Looking for a way to track your framerate in games on Windows? In this post, we’ve listed seven of the best FPS counter programs currently available.
Right now, PC gamers have access to a wide variety of FPS counters. With so many choices available, finding the right FPS counter isn’t always easy.
If you know what the best FPS counters are, though, and what each one of those FPS counters offers, the process becomes easier.
By reading this list, you will learn all about the best FPS counters and what these FPS counters have to offer. With this information, you can find the FPS counter that’s right for you.
Table of Contents
1. FRAPS
3. RadeonPro
5. Steam’s In-Game FPS Counter
6. Razer Cortex
7. FPS Monitor
FRAPS
Released in 1999, FRAPS is both the first and oldest FPS counter on this list.
Even though it’s old and hasn’t been updated in eight years, it works very well and is compatible with nearly every version of Windows.
Before we look at how to use FRAPS, there is one thing to mention: FRAPS only works for games that rely on either DirectX or OpenGL.
So, if you’re playing a game like Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, which relies on Vulkan, you will be unable to track that game’s framerate with FRAPS.
As for how to use FRAPS, the process is simple.
Just go to the website, click “Download,” and install the program.
After FRAPS is installed, open it, and click the “FPS” tab.
Right underneath “Benchmark Settings,” you will see a box labeled “FPS.”
Click on that box and press “Apply.”
After you close the window, turn on your game and press “F11.”
You will then be able to observe your framerate while playing your game.
GeForce Experience
NVIDIA developed the GeForce Experience program for NVIDIA GPUs.
If you don’t have an NVIDIA GPU, then GeForce Experience will not work.
But, if you do use an NVIDIA GPU, you can download GeForce Experience and use the numerous features it has to offer.
Some of these features include recording gameplay, adding visual filters to the game you are playing, and monitoring GPU usage more thoroughly.
Each one of these features is completely free. Just install GeForce Experience, and you’ll be able to use them.
To activate the FPS counter, along with any other features, click the “Settings” button.
You can then choose which features you want to activate and what those features do, and how they work.
For framerate tracking, click on “HUD Layout.” In this menu, you can choose where your framerate will be displayed. Then, you can press “Apply,” close the menu, and turn on a game.
Once you start a game, you will need to press “Alt” and “Z” simultaneously to turn on the framerate tracker.
After the framerate tracker is turned on, you can press “Alt” and “Z” again to turn it off.
Radeon Overlay
Just like GeForce Experience, Radeon Overlay was developed by AMD for AMD GPUs.
If you don’t use an AMD GPU, then you can’t use Radeon Overlay.
But, of course, if you do, then Radeon Overaly, and all the features it offers, are available to you.
For the most part, these are the same features GeForce Experience offers.
Some of these features include monitoring your performance, recording gameplay, adjusting visuals, and, of course, tracking your framerate.
To make use of these features, download and install AMD’s Radeon software.
After that, turn on Radeon Overlay, go into the “Settings” menu, and activate the FPS counter, as well as any other features you would like to use.
The entire process is nearly effortless, making this a simple, easy-to-use FPS counter.
MSI Afterburner
For many years, MSI Afterburner has been the go-to program for those who enjoy overclocking their GPU and monitoring every facet of their PC’s power usage.
Check out our guide on how to use MSI Afterburner.
Beyond those two functions, though, MSI Afterburner also serves as a great FPS counter.
To make use of MSI Afterburner and the features it offers, download and install the program.
After downloading MSI Afterburner and opening it, click “Settings” and, then, the “Monitoring” tab.
By clicking on that tab, you will be taken to a list of different features. Each one of these features involves monitoring specific aspects of your PC’s performance, such as RAM usage and GPU usage, as well as your framerate.
Just check the “Framerate” box, as well as “Show In On Screen Display.”
As soon as that’s done, click “Apply” and turn on your game.
You will be able to see your framerate, as well as the other performance stats you activated.
Steam’s In-Game FPS Counter
Steam comes with a built-in FPS counter.
By using this FPS counter, you can eliminate the need for an additional program. That way, your PC uses less processing power, which may improve your framerate.
To activate Steam’s in-game FPS counter, go to Steam’s “Settings” menu.
Right after that, click the “In-Game” tab.
You will see the “In-Game FPS” dropdown menu.
The default setting is “Off.” But, if you click the menu, you can choose which part of the screen your framerate displays, activating the FPS counter.
Every time you play a game through Steam, you will be able to see your framerate.
Razer Cortex
Even though Razer Cortex was developed by Razer and is, presumably, meant for those who use Razer peripherals, you can use it without owning any Razer products.
For you to do this, go to the website and download the program.
Soon after the brief installation process, you can activate the built-in framerate tracker.
Just open the program, click the “FPS” tab, and click “Show FPS Overlay While In-Game.”
In that same menu, you can choose where, on the screen, your framerate is displayed.
Outside of framerate tracking, Razer Cortex is also a “Game Booster.” You can use the program to eliminate unnecessary processes, which may improve your framerate.
FPS Monitor
Every single one of the FPS counters in this list is free or offers a free version.
But, FPS Monitor is different. To acquire this program, you will need to spend a little bit of money.
By doing so, however, you will receive one of the most elaborate FPS counters available.
With FPS Monitor, you can track your CPU usage, GPU usage, HDD usage, RAM usage, and network usage.
Each one of these features makes it easy to see why your current framerate is what it is and what you should do to improve that framerate.
To go along with that, you can create your own custom FPS tracking overlay.
So, if you want to use a specific font with a distinctive color and a particular text outline—all for the FPS counter that you see while in-game—you can use FPS Monitor to do so.
No matter the features you wish to use, you must first purchase and install FPS Monitor.
Once you’ve done that, you can turn on the program and enter the “Settings” menu.
You will be met with a variety of features. Each of these features is labeled clearly, making it easy to find and activate the ones you would like to use.
Right after you click “Apply” and close the menu, you will be able to track your framerate, along with any other aspect of your PC’s performance.
