BlackHole vs FxSound (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FxSound grades higher than BlackHole: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FxSound grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BlackHole
Virtual audio loopback driver for routing sound between Mac apps
Which one is for you
Pick BlackHole if
- Fits if you record or stream your Mac's own sound
- Works for people who already use an audio app that can pick an input device
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a mixer, since it has no interface of its own
- Skip it if you use Windows, as the vendor says it isn't ready there
- Watch out: projects that aren't GPLv3 need a licence from Existential Audio, and the readme gives no price
- Watch out: the readme advises against the AirPods microphone as the clock device
Pick FxSound if
- Fits if you want a free equalizer for Windows speakers or headphones
- Works for people who just want sound louder with a bass boost
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac, Linux, Android or iOS, as it is Windows only
- Watch out: it is run by a small team of contributors and funded by donations
- Watch out: older paid versions are still on the site as legacy downloads, which can confuse which one you get
- Too light for studio work, since it is an equalizer and booster rather than a mixer
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABlackHoleFair | 3.0GPAFxSoundVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with a Homebrew or Discord route instead of donating. | AFree with no paid tier, which is below any price the utilities category charges. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no cap, under GPLv3. No cap, no trial and no donation needed. | AThe whole app is free, with no cap and no trial. It asks for donations. |
| Features | DIt is a driver and not a mixer: sound goes to other apps or devices you set up, so it needs another product to be useful. | BEqualizer, presets, volume and bass boost, voice emphasis and audio routing. The listing shows no gap in the job. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. Routing needs aggregate or multi-output devices to be set up by hand. | BNo rating on record. You install it and pick a preset; nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. The vendor's Windows page says it is not ready. | DWindows only (Intel/AMD and ARM64). The vendor only hopes for Mac and Linux builds. |
| Best for | routing audio between Mac apps for free | a free equalizer and volume booster on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: BlackHole and FxSound. How we grade
Price against what you get
BlackHole has no paid plan and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. FxSound has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
FxSound scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than BlackHole for less, and none scores higher than FxSound for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- FxSound also covers noise cancellation.
At a glance
| BlackHole | FxSound | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free: get it through Homebrew or the vendor's Discord instead of donating. | The whole app is free; the project accepts donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Existential Audio | FxSound |
| Price read from | existential.audio | fxsound.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BlackHole
- Mac only; the vendor's Windows page says BlackHole is not ready for Windows.
- It is a driver with no mixer of its own; sound is sent to other apps or devices that you set up.
- Projects that are not GPLv3 need a license from Existential Audio; the readme gives no price.
- The readme advises against using the AirPods microphone as the clock device in an aggregate or multi-output device.
FxSound
- Windows only; the vendor says it hopes to build Mac and Linux versions if contributions allow.
- System-wide processing is not possible on Android or iOS because of operating system restrictions, the vendor says.
- Funded by donations from users and run by a small team of contributors.
- Older paid versions are kept on the site as legacy downloads.
Key features
BlackHole
- Audio loopback between apps
- Lets applications pass audio to other applications through a virtual device, with zero additional latency according to the vendor.
- 2, 16 and 64 channel versions
- The download page names 2-channel and 16-channel versions, and Homebrew offers blackhole-2ch, blackhole-16ch and blackhole-64ch.
- All standard sample rates
- Supports 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz.
- Customizable build
- The GitHub readme says channel count, latency and hidden devices can be customized.
- Intel and Apple silicon
- Built for both, and compatible with macOS 10.10 Yosemite and newer.
FxSound
- Equalizer and presets
- An equalizer with presets for tuning music, calls, games and spoken audio.
- Volume and bass boost
- Raises volume with controlled peaking, and a Bass effect adds low-end punch.
- Voice emphasis
- The vendor says it targets the frequency range of the human voice, which it presents as useful for transcription work.
- Audio routing and volume control
- Includes audio routing and volume control for matching the sound to your headphones or speakers.
- Windows Intel/AMD and ARM64 builds
- The download page offers installers for x86/x64 PCs and for ARM64, plus legacy DFX Audio Enhancer and FxSound Enhancer versions.
Plans
BlackHole
Free$0
Open source under the GPLv3; the download page's button is a $10 donation that also gives the installer, and Homebrew and Discord are free.
FxSound
Free$0
Full app with equalizer, effects and presets, funded by user contributions.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BlackHole or FxSound?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both BlackHole and FxSound are free to use.
Which has a free plan, BlackHole or FxSound?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both BlackHole and FxSound have a free plan.
Which platforms do BlackHole and FxSound run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only BlackHole lists a macOS app and only FxSound lists a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.