and pop vocals with polished lead lines, harmonies, and hooks.
For composers
Factory Library 2
Orchestral
Strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion from Orchestral Tools’ Berlin Series, recorded at Teldex Scoring Stage.
Factory Library 2
Choir
Rich soprano, alto, tenor, and bass vocals with expressive vowel sounds and dynamic articulations for choral depth.
New in Kontakt 8
Conflux
A hybrid instrument that layers samples with synthesis, creating evolving textures, cinematic atmospheres, and experimental sound design.
For every genre
Leap Expansions
Disco & Funk
Funky guitars, basslines, and soulful grooves.
Leap Expansions
80s New Wave
Vintage synth bass lines, pulsating sequences, lush pads, and iconic drum machines, capturing the essence of the 80s with a retro vibe.
Leap Expansions
Platinum Pop
Melodic hip hop and pop kits with smooth keys, guitars, and brass.
Instruments from around the world
Leap Expansions
Latin Trap
A fusion of hip hop, trap, and drill with traditional Latin rhythms like reggaeton and Brazilian funk.
Factory Library 2
Acoustic
Dulcimers, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, flutes, fiddles, gongs, and percussion.
Leap Expansions
Afrobeats
Vibrant kits filled with electric keys, rhythmic guitars, bass, and rich percussion blending traditional African rhythms with modern production.
Make Kontakt yours
Kontakt comes in two flavors. Player gives you a free way in. The full version unlocks every tool, every sound, and every possibility.
Kontakt Player
Free to download
✅ Comes with Factory Selection 2 (~50 instruments, ~6 GB)
✅ Can load all licensed Kontakt libraries (requires serial activation)
✅ Access to new creative tools (Leap, Chord Mode, Humanizer, etc.)
✅ Basic playback and tweak controls
✅ Works as standalone or plugin (VST3, AU, AAX)
❌ Cannot load non-licensed / “DIY” libraries
❌ No full editing or deep instrument building
❌ Smaller bundled content compared to full Kontakt
Kontakt 8
Full version $299 • Upgrade $99
✅ Includes Factory Library 2 (1,000+ instruments, 50 GB)
✅ Full instrument building/editing (sampler, scripting, modulation)
✅ Access to new creative tools (Leap, Chord Mode, Humanizer, etc.)
✅ Load any Kontakt-compatible library (licensed or unlicensed)
✅ Build & customize your own instruments from scratch
✅ Access to NI premium instruments + partner ecosystem
✅ Deeper integration with Komplete Kontrol & hardware
FAQ
Got questions? Here are the most common things creators ask before starting with Kontakt.
Every edition of Komplete includes Kontakt, and most of the included instruments run inside it. Owning Kontakt ensures you can use everything in Komplete and expand with countless third-party libraries across every genre. Kontakt is the sampler, player, and platform, while Komplete is a bundle of instruments and effects that Kontakt plays.
Kontakt isn’t just a sampler: it’s a platform. With unmatched realism, a huge ecosystem of sounds, and advanced tools like Leap, Kontakt gives you both instant inspiration and deep creative control.
Kontakt is available on its own or as part of Komplete bundles, which deliver massive collections of instruments and effects at unbeatable value. Once you own Kontakt, you unlock access to an ever-growing world of instruments from Native Instruments and top third-party developers.