Overview

Riverside is an online studio for recording remote podcasts and video interviews, built for creators and teams who want to take recordings through editing and publishing in one workflow. It is a strong fit when separate participant tracks matter, but the monthly download allowances and computer-browser requirements deserve a close look before a team commits.

Key features

Recording and post-production

Riverside supports video and local recording, separate participant tracks, automatic transcription, and WAV and MP3 audio exports. Free recordings reach 720p and 44.1 kHz; Pro raises the ceiling to 4K and 48 kHz and adds in-person multi-camera recording. That makes Pro the more capable choice for polished interviews, while Free is a workable entry point for lighter production.

Pro also includes unlimited text-based editing, an AI editing and repurposing agent, Magic Clips, show notes, and audio enhancement. The bundle can reduce the need to move routine editing and repurposing elsewhere. Pro, Grow, and Webinar allow unlimited recording, but separate-track downloads are capped monthly at 15, 20, and 25 hours. That distinction matters to editors who routinely download each speaker's file: long recording sessions are possible, but extracting tracks has a quota.

Publishing, webinars, and integrations

Pro includes podcast hosting and analytics, with publishing to YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other destinations. Riverside lists integrations or workflows for Spotify, Transistor, Castos, HubSpot, Salesforce, webinar webhooks, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro. This gives teams several routes into existing publishing and editing workflows, rather than requiring every step to stay inside Riverside.

The Webinar plan supports up to 100 registrants and includes branded registration forms, Q&A, live call-ins, polls, analytics, and HubSpot lead syncing. It is a focused option for teams that need audience participation and lead follow-up; the 100-person ceiling makes it less suitable for larger events. Business supports up to 10,000 registrants.

Riverside says it is SOC 2 compliant and its security is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, initially approved in May 2022. Business adds a dedicated customer success manager and 24/7 live priority chat support, useful for organizations that need named and round-the-clock support.

Pricing

Riverside uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a 14-day trial. The plans separate casual recording from higher-quality production, larger track-download needs, and webinars.

Free — 0.00 USD per free: Includes 2 hours of multi-track recordings, up to 720p video, 44.1 kHz audio, a Riverside watermark, and unlimited single-track recording and editing. It suits occasional creators willing to accept the watermark and limited multi-track time.
Standard — 19.00 USD per month, billed monthly: Includes 5 hours of multi-track recording per month and 4K video. It offers a paid step up for creators who need more than Free's multi-track allowance, but the listed plan details do not include Pro's 48 kHz audio or its editing and publishing bundle.
Pro — 24.00 USD per month, billed $288 annually: Includes up to 4K video, 48 kHz audio, one studio, and 15 hours of separate-track downloads. It is the best match for regular podcast production that benefits from the full editing and publishing toolkit, though its annual billing and download quota are material constraints.
Grow — 34.00 USD per month, billed $408 annually: Includes 1080p live streaming, unlimited multistream destinations, two studios, and 20 hours of separate-track downloads. Choose it when streaming and additional studio capacity matter more than Pro's higher video ceiling.
Webinar — 79.00 USD per month, billed $948 annually: Includes up to 100 webinar registrants, three studios, 25 hours of separate-track downloads, and HubSpot integration, alongside webinar features. It fits smaller webinar programs that need registration and audience interaction.
Business — custom pricing: Includes unlimited studios, unlimited separate-track downloads, and up to 10,000 webinar registrants. It is aimed at organizations whose scale exceeds the lower plans' track-download or webinar limits; dedicated success management and 24/7 live priority chat support are also included.

Free preserves unlimited single-track recording and editing, but its two-hour multi-track allowance, watermark, resolution, and audio ceiling make it a limited choice for finished client work. The annual-billed Pro, Grow, and Webinar prices require a longer commitment than Standard's monthly billing.

Platforms

Riverside lists Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, as well as an API. Recording runs in a browser or desktop environment, but Riverside does not support recording on Linux computers. On computers, supported browsers are Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari 18.2 or newer; some studio features are unavailable in Safari. Linux-based teams and anyone dependent on those Safari features should verify their recording setup before choosing Riverside.

Who it's for

Riverside suits podcast and video interview teams that want remote recording, separate-speaker files, editing, and publishing connected in one service. Pro is the clearest fit for regular creators seeking higher-quality recording and post-production tools. Webinar is better for smaller interactive events, while teams that routinely need more than 15 to 25 hours of separate-track downloads or larger webinar audiences should examine Business. It is a poor fit for Linux-based recording workflows.

Pros and cons

Pro combines production stages: Editing, repurposing, show notes, audio enhancement, hosting, analytics, and publishing sit alongside higher-quality recording.
Separate tracks support deeper edits: Editors can work with each participant independently, and recording itself is unlimited on Pro, Grow, and Webinar.
Track downloads remain quota-limited: Pro, Grow, and Webinar cap monthly separate-track downloads, which can pinch frequent or long-form post-production.
Free is useful but visibly constrained: It allows unlimited single-track recording and editing, but multi-track time, resolution, audio quality, and the watermark limit its use for polished deliverables.
Computer compatibility has clear boundaries: Linux recording is unsupported, and some studio features are unavailable in Safari.

Alternatives

For audio-focused editing rather than remote interview production, compare Audio Editing Software. For other remote podcast recording options, see Podcast Recording Software. Teams prioritizing broadcast-style live viewing can compare Live TV streaming services, while streaming-focused creators can browse Live Streaming Software.

Pro Tools is worth considering for creators who want a freemium option with a free tier for casual creators and support for macOS and Windows. Ardour is an alternative for teams that need Linux support as well as macOS or Windows, with a free plan and a $1.00 USD per month Developing World subscription. Soundtrap is another freemium option with a free account and support across mobile, desktop, and web platforms, including Linux.

GarageBand suits users seeking a free option on Mac, iPhone, or iPad, with up to 255 tracks on Mac and 32 on iPhone and iPad. Audacity is a free, open-source desktop audio editor with no subscription required. Cakewalk Sonar is a Windows-only freemium alternative with a free tier. LUNA offers a free plan with unlimited tracks on macOS and Windows. AudioDirector is a Windows freemium alternative with a monthly subscription option.

Verdict

Choose Riverside if remote podcast or interview production needs to connect recording, editing, and publishing, and your team can work within its track-download quotas and supported computer environments. Pro is the strongest fit for regular creator workflows; look elsewhere if Linux recording is essential, or choose Business when the lower plans' download or webinar caps are too restrictive.

	Riverside	Upstream
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$19/mo	$2/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	$19/mo	$30/mo
Browser-based studio	—	Yes

Riverside vs Upstream

Riverside

Upstream