SoundDial vs Loopback

SoundDial vs Loopback at a glance

	SoundDial	Loopback
Main job	Set the volume, EQ and output of each app while you listen	Make virtual audio devices from app and device audio
Price model	€14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription, no in-app purchases	One-time license key, $99 USD on Rogue Amoeba's store (checked 12 November 2026); $49 USD upgrade from Loopback 2
Where you buy it	Mac App Store	Rogue Amoeba's own store (license key); other channels not stated
Try before buying	no free trial; refunds go through Apple	Trial; after 20 minutes, noise is overlaid on audio passing through an active virtual device until you turn the device off and on
macOS	macOS 14.2 or later	macOS 14.5 or later
How it installs	Mac App Store app, sandboxed; does not install a virtual audio driver	Installs the ARK plug-in; needs the administrator password and System Audio and Microphone access; virtual devices persist after you quit
Routing between apps	No	Yes, its core function
Recording	No	Not a recorder; it routes audio to apps that record
Per-app volume	0% to 200%, soft limiter above 100%	Per source inside a virtual device; boost range not stated
Per-app mute	Yes, plus Control-Option-M to mute all apps	Per source inside a virtual device
Equalizer	Per app: 10 bands, 11 presets, plus left/right balance	Not stated
Output device per app	Yes (Play Through)	Not stated
Lowering other apps during calls	Yes, on by default, 5% to 80%	Not stated
Channels	Stereo	Up to 64 per virtual device
Checked on	SoundDial 2.0	Vendor pages, 12 November 2026 (version 2.5.1)

Why SoundDial is the better pick for controlling each app's volume

• It covers the whole Mac. Every app that plays sound gets a row in the menu bar: volume from 0% to 200%, mute, a 10-band equalizer per app with 11 presets, balance and an output device. See per-app volume control on Mac.
• No devices to build. There are no virtual devices to set up and nothing to select as your system output. SoundDial remembers each app's volume, mute, balance, EQ and output device the next time the app opens, and its guided setup takes 6 short pages.
• Calls are handled for you. When a call app such as Zoom, Teams, FaceTime or Discord uses the microphone, other playing apps drop to 30% of their level by default and come back afterwards. You can set that level from 5% to 80%. See audio ducking on Mac.
• It runs on an older macOS. SoundDial needs macOS 14.2; Loopback 2.5.1 lists macOS 14.5 and later. That is the difference for Macs on 14.2, 14.3 and 14.4.
• One App Store purchase. SoundDial is bought, installed and updated through the Mac App Store: €14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription, no in-app purchases, and 1.x buyers got 2.0 as a free update. It does not install a virtual audio driver.

When Loopback fits better

• You need to route audio between apps. Loopback builds a virtual device from app and device audio. SoundDial has no routing.
• Your recording app takes one input. Rogue Amoeba describes GarageBand, Logic and Ableton Live as limited to one audio device at a time, and Loopback combines several sources into one virtual device.
• You need many channels. Loopback lists up to 64 channels per virtual device. SoundDial is stereo only.
• You want monitoring on other devices. Loopback's monitors let other devices play the virtual device's audio.

Is Loopback a volume mixer?

Not in the way SoundDial is. Loopback has volume and mute controls for the sources inside one virtual device, and for the device as a whole. It does not describe a live list of every app playing on your Mac, a per-app EQ or a per-app output device. If your goal is "make Spotify quieter than my video call", SoundDial does that directly.

Does Loopback record audio?

Rogue Amoeba presents Loopback as a way to send audio to apps that record, not as a recorder. For recording, see SoundDial vs Audio Hijack. SoundDial does not record audio either.

What is a virtual audio device for?

Rogue Amoeba describes Loopback as a way to "make a virtual audio device with audio from the applications on your Mac". What plays through the device is whatever you chose to put in: apps, input devices, or a mix of both. Its pages say the device and its sources can be adjusted in volume, and that monitors let other devices play what the virtual device carries. The device keeps existing after you quit Loopback, even across restarts.

That is a different idea from a mixer. A mixer changes how loud an app is on your speakers. A virtual device builds a new input or output that another app can use.

Three cases where Loopback is the right tool

1. A recording app that takes one input. Rogue Amoeba says GarageBand, Logic and Ableton Live are limited to recording from one audio device at a time. Loopback combines several input devices into one virtual device, so the recording app sees a single source.
2. Sending app audio to another app. If you want one app's sound to arrive in another app as an input, you build a virtual device that contains only that app. SoundDial cannot do this.
3. Hearing a virtual device on other speakers. Loopback's monitoring options let other devices play what a virtual device carries. On macOS 27, its release notes add a special source that captures audio the Mac receives via AirPlay.

Where a per-app mixer is the right tool

If you only want Spotify quieter than your video call, a different output for one app, or a boosted video on a quiet laptop, you do not need a new device. You need a list of the apps that are playing and one slider each. That is what SoundDial gives you: volume up to 200%, mute, a per-app EQ, balance and Play Through, plus lowering of other apps during calls. See SoundDial vs SoundSource for another mixer, and lower music during calls for the call case.

Does Loopback install an audio driver?

Rogue Amoeba says Loopback needs its ARK plug-in, and installing it requires the administrator password. Loopback also needs System Audio and Microphone access. Whether a restart is required is not stated. SoundDial does not install a virtual audio driver.

Loopback review: what its pages state

• Maker. Rogue Amoeba Software, Inc.
• Version and date. 2.5.1, 26 October 2026; requires macOS 14.5 or later.
• Price. $99 USD license, $49 USD upgrade from Loopback 2, checked 12 November 2026 on the store page.
• Stated limits. Up to 64 channels per virtual device; the trial adds noise after 20 minutes.
• Not stated. Equalizer, Audio Unit support, per-app output, call ducking, keyboard shortcuts, automation and app languages.

What SoundDial does not do

• It does not route audio between apps and does not create virtual audio devices.
• It does not record audio and does not read microphone audio.
• It is stereo only, so there are no multichannel devices.
• Its equalizer is per app, not system-wide.
• It controls apps, not single browser tabs.
• Profiles do not save the output device.

Is Loopback free?

No. Loopback is a paid license: $99 USD on Rogue Amoeba's store, checked 12 November 2026. The trial lays noise over audio passing through an active virtual device after 20 minutes; turning the device off and on resets it. Refunds are requested within 14 days and handled case by case.

Which macOS does each need?

SoundDial: macOS 14.2 or later. Loopback 2.5.1 (released 26 October 2026): macOS 14.5 or later, per Rogue Amoeba.

Can I use both?

Yes. Loopback routes audio into virtual devices; SoundDial sets how loud each app is. Whether SoundDial's volume changes reach a Loopback device depends on how the audio is captured, which neither vendor's pages state, so test your setup before relying on it.

Who should pick which

• If you want to control the volume of each app from the menu bar, take SoundDial.
• If you want other apps lowered automatically during calls, take SoundDial.
• If you are on macOS 14.2 to 14.4, take SoundDial.
• If you want a per-app mixer bought once on the Mac App Store, take SoundDial.
• If you need to route audio between apps or build virtual devices, take Loopback.

How we compared

SoundDial's column comes from the app itself (see SoundDial facts). Loopback's column comes only from Rogue Amoeba's own pages, checked on 2026-11-12: the Loopback page, the store page, the manual, the release notes and the trial and refund articles in Rogue Amoeba's knowledge base. "Not stated" means the vendor's pages do not say. Loopback was not run for this page; its features are as the vendor describes them. The same maker's per-app mixer is covered in SoundDial vs SoundSource, and every comparison is on Compare.