Riverside Review: Recording Remote Podcasts and Video

Riverside has become one of the most popular platforms for recording remote podcasts and video interviews, especially after its 2020 launch coincided with the sudden shift to remote work. The platform promises studio-quality recordings by capturing audio and video locally on each participant's device, sidestepping the usual internet glitches that plague online calls. After testing Riverside with both solo recordings and multi-guest sessions, I found it delivers on that promise in most situations, but the pricing structure and plan limitations require careful attention before you commit.

How local recording changes the game

The core technology behind Riverside is straightforward but effective. Instead of streaming your audio and video over the internet in real time like Zoom or Google Meet, Riverside records everything locally on each participant's computer or phone. The platform then uploads these high-quality files to the cloud after the session ends. This means even if someone's internet connection drops or stutters during the conversation, the final recording remains pristine.

In practice, this works remarkably well. I recorded several test sessions with guests on inconsistent connections, including one where the video feed froze multiple times during the call. The live preview looked rough, but the final downloads were smooth and clear. Riverside supports up to 10 participants total (one host plus nine guests), with each person recorded on separate audio and video tracks. You can capture video in up to 4K resolution and uncompressed WAV audio at 48kHz, though those specs depend on your camera and microphone supporting those formats.

The separation of tracks is particularly valuable during editing. If one guest coughs or has background noise, you can address just that track without affecting everyone else. The platform automatically syncs everything, so you don't need to align tracks manually in post-production. This alone saves significant editing time compared to trying to clean up a single mixed recording.

Recording sessions and the actual workflow

Starting a recording session is simple. You create a studio, customize a few settings like whether to record video, then send guests a link. Guests don't need accounts. They click the link, grant browser permissions for their camera and microphone, and they're in. The interface shows everyone's video feeds, basic audio levels, and a recording button.

One feature I appreciated is the hybrid recording option. You can record in-person guests on the same device while also bringing in remote participants, and Riverside still maintains separate tracks for everyone. This flexibility matters if you sometimes record locally but want the option to add remote guests without switching platforms.

The AI features built into Riverside add another layer of convenience. Automated transcription runs after your recording finishes, giving you searchable text that syncs with your media. The text-based editor lets you cut your video by deleting sections of the transcript, which speeds up rough cuts significantly. The "Magic Clips" feature uses AI to identify potential short-form clips from your longer recording, generating vertical videos optimized for social media. While the AI doesn't always pick the exact moments I would have chosen, it provides a useful starting point that beats scrolling through an hour-long recording manually.

Riverside also integrated with Spotify for Podcasters, allowing users to publish directly to Spotify after recording. The partnership expanded the platform's reach, particularly among podcasters already using Spotify's hosting services.

Who this platform fits

Riverside works best for content creators who regularly record with remote guests and need professional results. Podcasters conducting interview shows are the most obvious fit. The separate tracks, high audio quality, and reliability matter when you're publishing weekly episodes and can't afford technical failures.

Video creators producing YouTube interviews, webinars, or educational content also benefit. The 4K video support and separate tracks give you the same editing flexibility you'd get from a local multi-camera setup, but with the convenience of remote recording. The AI transcription and clip generation features are particularly useful if you're repurposing long-form content into shorter social media posts.

That said, you don't need a high-profile show to justify Riverside. If you're recording more than casual conversations and want consistent quality, the platform delivers.

Solo creators recording just themselves can also use Riverside, though the value proposition is less compelling. The local recording quality is excellent, but you could achieve similar results with simpler screen recording software if you're not bringing in guests. The real advantage emerges when you add participants, particularly those in different locations with varying internet reliability.

Where it falls short

The free plan is more restrictive than it appears

Riverside offers a free plan, but it comes with significant limitations that make it impractical for ongoing use. You get a one-time allowance of two hours for multi-track audio and video recording, not two hours per month. Once you use those two hours, you need to upgrade to a paid plan. The free plan also caps video resolution at 720p and adds a Riverside watermark to all exported content. If you're testing the platform or recording a single short project, the free plan works. For regular podcast production or professional video content, you'll need to budget for a paid subscription from the start.

Recording hour limits can sneak up on you

The Pro plan costs $24 per month when billed annually or $29 per month on a monthly billing cycle. It includes 5 hours of multi-track recording per month. That sounds reasonable until you consider how those hours accumulate. A single 90-minute interview with three guests counts as 4.5 hours of recording time (90 minutes times three separate tracks). If you record weekly hour-long episodes with two guests each, you'll consume 6 hours per month and exceed the Pro plan limit. The platform does offer higher-tier plans with more hours, but costs escalate quickly if you produce multiple shows or longer episodes.

Upload limits constrain post-production workflows

Riverside limits single video uploads to 4 hours maximum as of 2026. This affects creators who want to upload long recordings from external sources to use the platform's editing and transcription tools. If you record locally as a backup and want to process those files through Riverside's AI features, you're constrained by this ceiling. While 4 hours covers most standard recordings, marathon podcast sessions, full-day events, or multi-part interviews split into separate files can exceed this limit, forcing you to edit in chunks or use alternative tools for transcription and clipping.

FAQs

What happens if my internet connection drops during recording?

Your local recording continues uninterrupted because Riverside captures everything on your device, not through a continuous stream. The platform buffers the recording locally and uploads it after the session ends. If your connection drops completely, the recording stays on your device until connectivity resumes. The only impact is on the live preview and real-time communication with other participants.

Can I record audio-only sessions without video?

Yes, you can disable video recording in your studio settings before starting a session. This saves bandwidth and storage space if you're producing an audio-only podcast. All the same features, including multi-track recording, transcription, and separate participant tracks, work with audio-only recordings. Guests can still see each other during the conversation for better engagement, but only audio is captured.

Do guests need to download software or create accounts?

No. Guests access sessions through a web browser link you send them. They don't need to install anything or create a Riverside account. The platform works in modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Guests do need to grant browser permissions for their camera and microphone, but that's a standard browser prompt, not a separate installation process.

How long does it take for recordings to process after a session?

Processing time depends on the length of your recording and the number of participants. In my tests, a 60-minute session with three participants typically finished uploading and processing within 15-20 minutes after the session ended. Transcription usually completes within another 10-15 minutes. Longer sessions or those with more participants take proportionally longer, but you can leave the upload running in the background.

Can I edit recordings directly in Riverside or do I need external software?

Riverside includes a built-in editor that handles basic cuts, trims, and clip creation through its text-based interface. You can delete sections by removing transcript text, and the video adjusts automatically. For more complex editing like color grading, advanced transitions, or detailed audio mixing, you'll want to download the separate tracks and use dedicated editing software like Adobe Audition or DaVinci Resolve. The built-in editor works well for quick cleanup and generating social media clips, but it's not a replacement for professional editing tools.