Flameshot vs Kap (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Flameshot and Kap share a 3.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Flameshot if
- Fits if you want the same screenshot tool on Windows, Mac and Linux at no cost
- Works for captures that need an arrow and a pixelated email address before you send them
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on GNOME with Wayland and want no fuss, since support is experimental and it asks to share the screen every time
- Not for you if you upload a lot, because the shared Imgur client ID can run into Imgur's hourly quota
- Too light for screen recording or scrolling captures, as neither is listed
- Watch out: downloads are 64-bit only, Macs need screen recording permission first, and GNOME needs an AppIndicator extension
- Not for you if you want it on a phone or in a browser, since it's a desktop program only
Pick Kap if
- Fits if you record short Mac screen clips and share them as GIFs
- Works for people comfortable getting help from a GitHub issue tracker
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Not for you if your Mac is older than macOS 12
- Too light for you if you want to edit video beyond trimming
- Watch out: support goes through GitHub issues, not a paid channel
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFlameshotVery good | 3.0GPAKapVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, a plain download on all three systems, with the main code under GPLv3+. There's no paid version, and the project says it doesn't even accept direct donations. | AFree and open source. No paid plan is listed. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free on Windows, macOS and Linux. Nothing is kept back for a paid tier, because there isn't one. | AThe whole app is free, with no limit or trial. |
| Features | CThe marked-up screenshot is a narrow job and Flameshot covers it: drag a box, then arrows, text, shapes, highlights, a counter and blur that pixelates, plus a history, Imgur upload and terminal commands. No screen recording or scrolling capture is listed, and Wayland support is still called experimental. | CRecording with audio, click highlights, trimming and four export formats, plus share plugins. It does the recording job, but the site describes no full video editing. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up: launch, drag, annotate, save. On a Mac you grant screen recording permission first, and GNOME users need an AppIndicator extension to see the tray icon. | BInstall, pick an area and record. Nothing to set up, though no store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, macOS and Linux, but it's a desktop program and nothing more: no phone apps, no web version, and the only thing it talks to is Imgur. Three operating systems is still one kind of device. Downloads are 64-bit only. | CMac only, Apple silicon and Intel. No Windows, Linux or phone version. |
| Best for | free marked-up screenshots on any desktop | a free Mac screen recorder that exports GIFs |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Flameshot and Kap. How we grade
Price against what you get
Flameshot has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Kap has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than Flameshot for less, and none scores higher than Kap for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Flameshot also covers screenshots.
- Kap also covers screen recording.
In commonFree planmacOSOpen source
At a glance
| Flameshot | Kap | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole app is free and open source, with its main code under GPLv3+. The project says it does not accept direct donations. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Flameshot contributors | Wulkano |
| Price read from | flameshot.org | getkap.co |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Flameshot
- GNOME Wayland and Plasma Wayland support is described as experimental, and GNOME 41 or later asks to share the screen on every capture.
- It relies on a system tray; GNOME users need an AppIndicator extension to see the icon.
- The upload tool sends images to Imgur anonymously, and the shared client ID can run into Imgur's hourly quota.
- Downloads are 64-bit only, and on macOS it must be granted screen recording permission before it can capture anything.
Kap
- Mac only; there are no Windows, Linux or mobile versions.
- Requires macOS 12 or later.
- The site describes recording, trimming and export, not full video editing.
- Free and open source, so support runs through the GitHub project's issue tracker rather than a paid channel.
Key features
Flameshot
- Area capture with in-place editing
- Launch it, drag a selection box over the area you want and annotate directly on screen before saving the shot, without opening a separate editor.
- Annotation tools
- Arrows, lines, pencil, marker highlights, text, rectangles, circles, solid color boxes and an incrementing counter, plus a blur tool that turns into pixelation at larger sizes.
- Customizable interface
- A configuration dialog sets the interface color, which tool buttons appear, the keyboard shortcuts and how images are saved.
- Command-line interface
- Terminal commands capture a region or the full screen without opening the GUI first, with options for a delay, a save path and copying to the clipboard.
- Upload to Imgur
- Uploads a selection to Imgur after a warning and lets you delete it afterwards. Since version 11.0.0 you can set your own Imgur Client ID for a separate upload quota.
- Tray icon and history
- Runs in the background with a system tray icon for configuration, and keeps a screenshot history that a shortcut opens.
Kap
- Several export formats
- Export a recording as GIF, MP4, WebM or APNG, with optional audio.
- Click highlights and trimming
- Highlight mouse clicks while recording and trim the clip before exporting.
- Plugin sharing
- Plugins send recordings to Giphy, Streamable and Vercel; the site links the plugin projects on GitHub.
- Open source
- The code is public on GitHub under the MIT license, so anyone can read it, report issues or contribute.
- Apple silicon and Intel builds
- Separate downloads are offered for M1-class and Intel Macs; macOS 12 or later is required.
Plans
Flameshot
Flameshot$0
The complete app as a Windows installer or portable build, a macOS dmg or Homebrew cask, and a Linux AppImage, Snap, Flatpak or distribution package.
Kap
Free$0
Open-source under the MIT license, with downloads for Apple silicon and Intel Macs and no paid tier.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Flameshot or Kap?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Flameshot and Kap are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Flameshot or Kap?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Flameshot and Kap have a free plan.
Which platforms do Flameshot and Kap run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Flameshot lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.