FxSound vs SoundSource (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FxSound grades higher than SoundSource: 3.0 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
FxSound grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SoundSource
Per-app volume, output routing and audio effects for the Mac
Which one is for you
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
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
| 3.0GPAFxSoundVery good | 2.2GPASoundSourceFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with no paid tier, which is below any price the utilities category charges. | 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 | AThe whole app is free, with no cap and no trial. It asks for donations. | 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 | BEqualizer, presets, volume and bass boost, voice emphasis and audio routing. The listing shows no gap in the job. | 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. You install it and pick a preset; nothing to set up. | 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 | DWindows only (Intel/AMD and ARM64). The vendor only hopes for Mac and Linux builds. | 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 free equalizer and volume booster on Windows | 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: FxSound and SoundSource. How we grade
Where they differ
- FxSound is open source, according to its own site.
- SoundSource can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- FxSound also covers noise cancellation.
- SoundSource also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| FxSound | SoundSource | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $49 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | The whole app is free; the project accepts donations. | 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 | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | FxSound | Rogue Amoeba Software, Inc. |
| Price read from | fxsound.com | rogueamoeba.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
FxSound
Free$0
Full app with equalizer, effects and presets, funded by user contributions.
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
FxSound
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, FxSound or SoundSource?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FxSound is free, and SoundSource starts at $49 one-time purchase.
Which has a free plan, FxSound or SoundSource?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FxSound has a free plan. SoundSource does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do FxSound and SoundSource run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FxSound lists a Windows app and only SoundSource lists a macOS 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.