eqMac review (2026): is the free plan enough?
System-wide equalizer and per-app volume mixer for macOS
Black Friday: is there a eqMac sale?
eqMac report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a system-wide equalizer on a Mac
eqMac puts a 10-band equalizer over all sound on a Mac, free. The per-app mixer, unlimited bands and spatial audio are Pro, and the current app is not the open source version people remember.
Who eqMac is for
- Fits if you want one equalizer for everything your Mac plays
- Works for people who want to set volume per app
Who eqMac is not for
- 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
Why eqMac gets a 2.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- BValue for moneyPro is $30 a year, about $2.50 a month, which is in the cheaper quarter, and Lifetime is $40 for one Mac.
- BFree plan and trialThe basic equalizer, headphone presets and volume boost are free for good, with no trial clock. One person could stay there.
- CFeaturesEqualizers, a per-app mixer and presets, but recording, hotkeys, cloud sync and virtual output are listed as still in development.
- BEase of useNo rating on record. Install it and move sliders; it works with any output device.
- DPlatforms and integrationsMac only. No Windows, Linux, phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bitgapp Ltd.'s own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/eqmac#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/eqmac.svg" alt="eqMac: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where eqMac stands among desktop utilities
eqMac's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 33.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 78 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.99 for the category: 14 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 28 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. eqMac’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 28 of 186, level with 26
- BFree plan and trialAbove 75 of 186, level with 31
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186, level with 110
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186, level with 110
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep eqMac, or make your own?
Your call
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
eqMac sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $30 a year.
What you could not
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. eqMac’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is eqMac?
eqMac processes the audio of a whole Mac rather than one app. The free tier has a bass, mids and treble equalizer and a 10-band equalizer, while the paid Pro tier adds an unlimited-band equalizer, a per-app volume mixer and spatial audio effects. Pro is sold as a subscription or a one-time lifetime license for one Mac.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
eqMac pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, eqMac has a free plan, and paid plans start at $3 per month, or $30 per year.
- Starts at
- $3 per month, or $30 per year
- 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 trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | Free features with community support; no access to Pro features. |
| Pro Subscription | $3per 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 | $40one-time, for one Mac | Lifetime access to current Pro features and security and compatibility updates; future Pro features might require a partial upgrade. |
Read from eqmac.app on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with eqMac before you buy.
eqMac alternatives
- eqMac vs SoundSource
Free trial · from $49 one-time
- eqMac vs FxSound
Free
- eqMac vs Voicemeeter
Free plan · from $15 one-time
Common questions
Does eqMac have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. eqMac is listed for macOS.
Does eqMac have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. eqMac is listed for macOS.
Is eqMac open source?
eqMac is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.