What this comparison covers
This guide compares remote recording studios for interviews and video podcasts against Riverside. It uses official pages from Riverside, Descript, Zencastr, StreamYard, SquadCast and Zoom read on 30 October 2026. We have not run recording sessions in these tools for this guide; all claims are what each vendor documents.
Who this is for: hosts recording one to nine remote guests who want clean, separately editable tracks. Who can skip it: anyone recording guests in the same room.
What Riverside does that you may be relying on
Riverside's FAQ says each participant's audio and video are recorded on their own device and uploaded in the background, so a dropped connection should not affect the recording. Each participant gets separate audio and video tracks, up to 4K video and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio if their equipment supports it. Up to 10 people can be recorded (the host plus 9 guests), and guests join from a link without an account or installation. [1]
On 30 October 2026 its pricing page listed Free at 0 USD (up to 720p), Pro at 29 USD monthly or 24 USD per month billed annually (up to 4K, text-based editing, AI tools) and Grow at 39 or 34 USD. The page carried a staging notice saying its information may not be up to date, so confirm at checkout. [2]
Alternatives side by side
As stated on each official page on 30 October 2026. 'Not stated' means the page did not say. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
| Tool | Local recording and tracks | Resolution stated | Guests stated | Price stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | Local, separate audio and video per participant | Up to 4K (Pro); 720p on Free | Up to 10 recorded, no guest account | Free; Pro 24 USD per month annual or 29 USD monthly |
| Descript Rooms | Local with upload as you go and cloud backup; separate track per camera | Up to 4K | Rooms lists 10 participants on every plan | Free; Hobbyist 16 USD per month annual or 24 USD monthly |
| Zencastr | Local recording; unlimited separate audio and video tracks | 4K | 6 guests on free plan | Free plan; Enterprise custom |
| StreamYard | Local recordings: 2 hours per month on Free, unlimited on Core | Essential 1080p; Advanced 4K local recordings | 6 on screen (Free), 10 (Core) | Essential 14.99 USD per month annual; Core 35.99 USD per month annual |
| SquadCast | Separate, locally recorded audio and video files with progressive uploads | Not stated | Not stated | Not shown on homepage |
| Zoom | Local recording; separate audio files for up to 80 participants | Not stated | 100 participants per meeting | Basic 40-minute meetings; Pro 14.16 USD per user per month annual |
Notes on each alternative
Descript Rooms: Descript says everyone records locally in up to 4K, files upload as you go with a cloud backup of every participant, and Rooms captures separate tracks for every camera feed. [3] The pricing page lists remote recording hours of 2 on Free, 5 per month on Hobbyist, 15 on Creator and 25 on Business, with 10 participants on every plan. [4] SquadCast's homepage carries a 'SquadCast + Descript: Two tools for the price of one' banner and describes separate, locally recorded files with progressive uploads, but showed no prices. [7]
Zencastr: its pricing page lists a free plan with unlimited separate audio and video tracks, local recording, 4K desktop and mobile recording, 48 kHz WAV audio, 6 guests and text-based editing. That is generous enough to verify at signup before planning around it. [5]
StreamYard: built for live streaming, and its pricing lists local recordings from 2 hours per month on Free, 1080p on Essential and 4K local recordings on Advanced. The page did not say whether local recordings are separate tracks per participant. [6]
Zoom: computer recording works on a Basic (free) account or above in the desktop app [9], and the recording settings offer separate audio files for up to 80 participants, with phone participants merged into one file [8]. Basic meetings are capped at 40 minutes; Pro lists 30 hours at 16.99 USD monthly or 14.16 USD per month annual. [10] The settings page did not describe separate video files per participant, so Zoom fits audio-first shows best.
Worked cost example
For one host recording a weekly 60-minute interview with one guest, list prices per year are: Riverside Pro 24 x 12 = 288 USD; Descript Hobbyist 16 x 12 = 192 USD, which also covers transcript editing; StreamYard Essential 14.99 x 12 = 179.88 USD; Zoom Pro 14.16 x 12 = 169.92 USD; Zencastr free plan 0 USD. Four one-hour sessions a month is within Hobbyist's 5 remote recording hours and over the one-off 2 hours of separate-track downloads on Riverside Free. These are list prices on 30 October 2026, not quotes. [2][4][5][6][10]
Checklist: which Riverside features do you actually use?
Tick what you used in your last five episodes, then keep only alternatives that cover every ticked item.
- Separate local video per guest (not just audio): Riverside, Descript Rooms, Zencastr and SquadCast document it; Zoom documents separate audio only. [1][3][5][7][8]
- 4K recording: Riverside Pro, Descript Rooms, Zencastr and StreamYard Advanced list it. [2][3][5][6]
- More than 6 guests at once: check the guest limit; Zencastr's free plan lists 6. [5]
- Text-based editing in the same tool: Riverside, Descript and Zencastr list it. [2][4][5]
- Live streaming during recording: StreamYard is built for it.
- Guests without accounts or installs: Riverside states this; confirm for any replacement before inviting a guest. [1]
- Run one test session with a real guest on the new tool before cancelling.
Questions before you decide
Is SquadCast still available?
On 30 October 2026 SquadCast's homepage still offered a free trial, described separate, locally recorded audio and video files with progressive uploads, and carried a banner pairing SquadCast with Descript. Descript's own remote recorder is Rooms.
Can Zoom record each guest separately like Riverside?
Zoom's desktop recording settings can save separate audio files for up to 80 participants, with phone participants merged into one file. They do not describe separate local video per guest, which Riverside documents.
Which Riverside alternative has a free plan with separate tracks?
Zencastr listed a free plan with unlimited separate audio and video tracks, local recording and up to 6 guests on 30 October 2026. Descript Free includes 2 remote recording hours.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Riverside FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript: Rooms remote recording Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zencastr pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- StreamYard pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- SquadCast homepage Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zoom Support: Changing recording settings in the desktop app (KB0060612) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zoom Support: Recording meetings to your computer (KB0063640) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zoom pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.