99Sounds

99Sounds is a free sound library and instrument-plugin label for producers and other creative makers. It is best for people seeking royalty-free material for music, video, games, podcasts, or sound design without paying or adding credit. The trade-off is a license that rules out redistribution and certain sound-based apps, plus a macOS Catalina compatibility gap for its instruments.

Overview

Founded in 2014 by sound designer Tomislav Zlatić, 99Sounds brings together sound effects, musical samples, and free instruments. The collection spans cinematic effects, drum samples, field recordings, rain sounds, and loops, so it can serve both atmospheric projects and music production.

Audio files and plugins may be used royalty-free in personal and commercial work, including music, video, game development, podcasts, and sound design. No attribution is required. That is a generous basis for incorporating the sounds into finished work, but it is not permission to resell or redistribute the downloaded files, either on their own or as a separate attachment to another work. The license also bars using the sounds to create noise, white-noise, sleep-sound, or similar apps.

Key features

WAV, MIDI, NKI, SFZ, and Serum presets cover a useful spread of audio and instrument workflows, with MIDI and stems included. That makes the collection relevant to producers who want more than one kind of source material; the redistribution restriction still means the files themselves cannot be passed on as a separate deliverable.

Free instruments are offered in VST, VST3, and AU formats. Drumplayer combines twelve drum kits with eight slots, stereo and multiple mono outputs, per-channel volume and pan, and a pitch-modulation LFO. Those routing and shaping options make it a more flexible drum tool than a fixed collection of one-shot sounds. Upright Piano has four sampled notes per octave and six dynamic layers per note, with adjustable envelope, tremolo, filter, and reverb controls. Its layered sampling and shaping controls suit producers who want to tailor a piano part rather than use an unchangeable preset.

Pricing

99Sounds has one plan: Free sounds and plugins costs nothing. It includes free sound libraries and plugins under the site's royalty-free license, so there is no paid tier to unlock or trial period to weigh. It is a straightforward fit for creators who can work within the license; anyone needing to redistribute the files or build a prohibited sound app should choose another source.

Platforms

The service is available on macOS, Windows, and the web. Its virtual instruments work with VST and AU hosts on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and macOS, but macOS Catalina is not supported. That exclusion makes the instruments a poor choice for Catalina users, even though the wider platform reach is useful to creators on Windows or other supported macOS versions.

Who it's for

99Sounds suits independent producers, video makers, game developers, podcasters, and sound designers looking for royalty-free audio and instruments without a purchase or credit requirement. Its varied collection and plugin controls are useful when a project needs both effects and musical elements. It is not the right source for projects that package the audio as a separate asset, or for noise, white-noise, or sleep-sound apps.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Free libraries and instruments can be used in personal and commercial projects without attribution, reducing cost and credit obligations for finished work.
• Pro: Multiple sample formats, MIDI, and stems support a range of production workflows.
• Pro: Drumplayer offers multiple kits, slots, output options, and channel controls, while Upright Piano provides dynamic layers and sound-shaping controls.
• Con: Selling or redistributing the downloaded audio is prohibited, including as a separate attachment to another work.
• Con: The license excludes noise, white-noise, sleep-sound, and similar apps.
• Con: The instruments do not support macOS Catalina, limiting their suitability for users on that version.

Alternatives

Music Sample Libraries is a useful directory for comparing sample-library options; Sound Effects Libraries is the more relevant starting point when effects, rather than instruments and musical samples, are the priority.

Choose BandLab Sounds if a mobile option matters: it runs on Android, iOS, and the web, with a free plan capped at 20 claims per week and a $14.99 a month BandLab Pro plan after a billed 3-day free trial that automatically renews.

Wave Alchemy is worth considering for a larger sample and preset collection on macOS or Windows. Its free Triaz Player includes 4,000 samples and 200 presets, but disables sequencer editing, the sound browser, and loading your own samples.

Pick ModeAudio if a paid loop pack is a better fit: its 50 Ambient Instrumental Loops Mini Pack 0035 costs $13.23, paid once and includes 50 loops, 249.9MB unzipped, and all formats.

Ghosthack offers a one-time paid bundle option: its Ultimate Producer Bundle 2026 costs $95, paid once for 24 sample libraries, over 12,500 sound resources, and 19 GB.

Choose Noiiz if a recurring sounds allowance is preferable to a free collection: Light costs $7.99 a month for 100 MB of sounds per month, while Regular costs $12.99 a month for 300 MB per month, unlimited expansions, and Connect PRO.

WAVS offers a paid subscription entry point through a $1, paid once first-week offer with 10 download credits and unlimited plays; it then renews monthly at the Pro plan price shown on its page.

Black Octopus Sound is another option.

Filmstro is another option.

Verdict

Choose 99Sounds if you want a broad set of free sounds and instruments for creative work, and can keep the files within its license boundaries. The no-cost access, commercial-use permission, and lack of an attribution requirement are compelling. Look elsewhere if your project needs to redistribute the audio, falls under the prohibited app uses, or depends on the instruments running on macOS Catalina.