Overview

Riverside is a browser- and desktop-based studio for recording remote podcasts and video interviews. It is best suited to creators and teams who want to take a recording from separate participant tracks through editing and publishing in one workflow. Its main appeal is that breadth; the trade-off is that track downloads and some recording quality options depend on the plan.

Key features

Recording and editing

Riverside supports video, local recording, separate participant tracks, and automatic transcription. Free recordings top out at 720p video and 44.1 kHz audio, which is adequate for trying the workflow but a modest ceiling for productions seeking higher-quality source files. Pro raises that ceiling to 4K video and 48 kHz audio and adds in-person multi-camera recording.

Pro also brings unlimited text-based editing, an AI editing and repurposing agent, Magic Clips, show notes, and audio enhancement. That makes it the natural choice for creators who want post-production tools alongside recording, rather than a recording-only service. The important qualification is that unlimited recording does not mean unlimited track downloads: Pro allows 15 hours of separate-track downloads per month, Grow 20, and Webinar 25. Business removes that constraint with unlimited separate-track downloads.

Publishing, webinars, and integrations

Pro includes podcast hosting and analytics, with publishing to YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other destinations. Its listed integrations and workflows include Spotify, Transistor, Castos, HubSpot, Salesforce, webinar webhooks, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro. This range can reduce handoffs for creators already using those services, though it does not change the monthly track-download allowances.

Webinar is a separate plan for hosted events, supporting up to 100 registrants with branded registration forms, Q&A, live call-ins, polls, analytics, and HubSpot lead syncing. It is a more relevant fit for teams running audience events than for podcasters who only need recording and editing.

Security and support

Riverside says it is SOC 2 compliant and that its security is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, initially approved in May 2022. Business includes a dedicated customer success manager and 24/7 live priority chat support, features aimed at organizations that need ongoing assistance rather than an individual creator working independently.

Pricing

Riverside uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a 14-day trial. The free plan costs 0.00 USD per free and includes two hours of multi-track recordings, up to 720p video, 44.1 kHz audio, and a Riverside watermark. It also allows unlimited single-track recording and editing, so it can suit occasional use or evaluation, but the watermark and two-hour multi-track allowance make it a limited base for regular production.

Standard costs 19.00 USD per month, billed monthly. It includes five hours of multi-track recording per month and 4K video. The monthly term avoids an annual commitment, but the five-hour recording quota may be restrictive for a show with frequent or long sessions.

Pro costs 24.00 USD per month, billed $288 annually. It includes up to 4K video, 48 kHz audio, one studio, and 15 hours of separate-track downloads. For creators who need the editing, hosting, and publishing features bundled with Pro, this is the broadest creator-focused package; the annual billing and download cap matter for anyone with variable usage.

Grow costs 34.00 USD per month, billed $408 annually. It includes 1080p live streaming, unlimited multistream destinations, two studios, and 20 hours of separate-track downloads. It is aimed more at teams adding live distribution and studio capacity than at buyers who simply want Pro's recording quality, since its stated video resolution is lower.

Webinar costs 79.00 USD per month, billed $948 annually. It includes up to 100 webinar registrants, three studios, 25 hours of separate-track downloads, and HubSpot integration. This is the choice for smaller hosted events, not a substitute for the unlimited download capacity or larger audience ceiling in Business.

Business has custom pricing. It includes unlimited studios, unlimited separate-track downloads, and up to 10,000 webinar registrants, as well as a dedicated customer success manager and 24/7 live priority chat support. Its capacity suits larger production or webinar operations, but the lack of a fixed price means buyers must seek a quote to assess fit.

Platforms

Riverside lists Android, iOS, macOS, web, Windows, and API platforms. On computers, recording is supported in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari 18.2 or newer, though some studio features are unavailable in Safari. Linux computers are not supported for recording, so Riverside is not a fit for a Linux-based recording setup.

Who it's for

Riverside is a strong fit for podcasters and video interviewers who need separate participant tracks, and for creators who want editing, hosting, analytics, and publishing in the same service. Pro makes the most sense when its post-production tools and audio quality justify annual billing. Teams hosting webinars should compare Webinar's 100-registrant limit with their expected audience; organizations needing larger events, unlimited studios, or unlimited downloads have a clearer case for Business.

It is less compelling for occasional users who can work within the free plan's two-hour multi-track allowance, or for Linux users who need to record on their computer. Frequent editors should also estimate separate-track download needs before choosing a paid plan, since unlimited recording does not remove those caps on Pro, Grow, or Webinar.

Pros and cons

Pros: Separate participant tracks, local recording, and automatic transcription support a post-production workflow with speaker-level control.
Pros: Pro combines 4K video, 48 kHz audio, in-person multi-camera recording, editing tools, podcast hosting, and publishing destinations.
Pros: Webinar bundles registration, audience interaction, analytics, and HubSpot lead syncing for events with up to 100 registrants.
Cons: Free multi-track recording is limited to two hours and carries a watermark, limiting its usefulness as a regular production plan.
Cons: Pro, Grow, and Webinar cap monthly separate-track downloads at 15, 20, and 25 hours, respectively, despite unlimited recording.
Cons: Pro, Grow, and Webinar prices are billed annually, while Business requires custom pricing.
Cons: Linux computers are unsupported for recording, and Safari has some unavailable studio features.

Alternatives

Choose Adobe Podcast instead if your priority is a web-based audio enhancement workflow: its free plan offers Enhance Speech for audio files up to 30 minutes and 500 MB, with a one-hour daily allowance.

Async, Iris.fm, Zencastr, Boomcaster, Spreaker, Waveroom, and Airtape Studio are other alternatives to consider.

Browse Podcast Recording Software for more recording options, or see Live TV streaming services, Live Streaming Software, and Audio Editing Software for adjacent categories.

Verdict

Choose Riverside if your podcast or interview workflow depends on separate tracks and you value having recording, editing, and publishing together; Pro is the strongest fit for creators who will use those tools enough to accept annual billing. Look elsewhere if you need Linux recording, expect to download more separate-track hours than a plan allows, or want webinar capacity beyond 100 registrants without moving to custom-priced Business.

	Riverside	SpectraLayers Pro
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	$19/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	macOS, Windows
Free plan	Yes	No
Paid from	$19/mo	—

Riverside vs SpectraLayers Pro

Riverside

SpectraLayers Pro