Native Instruments Komplete article
A Guide to Native Instruments Komplete
Native Instruments Komplete is the most comprehensive music software bundle in common professional use. Here is what it contains and how to choose the right edition.
Native Instruments Komplete is a bundled collection of virtual instruments, samplers, synthesisers and effects produced by Native Instruments. It is the most comprehensive single-source bundle of music production software in common use, and many professional producers consider it the foundational layer of a production toolkit. The bundle is sold in several tiers, from a small standard edition to a vast collector's edition containing well over a hundred individual products.
What Is Included
The bundle spans orchestral instruments, synthesisers, drum machines, guitar effects, mixing tools and experimental sound design products. The centrepiece is Kontakt — Native Instruments' industry-standard sampler, which functions as a platform for thousands of third-party sample libraries and comes with its own substantial library of orchestral and acoustic instruments. Alongside Kontakt, the bundle includes Massive X (a wavetable synthesiser), Reaktor (a modular synthesis environment), Battery (a drum sequencer), and numerous dedicated instruments covering strings, piano, percussion, brass, and more.
Which Edition to Choose
Native Instruments Komplete comes in several tiers. The Standard edition is the entry point and suitable for most producers — it covers the major instruments and effects without the full scope of the upper tiers. Ultimate adds significantly more content, particularly orchestral and cinematic instruments. The Collector's Edition is the most comprehensive and includes everything, including legacy instruments and specialist collections. Komplete Start is a free version with limited instruments. For a detailed comparison, see our buyer's guide.
Integration and Compatibility
The bundle integrates with Native Instruments' own hardware — the Komplete Kontrol keyboard range and the Maschine production environment — providing direct access to instruments and browsing from the hardware. All plugins ship as VST, VST3, AU and AAX formats, making them compatible with every major DAW including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools and Cubase. The Native Access application handles installation, licensing and updates for the entire Native Instruments Komplete bundle. For producers new to the platform, see our beginner's guide for a practical starting point.
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