Best Sampler Plugins (2026)

Keyscape

Keyscape (Spectrasonics) — flagship multi-sampled keyboard instrument. Score 9.1/10, price $399, formats and comparisons.

$399

Modartt Pianoteq 9

Modartt Pianoteq 9 is a physically modelled piano (~50MB) for Mac/Windows/Linux/iOS—Stage €139, Standard €269, PRO €399—with morphing, mics, and per-note PRO editing.

€139–€399

Spitfire LABS

Spitfire LABS is a free instrument platform of high-quality sampled sounds—pianos, strings, pads, and more—now also available via Splice INSTRUMENT as LABS' new home.

Free

Trilian

Trilian (Spectrasonics) — deep multi-sampled bass instrument. Score 8.9/10, price $299, formats and comparisons.

$299

Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra

Spitfire BBCSO is a full orchestra library family—free Discover (~240MB), Core (~28GB, £399), and Professional (~630GB, £899)—recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Free+

Kontakt 8

Kontakt 8 is Native Instruments' software sampler platform for hosting and building virtual instruments, available as a plugin or standalone app.

$299

MODO BASS 2

A physically modeled electric bass virtual instrument that uses modal synthesis to recreate the sound and behavior of real bass guitars.

XO

XO by XLN Audio is a drum sampler and beat-making plugin that visually organizes one-shot samples and lets you build and audition drum patterns.

EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition

EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition by EastWest Sounds. Flagship cinematic orchestra in the Opus player—blockbuster scoring bread and butter for many media composers.

$499+

AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4

AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4 by Applied Acoustics Systems. Physical-modeling electric pianos (Rhodes/Wurlitzer territory)—playable EPs without multi-gig sample libraries.

$199

Addictive Keys

Addictive Keys is XLN Audio's sample-based virtual instrument plugin featuring four recorded acoustic and electric keyboard instruments.

$99

Output Exhale

Output Exhale is a modern vocal engine and sample instrument for playable vocal textures, phrases, and designed vocal sound design.

$199

EZbass

EZbass is bass software with two sound libraries, MIDI basslines, audio-to-MIDI conversion and tools for creating realistic bass performances.

$179

Steinberg HALion 7

Steinberg HALion 7 by Steinberg. Steinberg's flagship sampler/synth workstation—deep sampling, synthesis, and sound design inside the Cubase family.

€349

Audio Imperia Nucleus

Audio Imperia Nucleus by Audio Imperia. Cinematic orchestra essentials designed for fast scoring—approachable full orchestra without the largest template footprint.

$449

Output Substance

Output Substance is a multi-mode sample instrument for modern basses, designed hits, and hybrid low-end sound design.

$199

Arturia Augmented Grand Piano

Arturia Augmented Grand Piano by Arturia. Hybrid acoustic + synth piano from Arturia Augmented—playable grands that morph into designed piano textures.

$99

Atlas 2

Atlas 2 is a sample organiser and drum machine combined that uses AI to scan and categorise drum samples for beat making.

$99

UJAM Virtual Bassist

Virtual Bassist is a collection of bass guitar virtual instrument plug-ins from UJAM for creating realistic bass lines in a DAW.

$119.00

Chopgrid

Chopgrid by Broekn Labs is a chance-based grid sampler that fills 16 cells from random files, with 14 synthesis engines, a drum machine, and glitch FX.

$29 intro / $49 full

Arcade

Output Arcade is a subscription-based playable sampler and instruments plugin with a continuously updated, royalty-free sound library.

$12.99

EZkeys 2

EZkeys 2 is Toontrack's virtual grand piano and songwriting software, built around a multi-sampled Fazioli F212 grand with chord and MIDI tools.

SampleTank 4

SampleTank 4 is IK Multimedia's sample-based virtual instrument and sound workstation plugin with over 8,000 instrument presets.

Battery 4

Battery 4 is Native Instruments' drum sampler plugin for building, editing, and triggering drum kits from a cell-based sample grid.

$199