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Is it possible to buy a used Komplete 2-14 Ultimate and upgrade to Komplete 15 Ultimate?

JoshtheComposer
JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer
in Komplete General

I've found deals on Komplete 12 (and other versions) Ultimate on eBay. So I'm really curious to know if I can buy this and upgrade to Komplete 15 Ultimate for $399 (or $200 on summer sale) Anyone know? Also, does NI send a physical product in the mail when you buy Komplete? I didn't think so until I saw physical products marked as "Komplete X Ultimate" selling on ebay.

Thanks.

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Best Answer

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,515 Expert
    edited April 3 Answer ✓

    Theoretically it will work but if you do not get a valid unregistered serial to add to your NI account OR a valid transferred serial to your NI account from the seller - you have basically bought nothing.

    And there is no physical product here in 2025. Ten years ago yes- but now Komplete is a digital purchase.

    Buyer beware for anything on the third party market.

    VP

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Answers

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,515 Expert
    edited April 3 Answer ✓

    Theoretically it will work but if you do not get a valid unregistered serial to add to your NI account OR a valid transferred serial to your NI account from the seller - you have basically bought nothing.

    And there is no physical product here in 2025. Ten years ago yes- but now Komplete is a digital purchase.

    Buyer beware for anything on the third party market.

    VP

  • red_nick
    red_nick Member Posts: 317 Pro
    edited April 3

    What vocalpoint said. Plus make sure you don't just buy a physical disk without a license.

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    Good to know, thanks @red_nick and @Vocalpoint

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,144 Expert
    edited April 3

    @JoshtheComposer

    It works for sure. It is what I have done several times.

    But, one has to be careful not to get scammed. Just media (installation discs) may be sort of handy, but licence-wise they has no value. One needs licence to be registered on his NI account.

    Mostly it is done by Licence Transfer, seller provides you with Licence Transfer Code and using that one moves licences from seller´s account to his own account.

    Rarely seller may offer Licence Number. It may happen and it may be OK. But also, the Licence Number may be useless as it is already registered at someone´s account….

    Another thing to be carefull is to buy the correct licence. There are not just licences for Komplete Ultimate, there are also Komplete Ultimate Crossgrade/Upgrade/Update licences and they are not usable without having appropriate Base Product (it may be NI hardware, lower thier of Komplete, lower version, selected NI software,…).

    So, one has to know, how things work. Then buying old version for few bucks and upgrading/updating it at sale time may save a lot of money…

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/219764#Comment_219764

    Ah I see. So what I need to find then is a product that:

    -Is marked correctly as Komplete X Ultimate (not upgrade/update but the actual Ultimate)

    -Comes with an UNLICENSED product key or something

    Is that correct?

    Thanks.

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,515 Expert
    edited April 3

    Ideally - in order to qualify" for any upgrade or update - you need a base product.

    For Komplete - this is almost always a "full" license - not an update or an upgrade. There are other NI products that can be used as a "base" but that is beyond the scope of this thread.

    Example:

    This one would be a dead end - because it is clearly an upgrade:

    Native Instruments Komplete 7 12 disc set | eBay

    Where this one has possible potential:

    Native Instruments Komplete 12 | eBay

    But it is impossible to know if this package has ever been registered. Or if the previous owner (if there was one) can transfer the actual product ID via the NI System

    This also presents as New - but it is hard to tell from the single photo if this is the manual or a non-shrink wrapped box or what it is.

    Again - buyer beware when dealing with this type of purchase. Ask tons of questions before sending a dime.

    VP

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    I see, thanks for the links, those helped clarify some things. So just to verify, if I contacted the seller of the base product (second link) to ensure that the package wasn't registered or could be transferred, then I could buy it and upgrade for $399 (or less on sale)?

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    Oh and I would also need to check to see if it was the correct version, Standard or Ultimate.

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,515 Expert
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/219788#Comment_219788

    The second link appears to be Standard.

    So you would need to first cut a deal on the K12 package - get it registered to your NI account and then hit the NI Shop (while still logged in) to see what your “update” price would be for K15 Standard.

    This would be the end game in a perfect world.

    VP

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,144 Expert

    I did it always, that we met personally, I used Transfer Licence Code (in case of licence has been used and registered) or Software Licence Code (in case licence has not been used) and if everything went fine, I have payed.

    One may also buy from someone, that has registration for long time and has good reputation as seller. If the price is not high, the risk is close to zerro.

    And concerning what package to buy. It is more question of money. You may either Upgrade, if it is lower thier licence, or Update if it is just older version of thier you want. If you buy Standard or Select, it is probably better to wait with upgrade for Summer Sale. If you buy Ultimate, you still save if you wait for Summer Sale, but considerably less.

    Also, you may buy, say, Select and Upgrade it to Standard now, and wait with upgrade to Ultimate at Summer Sale.

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    Thanks @Kubrak this is helpful. I do not see Select as an option on the NI website but was it a previously-available version from which I can upgrade to Standard, and if so where can I find a price for that upgrade?
    Thanks.

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    Also, if I obtained license codes, how would I go about integrating those codes into my NI account to obtain the product, or what might that look like?

  • JoshtheComposer
    JoshtheComposer Member Posts: 12 Newcomer

    One more question I have is, can you upgrade from, for example, an old version of Standard to the current version of Ultimate, or do you have to upgrade first to the current version of Standard, and finally to Ultimate?

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,515 Expert
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/220001#Comment_220001

    As long as the license you buy (and add to your account) is considered a "base" product - you can buy you way up to Ultimate.

    Here are the official options:

    Qualifying Base Products for Komplete Updates and Upgrades – Native Instruments

    VP

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,144 Expert
    edited April 5

    To get licence to your account use Native Acces SW. You register new licence to your accoun using this application.

    In case you receive Licence Transfer Code (which is more common), you have log in to your NI account and select from menu something like Licence Transfer Import. And maybe after import you have to enter imported licences to Native Access, I am not sure what happens after licence transfer. If there is a list of licences on top of the page under "Not used licences" (or like), you have to enter it to Native Access first to be able to use them.

    The price of upgrades/updates:

    https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-15-ultimate/compare/

    Yes Komplete Select used to be the simplest Komplete bundle. I have forgotten, it is not sold anymore. But one may use it as Baseproduct for upgrade.

    And yes, you may upgrade from any old version (say Komplete 10 Select) directly to current version of Kontakt Ultimate. (But it is not possible to upgrade directly from Select to Ultimate Collector Edition, in that case one has to do two steps, Upgrade to Standard or Ultimate and then Upgrade to Ultimate CE).

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