Comparisons
A DashWare alternative that is still maintained
DashWare was a free Windows overlay tool, but its last release was version 1.9.1 in 2017 and it is no longer developed or reliably available. TrackHero is a free, actively maintained replacement that runs in desktop Chrome with nothing to install, reads .vbo files and GoPro telemetry, and exports unwatermarked MP4s. For broader logger support, Telemetry Overlay and RaceRender are the paid options.
What happened to DashWare
DashWare was, for a long time, the obvious recommendation: a free Windows application that overlaid telemetry onto action-camera footage, with a customisable gauge system and a devoted following.
Its last release was version 1.9.1, in 2017. There has been no development since, official downloads became unreliable, and it has no knowledge of any camera, format or operating system change from the last several years. People still ask about it because nothing free stepped straight into its place.
What to use instead
| Price | Platform | Install | Watermark | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrackHero | Free | Desktop Chrome | None | None |
| RaceRender 3 | Free tier, then $39.95 to $59.95 | Windows, macOS | Yes | On the free tier |
| Telemetry Overlay | $199 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | On the trial |
| OpenLap | Free, open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | None |
TrackHero
Closest in spirit to what DashWare offered: free, no watermark, no time limit. The difference is that it runs in a browser tab rather than as an installed application, and it is actively maintained. It reads .vbo files from RaceChrono, VBOX and Dragy, and telemetry embedded in GoPro footage.
The trade-off is honest: it requires desktop Chrome, and it does not have DashWare’s custom gauge designer. You choose an accent colour and units; you do not build gauges from scratch.
RaceRender 3
A mature desktop tool with multi-camera layouts, 360 video and OBD-II support. The free edition watermarks and caps output at three minutes, so realistically it is a paid product. See the full comparison.
Telemetry Overlay
The broadest device support of anything here, at $199. Worth it if you have an AiM, RaceBox or Alfano logger, or shoot on Insta360 or DJI. See the full comparison.
OpenLap
Free and open source, desktop, supports RaceBox, AIM MyChron, MoTeC, GPX, VBOX and Unipro. Worth a look if you want something installed and local with no cost and no browser requirement.
Migrating away from DashWare
There is no profile conversion to do, because none of these tools read DashWare’s gauge XML. What matters is your data, and that is portable:
- Find out what your logger exports. If it can produce a
.vbo, TrackHero will read it directly. - If you shoot on a GoPro from the HERO5 onwards, the telemetry is already inside the MP4 and you may not need a logger at all.
- If your logger only writes a proprietary format, Telemetry Overlay’s breadth is likely the deciding factor.
For the wider picture, see the comparison of every telemetry overlay tool.
Last updated .