Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which bundle to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
Komplete 26 Ultimate: 280+ instruments and effects, 100+ Expansions, Absynth 6, Kontakt 8 and NI's cinematic tools. $1,249 at Plugin Boutique; upgrades from $299.
Kontakt 8 is Native Instruments' software sampler platform for hosting and building virtual instruments, available as a plugin or standalone app.
Technical matrix
| Signal | Native Instruments Komplete 26 Ultimate | Kontakt 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,249 (updates from $299) | $299 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 8.7 |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX, standalone, macOS, Windows | Standalone, VST3, AU (macOS), AAX |
| Instruments and effects | 280+ (Standard 180+, Collector's Edition 340+) | — |
| Expansions | 100+ | — |
| Sounds | 116,000+ | — |
| Download size | 950 GB compressed | — |
| Flagships | Kontakt 8, Absynth 6, Massive X, Guitar Rig 7 Pro | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU (macOS), AAX; many titles also run standalone | — |
| Systems | macOS 14, 15 or 26; Windows 10 or 11; Intel Core i5 or Apple Silicon, 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended) | — |
| macOS formats (64-bit) | — | Standalone, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Windows formats (64-bit) | — | Standalone, VST3, AAX |
| Factory Library 2 | — | 40 GB ready-to-use instrument toolset included |
| CPU / RAM | — | Intel Core i5 or equivalent / Apple Silicon; 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended) |
| Disk space | — | 2 GB free; 52 GB for complete installation |
| Free Player version | — | Kontakt 8 Player hosts NI and third-party Kontakt instruments at no cost |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.