The XDA conversation around game upscaling and lazy optimisation hits a real point: the average frame rate number that ships next to every PC review is the wrong number. A game can average 80 FPS and still feel terrible if the 1% lows are 30 and the frame time graph is jagged. We tested eight FPS monitoring apps that surface what really matters: frame time, percentiles, present latency, and the relationship between CPU, GPU, and the actual time the next frame hits the screen.
Every option below runs on Windows. Three of them (PresentMon, MangoHud, the Steam overlay) work on Linux. The list spans the free overlays, the deep capture tools, and the vendor utilities.
What to look for in an FPS monitor
The category is broader than the single FPS counter people imagine:
- Frame time over frame rate. A 16.7 ms average looks great until you see one frame at 60 ms. FPS counters miss the stutter; frame time graphs catch it.
- Percentile reporting. 1% low and 0.1% low are the numbers that predict how smooth the game actually feels.
- Capture and replay. Real benchmarks need a saved log, not a number you glance at. CapFrameX and PresentMon do this; basic overlays do not.
- Overhead. Some overlays add measurable latency themselves. The lighter the better.
- Anti-cheat compatibility. Overlays that hook the game’s render pipeline can trip strict anti-cheat. The vendor tools (FrameView, Adrenalin) avoid this.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CapFrameX | Benchmark capture with rich analysis | Windows | Yes, fully | Percentile graphs, sensor logging, replay |
| MSI Afterburner + RTSS | The customisable overlay standard | Windows | Yes, fully | OSD configurable down to which sensors render where |
| PresentMon | Microsoft’s open-source frame analysis | Windows, Linux | Yes, fully | Per-engine GPU work tracking |
| NVIDIA FrameView | NVIDIA’s official frame analyser | Windows (NVIDIA) | Yes, fully | Includes Reflex latency measurement |
| AMD Adrenalin Overlay | AMD’s built-in performance overlay | Windows (AMD) | Yes, with driver | Anti-Lag 2, per-game profiles |
| Steam FPS Counter | The lowest-overhead glance | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes, with Steam | Free with any game on Steam |
| Fraps | Long-standing legacy benchmark tool | Windows | Free, paid | Frame time CSV, video capture |
| MangoHud | The Linux overlay standard | Linux, Windows (Vulkan) | Yes, fully | Steam Deck and Linux gaming default |
The 8 best FPS monitoring apps
1. CapFrameX — best benchmark capture tool
CapFrameX is the open-source successor to OCAT and the most thorough benchmark tool on Windows. Captures include frame time per frame, GPU sensor data (temperature, clocks, power), CPU sensor data, and present latency, with the data laid out in graphs that highlight stutters at a glance. The recording workflow (“press hotkey, play 60 seconds, press hotkey again”) is the standard for tech reviewers, and the comparison view between captures handles A-B testing cleanly.
Where it falls short: Not an overlay; you need a separate one (Afterburner, FrameView) for the in-game number. Configuration takes a session to get the hotkey, the capture length, and the sensor list right.
Pricing: Free, open-source.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: capframex.com · GitHub
Bottom line: Use this for any benchmark you want to share or revisit later. The data depth is unmatched.
2. MSI Afterburner with RTSS — best customisable overlay
MSI Afterburner plus RivaTuner Statistics Server is the genre standard for an in-game overlay. The OSD configuration lets you pick exactly which sensors render where, in what colour, and at what size, on the screen. The combo also handles frame rate caps, scanline sync, and frame-time graphs in the overlay itself. The Afterburner side adds GPU monitoring, clock control, and undervolting; the RTSS side handles the on-screen display.
Where it falls short: Configuration takes a while. The default OSD is ugly; making it look clean requires editing the layout. Some anti-cheats flag RTSS in strict modes.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: MSI Afterburner · RTSS
Bottom line: The pick when you want a permanent in-game overlay you control completely. Set up once, use forever.
3. PresentMon — best open-source frame analysis
PresentMon is Microsoft’s open-source frame analysis tool, and the 2.0 release (Intel-contributed) is a meaningful upgrade. The overlay shows percentile lows, GPU busy time, CPU busy time, and per-engine GPU work, which is more granular than Fraps-era tools. The fork tracks Microsoft’s official PresentMon library and adds a usable UI and per-game profile support.
Where it falls short: Less polished than the vendor tools. Documentation assumes you know what GPU busy time and present latency are.
Pricing: Free, open-source.
Platforms: Windows, Linux (the Intel fork supports it for Vulkan).
Download: Intel PresentMon · GitHub
Bottom line: The pick when you want vendor-neutral frame analysis with deeper GPU work breakdown than Afterburner gives.
4. NVIDIA FrameView — best NVIDIA-side tool
NVIDIA FrameView is the official frame analysis tool for GeForce cards. It uses PresentMon under the hood, adds NVIDIA-specific telemetry (Reflex end-to-end latency), and ships clean log exports. The Reflex latency number is the killer feature; no other tool measures the time from mouse click to photon on screen in the same way.
Where it falls short: NVIDIA GPUs only. Less customisable overlay than Afterburner.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows (NVIDIA GPU).
Download: NVIDIA FrameView
Bottom line: Run this in any GeForce-based latency test. The Reflex measurement makes it indispensable.
5. AMD Adrenalin Performance Overlay — best AMD-side tool
AMD Adrenalin’s built-in performance overlay covers the basics natively, with no extra install. FPS, frame time, GPU usage, GPU temperature, VRAM usage, CPU usage, and the Anti-Lag 2 status all sit in a configurable corner overlay. Recent Adrenalin releases added the Frame Pacing graph in the metrics overlay, which closes the gap with Afterburner for AMD users.
Where it falls short: AMD GPUs only. Less granular than Afterburner. Logging is shallow.
Pricing: Free with Adrenalin driver.
Platforms: Windows (AMD GPU).
Download: AMD Adrenalin Edition
Bottom line: Already on your machine if you have AMD. Enable it; you do not need anything else for casual monitoring.
6. Steam FPS Counter — best lowest-overhead glance
Steam’s built-in FPS counter is the lowest-friction option. Toggle it from the Steam in-game overlay settings, pick a corner, choose contrast colour, and every Steam game shows the FPS. The overlay overhead is negligible. The numbers are basic (no frame time, no percentiles) but for “is this game running well” the answer is right there.
Where it falls short: FPS only, no frame time, no percentiles, no logging. Works only with Steam games.
Pricing: Free with Steam.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux (and SteamOS).
Download: Steam → Settings → In Game → FPS counter
Bottom line: The simplest answer. Enable it permanently; you have it for free anyway.
7. Fraps — best legacy benchmark tool
Fraps still works on Windows 11. The original frame-time CSV exporter is exactly what reviewers used a decade ago, and for DirectX 9, 10, and 11 games it remains compatible. The video capture feature was its other claim to fame, though OBS replaced it for most workflows.
Where it falls short: Free version limits frame counting to 30-second sessions. Does not support Vulkan or DirectX 12 properly. Updates are infrequent.
Pricing:
- Free: limited frame counting and 30-second video capture
- Paid: $37 one-time for full features
Platforms: Windows.
Download: fraps.com
Bottom line: Worth keeping installed for older games it covers well. For modern DX12 and Vulkan, use PresentMon or CapFrameX.
8. MangoHud — best Linux overlay
MangoHud is the Linux gaming overlay. The Vulkan and OpenGL overlay shows FPS, frame time graphs, GPU and CPU usage, RAM, VRAM, and any sensor you can read with hwmon. The configuration is a single text file, the Steam Deck ships it as the default performance overlay, and the recent updates added percentile reporting in the overlay itself.
Where it falls short: Linux focus. Windows port exists but is rough. Configuration is text-file only; no GUI in the upstream project.
Pricing: Free, open-source.
Platforms: Linux (primary), Windows for Vulkan games.
Download: GitHub (flightlessmango/MangoHud)
Bottom line: The pick on Linux and the Steam Deck. Nothing else comes close.
How to pick
For a quick glance, the Steam FPS counter is enough.
For a permanent in-game overlay with full control, install MSI Afterburner with RTSS.
For benchmarks you want to share or compare later, use CapFrameX alongside your overlay.
For NVIDIA-side latency analysis specifically, use NVIDIA FrameView.
For AMD GPUs, the Adrenalin overlay is built in; enable and move on unless you want CapFrameX’s data depth.
For Linux or Steam Deck, MangoHud is the only real choice.
Use PresentMon when you need vendor-neutral frame analysis with the GPU work breakdown the vendor tools hide.
Skip Fraps unless you specifically need it for an older game.
FAQ
What is the best free FPS counter? The Steam in-game FPS counter is the easiest. MSI Afterburner with RTSS is the most powerful free option. Both cover most needs without paying anything.
Why does my game stutter even at 100 FPS? The average frame rate hides the spikes. A single 50 ms frame between thirty 10 ms frames feels like a hitch even though the average is fine. Use CapFrameX or PresentMon to find the percentile lows; that is the number to fix.
Does NVIDIA FrameView work on AMD? No. AMD users have the Adrenalin overlay and CapFrameX.
Is RTSS allowed by anti-cheat? For most games yes, with strict-mode anti-cheats (Vanguard, EAC strict, BattlEye in some titles) sometimes no. Disable RTSS for those games and use the vendor overlay instead.
What is a good 1% low to target? Within 50% of the average is the working rule. At 100 FPS average, a 1% low above 50 FPS feels smooth. Below 30 FPS feels stuttery regardless of the average.
Does the FPS counter affect performance? The vendor tools (FrameView, Adrenalin, Steam) cost less than one FPS in our testing. RTSS adds a small amount. CapFrameX during capture adds slightly more. None of them noticeably affect gameplay on modern hardware.
