The Voicemeeter Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Voicemeeter in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Voicemeeter
The Insider’s Guide
Virtual audio mixer for Windows, sold as donationware
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Voicemeeter’s own pages.
Made by VB-Audio Software · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Voicemeeter’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Voicemeeter’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
Voicemeeter is a Windows audio mixer with a virtual audio device that routes sound between microphones, applications and output devices. It comes in three editions, Voicemeeter, Banana and Potato, with more inputs, outputs and effects as you move up. It is distributed as donationware: you can install it and use it first, then pay a license price you choose.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Voicemeeter, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, and you have to wire up inputs and outputs yourself.
- 1
Best for mixing mics and app sound with a virtual mixer on Windows
It takes some learning, it needs admin rights and a reboot to install, and it is Windows only.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $15 one-time (default price; buyer picks from five amounts).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free to use with all functions, except optional features; after 30 days the About box invites you to buy a license or keep evaluating.
- 4
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 5
Virtual audio device
Acts as a virtual input and output so any microphone, application or device can be routed to any other.
- 6
Wide interface support
Supports MME, DirectX, KS, WDM, WASAPI and ASIO interfaces on Windows XP through Windows 11, including ARM64.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 69 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Voicemeeter at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $15 one-time (default price; buyer picks from five amounts)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- VB-Audio Software
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for mixing mics and app sound with a virtual mixer on Windows
Voicemeeter is a virtual audio mixer for Windows that sells as donationware, with three editions from $15 to $35. It takes some learning, it needs admin rights and a reboot to install, and it is Windows only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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 | B | Free 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 | B | A 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 | C | No 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 | D | Windows only. The Mac apps are listed separately in the shop. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Voicemeeter is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Streamers and podcasters mixing a microphone with music and game audio
- Windows users who want to route sound between applications and devices
- People who want to try a mixer before deciding what to pay
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$15 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Voicemeeter has a free plan. Paid plans start at $15 one-time (default price; buyer picks from five amounts).
These are default amounts and the shop offers five levels.
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.
The free plan
Free to use with all functions, except optional features; after 30 days the About box invites you to buy a license or keep evaluating.
Read from shop.vb-audio.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
Virtual audio mixer for Windows, sold as donationware. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase.
A virtual device that mixes voice with other audio, plus EQ and recorder in Banana and effects and send/return in Potato.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Voicemeeter is made by VB-Audio Software.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
69/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Voicemeeter's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Voicemeeter’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186
- BFree plan and trialAbove 75 of 186
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 186
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Voicemeeter 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. At $15, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could not
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Voicemeeter’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
BlackHole, eqMac, FxSound, EarTrumpet and SoundSource
The 5 tools Voicemeeter is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
BlackHole
Free
Virtual audio loopback driver for routing sound between Mac apps.
- Only Voicemeeter lists a Windows app.
- Only BlackHole lists a macOS app.
- Voicemeeter can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
eqMac
Free plan · from $3/mo
System-wide equalizer and per-app volume mixer for macOS.
- Only Voicemeeter lists a Windows app.
- Only eqMac lists a macOS app.
- eqMac also covers menu bar app.
- 3.0GPA
FxSound
Free
Free open-source Windows equalizer and volume booster.
- Voicemeeter can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- FxSound is open source, according to its own site.
- FxSound also covers noise cancellation.
- 2.8GPA
EarTrumpet
Free
Per-app volume mixer for the Windows system tray.
- Voicemeeter can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- EarTrumpet is open source, according to its own site.
- EarTrumpet also covers menu bar app.
- 2.2GPA
SoundSource
Free trial · from $49 one-time
Per-app volume, output routing and audio effects for the Mac.
- Voicemeeter has a free plan. SoundSource does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Voicemeeter lists a Windows app.
- Only SoundSource lists a macOS app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Voicemeeter free?
Voicemeeter has a free plan. Free to use with all functions, except optional features; after 30 days the About box invites you to buy a license or keep evaluating.
How much does Voicemeeter cost?
Voicemeeter lists 4 plans. Free use: $0.
What platforms does Voicemeeter work on?
Voicemeeter is available on Windows.
Does Voicemeeter have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Voicemeeter is listed for Windows.
Does Voicemeeter have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Voicemeeter is listed for Windows.
Is Voicemeeter open source?
Voicemeeter is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Voicemeeter work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Voicemeeter?
Voicemeeter is made by VB-Audio Software.
What are the alternatives to Voicemeeter?
The closest alternatives to Voicemeeter in our directory are BlackHole, eqMac, FxSound, EarTrumpet and SoundSource.
How does Voicemeeter compare with other desktop utilities?
Voicemeeter's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
Could I make my own version of Voicemeeter?
It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Voicemeeter’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from VB-Audio Software's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by VB-Audio Software. Prices change, so check vb-audio.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Voicemeeter, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/voicemeeter
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Voicemeeter: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/voicemeeter
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/voicemeeter/guide
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Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Voicemeeter’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Voicemeeter is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by VB-Audio Software. Prices and plans change: check vb-audio.com before you buy.