In a move set to transform the landscape of music production, Native Instruments (NI) has revealed its latest endeavour: NI 360, a subscription-based platform granting musicians unprecedented access to a plethora of software instruments and plugins.
The newly announced NI 360 boasts a tiered subscription model, featuring three distinct pricing options: Essentials ($15/month), Plus ($25/month), and Pro ($50/month). Each tier presents a varying array of offerings, with Essentials entailing access to 50 plugins, while the Pro tier extends the bounty to over 130 instruments and effects.
Among the highlights bundled within all tiers are NI’s flagship creations, including Massive X, Battery 4, and the acclaimed Trash distortion plugin. Moreover, the inclusion of esteemed mixing tools from iZotope further enriches the subscription packages, with the Essentials tier comprising basic iterations of Neutron 4, Nectar 4, and Ozone 11, while the higher echelons grant access to their professional counterparts.
Existing subscribers to NI’s previous offering, Komplete Now—a $10/month subscription service—will seamlessly transition to NI 360, automatically being upgraded to the Essentials tier. Notably, these loyal patrons will retain their current pricing for one year, maintaining their subscription at the familiar rate of $9.99/month.
However, a crucial aspect of NI 360’s functionality lies in its cancellation policy: upon discontinuation of the subscription, access to the platform’s instruments and effects will cease. Nonetheless, users can take solace in the preservation of their settings and presets, ensuring a seamless transition out of the platform. Furthermore, effects plugins will continue to process audio, while instruments will remain operable for a grace period of 15 minutes upon reopening projects, affording users the ability to continue utilizing NI 360 assets even post-cancellation.
Importantly, NI 360 does not signal the demise of perpetual licenses—a model previously experimented with by Waves. Native Instruments assures that all its products remain available for individual purchase alongside the subscription service.
As NI rolls out NI 360 in a ‘soft launch’ phase this month, the company prioritizes user feedback and experience, aiming for a smooth transition to the new platform. A select cohort of users will have early access to NI 360 before its full-fledged launch slated for later this year.