Fraps vs ScreenRec (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fraps and ScreenRec share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about value for money, where Fraps grades higher, or platforms, where ScreenRec does.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fraps
Windows game recorder, frame-rate counter and screenshot tool
ScreenRec
Desktop screen recorder and screenshot tool with instant share links
Which one is for you
Pick Fraps if
- Fits if you want a frame counter and benchmark for DirectX or OpenGL games
- Works for people who want a one-time purchase for game recording
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, since it is Windows only
- Not for you if you play newer games that need other capture methods: it covers DirectX and OpenGL
- Tight if you stay free: the limited version adds a watermark and a recording cap
- Watch out: the latest release is 3.5.99 from February 26, 2013, and later Windows versions aren't named
Pick ScreenRec if
- Fits if your team records on a mix of Windows, Mac and Linux computers
- Works for sending private video links to customers or teammates, at $4.99 a month for business use
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want it free at work, as Free Forever is for personal use only
- Tight if you share a lot: Free allows 10 instant share links a month and Pro 50, and Free also stops at 720p and 50 recordings
- Pricey if you need shared seats, unlimited share links or 4K, as all three start with Premium at $49 a month billed annually
- Not for you if you need a video editor, a phone app or a browser version; the listing shows none of them
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAFrapsFair | 2.4GPAScreenRecFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$37 once, under three months of a typical $14 video subscription, and level with the $37 one-time middle. | BPro is $4.99 a month billed annually ($59.90), landing inside this category's cheapest quarter against a $10 middle, and it allows business use on 3 computers with 50 GB and 1080p60. Shared seats mean Premium at $49. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free download of the unregistered version, but the Buy page says recording length is limited and movies carry a watermark. | CFree Forever has no watermark and no length limit once you sign in. The caps are the problem: personal use only, 720p, 2 GB of storage, 50 recordings, 100 screenshots and 10 instant share links a month. |
| Features | CFrame-rate counter, benchmarks, screenshots on a keypress and game capture up to 7680x4800. It does that job fully, but a narrow one, and only for DirectX and OpenGL games. | CIt covers record and share: webcam, mic and system audio, annotated screenshots, links ready on stop, offline capture, password-protected videos, viewer analytics and metered dictation. There's no video editor in the listing at all, and 4K waits for Premium. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. You install it and press a hotkey to record, with nothing to connect. | BNo store rating on record, and nothing to set up: install it, record, and the link is on your clipboard when you stop. Without an account, recording stops at 5 minutes. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, and the download page lists up to Windows 7. No Mac, Linux, phone or web version, and no integrations. | CComputers only, though all three of them: Windows, Mac and Linux. No phone app, no browser version, and the listing shows no integrations with anything else. |
| Best for | showing frame rates and capturing games on Windows | instant share links on Windows, Mac and Linux |
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: Fraps and ScreenRec. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fraps can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ScreenRec also covers transcription and dictation.
At a glance
| Fraps | ScreenRec | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $37, one-time | $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.90); $8.32 billed monthly |
| Free plan | Free download of the unregistered version. The site says registering removes the recording-length limit and the watermark on movies. | Free Forever, for personal use only: 2 GB of cloud storage, up to 720p, no watermark, 50 recordings, 100 screenshots and 10 instant share links a month, and 5 dictation minutes. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Beepa Pty Ltd | TeddySoft OOD |
| Price read from | fraps.com | screenrec.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Fraps
- Windows only; the download page lists Windows XP, 2003, Vista and Windows 7 and does not name later Windows versions.
- The latest release on the site is 3.5.99, dated February 26, 2013.
- It works with games that use DirectX or OpenGL.
- The free version is limited; the Buy page says registration is needed for unlimited recording and movies without a watermark.
ScreenRec
- The Free Forever plan is for personal use only; business, client or other professional use needs a paid plan.
- Free accounts are capped at 720p, 50 recordings, 100 screenshots and 10 instant share links a month.
- Pro covers a single user; shared seats start with Premium, which includes 5.
- Only Windows, Mac and Linux desktop apps are offered, and recording without an account stops at 5 minutes.
Key features
Fraps
- Frame-rate counter
- Shows frames per second in a corner of the screen while a game runs.
- Custom benchmarks
- Measures the frame rate between any two points and can save the statistics to disk.
- Screenshots on a keypress
- One key takes a screenshot that is named and timestamped automatically.
- Game video capture
- Records audio and video at sizes up to 7680x4800 and custom frame rates from 1 to 120 frames per second.
ScreenRec
- Screen, webcam and audio recording
- Records the whole screen or a selected area together with the microphone, computer audio and a webcam overlay. Signed-in users have no length limit and no watermark.
- Annotated screenshots
- Captures a region of the screen and adds shapes, arrows and comments, then copies the image to the clipboard or saves it to the cloud account.
- Instant share links
- Recordings upload while they are being made, so a private link is ready when recording stops. Automatic uploads are capped at 10 a month on Free and 50 on Pro.
- Offline recording and MP4 export
- Without a connection a capture is saved as a local file and uploaded once the computer is back online. Recordings can also be exported as MP4.
- Access control and viewer analytics
- A viewer can be asked for a password or access can be limited to named users, and analytics show who watched a video and for how long.
- Voice dictation and AI credits
- Dictation turns speech into text, with 5, 180 or 1,200 minutes a month by plan. Monthly AI credits pay for transcripts, captions and generated titles and summaries.
Plans
Fraps
Free version$0
Unregistered download; the Buy page says registration is needed to record as long as you like and to get movies without a watermark.
Registered$37
one-time, paid through PayPal
Unlocked version with unlimited recording length, no watermark, screenshots saved as JPG, PNG or TGA, and free updates from the Members Area.
ScreenRec
Free Forever$0
Personal use only: 1 user on 1 computer, 2 GB of cloud storage, up to 720p, 50 recordings and 100 screenshots a month, and 5 dictation minutes.
Pro$4.99
per month, billed annually ($59.90); $8.32 billed monthly
Business use for 1 user on 3 computers: 50 GB of storage, 1080p at 60 FPS, unlimited recordings and screenshots, pause and resume, and 180 dictation minutes.
Premium$49
per month, billed annually ($587.95); $81.66 billed monthly
5 user seats with centralized billing, 200 GB of storage, 4K recording, unlimited instant share links, 1,200 dictation minutes and priority support.
Ways to pay less
Fraps
No public discounts listed.
ScreenRec
- Annual discount
Save 40% with annual billing
The pricing page shows a 40% saving when paying annually: Pro is $59.90 a year against $8.32 a month, and Premium $587.95 a year against $81.66 a month.
- Education
Free Pro plan for education
The pricing page invites educators to apply for the Pro plan free of charge, or for 50% off a team plan, through an application form.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fraps or ScreenRec?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fraps starts at $37, one-time, and ScreenRec starts at $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.90); $8.32 billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Fraps or ScreenRec?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Fraps and ScreenRec have a free plan.
Which platforms do Fraps and ScreenRec run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ScreenRec lists macOS and Linux apps. Both list a Windows 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.