{
 "schemaVersion": 1,
 "generated": "2026-10-30",
 "dataLicense": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "notice": "Data from Open Source Everything (https://opensourceeverything.org), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: use it freely, credit the site, link to the page, and share changes under the same license. Listings were drafted with AI assistance and are managed by the r/TrueOpenSource moderators; check a project's own page before relying on a fact.",
 "id": "gaming-performance",
 "name": "Game overlays and performance",
 "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/gaming-performance/",
 "category": "games",
 "categoryName": "Games & gaming",
 "job": "FPS counters, overlays, clips and tweaks that make games run better",
 "closedApps": [
  "MSI Afterburner / RivaTuner",
  "Razer Cortex",
  "NVIDIA App overlay"
 ],
 "coverage": "partial",
 "alternatives": [
  {
   "id": "mangohud",
   "name": "MangoHud",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/mangohud/",
   "summary": "MangoHud is a small on-screen display that shows frame rate, temperatures, and processor and graphics card load while you play games on Linux. It is for gamers and people who want to check how well a game is running.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "MIT",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 9191,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/flightlessmango/MangoHud",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "mangohud",
   "rank": 1,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers overlays and FPS counters; clips and tweaks not shown in README.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 44.9
  },
  {
   "id": "special-k",
   "name": "Special K",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/special-k/",
   "summary": "Special K is a free tool for Windows PC gamers that improves how games look and run, with features like graphics fixes, performance analysis, and on-screen tools. It is aimed at people who play PC games and want to tweak them.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 2143,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/SpecialKO/SpecialK",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "special-k",
   "rank": 2,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers tweaks and analysis; FPS counter, overlay and clip features not confirmed in README.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 37
  },
  {
   "id": "gamemode",
   "name": "GameMode",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/gamemode/",
   "summary": "GameMode is a free tool for Linux that temporarily tweaks the computer and a game while it runs so the game performs better. It is for Linux gamers who want smoother play without changing their system settings by hand.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "Made for developers: you use it from code or the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "BSD-3-Clause",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 6062,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "gamemode",
   "rank": 3,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Tweaks game performance but has no FPS counter, overlay or clip recording.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 35.8
  },
  {
   "id": "gamescope",
   "name": "Gamescope",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/gamescope/",
   "summary": "Gamescope is a tool that runs a game inside its own display window on Linux, controlling resolution, scaling and frame rate so the game looks and runs better. It is aimed at gamers on Linux who want to tune how their games are shown.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "Made for developers: you use it from code or the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": true,
   "stars": 5194,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/ValveSoftware/gamescope",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "gamescope",
   "rank": 4,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers scaling, frame limits and shaders; no FPS counter or clip tools described.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 32.6
  },
  {
   "id": "vkbasalt",
   "name": "vkBasalt",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/vkbasalt/",
   "summary": "vkBasalt is a free add-on that adds visual effects like sharpening and anti-aliasing to games on Linux, switched on with a simple setting. It is aimed at gamers who want sharper or smoother graphics.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "Made for developers: you use it from code or the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "Zlib",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 1571,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "inactive",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/DadSchoorse/vkBasalt",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "vkbasalt",
   "rank": 5,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Adds visual effects, but no FPS counter, overlay or performance tools.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup · No recent activity",
   "score": 8.6
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/gaming-performance/",
 "group": "Game overlays and performance",
 "replaces": [
  "MSI Afterburner / RivaTuner",
  "Razer Cortex",
  "NVIDIA App overlay"
 ]
}