Decent Sampler + Pianobook

Decent Sampler is a free, cross-platform sample player plugin created by David Hilowitz. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and iOS, and runs in VST, VST3, AU, and AUv3. On its own, it’s just an empty player, but paired with Pianobook, it opens up one of the largest collections of free community-made instruments on the internet. Pianobook was founded by Christian Henson (co-founder of Spitfire Audio) as a platform for creators to share sampled instruments.

There are hundreds of free libraries available, many of them in Decent Sampler format. For orchestral work, the standout free Pianobook libraries in 2026 include: Decent Sampler is limited compared to Kontakt. It doesn’t have a true legato engine, round robin management is basic, and you can’t mix multiple mic positions within a single patch. For intimate textures, ambient scoring, and indie film, that’s fine. For a polished orchestral mockup with articulation switching and keyswitched legato, you’ll want one of the Kontakt Player libraries further up this list.