Flex Music LabsLearn
Virtual guitars compared: modeled and sampled
Guitar plugins do quite different jobs: some play the notes you give them, and some strum or play a phrase when you hold a chord. Here are 24 of the ones the "best guitar plugin" lists name most, side by side with GuitarFlex, plus a few more, with what you can check for each on the maker's own pages.
Sampled, strumming and modeled guitars
- Sampled guitars play recordings of guitars, each string and fret recorded in several ways of playing. The recordings take room: from under 1 gigabyte to tens of them. Many play inside a free player program made by another company.
- Phrase and strumming tools turn the chords you hold on a keyboard into a strummed or picked part, using recorded phrases or strum patterns. Several of the products here do this, some on top of a sampled or modeled guitar. GuitarFlex does not: it plays the parts ComposerFlex writes, or any MIDI you give it.
- Modeled guitars compute each note as it is played, from a model of the string, the pickup, the body and the amp. There are no recordings to download, so they are small. GuitarFlex is one. Strum GS-2 and IronAxe are modeled too.
- Mixed kinds use recordings and a model together. Orange Tree Evolution does, with recordings and a modeled pick position.
Which one sounds best to you is for your ears, and every maker has demos on its own site. This page compares what can be checked: the price, the size, what else you need, where it runs, and the demo.
The guitar instruments
Checked on 7 November 2026, on each maker's own pages. Prices are list prices in US dollars; sales come and go. "Not stated" means we didn't find it on the maker's pages. VST3 and VST plugins work in most music programs on Windows; check the maker's page for yours.
| Guitar instrument | Maker | Kind | Price | Download or disk | Needs another program | Standalone and plugins | Runs on | Demo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GuitarFlex | Flex Music Labs | Modeled | $79 | 18.2 MB download | Nothing else | Standalone, VST3 | Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit | Download and try before you buy |
| Ample Guitar | Ample Sound | Sampled | $119 to $169 each | Over 10 GB of free disk space | Nothing else | Standalone, VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, Mac | 7-day trial (per its installation guide) |
| Session Guitarist | Native Instruments | Sampled, with recorded patterns | $79 to $149 each | 6.3 to 9.6 GB download by title | Kontakt Player (free) or Kontakt | Through Kontakt Player: standalone, VST3, AAX; AU on Mac | Windows, Mac | None published |
| MusicLab Real guitars | MusicLab | Sampled | $139 to $199 each | About 0.4 to 3.2 GB installers by title; 10 GB free | Nothing else | Standalone, VST, VST3, AAX; AU on Mac | Windows, Mac | 15-day trial |
| UJAM Virtual Guitarist | UJAM | Recorded phrases, with an Instrument mode | $129 each ($249 bundle) | 8 GB free | A host program | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX (no standalone listed) | Windows, Mac | 7-day trial |
| Shreddage 3 | Impact Soundworks | Sampled | Hydra $149; bundle $549 (a sale price) | 14 GB (Hydra) | Kontakt Player (free) 6.7 or later | Through Kontakt Player (free) | Windows, Mac | Not published |
| Orange Tree Evolution | Orange Tree Samples | Sampled, with a modeled pick position | $179 each | 5.7 GB download (one title) | Kontakt Player (free) | Standalone, VST, AU, AAX (with Kontakt Player) | Windows, Mac | Not published |
| Strum GS-2 | Applied Acoustics Systems | Modeled | $199 | 64.3 MB (Windows) or 77.9 MB (Mac) installer | Nothing else | Standalone, VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, NKS | Windows, Mac | 15-day trial |
| Heavyocity guitars | Heavyocity | Sampled phrases and textures | $99 and $299 | About 4.1 and 7.95 GB | Kontakt Player (free) | Through Kontakt Player: standalone, VST, AU, AAX | Windows, Mac | Not published |
| Vir2 Electri6ity and Acou6tics | Vir2 Instruments | Sampled | $399.95 each | Not stated | Kontakt Player (free) | Through Kontakt Player (formats not stated) | Not stated | Not published |
| Spitfire Audio guitars | Spitfire Audio | Sampled | $99 and $149 | 0.78 and 2.1 GB download | Kontakt Player (free) and the Spitfire Audio App | Through Kontakt Player (formats not stated) | Windows, Mac | Not published |
| V-METAL 2 | Prominy | Sampled | $299 | About 12.3 GB installed; 30 GB free disk space | Kontakt Player (free) 6.8 or later | Through Kontakt Player: standalone, VST, VST3, AU, AAX | Windows, Mac | A demo video (no trial) |
| Kithara | Native Instruments | Recorded, sound-designed | $199 | 21.05 GB download | Kontakt Player (free) | Through Kontakt Player | Windows, Mac | None published |
| GD-6 | Acousticsamples | Sampled | $149 | 1.01 GB (4.43 GB uncompressed) | UVI Player (free, included) | Standalone, VST, VST3, AU, AAX (in UVI Player) | Windows, Mac | Not published |
| IronAxe | Xhun Audio | Modeled | EUR 99 (EUR 39.90 until 10 November 2026) | Not stated | A host program | VST2 only, 32-bit | Windows | No time limit; sound cut every 60 seconds |
| Efimov Audio Acoustic Guitar | Efimov Audio | Sampled | EUR 149 | 3 GB free disk space | Full Kontakt 7.10 or later | Kontakt instrument | Windows, Mac | Audio demos only |
| Strum Guitar | Wavesfactory | Sampled | EUR 79 | 4.71 GB installed | Full Kontakt 5.7.3 or newer | Kontakt library | Not stated | Runs in Kontakt Player's demo mode |
| DirectGuitar 4.0 | Pettinhouse | Sampled | $79 | 4.5 GB download; 6 GB free | Full Kontakt 6.8 or later | Standalone, AU, VST, AAX Native | Windows, Mac | None (demo mode in the free player) |
| Classic GTR 2 | Quiet Music | Multisampled | Not confirmed (the maker's page could not be read) | 6.6 GB download | A host program | VST/VST3 (Windows); AU, VST, VST3 (Mac) | Windows, Mac | None stated |
| LANDR Guitar | LANDR | Pre-recorded loops | Not stated for the plugin | Not stated | Not stated | VST3, AU, AAX (Windows: VST3, AAX) | Windows, Mac | Not stated |
| LABS guitars | Spitfire Audio, through Splice | Sample-based | Free app; paid plan $12.99 a month | Not stated | Splice INSTRUMENT and a Splice account | AU, VST3, AAX, standalone | Windows, Mac | 14 days on the paid plan |
| Ample Sound free edition | Ample Sound | Sampled | Free | 877 MB library | Nothing else | Standalone, VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, Mac | Free |
| Shreddage 3 free editions | Impact Soundworks | Sampled | $0 (a $5 donation is suggested) | 1 GB | Kontakt Player (free) 6.7 or later | Through Kontakt Player (free) | Windows, Mac | Free |
| Foundations Nylon Guitar | Heavyocity | Sampled | $0 (not for sale on 7 November 2026) | 530 MB (294 MB on disk) | Kontakt Player (free) 6.7.1 or later | Through Kontakt Player: standalone, VST, AU, AAX | Windows, Mac | Free |
| Vinyl Guitar 2 | Echo Sound Works | Sampled | Free | 598 MB (PC) or 842 MB (Mac) download | A host program | AU, VST2, VST3, AAX | Windows, Mac | Free |
Side by side with GuitarFlex
The most-named guitar instruments each have a page of their own: what they share with GuitarFlex, where each one stands out, and which to pick for what you do.
- GuitarFlex vs Ample Guitar
- GuitarFlex vs Session Guitarist
- GuitarFlex vs MusicLab Real guitars
- GuitarFlex vs UJAM Virtual Guitarist
- GuitarFlex vs Shreddage 3
- GuitarFlex vs Orange Tree Evolution
- GuitarFlex vs Strum GS-2
- GuitarFlex vs Heavyocity guitars
- GuitarFlex vs Vir2 Electri6ity and Acou6tics
- GuitarFlex vs Spitfire Audio guitars
About these facts
Every fact comes from the maker's own pages, never from reviews or shops, and the list of sources is below. Prices and versions change, so check the maker's site before you buy. If something here is out of date, write to [email protected] and we'll correct it.
More: all about GuitarFlex and all the Learn guides.
Sources
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/index.asp
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/purchase.asp
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/pro-pd.asp?id=4
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/pro-pd.asp?id=2
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/download.asp
- https://www.native-instruments.com/collections/guitar
- https://www.native-instruments.com/products/session-guitarist-strummed-acoustic-2
- https://www.native-instruments.com/products/session-guitarist-picked-acoustic
- https://www.native-instruments.com/products/session-guitarist-electric-sunburst-deluxe
- https://www.native-instruments.com/products/kontakt-player
- https://support.native-instruments.com/support/solutions/articles/69000879152-on-how-many-computers-can-i-activate-my-native-instruments-product-
- https://www.musiclab.com/buy.html
- https://www.musiclab.com/download.html
- https://www.musiclab.com/products/realguitar/info.html
- https://www.musiclab.com/products/realguitar/features.html
- https://www.ujam.com/guitarist/
- https://www.ujam.com/guitarist/amber/
- https://www.ujam.com/guitarist/iron/
- https://www.ujam.com/more/trials/
- https://impactsoundworks.com/product/shreddage-3-hydra/
- https://impactsoundworks.com/product/shreddage-3-bundle/
- https://impactsoundworks.com/how-to-install-kontakt-libraries-from-impact-soundworks/
- https://impactsoundworks.com/combined-license-agreement-privacy-policy/
- https://www.orangetreesamples.com/products
- https://www.orangetreesamples.com/products/evolution-songwriter
- https://www.orangetreesamples.com/products/evolution-electric-guitar-strawberry
- https://www.orangetreesamples.com/license-agreement
- https://www.applied-acoustics.com/strum-gs-2/
- https://www.applied-acoustics.com/strum-gs-2/resources/
- https://www.applied-acoustics.com/sales-faq/
- https://heavyocity.com/product/scoring-guitars-2/
- https://heavyocity.com/product/damage-guitars-2/
- https://www.vir2.com/instruments/electri6ity/
- https://www.vir2.com/instruments/acou6tics/
- https://www.vir2.com/support/faq/
- https://www.spitfireaudio.com/en-us/products/mg-soft-nylon-guitar
- https://www.spitfireaudio.com/en-us/products/mg-soft-acoustic-guitar
- https://prominy.com/products/v-metal-2/
- https://www.native-instruments.com/products/kithara
- https://www.acousticsamples.net/gd6
- https://www.xhun-audio.com/site/xhun.php?page=ironaxe
- https://efimovaudio.com/products/acoustic-guitar
- https://wavesfactory.com/kontakt-libraries/strum-guitar
- https://www.pettinhouse.com/html/directguitar.html
- https://quietmusic.gumroad.com/l/lrqiv
- https://www.landr.com/plugins/landr-guitar
- https://splice.com/instrument/labs-instrument
- https://www.amplesound.net/en/pro-pd.asp?id=7
- https://heavyocity.com/products/foundations-nylon-guitar
- https://www.echosoundworks.com/vinyl-guitar-2