The best eqMac alternatives for Mac
eqMac's free equalizer is great. People usually look elsewhere because per-app volume is a Pro feature, or because they'd rather not route all their audio through a virtual driver. Here's what else does the job.
Short answer
- Free, with EQ and per-app volume: FineTune (macOS 15+).
- Paid, with EQ, on Sonoma: SoundDial ($12.99).
- Per-app volume without an EQ: Faders ($5.99).
- If you only use the free EQ and headphone presets, keep eqMac.
Why people look for an alternative
- Per-app volume is Pro. The App Mixer costs $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 for a lifetime license.
- The driver. eqMac sends system audio through its own virtual audio device. Apps built on Apple's audio taps (FineTune, SoundDial, Faders) don't need one.
- It's EQ-first. Per-app routing, call ducking and device rules aren't listed.
Quick comparison
| Price | macOS | EQ | Per-app output | Call ducking | HDMI volume keys | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eqMac | Free; per-app needs Pro | 10.13+ | ✓ | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| FineTune | Free | 15+ | ✓ + AutoEQ | ✓ + multi-device | Not listed | Via DDC |
| SoundDial | $12.99 | 14.2+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not listed |
| Sound Control 3 | $15 | 11.4+ | ✓ + AU | ✓ | Not listed | ✓ |
| Faders | $5.99 | 14.2+ | — (planned) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SoundSource 6 | $49 | 15+ | ✓ + AU | ✓ + groups | Not listed | ✓ |
“Not listed” means we couldn't find it on the app's own site, not that it's confirmed missing. Checked October 2026.
The alternatives
FineTune
FineTune gives you what eqMac users usually want, an EQ with headphone correction (AutoEQ) and per-app volume, for free and without a driver. It also routes apps to different outputs. You need macOS 15.
Good
- Free per-app volume + EQ
- AutoEQ
- No driver
Not so good
- macOS 15+
- Community support only
SoundDial
It's cheaper than eqMac Pro's lifetime license and covers per-app volume, a 10-band EQ, routing, profiles and call ducking, with no driver. It doesn't list a headphone-preset database like eqMac's.
Good
- EQ + per-app volume
- Call ducking
- One-time price
Not so good
- No headphone presets listed
- macOS 14.2+
Sound Control 3
Per-app EQ (10 or 31 band), AutoEQ calibrations and Audio Unit effects, on macOS as old as 11.4. If you liked eqMac Pro's depth, this is the nearest match that's sold as a one-time purchase.
Good
- Per-app EQ + AU
- Runs on older macOS
- Trial
Not so good
- Call ducking not listed
- Two separate purchase options
Faders
This is our app. If you only wanted eqMac Pro for the App Mixer, Faders gives you per-app volume to 200 %, routing, call ducking, HDMI volume keys and device rules, with no driver and no subscription. It has no EQ at all, so it's a poor fit if the EQ is why you used eqMac. You could keep eqMac's free EQ alongside it, but we haven't tested that pairing, so try it carefully.
Good
- Cheapest paid per-app mixer
- No driver, no subscription
- Call + monitor features
Not so good
- No EQ
- No trial, no refunds
SoundSource 6
SoundSource has per-app and system-wide EQ, Headphone EQ, Audio Units, routing and AirPlay. At $49 it's close to eqMac Pro's $40 lifetime price, with much more mixing power.
Good
- Everything in one app
- Trial
Not so good
- $49
- macOS 15+
Stick with eqMac if…
- You only use the free EQ and the 4,600+ headphone presets. It's hard to beat for free.
- You're on macOS older than 11.4. eqMac supports 10.13 and up.
- You use Pro features like Spatial Audio, separate left/right EQ or remote control.
Questions
Do any alternatives work without a virtual audio driver?
Yes. FineTune, SoundDial and Faders all use Apple's process-tap APIs (macOS 14.2 and later), so nothing gets installed at the system level.
Is there a free per-app volume app?
FineTune (macOS 15+) and Background Music (macOS 10.13+, uses a driver) are both free and open source.
Just want per-app volume, no subscription?
Faders is $5.99 once at launch. Try the live demo on the homepage first.