Best per-app volume control for older Macs and older macOS
The newest volume mixers need macOS 15. If your Mac can't run it, or you'd rather not update, here's what still works, sorted by macOS version.
Short answer
- macOS 11.4 to 14.1 (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, early Sonoma): Sound Control. $15, runs back to 11.4, and still gets updates. eqMac Pro and Background Music are the other options.
- macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later: Faders or SoundDial. Both use Apple's newer audio-tap APIs, with no driver.
- macOS 15 Sequoia or later: everything, including SoundSource 6 and the free FineTune.
Not sure which version you have? Apple menu → About This Mac.
What older Macs actually need
- An app that supports your exact version. Check the minimum version before paying. Several popular apps moved to macOS 15 in the last year.
- Ongoing updates. An app that runs today but hasn't been updated in years can break with the next security update.
- Low overhead. Older Intel Macs have less headroom. An app that does nothing while nothing is playing helps.
Which apps run on which macOS
| Minimum macOS | Price | How it works | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background Music | 10.13 High Sierra | Free | Virtual audio driver |
| eqMac (App Mixer is Pro) | 10.13 High Sierra | $3/mo, $30/yr or $40 lifetime | Virtual audio device |
| Sound Control 3 | 11.4 Big Sur | $15 (or App Store subscription) | No system driver required |
| Faders | 14.2 Sonoma | $5.99 launch, $15.99 regular | Apple audio taps, no driver |
| SoundDial | 14.2 Sonoma | $12.99 | Sandboxed App Store app, no driver |
| SoundSource 6 | 15 Sequoia | $49 | See Rogue Amoeba's site |
| FineTune | 15 Sequoia | Free | Apple audio taps, no driver |
Requirements as published by each developer, checked October 2026. Rogue Amoeba offers older SoundSource versions for older systems; check their site for legacy versions.
The picks
Sound Control 3
$15 once direct, free trial · macOS 11.4 or later · Faders vs Sound Control
Sound Control is the strongest option for older systems because it's both full-featured and current: version 3.4.1 shipped on October 2, 2026, and it supports macOS 11.4 all the way to the newest releases. You get per-app volume and balance, per-app EQ (10- or 31-band), AutoEQ headphone profiles, Audio Unit effects, per-app routing, device priority lists and volume keys for HDMI/DisplayPort displays.
Good
- Oldest supported macOS of the paid apps
- Actively updated
- EQ, routing, monitor volume
- Free trial
Not so good
- Call ducking not listed
- App Store version is a subscription (separate from the direct version)
eqMac
Free EQ; per-app volume needs Pro ($3/mo, $30/yr, $40 lifetime) · macOS 10.13 or later · Faders vs eqMac
eqMac's free version is a solid system-wide equalizer with headphone presets for over 4,600 headphones, and it runs on very old systems. Per-app volume (the App Mixer) is part of Pro. It works by routing audio through its own virtual audio device.
Good
- Runs on 10.13+
- Great free EQ
- Updated in Sept 2026
Not so good
- Per-app volume is paid
- Uses a virtual audio device
Background Music
Free, open source · macOS 10.13 or later
Background Music gives per-app volume and mute, and automatically pauses your music when other audio plays. It got a new release (0.5.0) in June 2026 after two years without one. It installs a virtual audio driver, has no boost, supports stereo only, and its README warns that app volumes above 50 % can clip.
Good
- Free
- Auto-pauses music
- Runs on 10.13+
Not so good
- Driver install
- No boost, stereo only
- Slow release pace
Faders
$5.99 once at launch ($15.99 regular) · macOS 14.2 or later · Made by us
If you're on Sonoma 14.2 or later but not Sequoia, Faders gives you most of what SoundSource 6 does for per-app volume, boost, routing and monitor volume keys, plus call ducking and better AirPods call audio. It uses 0.0 % CPU when nothing is playing, which helps on older Intel Macs. It won't run on anything older than 14.2.
Good
- No driver
- Call ducking, mic mute, device rules
- Apple silicon and Intel
Not so good
- Not for macOS before 14.2
- No EQ yet
- No free trial
SoundDial
$12.99 on the Mac App Store · macOS 14.2 or later · Faders vs SoundDial
Per-app volume to 200 %, a 10-band EQ, per-app output, call ducking and volume profiles. If you want an EQ on Sonoma and prefer the App Store, SoundDial is a better fit than Faders.
What to skip
- Apps that haven't been updated in years. Audio drivers in particular tend to break after macOS updates.
- Updating macOS only to run a volume app, if your Mac is working well and you don't want to. The apps above cover you.
Questions
Why do Faders and SoundDial need macOS 14.2?
Apple added “process taps”, the API that lets an app change another app's audio without a driver, in macOS 14.2. Apps built on it can't run on earlier versions.
Does Faders run on Intel Macs?
Yes, on Apple silicon and Intel, as long as the Mac runs macOS 14.2 or later.
I'm on Sonoma. Should I wait and upgrade to Sequoia for SoundSource 6?
Only if you need its EQ, effects or AirPlay streaming. For per-app volume and call features, Faders or SoundDial already run on Sonoma.
On macOS 14.2 or later?
Faders runs on Sonoma and later, on Apple silicon and Intel. $5.99 once at launch. On anything older, go with Sound Control.
Related
Sources
- Sound Control (macOS 11.4+, features, 3.4.1)
- eqMac and eqMac on GitHub (macOS 10.13+, Pro pricing)
- Background Music on GitHub (macOS 10.13+, known issues, releases)
- SoundDial on the Mac App Store (macOS 14.2)
- SoundSource (macOS 15–27)
- FineTune on GitHub (macOS 15)