Riverside alternative
PandaStudio vs Riverside
Riverside records to the cloud and bills monthly, with caps on separate-track downloads. PandaStudio records up to 3 guests locally, sends the files peer-to-peer to your computer, and edits the episode too, for a one-time price.
Mac & Windows · 10 free exports, no card · lifetime license from $99 or monthly
Comparing more than just PandaStudio? See our full roundup of the best Riverside alternatives: 8 tools, honestly ranked.
What is Riverside?
Riverside is a remote recording studio for podcasts and video interviews. Each participant is recorded locally in the browser (or Riverside's Mac and mobile apps), with up to 4K video and uncompressed audio on paid plans, and the files upload to Riverside's cloud. On top it offers text-based editing, Magic Clips, AI audio cleanup, live streaming and, on Grow, podcast hosting.
- Pricing
- No free plan; 14-day free trial on Pro, Grow and Webinar. Pro $29/mo or $24/mo billed annually (up to 4K, 15 hrs/month of separate-track downloads); Grow $39/mo or $34/mo (20 hrs, Riverside MCP); Webinar $99/mo or $79/mo (25 hrs); Business via sales. Recording itself is unlimited. Per riverside.com/pricing, checked Oct 17 2026.
- Platforms
- Web · macOS app · iOS · Android
Where Riverside is genuinely strong
- Mature remote recording: every participant recorded locally, separate tracks, up to 4K on paid plans
- Guests join from a browser with no install, plus mobile apps for recording on the go
- Supports larger panels than PandaStudio's host plus 3 guests
- Live streaming to several destinations at once (Grow and up)
- Text-based editor, Magic Clips, AI show notes and audio cleanup in one web app
- Riverside MCP on Grow, for AI assistants
Where Riverside comes up short
- Monthly caps on separate per-person track downloads (15 hours on Pro, 20 on Grow, 25 on Webinar)
- No free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Recordings are stored in Riverside's cloud
- Subscription only: no way to own the software
- Editing happens in the browser; finishing a polished video often means exporting to another editor
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Riverside | PandaStudio |
|---|---|---|
| Remote guests per session | Large panels supported | Host plus up to 3 guests |
| How guests are recorded | Locally on each device, then uploaded to Riverside's cloud | Locally on each device, then sent peer-to-peer to the host's computer |
| Max guest video quality | Up to 4K | Up to 1080p, 30 fps |
| Limits on your own files | Recording unlimited; separate-track downloads capped at 15 hrs/month (Pro), 20 (Grow), 25 (Webinar) | None: every track is already on your computer |
| Where recordings live | Riverside's cloud | Your computer |
| Editing | Browser text-based editor, Magic Clips, AI cleanup | Desktop editor: transcript per speaker, layouts, Follow the speaker, Enhance voice, captions, motion graphics |
| Audio-only podcast export | Audio downloads and hosting on Grow | MP3, WAV or M4A at podcast loudness with tags and cover art, or an audiogram |
| Live streaming | Yes, to several destinations at once (Grow and up) | Yes, to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, X and custom RTMP/RTMPS at once, with a stream key; 720p or 1080p; the local recording keeps running |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android apps | No (host on Mac or Windows; guests in any browser) |
| AI agent / MCP | Riverside MCP on Grow | MCP server and CLI on every plan; agents can run the live session and the edit |
| Pricing | Subscription: Pro $24-29/mo, Grow $34-39/mo | $19/mo, or lifetime from $99 |
When Riverside is the right choice
You record panels bigger than four people, need 4K from every guest, record from a phone, or want hosting and recording in one subscription. For that kind of show Riverside is purpose-built and more mature.
When PandaStudio is the right choice
You record interviews with up to 3 guests and want the raw files on your own computer, a full desktop editor for the episode and its clips, audio-only exports for your feed, and the option to pay once. In PandaStudio guests join from a browser link, every person records locally, and the guest files reach you peer-to-peer, so every track is already on your computer with no download caps. You can also stream the show live to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, X or your own RTMP server while it records.
What really separates PandaStudio from Riverside isn't another timeline. It's agentic video editing: you brief an AI agent in plain language (or drive it from the CLI / an MCP client) and it does the cuts, captions, zooms, and exports for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can PandaStudio record a remote podcast like Riverside?
Yes, for a host and up to 3 guests. Guests open a browser link (no install, no account), every person records locally on their own computer, and the guest files reach you peer-to-peer, already transcribed per speaker when you open the project. You can stream the session live at the same time. For bigger panels, 4K from every guest or mobile recording, Riverside is the better fit.
Can I edit a Riverside recording in PandaStudio?
Yes. Download the per-person tracks from Riverside and import them together with Import video or audio on the home screen. PandaStudio lines them up by their audio and transcribes each speaker on your computer, then you edit by transcript, choose layouts, clip and export.
How much does Riverside cost compared with PandaStudio?
Riverside Pro is $29 a month, or $24 a month billed annually ($288 a year), with a 14-day trial and no free plan; recording is unlimited but separate-track downloads are capped at 15 hours a month. PandaStudio is $19 a month or a one-time $99 (1 computer), and every track is saved on your computer. Riverside includes things PandaStudio does not, such as 4K from every guest and mobile apps; live streaming is in both (Riverside from Grow up). See our Riverside pricing breakdown for every plan.
Where are my podcast recordings stored?
With PandaStudio, on your own computer: the guest recordings travel peer-to-peer to the host and nothing is stored on our servers. With Riverside, recordings are stored in Riverside's cloud and downloaded from there.
Can PandaStudio make clips like Riverside's Magic Clips?
Yes. The Clips tab finds standalone moments in an episode and turns each into a captioned vertical clip framed on the speaker, with a title and a hook score. It runs on your computer, so there are no credits.
Try PandaStudio yourself
Free download, 10 free exports, no credit card required. macOS and Windows.
Download PandaStudio