What Toontrack does

Toontrack Music AB, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Umeå, Sweden, is a privately held software company that develops VST (Virtual Studio Technology) audio plugins and virtual instruments for music production. The company operates with a small team of 11-50 employees and serves musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and home-studio users globally through its direct-to-consumer webshop at toontrack.com.

The company's product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model built around five core VST instruments: Superior Drummer 3 (a professional drum production studio with 230+ GB of samples and 35 mixer effects), EZdrummer 3 (songwriter-focused drum software), EZbass, EZkeys 2 (piano and songwriting software), and EZmix 3 (mixing and mastering software with AI-assisted signal chains). These are extended by modular expansion lines — EZX (drums), EBX (bass), EKX (keyboards), SDX (Superior Drummer expansions), plus genre-organized MIDI packs and preset packs — collectively comprising more than 400 titles spanning Rock, Pop, Metal, Electronica, Jazz, and other genres. Proprietary technology differentiators include audio-to-MIDI conversion in Superior Drummer 3 and EZbass, and AI-assisted mixing in EZmix 3.

Toontrack monetizes exclusively through perpetual one-time licenses sold as digital downloads, with no physical media or subscription component. Revenue streams include core product licenses (EZdrummer 3, Superior Drummer 3, EZbass, EZkeys 2, EZmix 3), expansion packs (EZX/EBX/EKX), MIDI packs, and bundles such as the EZ Line Software Collection. Distribution is direct-to-consumer only — no third-party resellers, retail, or marketplace presence — with payment processing for US/Canada handled through FastSpring. Marketing is conducted across organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok), an email newsletter, a content blog, and community forums. The company is led by CEO and Managing Director Peter Knutsson alongside co-founder Mattias Eklund.

Name

Toontrack

Legal name

Toontrack Music AB

Website

https://toontrack.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Toontrack Music AB is a Swedish private software company founded in 1999 that develops VST virtual instruments and mixing plugins — including Superior Drummer 3, EZdrummer 3, EZbass, EZkeys 2, and EZmix 3 — and sells them directly via its webshop to songwriters, producers, and home-studio musicians worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Umeå

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Core Software Sales: Primary revenue from selling core software products including EZdrummer 3, Superior Drummer 3, EZkeys 2, EZbass, and EZmix 3. Products are sold as digital downloads with perpetual licenses. No physical media is provided.
2. Expansion Packs (EZX, EBX, EKX): Additional sound and preset expansion libraries that extend core products. EZX for drums, EBX for bass, EKX for keyboards. These are additional purchases that add genre-specific content and sounds.
3. MIDI Packs: Pre-made MIDI content packs for drums, bass, and keyboards organized by genre and style, sold separately to expand creative possibilities.
4. Bundles: Bundled software collections combining core products with expansion packs at discounted rates, such as EZ Line Software Collection and various Value Packs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Toontrack designs, develops, and sells VST/AU virtual instrument software and sample-based sound libraries for music production. Its lineup includes drum software (EZdrummer 3, Superior Drummer 3), bass software (EZbass), piano software (EZkeys 2), and mixing software (EZmix 3), expanded by genre-specific EZX, EBX, EKX, SDX sound packs and MIDI packs, all delivered as perpetual digital downloads through its own webshop.

Product overview

Toontrack offers a platform-plus-modules architecture of music production software centered on five core VST/AU instruments: Superior Drummer 3 (professional drum production studio), EZdrummer 3 (drum software for songwriters), EZbass (bass software for songwriters), EZkeys 2 (piano and songwriting software), and EZmix 3 (mixing and mastering software). These core products are expanded through modular add-on libraries: EZX (drum expansions), EBX (bass expansions), EKX (keyboard/piano expansions), SDX (Superior Drummer expansions), plus MIDI packs for drums, bass, and keys, and dedicated EZmix preset packs. The company offers over 400 titles covering diverse genres. All products are sold as digital downloads with no physical media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Superior Drummer 3 Professional virtual drum production studio featuring more than 230 GB of drum samples, 7 kits, 35 mixer effects, and drum audio-to-MIDI conversion, tailored for engineering and sound design by professional producers and engineers.
• EZdrummer 3 Award-winning drum VST software for songwriters featuring 7 kits, mix-ready presets, MIDI grooves, songwriting tools, and audio-to-MIDI conversion.
• EZbass Bass virtual instrument software for songwriters with two sound libraries, MIDI basslines, audio-to-MIDI conversion, and tools for creating realistic bass performances.
• EZkeys 2 Award-winning piano and songwriting VST software featuring grand piano sounds, mix-ready presets, MIDI, and chord and songwriting tools for songwriters and producers.
• EZmix 3 Mixing and mastering software offering ready-made signal chains, guitar and bass tones, AI-powered assistance, and intuitive workflows for producers and home-studio musicians.
• EZX Sound Expansions Drum expansion packs for EZdrummer and Superior Drummer, including professionally recorded drum kits, mix-ready presets, and MIDI drum grooves tailored to specific genres and styles.
• SDX Sound Expansions Expansion packs for Superior Drummer providing additional drum libraries and sounds as separately purchasable products.
• EBX Sound Expansions Bass expansion packs for EZbass featuring professionally sampled bass guitars along with mix-ready presets and genre-specific MIDI, sold as individual SKUs.
• EKX Sound Expansions Keyboard and piano expansion packs for EZkeys adding new virtual instruments, sampled pianos and keyboards along with mix-ready presets and MIDI, sold individually.
• Drum MIDI Packs MIDI packs for drums featuring professionally performed drum grooves organized by genre and song structure, sold as separate products.
• EZbass MIDI Bassline MIDI packs for EZbass featuring genre-based grooves, song parts, and riffs for quick drag-and-drop use, sold as individual products.
• EZkeys MIDI Piano and keyboard MIDI packs for EZkeys covering chords, progressions, and song structures in specific styles and genres, sold separately.
• EZmix Packs Preset expansion packs for EZmix offering mix-ready presets and complete signal chains tailored for guitars, bass, drums, vocals, keys, and mastering, sold individually.
• EZ Line Software Collection Software bundle for songwriters combining EZdrummer, EZkeys, EZbass, and EZmix core products at a discounted price.
• Savings Bundles Various bundle options including value packs and custom bundle builders for EZX, EBX, EKX, and MIDI packs at discounted prices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Superior Drummer 3 includes more than 230 GB of drum samples
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FastSpringcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFastSpring is the payment processing partner for customers in the United States and Canada. When purchasing through FastSpring's checkout, payment information (credit card details) is handled solely by FastSpring, which acts as the data controller for payment data. Toontrack does not collect or store any payment details for these transactions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Output: Developer of creative VST instruments and effects (Arcade, Signal, Exhale) with a subscription-based library model. Comparable as a music production plugin maker focused on inspiring songwriting rather than purely emulation.
• Spectrasonics: Premium virtual instrument maker (Omnisphere, Keyscape, Trilian) with deep sample libraries and flagship plugins for keys, bass, and drums. Direct competitor in the songwriter/producer VST plugin space with similar perpetual-license and expansion model.
• XLN Audio: Swedish developer of Addictive Drums and XO, plus Addictive Keys. Direct competitor in drum and keyboard VST instruments with strong producer positioning and similar expansion-pack business model.
• Native Instruments: One of the largest competitors in virtual instruments and music production software, offering Komplete (drums, bass, keys, effects) and expansion libraries. Comparable as a VST/AU plugin maker serving the same producer/songwriter customer base with sample-based instruments.
• UJAM: Berlin-based maker of stylized VST plugins (Virtual Guitarist, Virtual Bassist, Usynth) targeting songwriters with simple, mix-ready instrument workflows. Closest direct peer in the songwriter-first, ease-of-use positioning Toontrack emphasizes.
• Spitfire Audio: Sample library and virtual instrument maker (Spitfire Symphonic Strings, Albion, BBCSO) competing in the high-end composer and songwriter VST plugin market with comparable perpetual license and expansion strategy.
• EastWest Sounds: Long-standing sample library and virtual instrument developer (Play, Hollywood Orchestra, EastWest ComposerCloud) with comparable drum, keys, and orchestral VST offerings. Competitor in the premium sample-based instrument category.
• Arturia: French maker of software synthesizers, drum machines, and effects (V Collection, Pigments, FX Collection) plus analog hardware. Comparable as a music production software company with perpetual license, expansion content, and direct-to-consumer sales.
• IK Multimedia: Developer of virtual instruments (SampleTank, MODO BASS, Hammond B-3X) and music production software with comparable expansion content model and direct-to-consumer distribution. Italian-headquartered peer with overlapping drummer/keyboard/plugin market.

Emerging players

• Heavyocity: Developer of cinematic and rhythmic virtual instruments (Damage, Evolve, Foundations) for composers and producers. Comparable as a sample-based VST maker with expansion library model, though more focused on cinematic/trailer use cases.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/toontrack
• YouTubeyoutube.com/toontrack
• Facebookfacebook.com/toontrack
• Instagraminstagram.com/toontrack
• TikToktiktok.com/@toontrackmusic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Toontrack