Master Riverside with our step-by-step tutorial, detailed feature walkthrough, and expert tips.
Explore the key features that make Riverside powerful for content creation workflows.
Riverside uses local recording technology, meaning each participant's audio and video are captured directly on their own device at up to 48kHz uncompressed WAV and 4K video resolution. Files are progressively uploaded to the cloud during the session so connection drops don't lose data. Because the final tracks never travel through a compressed live stream, the result sounds and looks as if everyone were in the same physical studio.
Yes, Riverside offers a free tier that includes 2 hours of recording per month, full HD video, separate audio and video tracks, and basic transcription in over 100 languages. It's enough to test the platform and produce short-form content, but advanced AI features like Magic Editor, unlimited recording time, 4K export, and full transcription credits are reserved for paid plans. The Standard plan starts around $15/month and the Pro plan around $24/month when billed annually, with a Business tier for larger teams. Check riverside.com/pricing for the latest figures.
A Riverside studio supports the host plus up to 7 remote guests, for a total of 8 participants recording in high quality at the same time. For livestreaming, you can broadcast to platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Twitch, and Facebook simultaneously and host an audience of up to 1000 viewers who can submit live questions. Guests join via a simple browser link without needing to create an account, which makes onboarding non-technical interviewees painless.
Riverside bundles several AI tools designed to compress post-production time: Magic Editor automatically removes silences and filler words, Magic Audio enhances levels and removes background noise, the AI Clip Generator finds the most engaging moments and formats them for social platforms, and AI Show Notes drafts episode summaries and chapters. Transcription is included in over 100 languages with high-accuracy speaker diarization. Together these features can take a raw two-hour interview to publish-ready in under an hour.
Riverside generally beats Zencastr on video quality, AI editing depth, and livestreaming features, while offering a more modern interface. Compared to Descript, Riverside is the stronger remote recording platform thanks to truly local capture and 4K video support, but Descript remains superior for text-based editing of long-form audio and screen recordings. Many professional teams use Riverside to record and Descript to edit. Riverside is the safer choice when video is the primary deliverable.
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Tutorial updated March 2026