Kazam vs SimpleScreenRecorder (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SimpleScreenRecorder grades higher than Kazam: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SimpleScreenRecorder grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Kazam if
- Fits if you run Ubuntu and want a plain recorder that saves WebM
- Works for people who want open-source software under the GPL
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or a Mac, since no build is listed
- Not for you if you need MP4 output: files are VP8/WebM and users ask how to convert them
- Too light for tutorials that need editing, annotation or webcam overlays
- Watch out: the page says fixes cover Ubuntu 12.04 only, and the newest questions listed date from 2023
Pick SimpleScreenRecorder if
- Fits if you play or demo on Linux and want an OpenGL capture like Fraps
- Works for people who want to pick their own codecs and keep the software free
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or a Mac, as there is no build for either
- Not for you if you want to edit the recording, because it only records
- Watch out: live streaming is labelled experimental by the author
- Watch out: the Arch Linux package moved to AUR in April 2023 for lack of a maintainer, and the vendor warns simplescreenrecorder.com is a fake site
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAKazamGood | 2.8GPASimpleScreenRecorderGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the GNU GPL v3, with no paid plan. A program anyone can download and run. | AFree software under the GNU GPL, with no paid plan. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole program is free, with no cap, watermark or account. | AThe whole program is free, with no cap or watermark. |
| Features | CRecords the screen to video, with optional audio. It does that job fully, but it is a small one: no editing, and output is WebM only. | BWhole-screen, region and OpenGL capture, pause and resume, a live preview and many codecs and formats. Streaming is marked experimental by the author. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Installs from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA, and the page assumes a PulseAudio setup. | CNo store rating on record. Settings are laid out in a wizard, but codec and format choices are yours to make. |
| Platforms and integrations | DLinux only, and the page talks about Ubuntu. No Windows, Mac, web or phone version and no integrations. | DLinux only. The page lists distributions and no Windows, Mac, web or phone builds, and no integrations. |
| Best for | a bare-bones screen recorder on Ubuntu | recording games and screens on 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: Kazam and SimpleScreenRecorder. How we grade
Price against what you get
Kazam has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SimpleScreenRecorder has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
SimpleScreenRecorder scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, none scores higher than Kazam for less, and none scores higher than SimpleScreenRecorder 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
In commonFree planLinuxOpen sourceScreen recording
At a glance
| Kazam | SimpleScreenRecorder | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3; no paid plans. | Free software distributed under the GNU General Public License; no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Kazam Team | Maarten Baert |
| Price read from | launchpad.net | maartenbaert.be |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Kazam
- The project page describes Ubuntu and PulseAudio setups; no Windows or Mac build is listed.
- The page says fixes are provided only for Ubuntu 12.04 and older releases are unsupported; the newest questions listed date from 2023.
- Output is described as VP8/WebM; a Launchpad question asks how to convert its movie files to MP4.
SimpleScreenRecorder
- Linux only; the project page lists distributions and no Windows or Mac builds.
- The page says the Arch Linux package moved to AUR in April 2023 for lack of a maintainer.
- The vendor warns that simplescreenrecorder.com is a fake site and that only the maartenbaert.be page is official.
Key features
Kazam
- Screen capture to video
- Records the contents of the screen into a video file that any player supporting VP8/WebM can open.
- Audio from PulseAudio devices
- Optionally records sound from any input device that PulseAudio supports and shows.
- Distro packaging
- Available from the Ubuntu Universe repository, with stable and unstable PPAs offered for newer releases.
- Python source on Launchpad
- The code is Python, kept in a Bazaar branch on Launchpad under the GNU GPL v3, with bugs and questions tracked there.
SimpleScreenRecorder
- Screen and OpenGL capture
- Records the entire screen, part of it, or an OpenGL application directly, similar to Fraps on Windows.
- Pause and resume
- Recording can be paused and resumed with a button or a hotkey, with live statistics such as file size and frame rate.
- Preview while recording
- An optional preview shows what is being captured so a wrong setting is noticed before the recording ends.
- Many codecs and formats
- Encodes through libav/ffmpeg libraries, so it supports many codecs and file formats, with custom codec options.
- Experimental live streaming
- Can also stream live, which the author labels experimental, with a how-to page for it.
Plans
Kazam
Free$0
The whole program, licensed under the GNU GPL v3.
SimpleScreenRecorder
Free$0
The whole program, distributed under the GNU General Public License.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kazam or SimpleScreenRecorder?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Kazam and SimpleScreenRecorder are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Kazam or SimpleScreenRecorder?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Kazam and SimpleScreenRecorder have a free plan.
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.