Roundup
Best macOS Per-App Volume & Audio Mixer Apps
macOS gives you exactly one volume slider and one output device at a time. These five apps each fix that in a different way, from free, open-source utilities to paid, polished mixers. Here's an honest rundown of what each one actually does, disclosed by the team behind Zoundry.
Quick comparison
| App | Price | Per-app routing | Equalizer | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoundry | $19.99 one-time | Yes | 3-band + presets | A simple, native mixer with balance and mic control |
| FineTune | Free, open source | Yes | 10-band + AutoEQ | Power users who want the deepest free toolset |
| SoundSource | $49 one-time | Yes | 10-band + Audio Units | Audio Units effects, AirPlay, and broader macOS support |
| Background Music | Free, open source | No | No | Auto-pausing music and recording system audio for free |
| Loopback | $99 one-time | Via virtual devices | No | Building custom virtual devices for recording/streaming |
1. Zoundry: best all-round native mixer
Zoundry is a $19.99 one-time purchase built for macOS Tahoe on Apple Silicon. It gives every app its own
volume slider and lets you route each one to a different output device at the same time, with a per-app
3-band EQ, saveable presets, per-app L/R balance control, and per-device microphone control. It's also
the only app on this list with native Siri and Shortcuts app integration through App Intents, alongside
a zoundry:// URL scheme for Terminal, Alfred, and Raycast.
Best for: anyone who wants per-app volume, routing, EQ, and mic control in one polished menu bar app, without installing a driver or building anything manually. See the full Zoundry vs FineTune, Zoundry vs SoundSource, Zoundry vs Background Music, and Zoundry vs Loopback comparisons.
2. FineTune: best free, deepest feature set
FineTune is a free, open-source (GPL v3) menu bar app. It covers per-app volume with mute and boost, multi-device output routing with priority and auto-fallback, a 10-band equalizer with 20 presets, AutoEQ headphone correction, and input level adjustment. It runs on macOS 15 (Sequoia) and later, on both Intel and Apple Silicon, broader hardware support than most paid alternatives.
Best for: people who want the most features for zero cost and don't mind an open-source, community-supported tool without official paid support or native Siri integration.
3. SoundSource: best for deep EQ and AirPlay
SoundSource, from Rogue Amoeba, is a $49 one-time purchase (macOS 15 through 27). It offers per-app volume and output routing, a 10-band equalizer, Audio Units plugin support, built-in effects like Magic Boost, and AirPlay streaming to multiple devices at once.
Best for: users who want Audio Units effects, AirPlay, or support for older macOS versions and Intel Macs, and don't mind paying more for it.
4. Background Music: best free option for auto-pause and recording
Background Music is a free, open-source app that gives each app its own volume slider through a virtual audio driver. Its standout features are auto-pausing your music player when other audio starts and recording system audio, neither of which the other apps on this list offer. It doesn't route individual apps to different output devices, has no equalizer, and its own README describes the project as still in alpha.
Best for: anyone who specifically wants free auto-pause or system audio recording, and doesn't need output routing or an EQ.
5. Loopback: best for building custom virtual devices
Loopback, also from Rogue Amoeba, is a $99 one-time purchase that lets you wire apps, inputs, and outputs together into custom virtual audio devices, with up to 64 channels per device. It's built for recording and streaming workflows rather than a simple per-app volume slider.
Best for: podcasters, streamers, and recording setups that need custom virtual devices, not everyday per-app volume control.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free per-app volume app for Mac?
FineTune and Background Music are both free and open source. FineTune has the deeper feature set (per-app volume, multi-device routing, and a 10-band EQ), while Background Music focuses on per-app volume, auto-pausing your music player, and system audio recording.
What is the best macOS audio mixer with per-app output routing?
Zoundry, FineTune, and SoundSource all support routing individual apps to different output devices at the same time. Zoundry and FineTune are the lower-cost options; SoundSource adds a deeper 10-band EQ and Audio Units support at a higher price.
Does macOS have a built-in per-app volume mixer?
No. macOS only offers one system-wide volume control and one default output device at a time. Third-party apps like Zoundry, FineTune, SoundSource, Background Music, and Loopback each add some form of per-app volume or routing control.
Try Zoundry free
Zoundry includes a 7-day free trial, no account or card required. See pricing or download Zoundry to get started.