- Platforms
- macOSWindowsPlugin
- Best for
- Sample-based instruments and third-party libraries
Worth knowing: Native Instruments agreed in May 2026 to be acquired by inMusic, owner of Akai Professional and Moog; both companies say NI products, including Kontakt, and customer support continue as normal.
Kontakt 8 is Native Instruments' sampler and instrument host, playing a 900+ instrument factory library plus thousands of third-party Kontakt libraries. The free Kontakt 8 Player runs Player-licensed libraries and ships with a grand piano.
Features
- Factory library of 900+ instruments
- Chords, Phrases, Arpeggiator and Humanizer tools
- Leap loop engine with 12 expansion packs
- Conflux hybrid sampling/wavetable instrument
- NKS hardware integration
- Standalone, VST3, AU and AAX (64-bit)
Pricing
Kontakt 8 has free and paid options.
Kontakt 8 Player free; full Kontakt 8 US$299 (upgrade/crossgrade prices not shown on product page).
Sources
Checked on against these pages.
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WorldBestSong is not affiliated with Kontakt 8. Prices and features change — confirm on the official site. Names and logos belong to their owners; listings are editorial and unpaid.