Background Music Alternative for Mac (2026)

macOS has no built-in per-app volume mixer. The system volume moves every app at once, so if you want Spotify quieter than your call, you need a third-party app. One name that comes up often is Background Music, a free, open-source app. If you are looking for an alternative, here is a fair way to think about it.

Why people look for an alternative

There is nothing wrong with wanting a free, open-source tool. People look elsewhere for ordinary reasons:

• They prefer to install apps from the Mac App Store
• They want a small, focused menu-bar app for per-app volume and mute
• They want to boost a quiet app above 100%
• It doesn't fit their setup, or they simply want to compare options

If Background Music works well for you, there is no reason to switch. If it isn't working on your Mac right now, see Background Music not working on Mac first.

What to look for in a replacement

Decide what you actually need before picking any app:

• Per-app volume. A separate level for each app is the baseline.
• Per-app mute. Silence one app while the rest keep playing.
• Boost. Some apps are too quiet even at their own maximum, so a slider that goes above 100% helps.
• How it is sold and installed. Free download, direct purchase or Mac App Store: pick what you are comfortable with.
• Price model. One-time purchase, subscription or free.

SoundDial: per-app volume from the Mac App Store

SoundDial is a menu-bar app focused on one job:

• Every running app gets its own volume slider
• Per-app volume from 0% to 200%: lower one app, or boost a quiet one
• One-click mute per app while the others keep playing
• Works per app, not per browser tab (all tabs of a browser share one slider)
• Needs macOS 14.2 or later
• €14.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, no subscription
• It does not record anything

To use it, click the SoundDial icon in the menu bar, find the app, and drag its slider or click its mute button.

Other options

• Background Music: a free, open-source app.
• FineTune: a per-app audio project many people find through GitHub. Check its page for current features.
• SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba: $49, sold directly rather than on the Mac App Store. Check Rogue Amoeba's website for its current features.

For any of these, check the project or vendor website for current features, requirements and price. We don't repeat competitor feature claims we can't keep up to date.

Which should you choose?

• Stay with Background Music if it does what you need and you prefer a free, open-source tool.
• Choose SoundDial if you want per-app volume, mute and boost in a Mac App Store app you buy once.

A shorter side-by-side is on our Background Music alternative page, and there is a longer look in Background Music vs SoundDial. More on the app itself: SoundDial, a per-app volume mixer for Mac.

Get SoundDial on the Mac App Store.