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Utilities · head to head

Kap vs TreeSize

Kap logo

Kap

Utilities

Free open source screen recorder for macOS, focused on video and GIF capture rather than annotation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TreeSize logo

TreeSize

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser whose free edition may be used commercially, with paid tiers for scheduled reporting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kap it has no annotation tools at all, so any still-image markup work needs a separate app such as Shottr or CleanShot X.; TreeSize it traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • They diverge on capability: Kap covers Multi-format export, TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kap and TreeSize actually diverge.

Attributes where Kap and TreeSize differ
AttributeKapTreeSize
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsMacWindows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Kap

  • Multi-format export
  • Area, window or display capture
  • Plugin system
  • Basic trimming
  • Menu bar operation
  • Open source

Only in TreeSize

  • Free edition licensed for business
  • Network share scanning
  • Reports by age and owner
  • Duplicate file search
  • Scheduled scans
  • Exports

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Kap

  • A developer recording a demo GIF for a README or documentation pagenot TreeSize
  • A marketer capturing a quick product walkthrough clip without buying screen recording softwarenot TreeSize
  • Someone creating App Store style device-framed screenshots for a listingnot TreeSize
  • A user who only needs video capture and does not want to pay for a suite of annotation features they will not usenot TreeSize

TreeSize

  • Deploying one free disk analyser across a company without a personal-use licence problemnot Kap
  • Reporting on a file server by owner and file age before an archiving or quota decisionnot Kap
  • Finding duplicate files spread across departmental network sharesnot Kap
  • Producing a storage report for someone who will read a PDF but not run a scannot Kap

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kap

  • It has no annotation tools at all, so any still-image markup work needs a separate app such as Shottr or CleanShot X.
  • There is no scrolling capture or OCR, features both Shottr and CleanShot X include.
  • Editing is limited to basic trimming, so anything beyond a simple cut needs a dedicated video editor afterward.
  • It is Mac only, offering nothing for screen recording needs on Windows.
  • As a volunteer-maintained open source project, updates and bug fixes depend on community contribution rather than a company with paid support obligations.

TreeSize

  • It traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • It is Windows only, so file servers running Linux or a NAS appliance need a different tool or a share mounted from a Windows machine.
  • Useful features are spread across three paid tiers, so the single capability a buyer needs frequently sits two tiers above the one they were considering.
  • Scanning large network shares generates significant traffic and takes hours, which means it has to be scheduled rather than run when someone asks the question.
  • Pricing is per licence with separate maintenance, so an accurate total for a team requires a quote rather than a figure from the website.

Pricing, plan by plan

Kap

Free
  • KapFree
    • Free and open source under the MIT licence
    • MP4, WebM, GIF and device frame export
    • Plugin system for extended workflows

TreeSize

Free
  • TreeSize FreeFree
    • Folder size analysis and treemap
    • Licensed for private and commercial use
    • Basic exports
  • TreeSize Personal, Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • File search, duplicate detection and full exports
    • Network share and file server scanning
    • Scheduled unattended scans and stored reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Kap if

  • You need multi-format export.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want area, window or display capture.
Kap review

Choose TreeSize if

  • You need free edition licensed for business.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want network share scanning.
TreeSize review

Questions people ask

Is Kap or TreeSize better?
Neither clearly leads. Kap starts at Free and TreeSize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kap or TreeSize?
Kap starts at Free and TreeSize at Free.
Does Kap or TreeSize run on more platforms?
Kap runs on Mac. TreeSize runs on Windows.
Can I use Kap for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kap best used for?
Kap is most often used for a developer recording a demo gif for a readme or documentation page, a marketer capturing a quick product walkthrough clip without buying screen recording software, someone creating app store style device-framed screenshots for a listing, a user who only needs video capture and does not want to pay for a suite of annotation features they will not use. Of those, a developer recording a demo gif for a readme or documentation page and a marketer capturing a quick product walkthrough clip without buying screen recording software are not what TreeSize is typically brought in for.
What can Kap do that TreeSize cannot?
Kap covers Multi-format export, Area, window or display capture, Plugin system, Basic trimming. TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business, Network share scanning, Reports by age and owner, Duplicate file search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kap: Is Kap free?

Yes, entirely. It is open source under the MIT licence with no paid tier.

TreeSize: Is TreeSize Free really free for business use?

Yes. JAM Software licenses the free edition for private and commercial use, which is the main reason it appears on corporate machines where other free analysers are not permitted.

Kap: Does Kap do screenshots or only video?

It is focused on video and GIF recording. For still screenshots with annotation, pair it with Shottr or CleanShot X.

TreeSize: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table; TreeSize walks the directory tree, which is slower but works on network shares and non-NTFS volumes.

Kap: Can Kap export directly to GIF?

Yes, GIF is one of its native export formats alongside MP4, WebM and Apple device frames.

TreeSize: Can it scan a NAS or Linux file server?

It scans them as network shares over SMB, with the speed penalty that implies. There is no agent that runs on the server itself.

TreeSize: What does the Enterprise tier add?

Scheduled unattended scans, stored historical results and reporting across servers, which is the difference between a cleanup tool and a storage reporting system.

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