# Kap Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Open-source screen recorder built with web technology Category: Media & Entertainment · Free · Open source · Replaces ScreenFlow ($169) · [Official website](https://getkap.co) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask kap` ## Quick take Kap's menu-bar GIF/MP4 workflow is still pleasant when the binary runs, but August 2026 reality is a multi-year release freeze on v3.6.0 (28 October 2022). That makes Kap a legacy free utility rather than an actively evolving default. Prefer Cap, OBS Studio, or a maintained paid recorder such as CleanShot X for new team standards. Keep Kap only where an existing plugin workflow still works on your macOS version and you accept that upstream will not ship timely fixes. Best for: Frontend Developers, UI/UX Designers, Open Source Contributors ## What is Kap? As of August 2026, treat Kap's shipping status carefully: the latest stable GitHub release is still v3.6.0 (28 October 2022), with no newer stable tags through mid-2026 even though getkap.co still offers Apple Silicon and Intel builds for macOS 12+. The app can remain useful for short GIF and MP4 demos, but it is effectively in maintenance stagnation next to actively released tools such as Cap (cap.so), OBS Studio, Screen Studio, CleanShot X, and the built-in macOS Screenshot toolbar.\n\nKap is an open-source macOS screen recorder that mixed web UI with native capture. Created by Wulkano, a design-led open-source collective, it aimed at a lightweight, extensible tool between the system recorder and heavy pro suites. The UI is Electron; capture runs through a custom Swift library named Aperture, so frame capture stays on AVFoundation instead of pure web tech.\n\nIn 2026 Kap can still work for short demos when the binary runs on your Mac. Its Node plugin layer can push captures to services like Vercel, S3, or Giphy right after recording. It supports APNG and WebM alongside MP4 and GIF, which still suits docs, bug reports, and short social clips. Version 3.6 remains free and watermark-free under the MIT License, but with no stable tag since October 2022 it is a legacy free option next to paid tools like CleanShot X and actively shipped FOSS recorders like Cap. If you already have a working Kap plugin chain, keep it. If you are choosing a default for a new team standard, pick something that still ships releases. ## Features - **High-Fidelity Export Engine.** Kap exports GIF, MP4, WebM, and APNG through FFmpeg under the hood. You set FPS and resolution scaling before export, so the same capture can become a 60 FPS MP4 for a deck and a 15 FPS GIF for Slack. Designers use that for crisp loops; developers use compact WebM for docs and issue trackers. There is no watermark and no paid export tier, which mattered when Kap was the free default, and still matters if the binary works on your Mac. - **Modular Plugin System.** Kap's differentiator is a Node.js plugin layer. Community plugins intercept the file after recording and can upload to AWS S3, Imgur, or Giphy, or copy the buffer to the clipboard. A developer can record a bug, let a Vercel or clipboard plugin publish the file, and paste a URL into a GitHub issue without hunting through Finder. Plugins load from the Preferences Plugins tab; restart Kap after install so they register. - **Aperture Capture Technology.** The UI is Electron, but screen recording runs through Aperture, a Wulkano Swift library on AVFoundation. Frame capture stays native, which keeps CPU use lower during 4K recording and reduces the laggy-Electron stereotype. Users can record UI animations or code scrolling with fewer dropped frames than a pure web capture stack. - **Smart Cropping & Aspect Ratios.** Kap snaps the capture frame to window borders and common aspect ratios such as 16:9, 4:3, and 1:1. You can type exact pixel dimensions or lock the frame to one app window so desktop clutter stays out of the take. That helps tutorial series and product demos that need consistent framing. A social media workflow might flip to 1:1 for a square clip aimed at Instagram or LinkedIn without opening a second editor. - **Built-in Trimming & Editing.** Before export, Kap opens a light editor to trim start and end points and crop the frame. Editing is non-destructive on the buffered capture, so quality holds until the final render. That saves opening a full editor just to cut the awkward start and stop moments on a short clip. ## How to Install Kap on Mac Kap can be installed via direct download or package manager. The Homebrew method is recommended for easier updates. 1. **Install via Homebrew.** Open your terminal and run: brew install --cask kap 2. **Manual Download.** Alternatively, download the latest .dmg file from getkap.co and drag it to your Applications folder. 3. **Grant Permissions.** On first launch, follow the macOS prompts to grant 'Screen Recording' and 'Microphone' permissions in System Settings. ## Pros - **Completely Free & Open Source**, No hidden costs, subscriptions, or watermarks ever. - **Modern, Minimalist UI**, Designed specifically for macOS, looking native and uncluttered. - **Plugin ecosystem** - Extensible with JavaScript to integrate with many web services. - **Multiple Export Formats**, Native support for GIF, MP4, WebM, and APNG out of the box. - **Native capture** - Uses Swift (Aperture) for recording, so capture stays smooth on Apple Silicon. - **Privacy First**, All processing happens locally; no cloud uploads unless you explicitly configure a plugin. ## Cons - **No stable release since v3.6.0 (28 October 2022)**, shipping is effectively abandoned. - **Limited Editing Tools**, Lacks advanced annotations (arrows, blur, text) found in paid tools. - **Electron Resource Usage**, The interface can use more RAM than a purely native Swift app. - **No Scrolling Capture**, Cannot capture full-page screenshots of long websites. - **Mac Only**, Not available for Windows or Linux users. ## Analysis: Inside Kap's Hybrid Architecture Kap is a case study in hybrid Electron plus native capture. The architecture still matters if you audit the binary; shipping does not. ## FAQ ### Is Kap still maintained in 2026? Not in a shipping sense. The latest stable release remains v3.6.0 from 28 October 2022. Downloads still exist on getkap.co and GitHub, but you should not expect timely Tahoe fixes from upstream. Community discussion in 2026 still mentions Kap for quick GIFs, then often points people at Cap or OBS when they hit bugs. ### Does Kap work on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) chips? Yes. Kap works natively on Apple Silicon with universal or ARM64 builds. Aperture uses macOS AVFoundation, so recording stays smooth and is not unusually hard on battery compared with other capture tools. That said, the last stable release is still v3.6.0 from 28 October 2022, so validate on your specific macOS point release before you depend on it for production demos. ### Can I record system audio and microphone audio simultaneously? Yes for microphone input from Kap's recording settings. Internal system audio (Zoom calls, game sound, browser playback) still needs a virtual driver such as BlackHole or Loopback because macOS blocks internal capture by default. Point Kap at that virtual device as the input source. There is no separate paid Kap audio tier; the limit is OS policy and your driver setup. ### How do I make a GIF with a transparent background? Standard GIFs do not support full alpha transparency well. However, Kap allows you to export as APNG (Animated PNG), which supports full transparency. To use this, ensure your recording area includes the transparent elements you need and select 'APNG' from the export dropdown. Note that not all browsers or platforms support APNG files. ### Where are Kap recordings saved by default? By default, Kap prompts you to save the file after every recording/edit session. However, you can configure the 'Save to Disk' plugin or general preferences to automatically save files to a specific directory (like your Desktop or Movies folder) to skip the file dialog and speed up your workflow. ### Is Kap safe to use for sensitive corporate work? Yes. Kap acts as a local-only application. It does not upload your recordings to any cloud server unless you specifically install and configure a third-party plugin (like the S3 or Imgur plugins) to do so. For strict enterprise environments, you can audit the source code on GitHub or use the app without installing any network-enabled plugins. ### Can I hide the desktop icons during recording? Yes, Kap has a built-in feature to hide desktop icons. In the Preferences menu under 'General', you can toggle 'Hide desktop icons'. This requires granting the app Accessibility permissions in macOS System Settings. It will temporarily fade out your desktop clutter while recording and restore it automatically when you finish. ### Why is my GIF file size so large? GIF is an outdated, inefficient format. High frame rates (30-60 FPS) and high resolutions (Retina/4K) result in massive GIF files. To reduce size, try lowering the FPS to 10-15, resizing the dimensions in the export window, or exporting as MP4/WebM instead, which are far more efficient. Kap's export window lets you scale down the resolution before rendering. ### Does Kap support webcam recording? Kap is primarily a screen recorder, but it does not have a 'floating head' webcam overlay feature built-in like Loom. It focuses purely on capturing the screen content. If you need a webcam overlay, you would need to use a separate app to float your camera feed on the screen (like Hand Mirror) and then record the screen with Kap. ### What is the best free alternative to Kap in 2026? Evaluate Cap (cap.so) for a modern open-source recorder, OBS Studio for power users, or Shift-Command-5 for basic built-in capture. ## Sources - [Kap Official Site](https://getkap.co/) - [wulkano/kap GitHub Releases](https://github.com/wulkano/kap) - [Kap MacUpdate](https://kap.macupdate.com/) - [Cap](https://cap.so/) - [Kap review 2026](https://www.screensnap.pro/blog/kap-screen-recorder-mac-review) - [SourceForge Kap mirror](https://sourceforge.net/projects/kap.mirror/) ## Related - [Spotify](https://bundl.run/apps/spotify) - [VLC](https://bundl.run/apps/vlc) - [DaVinci Resolve](https://bundl.run/apps/davinci-resolve) - [OBS Studio](https://bundl.run/apps/obs) - [HandBrake](https://bundl.run/apps/handbrake) - [Audacity](https://bundl.run/apps/audacity) - [Kap vs OBS Studio](https://bundl.run/compare/kap-vs-obs) - [Free alternative to ScreenFlow](https://bundl.run/https:/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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