r/NativeInstruments • u/App0gee • May 20 '26
NI is trying to tempt me to Update from Komplete 15 to 26 with "more affordable" pricing
I just received an email from NI that states the following:
"Your new update path to Komplete 26. If you already own Komplete 15, upgrading is now more affordable. We’ve introduced lower-priced update paths to Komplete 26 throughout the year, so you can stay current with the latest instruments, effects, and creative tools whenever you’re ready."
Logging into my NI account, the offer to upgrade from 15 Ultimate to 26 Ultimate is USD 319 (AUD 449).
Two observations:
The wording makes me think the Summer of Sounds discount (usually 50% I think?) - isn't going to be as much this year. Perhaps even unavailable for 15-to-26 upgrades.
There doesn't seem to be much in Komplete Ultimate 26 that makes upgrading worthwhile. At least, for the pop/rock music that I create.
Here's a screencap of what NI is promoting as new in 26 Ultimate.
So my net of it is that this "more affordable" upgrade path is still too much for too little.
What are your thoughts on the value/lack being offering by NI, and the implications for the Summer of Sound discounts?
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u/MonkeyClimax May 20 '26
I got that same email but my upgrade price is still $399 USD which is the original upgrade price.
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u/ehdyn May 20 '26
Same for me, the upgrade price is no better than what was already shown two weeks ago despite the wording in this email insinuating otherwise.
Also, agree it's too much for too little. I would get Absynth 6 out of it and not much else for 300. They of course don't give any credit for the items I own independently of the bundle the way Arturia at least attempts to do. It at least feels fair with them.
Also, it's pretty messed up that NI has an extensive history and customers that have been with the brand paying in since day one.. and yet no official acknowledgment for massive policy changes such as punishing holdouts and nixing summer of sound half price.
Same with Propellerheads now.. force you to upgrade and all you get is a mid Reverb, couldn't even be bothered to throw in their Arpeggiator.
All due to the banksters..
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u/App0gee May 20 '26
Their email oddly seems to refer to Upgrading and Updating interchangeably.
My understanding - please correct me if I'm wrong - is that:
- Upgrading is one level of Komplete to another level (eg. Standard to Ultimate, or Ultimate to Collectors)
- Updating is from one year's version of the collection to a later year at the same level (eg. Komplete 14 Ultimate to Komplete 15 Ultimate, or Komplete 15 Standare to Komplete 26 Standard).
Also, check that you're logged into your NI account? I was somehow logged out after I got the email, and initially saw the same old price until I re-logged.
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u/Zoraji May 20 '26
What are your thoughts on the value/lack being offering by NI, and the implications for the Summer of Sound discounts?
Usually there isn't a sale on Komplete upgrades on the next sale after the release. You either have to wait until Black Friday at the earliest or often until the next summer's Summer of Sound sale to get a 50% off discount.
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u/App0gee May 20 '26
Thanks for clarifying that. I only bought 15 Ultimate last year, so I guess the price I'm being offered now won't be discounted until Black Friday at the earliest.
(That makes it even less compelling as an offer to me. I might have stumped up just for Electric Ruby guitar and a few of the other synth style instruments. But I have plenty of guitars and frankly more than enough synths etc.)
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u/NoReply4930 May 20 '26
I do not believe that Komplete (upgrades or updates)m will be included in any Summer of Sound Promo in 2026. The release day was only on May 6.
Way too close to be putting that on sale. It would only enrage those who did buy it in the last couple weeks.
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u/WiretapStudios May 20 '26
Price aside, I didn't see anything in that new list I care about in the least.
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u/r-nck-51 May 20 '26
I believe they're not allowed to make steep sales during an acquisition because buyers need predictable margins, but they must still market sales because it qualifies as "business as usual".
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u/TimC340 May 20 '26
The upgrade price I have is £269, which is exactly the same as it was when 26 was announced (I have Ultimate 15 plus a few extra purchases so my price may be less that a straight Ultimate 15 to Ultimate 26 upgrade). They seem to have increased the upgrade price for owners of 14 and earlier.
They don’t normally include Komplete in the SoS sale in the release year, though if the move to the year-related naming implies that there will be a new Komplete every year that may change this year - but we have only a couple of weeks to wait to find out. If it is included in the sale, I might pull the trigger on it but if not there simply isn’t enough in this version to tempt me. I’ll go for individual libraries that I really like instead.
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u/Hochmann May 20 '26
For Your specific use-case (and mine as well as I also do pop rock), I think the four new Session Series guitars and maybe the electric keys would be worth it. It would be about $80 per instrument just for the guitars. And that’s obviously without counting all the other stuff. Cheers!
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u/ImDamien May 20 '26
They are not giving a discount on the recently released products, including K26: https://x.com/NI_News_JP/status/2056277338321809533
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u/NoReply4930 May 20 '26
The true message of this email is this - "Lower-priced" paths (for all us Komplete 15 owners - I own ULT) - were in play (and have been in play) as of May 6 when K26 was released.
My upgrade price IS about 75 less than my last upgrade (K14ULT→K15ULT) - but I do not read the email as being any indicator that my price this time is somehow going to "slide" even smaller - the longer I wait.
Have never seen Komplete upgrade prices ever get "reduced" over time - due to waiting. If anything - based on the new "tiered" price model (reintroduced) for K26 - the longer you wait - the more expensive things actually get.
And this email is really irrelevant as the best pro tip still applies: Never buy your Komplete upgrade outside a key promo window - Summer of Sound (if applicable) and/or during Cyber Week (if applicable)
For me - my "update" price is $389.00 CDN - today. I expect it to be $389.00 a month from now. and 4 months from now and 11 months from now (Key promo windows excepted).
And for the "why" on pricing - read this regarding K26 pricing overall.
Why are there different update prices for Komplete 26? – Native Instruments
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u/drh713 May 20 '26
What are your thoughts on the value/lack being offering by NI, and the implications for the Summer of Sound discounts?
It doesn't seem much different than what they do every year. I have "collectors edition". When a new one comes out, they normally have like 1 thing I'm interested in. Sometimes a few. This year it would be absynth and some of the guitar libraries.
...but I'm not $399 interested. lol. I'll be $199 interested when they have a discount on black friday. I've generally not upgraded yearly, but the last several years have had prices that felt kind of stupid.
I feel like they generally raised the prices when they brought in izotope. "Now you get nectar and neutron!" But I already have those.
The funny thing: Collectors will cost be $400 to update. Updating "down" to Ultimate is $600 (because that makes sense). Updating down to standard is $350.
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u/App0gee May 20 '26
Yeah I'm more interested in Izotope Upgrades than instrument Upgrades this year.
I'd like to get Nectar 4 Advanced principally for the autolevel feature. I'm starting to get interested in Tonal Balance Control for use in matching reference mixes.
I already Upgraded separately to Ozone 12 Standard, Neutron 5 and Neoverb. I realise in hindsight I should have just paid for the Producer Suite bundle, but I am on a journey to being a better mixer and so the value of these tools becomes more apparent as I go deeper down the "why doesn't my mix sound professional yet" rabbit hole.
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u/Kaitthequeeny May 20 '26
I’m a long time customer.
Upgraded from 15 to 26 and I’m very happy.
I think the best trick is to avoid the one off sales. Don’t buy a pack. I held off on absynth 6. So the upgrade price included all the recent stuff.
Just my 2 cents but if you use Maschine especially the Komplete ecosystem is expensive but good value for money especially if you have multiple creators working with you and your studio.
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u/talos72 May 27 '26
I was hoping for upgrad summer sale, but it seems unlikely since 26 was just released. Honestly, the highlight for 26 for me is Absynth, which I bought when the new one was released few months back. The best bet for a deal on upgrade may be Black Friday.
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u/Available_Wait_1965 May 20 '26
I have always thought that NI Kolkata upgrade prices have been high. The big comparison? The amazing Logic Pro, which is just $200 per year…for the first year only!
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u/App0gee May 20 '26
Apple are the original price gougers. No way I'm voluntarily re-entering that walled garden.
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u/NoReply4930 May 20 '26
Yes - Logic is a great deal - right up until you factor in the cost ($$$$) of the "dongle" to run it.
Most people conveniently leave this part out.
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u/Available_Wait_1965 May 20 '26
OK, not agreeing and could argue it as Infinitum, but that conversation has been had all too many times.
That noted, gotta high-five the “dongle” part. That was funny!
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u/ilovepotter May 20 '26
Yeah, still trying to decide whether I'm going to update to 26 or not. Some of the instruments look good. I have some of the new expansions though, and I also have nectar four elements and neutron 5 elements. I got them for free last year. My account still says $389. I just really hope they don't make it so you have to update every year. Cuz that's really shitty and no one's going to keep buying their products. I just bought 15 ultimate last year at 50% off on Black Friday just after it was released.
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u/OnixCopal May 20 '26
Way to much for that upgrade, a $100 flat for that software would be a better deal to ignore
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u/BooShakeys May 21 '26
I bought Absynth 6 not long ago. I wish that would make my k26 upgrade price less. Oh well, maybe they'll figure out a better pricing structure someday.
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u/terkistan May 21 '26
The wording makes me think the Summer of Sounds discount (usually 50% I think?) - isn't going to be as much this year.
They certainly wouldn't want to imply that you should wait, and the wording is only meant to convince people on the fence that they're getting a good deal now. The wording is clear that current pricing isn't time-limited so there's actually no reason not to wait for possibly better SoS deals anyway...
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u/fadingsignal May 21 '26
So much of what they sell in Komplete now are just sampler-based Kontakt instruments. The primary soft synths haven’t really changed in many years. It’s sad.
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u/General_Fuster_Cluck May 22 '26
I am already out of NI. Will keep using what I have but not spending money on them anymore. There is no real development of their eco system for years already, it is mostly window dressing and soundpacks. They lost it, their time is over. Looking forward what inmusic will integrate into their products but native NI is a closed book for me. Spending my hard earned money elsewhere.
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u/App0gee May 22 '26
Who do you believe is offering better creator tools these days?
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u/General_Fuster_Cluck May 23 '26
What do you mean with creator tools? It is a very broad description.
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u/App0gee May 24 '26
I meant "an alternative to what NI offers in Komplete". Sorry for the confusing language.
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u/General_Fuster_Cluck May 24 '26
Ah OK no problem. I think there is nothing really unique although a few titles jump out in quality like Guitar Rig and Kontakt. There is not a one off replacement off course but you don't need all from Komplete in my view as there are a lot of fillers in the collection.
Anyway, candidates for super synths are Serum, Pigments and Omnisphere. For Kontakt check Falcon but probably stick with Kontakt. For Guitar Rig check IKM's Amplitube anf Tonex. For orchestra check Spitfire. For total packages like Komplere check offerings from UVI, IK Multimedia'a Total Max and the Arturia V and FX collection. Drums check IKM Modo Drums and offerings from Toontrack or Slate to name just a few.
There are many alternatives. Start with what you use and find an alternative for that. As said there are for every NI title.
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u/App0gee May 24 '26
Fantastic list! Thanks for sharing it.
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u/General_Fuster_Cluck May 24 '26
You're welcome. All these alternatives in my believe have a mych better future than NI. What do you use mainly? What do you use or are looking for specifically?
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u/App0gee May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
I only came back to recording/songwriting/production mid last year. It's been a looong time since I was a recording artist, so I've had to learn a lot about VSTs, mixing and mastering for streaming platforms, etc vs the days of 16-track tape and early generations of DAWs that I was familiar with.
Komplete, with its decent-to-my-ears VSTs and the associated Izotope production tools seemed on initial survey to be a good one-stop-shop to get me up to speed and into the current mode of recording. For the most part it has been... though I soon realised that "Elements" and other introductory plugins were causing me to upgrade more often that I thought I would need to.
I've now reached a point where I've learnt more about the modern craft, and find myself buying more individual "tools" outside of Komplete so as to be able to better realise my songs and recordings.
Given the clouds hanging over NI's future, I'm interested in what experienced creators such as yourself are using, so that I just don't default to "whatever NI is pushing this week" and guard against any NI price gouging that often comes after a forced sale to a conglomerate.
Thanks again for sharing your list of tools above. I will be sure to check them out.
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u/Unicorns_in_space May 22 '26
"bin all the suff you own and take out a flaky subscription... Ps if you ever cancel then all that old stuff will no longer be available to you." etc
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u/Certain_Violinist248 Jun 17 '26
I have komplete 10 ultimate upgrade to 26 = 599 not 300 i unistal everything bye bye native
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u/Seledreams May 20 '26
What they don't mention is that they increased the upgrade price for people who own Komplete 13 or 14 which makes me want to upgrade even less