# An eqMac alternative for Mac

By Sheik Ahamed, who makes Earmix. Checked on 5 November 2026.

<strong>Short answer:</strong> eqMac is a good free system-wide equalizer, but per-app volume needs eqMac Pro, at $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 lifetime. If you want each app's volume and EQ for a one-time price, Earmix, which we make, is $12.99 at its early-bird price, and FineTune is free. If you mainly want the best system EQ, eqMac may still be the right app.

## What eqMac does, free and Pro

eqMac by Bitgapp runs on macOS 10.13 and later, on Intel and Apple silicon. Version 1.9.2 came out in September 2026.

**Free (Basic):** boost beyond 100%, the Basic and Advanced 10-band system equalizers, and volume and balance for HDMI and DisplayPort screens.

**Pro:** a Volume Mixer for per-app volume, the Expert EQ with unlimited bands, Audio Unit hosting, spatial audio, a spectrum analyser, Super Presets that switch on conditions, and reference presets for more than 4,600 headphones.

Its code is on GitHub under Apache-2.0, but only an older version, 1.3.2, without the Pro features.

## Why people look for an alternative

- **Per-app volume is behind the Pro plan**, and the cheapest Pro option is a subscription.
- **The EQ is system-wide.** Its website doesn't list an EQ per app or a different output per app.
- **The open source version is old.** The current app is not the code on GitHub.

## eqMac alternatives at a glance

| | Price | Per-app volume | Per-app EQ | Per-app output | Headphone EQ | Lower music on calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eqMac | Free; Pro $3/mo, $30/yr, $40 lifetime | Pro | Not listed | Not listed | Pro, 4,600+ models | Not listed |
| **Earmix** | $12.99 early bird ($49) | Yes, to 400% | Yes, 10-band | Yes | 52 models | Yes |
| SoundSource | $49 | Yes, to 400% | Yes, 10-band | Yes | Thousands of models | Not listed |
| FineTune | Free | Yes, to 4x | Yes, 10-band | Yes | Thousands of models | Not listed |
| SoundDial | $14.99 | Yes, to 200% | Yes, 10-band | Yes | Not listed | Yes |

*From each app's website, checked November 2026. "Not listed" means the website doesn't mention it, not that the app can't do it. All names belong to their owners.*

## Where eqMac is better

- **It runs on old Macs.** macOS 10.13 or later. Earmix needs 14.2, SoundSource and FineTune need 15.
- **A deeper system EQ.** Expert EQ has unlimited bands, and Pro adds a spectrum analyser and spatial audio.
- **More headphone presets.** Over 4,600 reference presets, against Earmix's 52 models.
- **The free version is useful on its own.** If you only want a system EQ and HDMI volume, eqMac Basic costs nothing.

## Who should keep eqMac

Keep eqMac if you mostly want to shape the sound of everything at once, especially on an older version of macOS. See our [Mac equalizer guide](https://earmix.app/mac-equalizer.html) for how a system EQ compares with per-app EQ.

## What Earmix does instead

Earmix is a per-app mixer first. Every app gets its own volume from 0 to 400%, mute, output, balance, mono and a 10-band EQ (32 Hz to 16 kHz, eight presets). So you can add bass to Music while leaving a podcast flat.

It also has a system EQ and an Audio Unit effect on every app, for the moments you want everything changed. Headphone correction for 52 popular models, from AirPods to the HD 600, is in Devices › Headphone EQ and applies to everything on that device. See [headphone EQ on Mac](https://earmix.app/headphone-eq-mac.html).

![One app's settings in Earmix, with its own 10-band EQ](https://earmix.app/img/detail-light-1x.png "Each app has its own EQ, output, balance and auto level.")

Beyond EQ, Earmix lowers other apps during calls, records any app or call to .m4a (check consent laws before recording a call), gives browser tabs their own volume with the Earmix Tabs extension, and makes volume keys work on HDMI screens. See [how to fix HDMI volume on a Mac](https://earmix.app/hdmi-volume-control-mac.html).

## What they cost

eqMac Basic is free. eqMac Pro is $3 a month, $30 a year, or $40 lifetime for one Mac.

Earmix is $12.99 once at the early-bird price, then $49, for one Mac at a time. No subscription. The 14-day trial has every feature and there's a 14-day refund.

FineTune is free. SoundSource is $49 for all your Macs. SoundDial is $14.99.

## Moving from eqMac to Earmix

1. Quit eqMac, so you hear one app's changes at a time.
2. Open System Settings › Sound and make sure Output is your speakers or headphones.
3. Open Earmix and allow **System Audio Recording**. Nothing is recorded unless you press Record.
4. Note your eqMac EQ settings. Recreate them in Earmix's system EQ, or per app in each app's options.
5. Pick your headphones in Devices › Headphone EQ if they're among the 52 models.

## Questions

### Is eqMac free?

eqMac Basic is free and includes a 10-band system EQ, boost and HDMI volume. Per-app volume and the Expert EQ need eqMac Pro.

### Does eqMac have per-app volume?

Yes, in eqMac Pro, called the Volume Mixer. It costs $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 lifetime.

### Is there an eqMac alternative without a subscription?

Yes. Earmix ($12.99 early bird), SoundDial ($14.99) and SoundSource ($49) are one-time purchases, and FineTune is free. eqMac also has a $40 lifetime option.

### Can I set a different EQ for each app on a Mac?

Yes, with a per-app mixer such as Earmix, SoundSource, FineTune or SoundDial. System Settings › Sound doesn't include an equalizer.

### Is eqMac open source?

Partly. The code on GitHub is under Apache-2.0, but it's version 1.3.2 without the Pro features.

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Earmix gives every Mac app and browser tab its own volume, output and EQ. Free for 14 days, then $12.99 once (early bird, regularly $49). https://earmix.app/