Fraps vs Kestrel

Fraps8.5Visit KKestrel7.9Visit

Higher score Fraps #4 in Game FPS Counters 8.5/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Fraps

vs

K Kestrel #6 in Game FPS Counters 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Kestrel

• Fraps fits best

  Users wanting FPS counters plus game capture

• Kestrel fits best

  Windows enthusiasts needing detailed per-game telemetry

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Fraps 8.5/10 Visit ↗	KKestrel 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.9
Ranking	#4 in Game FPS Counters	#6 in Game FPS Counters
Best for	Users wanting FPS counters plus game capture	Windows enthusiasts needing detailed per-game telemetry
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$37 one-time	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Support	Tickets, Docs	Community
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Fraps 0/5 · Kestrel 5/5
In-game overlay	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Frame-time display	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
GPU metrics	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Logging or export	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
CLI or API access	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Primary platform	Not checked yet	Windows
Our review
Pros	On-screen FPS counter with benchmarking for DirectX and OpenGL games Capture video up to 7680x4800 and configurable rates up to 100 fps Loop recording, game audio, and screenshots in four image formats	Per-frame timing with 1% and 0.1% lows plus CPU/GPU-bound detection CSV run recording, rolling graphs, profiles, and JSON settings transfer Portable executable monitors GPU, CPU, memory, power, temperatures, and battery
Cons	Windows desktop only, with compatibility listed through Windows 7 No free plan; the registered version costs $37 one-time Version 3.5.99, released in February 2013, is listed as the latest release	Frame-timing metrics require administrator rights Cannot overlay exclusive-fullscreen games Windows-only desktop app with community support
Our verdict	Fraps is a Windows desktop application for recording gameplay from DirectX and OpenGL games, capturing screenshots, and measuring frame rates. Its on-screen counter and benchmarking tools suit players who want performance figures alongside… Read the review →	Kestrel is a portable Windows desktop overlay for monitoring game frame timing and system performance. It is aimed at Windows enthusiasts who want detailed per-game telemetry without installing a kernel driver. The single executable… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Fraps — where it wins

  • On-screen FPS counter with benchmarking for DirectX and OpenGL games
  • Capture video up to 7680x4800 and configurable rates up to 100 fps
  • Loop recording, game audio, and screenshots in four image formats

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows desktop only, with compatibility listed through Windows 7
  • No free plan; the registered version costs $37 one-time
  • Version 3.5.99, released in February 2013, is listed as the latest release

• Kestrel — where it wins

  • Per-frame timing with 1% and 0.1% lows plus CPU/GPU-bound detection
  • CSV run recording, rolling graphs, profiles, and JSON settings transfer
  • Portable executable monitors GPU, CPU, memory, power, temperatures, and battery

  Where it doesn't

  • Frame-timing metrics require administrator rights
  • Cannot overlay exclusive-fullscreen games
  • Windows-only desktop app with community support

• Fraps8.5/10 · Paid

  A focused Windows FPS counter and capture tool with a $37 one-time registered version.

  Visit FrapsFull verdict →
• KKestrel7.9/10 · Free plan

  A detailed, open-source Windows overlay for frame-time and system telemetry.

  Visit KestrelFull verdict →