Kazam review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source screencaster for Linux desktops
Kazam report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a bare-bones screen recorder on Ubuntu
Kazam is a free, open-source screen recorder for Linux that saves WebM video and can record PulseAudio sound. It does that one job and nothing more, the project page describes Ubuntu 12.04-era support, and no Windows or Mac build exists.
Who Kazam is for
- Fits if you run Ubuntu and want a plain recorder that saves WebM
- Works for people who want open-source software under the GPL
Who Kazam is not for
- 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
Why Kazam gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree and open source under the GNU GPL v3, with no paid plan. A program anyone can download and run.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole program is free, with no cap, watermark or account.
- CFeaturesRecords 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.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. Installs from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA, and the page assumes a PulseAudio setup.
- DPlatforms and integrationsLinux only, and the page talks about Ubuntu. No Windows, Mac, web or phone version and no integrations.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the Kazam project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/kazam#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/kazam.svg" alt="Kazam: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Kazam stands among screen recording and video tools
Kazam's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 89 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 14.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 117 of 133) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Kazam has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 134 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kazam’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 102 of 133, level with 31
- AFree plan and trialAbove 117 of 133, level with 16
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 133, level with 77
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 133, level with 84
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 133, level with 16
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 102 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Kazam, or make your own?
Keep it
Kazam is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 89 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools we grade.
What you could not
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- A real app for Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Kazam’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Kazam?
Kazam is a simple screen recording program that captures the screen and writes a video file that plays in any player supporting VP8/WebM. Audio can be recorded from any input device visible to PulseAudio. It is distributed under the GNU GPL v3 and is installed from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Kazam pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kazam is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3; no paid plans.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The whole program, licensed under the GNU GPL v3. |
Read from launchpad.net on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Kazam before you buy.
Kazam alternatives
- Kazam vs ScreenRec
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
- Kazam vs Cap
Free plan · from $29/yr
Common questions
Does Kazam have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kazam is listed for Linux.
Does Kazam have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kazam is listed for Linux.
Is Kazam open source?
Yes. Kazam is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.