Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Hear Yourself - Free Mac audio monitor

LineIn by Rogue Amoeba was discontinued in 2017. The alternatives (Audio Hijack, SoundSource) cost $50-120 for a simple passthrough feature. Built a free menu bar app that does one thing: routes your mic to your speakers with ~1.3ms latency. https://github.com/gabrycina/hear-yourself

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.

1
Noizio▲779
Ambient background sounds for your Mac
2014 · noizioapp.com · its alternatives →
2
FnKey▲104
macOS dictation with Deepgram stream
Mar 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →
3
SoundBar▲82
Realtime audio level meter for mac menu bar
2025 · macsoundbar.com · its alternatives →
4
Blankie▲181
Open-source ambient sound mixer now on iOS, CarPlay and Mac
2025 · blankie.rest · its alternatives →
5
HyNote for Mac▲368
Free local transcription that is 100% Private
Aug 2026 · hynote.ai · its alternatives →
6
eqMac▲145
System audio equalizer and volume mixer for macOS
2022 · eqmac.app · its alternatives →
7
eqMac2▲127
The open-source macOS audio optimizer 🎛️
2018 · eqmac.app · its alternatives →
8
PlugTalk▲88
Your Mac talks back when you plug things in
Jun 2026 · plugtalk.thenightwatcher.online · its alternatives →
9
Utterly▲110
Noise cancellation for your online meetings
2021 · utterly.app · its alternatives →
10
Empty Audio▲98
Silence your video effortlessly
2024 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
11
SoundSource 3.0▲102
The sound control that should be built into MacOS
2017 · rogueamoeba.com · its alternatives →
12
VolumeHub▲195
Per-app volume control for macOS with no driver installs
Feb 2026 · volumehub.app · its alternatives →
13
Recordia▲200
Simple audio recorder that lives in your macOS menu bar
2020 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
14
Loopback▲117
Cable free audio routing for Mac
2021 · rogueamoeba.com · its alternatives →
15
Mutify▲70
Use a shortcut on any Mac device to mute your microphone
2019 · mutify.app · its alternatives →
16
Razer Seiren Mini▲187
An ultra-portable streaming mic for just $49
2020 · razer.com · its alternatives →
17
Audio Hijack 4▲163
Record any audio on MacOS
2022 · rogueamoeba.com · its alternatives →
18
MacYaps▲88
Hello HN! After having fun with SlapMac a few weeks ago, I wanted to take the idea further — so I built MacYaps, a menu bar app that makes your Mac talk back with funny sounds (or serious if you wish) for real events like low battery, WiFi drops, charger status changes, high CPU, and USB connections (more triggers to come). Multiple voice packs + full custom sound support included. Short demo found here: https://macyaps.com/demo. Would genuinely appreciate any feedback. Or let me know if you'd like any other triggers in the app. Discount Code: `HACKERNEWS` to get it for $4.49…
Apr 2026 · macyaps.com · its alternatives →
19
StreamPad▲137
Turn your iPhone/iPad into a studio-grade pro control deck
Mar 2026 · streampad-app.github.io · its alternatives →
20
AudioKit Synth One▲87
Free & Open-source iPhone/iPad Synth 🎹
2019 · audiokitpro.com · its alternatives →
21
Soundsource▲70
Switch your Mac audio sources easily
2014 · soundsource.macupdate.com · its alternatives →
22
Soundshine▲3
Share your Mac's audio in any video call with one click
Apr 2026 · soundshine.app · its alternatives →
23
AudioSwift▲68
Use your trackpad as a MIDI controller.
2019 · audioswiftapp.com · its alternatives →
24
Spoke▲102
Dictate into any Mac app by holding a key. Spoke runs fully on-device using local AI — no cloud, no account, no subscription. $9.99 one-time.
Mar 2026 · usespoke.app · its alternatives →

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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →