Producer Rack

Checked September 2026 · 22 picks · 22 compared

Best Virtual Instruments (2026)

The best virtual instruments are Spitfire LABS, Addictive Drums 2 and Ample Bass P Lite. Spitfire LABS is best for producers wanting free, high-quality Spitfire-recorded instruments (legacy plugin, being discontinued Oct 31 2026) (Free). Addictive Drums 2 is best for quick, mix-ready acoustic and electronic drum production ($179 one-time). Ample Bass P Lite is best for realistic bass guitar parts (Free).

  1. #1Spitfire Audio

    Spitfire LABS

    FREE

    Free Spitfire instrument plugin/library set, being sunset in favor of subscription-based Splice INSTRUMENT.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  2. #2XLN Audio

    Addictive Drums 2

    $179once

    Studio-recorded drum plugin with mix-and-match kits and an expandable sound library.

    VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  3. #3Ample Sound

    Ample Bass P Lite

    FREE

    A free Fender Precision Bass instrument with realistic fingerstyle articulations.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  4. #4Ample Sound

    Ample Guitar M Lite

    FREE

    A free acoustic guitar instrument modeled on a Martin D-41.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  5. #5Ample Sound

    Ample Sound Ample Guitar LP

    PAID

    Sampled Gibson Les Paul 1958 Reissue with built-in strumming tools and amp sim.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  6. #6Ample Sound

    Ample Sound Ample Guitar SC

    PAID

    Sampled Fender Stratocaster 50th Anniversary with Riffer, Strummer and amp sim.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  7. #7Spitfire Audio

    BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover

    FREE

    Free orchestral plugin with 34 BBC Symphony Orchestra instruments recorded at Maida Vale Studios.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  8. #8David Hilowitz (Decent Samples)

    Decent Sampler

    FREE

    Free sampler plugin for playing DecentSampler-format (.dspreset/.dslibrary) sample libraries.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported+ iOS

  9. #9EastWest

    EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition

    PAID

    Flagship orchestra library with 944GB of content and Hollywood Orchestrator.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  10. #10Toontrack

    EZdrummer 3

    €179once

    Award-winning drum plugin with seven studio kits and AI-assisted songwriting tools.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  11. #11Spectrasonics

    Keyscape

    $379once

    Virtual instrument featuring 36 deeply multisampled collector keyboards with 500+ patches.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  12. #12Native Instruments

    Komplete Start

    FREE

    Free production bundle with Kontakt Player, Massive X Player, effects, and sound libraries.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  13. #13Native Instruments

    Kontakt 8

    $299once

    Full sampling and virtual instrument platform with a 900+ instrument factory library.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  14. #14Native Instruments

    Kontakt 8 Player

    FREE

    Free streamlined player that runs Kontakt instruments and third-party Kontakt libraries.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  15. #15Modartt

    Pianoteq 9

    FREE

    Physically modeled virtual piano instrument, vivid, expressive, and highly customizable.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported+ iOS

  16. #16Plogue

    sforzando

    FREE

    A free, highly SFZ 2.0 compliant sample player.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported

  17. #17Orchestral Tools

    SINE Player and SINEfactory

    FREE

    A free sample player with a growing library of complimentary instruments.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  18. #18Spectrasonics

    Spectrasonics Trilian

    PAID

    Virtual bass instrument with acoustic, electric and synth basses.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  19. #19Spitfire Audio

    Spitfire Albion ONE

    £399once

    109-piece orchestra recorded at AIR Studios with loops and a synth engine.

    VST3not supportedAUnot supportedAAXnot supportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  20. #20Spitfire Audio

    Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra Core

    £399once

    Orchestral library with 44 instruments and 344 techniques recorded at Maida Vale Studios.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  21. #21Spitfire Audio

    Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional

    £899once

    Flagship BBC SO edition with 67 instruments, 468 techniques and 20 mic signals.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  22. #22Toontrack

    Superior Drummer 3

    €399once

    Comprehensive virtual drum studio with 230GB+ of acoustically sampled drums and mix tools.

    VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

Comparison table

NamePriceFormatsRuns on
Spitfire LABSSpitfire AudioFreeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Addictive Drums 2XLN Audio$179 one-timeStandalone, VST, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Ample Bass P LiteAmple SoundFreeVST2, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Ample Guitar M LiteAmple SoundFreeVST2, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Ample Sound Ample Guitar LPAmple SoundNot publishedVST2, VST3, AU, AAX, StandaloneWindows, macOS
Ample Sound Ample Guitar SCAmple SoundNot publishedVST2, VST3, AU, AAX, StandaloneWindows, macOS
BBC Symphony Orchestra DiscoverSpitfire AudioFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Decent SamplerDavid Hilowitz (Decent Samples)FreeStandalone, VST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS
EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus EditionEastWestNot publishedVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
EZdrummer 3Toontrack€179 one-timeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
KeyscapeSpectrasonics$379 one-timeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Komplete StartNative InstrumentsFreeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Kontakt 8Native Instruments$299 one-timeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Kontakt 8 PlayerNative InstrumentsFreeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Pianoteq 9ModarttFreeStandalone, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS
sforzandoPlogueFreeVST3, AU, CLAP, AAXWindows, macOS, Linux
SINE Player and SINEfactoryOrchestral ToolsFreeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Spectrasonics TrilianSpectrasonicsNot publishedVST2, VST3, AU, AAX, StandaloneWindows, macOS
Spitfire Albion ONESpitfire Audio£399 one-timeKontakt PlayerWindows, macOS
Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra CoreSpitfire Audio£399 one-timeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra ProfessionalSpitfire Audio£899 one-timeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Superior Drummer 3Toontrack€399 one-timeStandalone, VST, AU, AAXWindows, macOS

Questions people ask

Spitfire LABS by Spitfire Audio. It is best for producers wanting free, high-quality Spitfire-recorded instruments (legacy plugin, being discontinued Oct 31 2026) and costs Free.

Decent Sampler, Pianoteq 9, sforzando.