Capturing audio has always been of great importance, especially for content creators. Audio Hijack offers a solution in this regard and is helpful for Mac users so that they can record and capture audio from any source that they’d like. In this article, we talk about Audio Hijack in great detail and also provide you with 8 alternatives.
Part 1: Audio Hijack Review in 5 Aspects
Audio Hijack is a Mac-only software created by Rogue Amoeba and is capable of capturing audio from Microphones, system sounds and audio from different apps. Owing to its sleek design, easy-to-use interface and customizable workflow, professionals often regard Audio Hijack as the App to have. Have a look at the features it offers:
Audio Hijack Features
- It is capable of capturing audio from any microphone or app or website on your Mac.
- You can add effects in real-time with a modular block-based interface.
- Users can even grab the audio from one app as a source, and route it to another app as input audio thanks to the Loopback utility.
- Audio enhancement tools like noise reduction, EQ, Magic Boost and volume blocks.
- Support for live streaming to Shoutcast and Icecast servers.
- You can even record VoIP calls from Skype or Zoom and others.
- Advanced scheduling options ensure automatic recordings.
- The recordings can be stored in any format and high quality.
Audio Hijack Compatibility
Audio Hijack is a strictly MacOS program and doesn’t have a Windows or Linux versions. It’s compatible with the latest MacOS and provides users an easy solution to capture audio.
Audio Hijack Pricing
If you’re a Mac user who wants to use Audio Hijack, you can choose to use the program for free thanks to a trial version with limitations, or you can purchase a one-time license key by paying $64 plus taxes for the latest Audio Hijack 4. If you are the owner of Audio Hijack 3, you can pay an additional $26 plus taxes to upgrade to Audio Hijack 4.
Audio Hijack Pros & Cons
Pros
- It has an intuitive interface that’s easy to use.
- It has versatile features like real-time audio effects and scheduling, which make your life easier.
- Records your audio in excellent quality.
Cons
- Some people find it’s cost to be on the high side.
- Doesn’t really offer any tools to edit your audio.
- Not available for Windows or Linux users.
- Free trial has limitations.
Audio Hijack User Reviews
There aren’t plenty of reviews for Audio Hijack available, but according to Trustpilot reviews, we see an average 4.5/5 star rating. Many users on reddit as well think of Audio Hijack as an amazing tool to capture audio and using the free software might be enough for most users.
Part 2: 8 Audio Hijack Free Alternatives for Mac
We’ve been talking about Audio Hijack for quite a while now, and we think it’s time now to shift our attention towards alternatives for Audio Hijack, all of which are capable of performing the same task.
1. HitPaw Edimakor
- Record audio from various sources and in any format or quality that you want.
- Screen record various apps or games.
- Edit your audio and video recordings with versatile editing features.
- Utilize many AI tools to reduce manual labour.
- Easy to use, offers tons of recording and editing features.
- Full version requires purchase.
2. Audacity
- Extensive audio editing features
- Apply various effects like reverb, cut and trim.
- Open source and an active online community
- Multi-track audio editing
- Deep audio analysis thanks to Audacity’s Spectogram view
- Free to use and open source, advanced audio editing tools.
- Beginners can find the program overwhelming.
3. Piezo
- Grab audio from any app or web.
- Record calls such as on Skype, Zoom or others.
- You can even save music by recording from music services like Apple Music and Spotify.
- Piezo offers one click easy recording functionality.
- Simple to use, quick setup and recording.
- Paid software, free trial has limitations, basic features as compared to Audio Hijack.
4. Loom
- Easy screen and camera recording.
- Sharing via a link for quick collaboration.
- It has made the editing process way much easier.
- Tools for team collaboration.
- Customize backgrounds.
- Add closed captions or transcription.
- Simple interface, easy recording features, cloud sharing capabilities.
- Requires a stable internet connection, limited audio editing tools.
5. Sound Siphon
- Capture audio from any source on Mac, may it be microphones, an app or a website.
- Schedule your recordings so you don’t miss a single opportunity.
- Combine audios from different sources into a single recording in real-time.
- Real-time audio mixing capabilities, high quality audio capture.
- Paid software, setup is more complex.
6. Soundflower
- Works with most audio applications.
- Can route audio between different apps.
- Lightweight and free to use, versatile audio routing abilities.
- Only suitable for advanced users.
7. QuickTime Player
- Record high quality screen recordings.
- High quality audio recording.
- Choose audio input from any of the available microphones.
- Playback audio and video files with ease.
- Simple to use, record screen and audio, free.
- Doesn’t have advanced audio editing features.
8. Recordia
- Records audio from any input device.
- Simple interface
- Supports MP3 and WAV format.
- Simple interface, quickly records audio.
- Doesn’t let you route audio between apps, advanced features are missing.
When we’re talking about audio capturing software like Audio Hijack, top on our list is HitPaw Edimakor, and it is ranked there because not only is it capable of recording audio, but it can record your screen and provide you with enough editing options. It is an AI video editor and screen recorder. Have a look at all its features:
Compatibility: Windows and MacOS.
Pricing: $19.95/month $69.95 for a perpetual license.
Features
Pros
Cons
Are you looking for the most popular open source and free audio recording and editing software? Audacity is the answer. For all those who are just generally working with sounds and want to experiment, they should use Audacity.
Compatibility: Available for MacOS, Windows and Linux.
Pricing: Free to use.
Features
Pros
Cons
Another Rogue Amoeba’s product, Piezo, is a Mac-only audio recording software aimed at making the process way easier. Thanks to Piezo, you can record audio from any microphone or app on your Mac without any hassle.
Compatibility: MacOS only.
Pricing: $25 for one-time license key purchase.
Features
Pros
Cons
Loom is much more than a simple audio recording tool, rather it’s an AI powered video messaging tool aimed at making video messaging way much easier. Besides amazing video recording capabilities, it also has tools to make audio recording a hassle free experience.
Compatibility: Available for Windows, Mac and Chrome Extension.
Pricing: There are different tiers: Starter - Free; Business - $15/monthly; Business+ AI - $20/monthly.
Features
Pros
Cons
A product by StaticZ, Sound Siphon is a perfect alternative of Audio Hijack, as it’s capable of performing almost similarly. Being able to record from various sources on your Mac and feeding the audio from one source as an input to another source is a child’s play for Sound Siphon.
Compatibility: MacOS only.
Pricing: $49 for one-time license key.
Features
Pros
Cons
Another one of Rogue Amoeba’s products that is no longer supported by Rogue Amoeba, rather is maintained by Soundflower’s original creator and is available for free as a kernel extension on MacOS. It basically acts to create a virtual audio output device that can also act as an input.
Compatibility: MacOS only.
Pricing: It is free to use.
Features
Pros
Cons
QuickTime Player is one of the pre-installed applications on MacOS that’s not only capable of recording audio on your Mac, but also recording screen and webcam. It is a free-to-use application and can easily be accessed from the menu.
Compatibility: MacOS only.
Pricing: Free to use.
Features
Pros
Cons
If you’re in the market for a simple and free voice recording app that can be easily accessed, Recordia is your answer. You can get this product from the Mac App Store, and it does exactly what it advertises, simple audio recording. Choose from any of the audio sources and you’re good to go.
Compatibility: MacOS only.
Pricing: Free to use.
Features
Pros
Cons
Part 3: FAQs on Audio Hijack
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Q1. Is Audio Hijack trustworthy?
A1. Yes, Audio Hijack is a reliable audio recorder for Mac computers and is indeed quite a robust program with audio recording and editing features.
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Q2. Is Audio Hijack legal?
A2. Despite what its name suggests, Audio Hijack is a completely legal product, and you can use it to capture or route audio between apps without having to worry about breaking any laws.
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Q3. Is Audio Hijack free?
A3. No, Audio Hijack isn’t a free software. Although it has a free trial, it can’t be regarded as free. The license key sells for $64 and the trial version comes with limited access.
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Q4. How do I remove Audio Hijack from my Mac?
A4. Removing Audio Hijack from Mac is quite easy, all you’d have to do is open the Applications folder and drag the icon for Audio Hijack to trash. Also delete any associated files from the Library folder.
Conclusion
Robust audio recording tools like Audio Hijack provide many features for amateur audio editors and professionals. However, its cost can be a bit too much for many users, especially occasional users. So many people look for free Audio Hijack alternatives for Mac. We have list 8 options for you, including the advanced video editor and screen recorder - HitPaw Edimakor. Download and try it for free now.
HitPaw Edimakor (Video Editor)
- Create effortlessly with our AI-powered video editing suite, no experience needed.
- Add auto subtitles and lifelike voiceovers to videos with our AI.
- Convert scripts to videos with our AI script generator.
- Explore a rich library of effects, stickers, videos, audios, music, images, and sounds.
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Yuraq Wambli
Editor-in-Chief
Yuraq Wambli is the Editor-in-Chief of Edimakor, dedicated to the art and science of video editing. With a passion for visual storytelling, Yuraq oversees the creation of high-quality content that offers expert tips, in-depth tutorials, and the latest trends in video production.
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