The Kazam Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kazam in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Kazam
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source screencaster for Linux desktops
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from Kazam’s own pages.
Made by Kazam Team · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Kazam’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kazam’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 89 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Kazam, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Installs from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA, and the page assumes a PulseAudio setup.
- 1
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.
- 2
It is free
Kazam has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3; no paid plans.
- 3
It runs on Linux
Linux.
- 4
Screen capture to video
Records the contents of the screen into a video file that any player supporting VP8/WebM can open.
- 5
Audio from PulseAudio devices
Optionally records sound from any input device that PulseAudio supports and shows.
- 6
Distro packaging
Available from the Ubuntu Universe repository, with stable and unstable PPAs offered for newer releases.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 89 of 133
That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Kazam is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Kazam at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Linux
- Made by
- Kazam Team
- Category
- Screen Recording & Video
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3, with no paid plan. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole program is free, with no cap, watermark or account. |
| Features | C | Records 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Installs from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA, and the page assumes a PulseAudio setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Linux only, and the page talks about Ubuntu. No Windows, Mac, web or phone version and no integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Ubuntu users who want a light recorder with no cost
- Quick screencasts that need a basic interface
- People who prefer open-source software
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Kazam is free to use.
The whole program is free, with no cap, watermark or account.
Free
$0
The whole program, licensed under the GNU GPL v3.
The free plan
Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3; no paid plans.
Read from launchpad.net on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Linux
Free open-source screencaster for Linux desktops. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, screen recording.
Records the screen to video, with optional audio.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Kazam is made by Kazam Team.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
89/133
Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above
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
- AFree plan and trialAbove 117 of 133
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 133
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 133
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 133
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 102 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kazam is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
SimpleScreenRecorder, OBS Studio, ScreenRec, Cap and ScreenToGif
The 5 tools Kazam is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
SimpleScreenRecorder
Free
- 2.8GPA
OBS Studio
Free
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming.
- Only OBS Studio lists Windows and macOS apps.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation.
- 2.4GPA
ScreenRec
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Desktop screen recorder and screenshot tool with instant share links.
- Only ScreenRec lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Kazam is open source, according to its own site.
- ScreenRec also covers transcription, dictation and screenshots.
- 3.2GPA
Cap
Free plan · from $29/yr
Open-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor.
- Only Cap lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Cap lists a browser extension.
- Cap is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
ScreenToGif
Free
Free Windows recorder that turns screen captures into GIFs.
- Only Kazam lists a Linux app.
- Only ScreenToGif lists a Windows app.
- ScreenToGif also covers video editing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Kazam free?
Yes. Kazam is free to use.
How much does Kazam cost?
Kazam lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Kazam work on?
Kazam is available on Linux.
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.
Who makes Kazam?
Kazam is made by Kazam Team.
What are the alternatives to Kazam?
The closest alternatives to Kazam in our directory are SimpleScreenRecorder, OBS Studio, ScreenRec, Cap and ScreenToGif.
How does Kazam compare with other 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.
Is Kazam good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kazam A for value for money. Kazam has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Kazam?
Kazam is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kazam’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Kazam Team. Prices change, so check launchpad.net before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kazam, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kazam
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Kazam: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kazam
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kazam/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded screen recording and video tools after Kazam, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Screen Recording & Video Insider's GuideEvery one of the 134 screen recording and video tools we grade, compared
- DaVinci Resolve Insider's GuideVideo editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app3.4 GPA
- Zencastr Insider's GuideFree podcast recording, chat-based editing and hosting in one app3.4 GPA
- Cap Insider's GuideOpen-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Kazam’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Kazam is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kazam Team. Prices and plans change: check launchpad.net before you buy.