This is by no means an exhaustive list, and the order says nothing about the quality of each brand; each has different pros and cons, and they all sell excellent products that get the job done. We’ll do our best to highlight the defining features of each to help you decide where to go based on exactly what samples you need. Without further ado, let’s start from the top!

  1. Splice
  2. ADSR
  3. LANDR
  4. Loopcloud
  5. Loopmasters
  6. Producer Loops
  7. The Sample Labs
  8. Samplephonics
  9. Plugin Boutique
  10. Cymatics
  11. Wrapping Up

Splice

This company needs no introduction — Splice revolutionized the music industry by giving producers an entirely different way to access sounds. They popularized the now-common practice of allowing producers to download individual samples rather than paying for samples in bulk, allowing them to get exactly what they need without buying samples they'll never use. Want to get the best snares from a bunch of different packs? You can do it for less than a couple bucks! Splice shines when you need a specific sound and you need it fast. 

ADSR

These folks have great sounds covering all the usual suspects, and their sample organizing app is a nice addition to any producer’s workflow, especially if you’ve built up a large library over the years. ADSR also has great courses on all different aspects of music production, making them a great all-around resource for leveling up your abilities as a producer.

LANDR

LANDR offers pretty much every type of sample you could need as a modern music producer, and if you sign up for their flagship offer, you also get access to a wide range of different plugins and their automated mastering service all in one. If you want to streamline your entire production workflow from sample searching to finished master, LANDR has it down to a science.

Loopcloud

Loopcloud’s AI-powered search engine makes it a great resource for finding new and related samples you never would have thought to look for on your own —and because they have such a wide variety of samples available, you can quickly find exactly what you need in nearly any genre you like. Their DRUM plugin is a nice added touch, allowing you to populate an entire drum machine’s worth of samples instantly for rapid idea generation.

Loopmasters

Loopmasters has all the essentials like the other options listed here, but where they truly shine is diversity — the sheer breadth of samples you can find is astounding, from world instruments you’ve never heard of to cinematic horror sounds and more. If you want to venture off the beaten path and find some inspiration from something you’ve never heard before, Loopmasters is a great place to look.

Producer Loops

Few sample pack shops are as well-organized as Producer Loops; you can search pretty much anything you need by genre, and everything is extremely well-tagged far beyond the “big” genres like D&B, dubstep, trap, etc. If you're looking for sample packs from the world's biggest manufacturers all in one place, their vast collection makes it easy to what you need and who you want it to get it from.

The Sample Lab

Tons of sample pack companies offer vintage samples from decades past, but The Sample Lab has made this their specialty. If you've already had your fill of modern, cutting edge samples and want to warm things up a bit, you'll be hard-pressed to find any duds among their vast collection. If you make lofi, synthwave or just want to turn back the clock in your mixes, this is a great resource to keep at arm's length!

Samplephonics

This is a fantastic resource for all sorts of FX that would be extremely challenging to record or create on your own, giving you a never-ending supply of ear candy to sprinkle onto anything you like. Granular, mechanical, organic textures and more — nearly everything you could possibly need is here. If you find you’re lacking in textures, ambiences, and other means of filling out your tracks, Samplephonics will consistently deliver no matter what your specific needs are.

Plugin Boutique

Despite boasting a broad selection of sounds, one of the real draws of Plugin Boutique is its loyalty rewards — its virtual cash system gives you back some buying power in the long run, enabling you to purchase more sample packs for less. If you can find the same sample pack on multiple websites, it might not be a bad idea to go through Plugin Boutique so you can get a little extra something in the future. Plus, they frequently have great deals on a wide variety of audio products!

Cymatics

One of Cymatics’ greatest strengths is that they're always on the cutting edge of the modern music industry. If a style or genre is trending, it's only a matter of time until they release a pack with everything you need to break into it — and you know it will be polished and ready for use. One disadvantage is their sheer size; tons of producers use their samples, so you're better off editing and layering them if you're worried about listeners recognizing the samples you use.

Wrapping up

It's unlikely you'll settle on just one company to source all your samples, and that's okay. Each resource has its strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your options and what they do best will allow you to speed up your workflow and be smarter with your budget. Play around with a few different brands, and you're bound to find you enjoy some more than others. Sometimes it's not even the samples themselves that make the decision for you — it's the additional resources they offer and how everything connects into your production workflow.

Don't take the list above as an absolute ranking, either; with time you'll be able to find what works best for you. The more you develop your own style, the clearer the choice will become  and the bigger your collection will become — so have fun, find some new samples and go make music you love!