eqMac vs SoundSource (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eqMac grades higher than SoundSource: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
eqMac grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
eqMac
System-wide equalizer and per-app volume mixer for macOS
SoundSource
Per-app volume, output routing and audio effects for the Mac
Which one is for you
Pick eqMac if
- Fits if you want one equalizer for everything your Mac plays
- Works for people who want to set volume per app
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, because the unlimited-band equalizer, app mixer and spatial audio are all Pro
- Skip it if you want open source: the public GitHub repo holds only v1.3.2 and newer releases live in a private fork
- Watch out: recording, hotkeys, cloud sync and remote control are listed as in development, not available
- Watch out: the Lifetime licence covers one Mac and current Pro features only
Pick SoundSource if
- Fits if you want a different volume level for each app on your Mac
- Works for sending music to other speakers while everything else stays on the laptop
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows, or on a Mac older than macOS 15, which needs a legacy download
- Pricey if all you need is the odd volume tweak, at $49 for the license
- Not for you if you expect free upgrades for good: a license covers the current major version, and upgrades are $25
- Watch out: the trial overlays noise on adjusted audio after 20 minutes until you relaunch
- Watch out: refunds must be asked for within 14 days and are decided case by case
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAeqMacFair | 2.2GPASoundSourceFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $30 a year, about $2.50 a month, which is in the cheaper quarter, and Lifetime is $40 for one Mac. | B$49 once per user, on one or more of your own Macs, with no subscription. Against the $2.99 a month utilities here charge in the middle, that's inside two years' subscription. A license covers the current major version, and upgrading from 4 or 5 is $25. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe basic equalizer, headphone presets and volume boost are free for good, with no trial clock. One person could stay there. | CThere's no free version. The trial has every feature and asks for no card, but after 20 minutes noise is overlaid on any audio you've adjusted until you relaunch the app. Good enough to judge it, not to live on. |
| Features | CEqualizers, a per-app mixer and presets, but recording, hotkeys, cloud sync and virtual output are listed as still in development. | CMac audio is its one job and it covers it fully: per-app volume and mute, per-app output device, a 10-band equaliser and Audio Unit plugins, AirPlay to HomePods and Sonos, output groups, and Quick Configs that switch a whole setup in one click. It does nothing beyond audio. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. Install it and move sliders; it works with any output device. | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: it's one menu bar list of your apps with a slider each, which anyone can picture. Effects and output groups ask a bit more of you. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. No Windows, Linux, phone or web version. | DMac only. SoundSource 6 runs on macOS 15 to 27, and older systems need a legacy download. It has actions for Apple Shortcuts and plays to AirPlay, Sonos and HomePod speakers. No Windows version. |
| Best for | a system-wide equalizer on a Mac | a separate volume knob for every app on your Mac |
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: eqMac and SoundSource. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| eqMac | SoundSource | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $3 per month, or $30 per year | $49 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | Basic: bass, mids and treble equalizer, 10-band equalizer, headphone presets, volume and balance (including boost beyond 100%), and support for any audio device. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial with every feature; after 20 minutes noise is overlaid on adjusted audio until the app is relaunched |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Bitgapp Ltd. | Rogue Amoeba Software, Inc. |
| Price read from | eqmac.app | rogueamoeba.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
eqMac
- The unlimited-band equalizer, app mixer and spatial audio are Pro only.
- Recording, hotkeys, cloud sync, virtual output and remote control are listed as in development, not available yet.
- The Pro Lifetime License covers one Mac and current Pro features only.
- The public GitHub repository holds only v1.3.2 without Pro features; newer releases are developed in a private fork, so the current app is not open source.
SoundSource
- macOS only. SoundSource 6 runs on macOS 15 to 27; older systems need a legacy download.
- There is no free version. In trial mode, noise is overlaid on adjusted audio after 20 minutes until the app is relaunched.
- A license covers the current major version; owners of SoundSource 4 or 5 pay $25 to upgrade to version 6.
- Refunds must be requested within 14 days of purchase and are issued case by case.
Key features
eqMac
- Equalizers
- Basic (bass, mids, treble) and 10-band equalizers are free. The Expert equalizer has unlimited bands with gain, Q factor or octave bandwidth, several filter types and a spectrum analyzer, and needs Pro.
- App mixer
- Sets the volume of each application separately across the system. This is a Pro feature.
- Headphone presets
- Reference presets for more than 4,600 headphones, with the site marking the feature as available in both tiers.
- Spatial audio and left/right EQ
- Pro adds spatial audio effects for different listening environments and separate equalization of the left and right channels.
- Super presets and Audio Unit hosting
- Presets can switch automatically when the output device or main audio app changes; Pro can host Audio Units and chain them with eqMac effects.
- Works with any output device
- Supports built-in, Bluetooth, AirPlay 1, USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, aggregate and multi-output devices.
SoundSource
- Per-app volume control
- Sets the volume of each application relative to the others from one list, or mutes an app entirely.
- Per-app output routing
- Sends an individual app to a chosen output device, for example music to external speakers while everything else plays through the Mac's built-in output.
- Audio effects
- A built-in 10-band equalizer, Volume Overdrive, Magic Boost and Headphone EQ, plus Audio Unit plugins, applied to a single app or to all system audio.
- AirPlay and output groups
- Streams one app or all audio to AirPlay devices such as HomePods, Apple TVs and Sonos speakers. Output groups play to several devices at once.
- System devices and volume keys
- Volume, balance, input level and sample rate for the output, input and sound-effects devices. Super Volume Keys make the keyboard volume keys work with HDMI and DisplayPort outputs.
- Shortcuts and Quick Configs
- Actions for the Shortcuts app automate audio changes, and Quick Configs save a whole setup of devices, volumes and effects to switch to in one click.
Plans
eqMac
Basic$0
Free features with community support; no access to Pro features.
Pro Subscription$3
per month, starting at; or $30 per year
Expert equalizer, app mixer, spatial audio and all other features; the page says one device license costs $1 per month.
Pro Lifetime License$40
one-time, for one Mac
Lifetime access to current Pro features and security and compatibility updates; future Pro features might require a partial upgrade.
SoundSource
SoundSource License Key$49
one-time purchase, per user (USD; local taxes may apply)
Unlocks the current version, SoundSource 6, for a single user on one or more personally owned Macs.
Ways to pay less
eqMac
No public discounts listed.
SoundSource
- Education
Academic discount for students and educators
Rogue Amoeba gives an academic discount to students, educators and others affiliated with academia who enter a school email address. The page does not state the amount.
- Other savings
$25 upgrade from SoundSource 4 or 5
Owners of a SoundSource 5 or SoundSource 4 license can upgrade to SoundSource 6 for $25 instead of the $49 full price.
- Other savings
50% off for Airfoil owners
People who own an Airfoil license get 50% off when they move to SoundSource, applied after entering the Airfoil license key.
- Other savings
Entire Rogue Amoeba Lineup bundle
The deals page offers a discounted bundle of every Rogue Amoeba product, SoundSource included, and says mailing-list members receive exclusive discounts.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, eqMac or SoundSource?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eqMac starts at $3 per month, or $30 per year, and SoundSource starts at $49 one-time purchase.
Which has a free plan, eqMac or SoundSource?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only eqMac has a free plan. SoundSource does not, though it has a free trial.
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.