SoundSource alternatives for Mac, compared
Checked against each app's own site or App Store listing on
macOS has one volume control for the whole Mac. These apps add a volume slider for each app, and most add more on top. We make Turny, so we've tried to be fair: the table uses each app's own site or App Store listing, and the section after it says when another app is the better pick.
| App | Price | Installs an audio driver | Output per app | EQ per app | Lowers other apps during calls | Needs | Intel Macs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turny | $2.49 once | No | Yes | Yes, 10 bands | Yes | macOS 15 | No |
| SoundSource 6 | $49 once | Its own audio plugin (ARK) | Yes, including AirPlay and several devices at once | Yes, plus Audio Unit effects | Not listed | macOS 15 (version 5 for older Macs) | Yes |
| SoundDial | $14.99 | Not stated | Yes | Yes, 10 bands | Yes | macOS 14.2 | Not stated |
| Volume Mixer | $2.99 | No | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, with detailed rules | macOS 14.2 | Not stated |
| eqMac | Free; per-app volume needs Pro ($40 once or $30 a year) | Yes | Not listed | EQ is system-wide | Not listed | macOS 10.13 | Yes |
| Background Music | Free, open source | Yes | Not listed | No EQ | No; it pauses music players instead | macOS 10.13 | Yes |
| FineTune | Free, open source | No | Yes, including several devices at once | Yes, 10 bands | Not listed | macOS 15.4 | Yes |
“Not listed” means the app's own site or listing doesn't mention it. Prices are in US dollars.
When another app is the better pick
- You have an Intel Mac or a version of macOS before 15. Turny won't run. SoundSource 5, eqMac and Background Music all support older Macs.
- You want effects or AirPlay. SoundSource can add Audio Unit plugins to any app and send audio to AirPlay speakers or several outputs at once. It's the most complete app here.
- You want it free. FineTune is free and open source, boosts up to 400%, and includes headphone EQ profiles. It needs macOS 15.4. Background Music is free too, but installs a virtual audio device and has no EQ.
- You want detailed rules for meetings. Volume Mixer lets you choose which apps trigger lowering and how long to wait before turning things back up.
- You're on macOS 14. SoundDial and Volume Mixer both run on macOS 14.2 and lower other apps during calls.
Where Turny fits
Turny is the cheapest paid app here that does volume, output and EQ for each app and lowers other apps during calls. It doesn't install an audio driver, so there's no virtual sound device to set up and nothing left behind if you delete it. It needs an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 15 or later.
Call lowering works with any app that uses the mic, including Zoom, Teams, FaceTime and Google Meet in a browser. If that's the main thing you want, see how to lower music during calls on a Mac.
Sources
- SoundSource: product page, pricing, SoundSource 6 announcement
- SoundDial: Mac App Store listing
- Volume Mixer: Mac App Store listing
- eqMac: eqmac.app, GitHub
- Background Music: GitHub
- FineTune: GitHub