Short version: SoundSource is the most powerful per-app audio app on the Mac, but it's priced for pros and heavier than many people need. If you want per-app volume and output routing without the EQ suite, there are cheaper and lighter options. Background Music is the best free pick; Fader is the best one-time-paid pick if you care about controlling levels fast from the keyboard.
SoundSource, by Rogue Amoeba, is excellent — per-app volume, per-app EQ, audio effects, fine device control. But a lot of people install it for one feature (set this app louder than that one, send this app to those headphones) and end up paying audio-engineer prices for a consumer need. Here's the honest landscape of what else does the job.
The five at a glance
| App | Best for | Per-app volume | Routing | EQ / effects | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoundSource | Audio pros who want everything | Yes | Yes | Yes | ~$47 one-time |
| Background Music | A free, no-frills mixer | Yes | Basic | No | Free, open source |
| Fader | Fast keyboard-driven control | Yes | Yes (Pro) | No | $19.99 one-time |
| eqMac | System-wide EQ first | Partial | Basic | Yes | Free / paid tiers |
| BlackHole + app sliders | DIY routing on a budget | Manual | Yes | No | Free |
1. Background Music — the free default
Open source, lightweight, and it does the core job: a menu-bar list of running apps, each with its own slider, plus simple routing. No EQ, no polish, occasional rough edges on new macOS releases — but for "I just want per-app volume for free," it's the answer. Start here before you pay for anything.
2. Fader — fastest to actually use
Fader's angle isn't more features than SoundSource — it's less friction. It turns your keyboard into the mixer: hit a toggle hotkey and letter-key columns become per-app faders, so you ride Spotify, Zoom, and a browser without ever opening a panel. Pro adds per-app output routing. At $19.99 one-time with a 3-day trial, it's aimed at people who change levels constantly and resent the trip to a menu every time.
3. eqMac — if EQ is the real goal
eqMac leads with system-wide equalization and adds some volume control. If what you actually want is to shape the sound (bass, clarity) more than to balance apps against each other, it's a better starting point than a pure mixer. Per-app control is lighter than the others here.
4. BlackHole + each app's slider — the DIY route
BlackHole is a free virtual audio device. Combined with multi-output devices and each app's own volume slider, you can hand-build routing setups for nothing. It's powerful and free, but it's a tinkerer's path: you're assembling the plumbing yourself, and there's no per-app volume UI — just the apps' own controls.
5. SoundSource itself — when it's worth it
If you want per-app EQ, audio effects, and the deepest device control in one mature app, SoundSource earns its price. For audio professionals and power users it's still the benchmark. The question is only whether you'll use the depth — if you won't, you're paying for capability you'll never touch.
How to choose
- Free, basic, done: Background Music.
- Fast per-app control from the keyboard: Fader.
- EQ and effects matter most: eqMac or SoundSource.
- You love tinkering and want zero cost: BlackHole.
- You want the deepest pro toolkit: SoundSource.
New to all this? Start with how to control individual app volume on a Mac, which explains the whole category from scratch.
Bottom line
SoundSource is the maximalist choice and it's very good — but most people need a fraction of it. Try Background Music free first. If the thing you keep wishing for is to change a level instantly without hunting for a panel, that's where Fader earns its $19.99.
Try the keyboard-first mixer
Fader: per-app volume and routing, driven from your keyboard. $19.99 one-time, 3-day free trial, no account. macOS 14.4+.