Best per-app volume control for privacy-minded Mac users
Every per-app volume app asks to “record” your system audio. That sounds alarming. Here's what it actually means, and which apps give you the most reason to trust them.
Short answer
- Most transparent: FineTune. Free and fully open source, so anyone can read exactly what it does. Needs macOS 15.
- Most locked down: SoundDial. A sandboxed Mac App Store app that says it needs no internet connection at all.
- Closed source but minimal: Faders. No account, no analytics, one network request for the license check.
Why every mixer asks to “record system audio”
Since macOS 14.2, the way an app changes another app's sound without installing a driver is a Core Audio process tap. macOS groups this under the “System Audio Recording” permission, because the same API could be used to record. A volume mixer uses it to adjust the sound live and play it straight back.
So the permission prompt isn't a red flag by itself. Every tap-based mixer needs it. The real questions are: can you check what the app does with the audio, and does the app talk to the internet?
What privacy-minded users actually need
- Verifiability. Open source code you (or someone you trust) can read and build.
- No network. Or as little as possible, and clearly explained.
- No telemetry or account.
- Nothing installed system-wide. Tap-based apps (FineTune, Faders, SoundDial) don't install drivers. Older designs (Background Music, eqMac) add a virtual audio device that sits in the path of all your audio.
The picks
FineTune
Free, open source (GPL v3) · macOS 15 or later · Faders vs FineTune
FineTune is open source under GPL v3 with about 9,500 GitHub stars, uses the same driverless process taps as Faders, and you can install it with Homebrew or build it yourself. For anyone who wants to verify rather than trust, it's the clear first choice, and it has more features than Faders in places (EQ, AutoEQ, multi-device output).
Good
- Fully open source
- No driver
- Free
Not so good
- Needs macOS 15
- Community project, no guarantees
SoundDial
$12.99 on the Mac App Store · macOS 14.2 or later · Faders vs SoundDial
SoundDial is sandboxed by the App Store and its developer states: no account, no analytics, no tracking, no internet connection. It's closed source, but the sandbox limits what it can touch on your Mac. If you want a paid app with the smallest possible footprint, it's a strong pick.
Good
- App Store sandbox
- No network at all
- No driver
Not so good
- Closed source
Faders
$5.99 once at launch ($15.99 regular) · macOS 14.2 or later · Made by us
Faders has no account, no analytics and no telemetry. It makes exactly one network request: checking your license. It never saves or sends audio, and it uses process taps, so there's no driver. It's not on the App Store because the App Store doesn't allow the Accessibility permission it needs for monitor volume keys; it's signed and notarized by Apple instead. It's closed source, so you're trusting us on all of this, and we think you should weigh that.
Good
- No telemetry or account
- One request: license check
- No driver
Not so good
- Closed source
- Not sandboxed
- License check needs the network
Background Music and eqMac
Background Music: free, GPLv2 · eqMac: open-source core, Pro features paid · both macOS 10.13+
Both are open source (eqMac's core is on GitHub), which is great for verification. Both route your audio through a virtual audio device or driver they install, so they sit in the path of everything you hear. That's the older way of doing this. On macOS 14.2 and later, tap-based apps avoid it. Note that Background Music can also record system audio by design, which is a feature, not a leak.
Side by side
| FineTune | SoundDial | Faders | Background Music | eqMac | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source code | Open (GPL v3) | Closed | Closed | Open (GPLv2) | Open core |
| Installs a driver / virtual device | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Network use | Not listed | None (stated) | License check only | Not listed | Pro has cloud sync |
| Account required | No | No | No | No | Not listed |
| Sandboxed | Not listed | ✓ App Store | No | Not listed | Not listed |
| Minimum macOS | 15 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 10.13 | 10.13 |
“Not listed” means we couldn't find a clear statement on the developer's site. Checked October 2026.
Free things to try first
- Check permissions any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording. You can revoke a mixer's access there.
- Watch the network with a firewall like Little Snitch or LuLu to see exactly what any app connects to.
Questions
Does Faders record my audio?
No. It uses the system audio API to change volume live, in memory, and plays it straight back. Nothing is saved, and the only network request is the license check.
Why isn't Faders open source?
It's a paid product made by one developer. We understand that means you're trusting our word; if that's a deal-breaker, FineTune is open source and excellent.
Is a virtual audio driver a privacy risk?
Not inherently. It's a different design: all your audio passes through it, rather than only the apps you adjust. Open-source drivers like Background Music's can be inspected.
No account, no telemetry, no driver.
Faders makes one network request, for your license. $5.99 once at launch. If open source matters most, choose FineTune.
Related
Sources
- FineTune on GitHub (GPL v3, process taps, macOS 15)
- SoundDial on the Mac App Store (privacy statement)
- Background Music on GitHub (GPLv2, virtual driver)
- eqMac and eqMac on GitHub