eqMac vs Voicemeeter (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Voicemeeter grades higher than eqMac: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
eqMac grades higher on ease of use. Voicemeeter grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan 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
Voicemeeter
Virtual audio mixer for Windows, sold as donationware
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 Voicemeeter if
- Fits if you stream or record and need to route a mic and app sound on Windows
- Makes sense if you'd rather pay once than rent a mixer
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac, since this is Windows software and the Mac apps are sold separately
- Tight if you want it simple, as there is a routing setup to learn
- Watch out: install and removal both need admin mode and a reboot
- Watch out: Banana and Potato are separate editions with separate prices, and work use is limited to levels P3 to P5
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAeqMacFair | 2.6GPAVoicemeeterGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A$15 one-time for the base edition and $30 for Banana, both under a year of the typical utility subscription. These are default amounts and the shop offers five levels. |
| 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. | BFree to use with every function, but after 30 days the About box asks you to buy a licence. Business use is limited to the higher contribution levels. |
| Features | CEqualizers, a per-app mixer and presets, but recording, hotkeys, cloud sync and virtual output are listed as still in development. | BA virtual device that mixes voice with other audio, plus EQ and recorder in Banana and effects and send/return in Potato. No gap shown in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. Install it and move sliders; it works with any output device. | CNo rating on record, and you have to wire up inputs and outputs yourself. Setup runs in admin mode and needs a reboot after install and after removal. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. No Windows, Linux, phone or web version. | DWindows only. The Mac apps are listed separately in the shop. |
| Best for | a system-wide equalizer on a Mac | mixing mics and app sound with a virtual mixer 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: eqMac and Voicemeeter. How we grade
Where they differ
- eqMac also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| eqMac | Voicemeeter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $3 per month, or $30 per year | $15 one-time (default price; buyer picks from five amounts) |
| 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. | Free to use with all functions, except optional features; after 30 days the About box invites you to buy a license or keep evaluating. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Bitgapp Ltd. | VB-Audio Software |
| Price read from | eqmac.app | shop.vb-audio.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Voicemeeter
- Windows only; the vendor's shop lists its Mac apps separately.
- Prices shown are the shop's default amounts; the shop offers five contribution levels, and professional or business use is limited to levels P3 to P5.
- The setup program must be run in administrative mode and needs a reboot after installation and after removal.
- Banana and Potato are separate editions with their own prices; the Potato license is delivered as an activation code.
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.
Voicemeeter
- Virtual audio device
- Acts as a virtual input and output so any microphone, application or device can be routed to any other.
- Wide interface support
- Supports MME, DirectX, KS, WDM, WASAPI and ASIO interfaces on Windows XP through Windows 11, including ARM64.
- Mixing a voice with other audio
- The vendor lists mixing a voice with music or a game for a call, a live podcast or a recording.
- Banana: EQ and recorder
- Banana adds a parametric EQ on all buses, effects on input strips and a multi-format audio player and recorder.
- Potato: effects and send/return
- Potato adds two internal effects, reverb and multitap delay, and an external AUX send and return.
- No internet needed
- The vendor says the application does not need an internet connection and does not collect user data.
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.
Voicemeeter
Free use$0
Install and use the app first; payment is requested but not forced.
Voicemeeter$15
one-time, default price; permanent license for one PC configuration
Mixes 3 inputs to 3 outputs through 2 buses. The shop lets you choose from five contribution levels.
Voicemeeter Banana$30
one-time, default price; permanent license for one PC configuration
Advanced mixer with 3 physical and 2 virtual I/O, effects on input strips and a parametric EQ on every bus.
Voicemeeter Potato$35
one-time, default price; permanent license for one PC configuration
5 physical and 3 virtual I/O, internal reverb and multitap delay, and external send/return.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, eqMac or Voicemeeter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, eqMac starts at $3 per month, or $30 per year, and Voicemeeter starts at $15 one-time (default price; buyer picks from five amounts).
Which has a free plan, eqMac or Voicemeeter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both eqMac and Voicemeeter have a free plan.
Which platforms do eqMac and Voicemeeter run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only eqMac lists a macOS app and only Voicemeeter 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.