The best FPS counter for Windows is usually the one already built into your game platform or graphics software: Steam’s performance monitor for Steam games, NVIDIA App for supported GeForce systems, or AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition for compatible Radeon systems. For customized hardware monitoring, use MSI Afterburner with RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS); for recorded measurements and comparisons, consider NVIDIA FrameView or CapFrameX.
These tools are not interchangeable: some show a live overlay, while others also log, capture, or analyze performance. The recommendations below are based on documented features, not comparative lab tests.
How to choose an FPS counter
Start with the software you already use, then match the tool to what you want to see. A basic live counter is different from a benchmarking workflow that records frame times or compares captures.
- Platform and hardware: Steam’s monitor is intended for Steam games; NVIDIA App is for supported GeForce systems; Adrenalin metrics require compatible Radeon hardware and the full software installation.
- What it measures: Depending on the tool, you may see only FPS or also frame time, percentiles, system utilization, temperature, latency, or power.
- How you will use it: Choose an overlay for a live readout, or a logging and capture tool when you want to analyze or compare runs.
- What “FPS” means: Readings may distinguish base-game frames from frames that include frame generation. Confirm what a counter reports before comparing it with another tool or a benchmark.
No comparable independent test establishes the performance overhead of all seven programs, so these recommendations do not promise that an overlay has zero impact.
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7 FPS counter programs for Windows
1. Steam In-Game Overlay Performance Monitor
Best for: Steam players who want a built-in overlay with more than an FPS number.
Steam’s monitor can display FPS, CPU, GPU, and system RAM information. It can also distinguish base-game FPS from FPS that includes frame generation. See Steam’s guide to the In-Game Overlay Performance Monitor for its setup and available options. Its documented use is tied to the Steam overlay; the documentation does not establish it as a universal counter for games outside Steam.
2. NVIDIA App overlay statistics
Best for: GeForce users who already use NVIDIA App and want a convenient live readout.
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NVIDIA describes real-time FPS and performance statistics that include GPU and CPU utilization, 1% low FPS, and system latency. Check NVIDIA App’s current information for supported systems and software details before relying on a particular overlay option.
3. AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition metrics overlay
Best for: Compatible Radeon users who want a configurable in-game metrics display.
AMD’s overlay can show frame rate, frame time, 99th-percentile FPS, stutter rate, GPU utilization and temperature, and CPU measures. Metrics can be customized and logged. AMD says the feature requires a compatible Radeon system with the full Adrenalin installation, rather than a minimal driver-only setup. The documented default overlay toggle is Ctrl+Shift+O; interface steps may differ from the screenshots in the guide, which are based on Adrenalin 23.9.1. Consult AMD’s performance metrics guide for current details.
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4. MSI Afterburner
Best for: Users who want to choose which hardware monitoring values appear in a game.
In MSI Afterburner, open Settings → Monitoring, select the metrics you want, then enable Show in On-Screen Display for each. MSI’s documented in-game hardware OSD setup also requires RTSS, and both programs must stay running in the background. Overclocking is not required just to use the FPS display. Download Afterburner from MSI or Guru3D, as MSI warns about lookalike and phishing installers. See MSI’s Afterburner instructions.
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5. RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS)
Best for: Users who want control over an on-screen display, often in combination with Afterburner.
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RTSS is a separate overlay utility. In MSI’s documented setup, it enables the in-game display of Afterburner’s selected hardware metrics and lets users control OSD appearance. A reader who only wants a simple FPS number may find the extra setup less convenient than a built-in platform or GPU overlay. MSI’s Afterburner guide explains the relationship between the two programs.
6. NVIDIA FrameView
Best for: Users who want measurement and logs alongside an overlay.
FrameView reports frame rates, frame times, power, and performance-per-watt information. Its configurable real-time display and logging use PresentMon. NVIDIA says it supports a wide range of graphics cards, major APIs, and UWP apps; power reporting differs by vendor: NVIDIA cards report chip and board power, while AMD cards report chip power only. NVIDIA’s product page advertises version 1.9; check the matching guide for API-specific overlay compatibility before troubleshooting a game. Details are available on NVIDIA’s FrameView page.
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7. CapFrameX
Best for: Users who want to capture gameplay performance and compare runs, rather than just keep a counter onscreen.
CapFrameX analyzes frame times, FPS, percentiles, and stuttering, and supports aggregation and comparison of captures. It includes a hook-free overlay; an RTSS renderer is also available, but requires RTSS installed separately. The project documentation lists Windows x64 and .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (x64), and setup checks for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. See the CapFrameX project documentation for requirements and setup information.
Game detection relies largely on PresentMon and can fail. CapFrameX recommends current Windows 10 or Windows 11; if several processes are detected, you may need to select the one to capture. Overlapping PresentMon-based monitoring in other tools can also conflict, so disable duplicate FPS or frametime metrics if captures behave unexpectedly. The CapFrameX FAQ covers detection and overlay issues.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which tool should you use?
| Tool | Best fit | Notable documented capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Performance Monitor | Steam games | FPS, CPU, GPU, system RAM; distinguishes base-game FPS from FPS including frame generation |
| NVIDIA App | Supported GeForce systems | FPS, GPU and CPU utilization, 1% low FPS, system latency |
| AMD Adrenalin metrics | Compatible Radeon systems with full Adrenalin installation | Frame rate, frame time, 99th-percentile FPS, stutter rate, GPU and CPU measures; logging |
| MSI Afterburner + RTSS | Custom hardware OSD | Selected monitoring metrics displayed in games; both programs must run |
| RTSS | Overlay control, commonly alongside Afterburner | In-game OSD support and appearance controls in MSI’s documented setup |
| NVIDIA FrameView | Measurement and logs | Frame rates, frame times, power, performance per watt, real-time display and logging |
| CapFrameX | Captures and run comparisons | Frametime and stutter analysis, percentiles, aggregation and comparison |
How to get a useful reading
For a live FPS check
Use the least complicated option already in your software stack: Steam’s monitor for a Steam game, NVIDIA App on a supported GeForce system, or Adrenalin on a compatible Radeon setup. If you use Afterburner for hardware values, configure the metrics under Settings → Monitoring, enable Show in On-Screen Display, and keep RTSS and Afterburner open.
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For benchmarking
Use a logging or capture workflow such as FrameView or CapFrameX, and compare like-for-like runs: the same game, scene, settings, and measurement method. A single instantaneous FPS reading is not a complete benchmark result. When comparing tools, check whether they count base-game frames or include frame generation; the number can differ without either counter being faulty.
What about Xbox Game Bar?
Microsoft confirms that Game Bar widgets can be pinned over games and opened with Win+G, but its Game Assist FAQ does not confirm an FPS metric or its current support conditions. A secondary guide lists Game Bar as an FPS counter, but the Microsoft documentation available for this feature does not substantiate that claim. Treat it as unverified rather than relying on it for an FPS readout.
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