Our verdict: the free allowance gap is the headline, not the feature list
Both products record each participant locally and give you separate tracks, which is the feature that matters most for a remote interview. Where they diverge on the pages we checked is the allowance. Zencastr's pricing table lists unlimited separate-track recording, unlimited track storage, up to 4K video and 6 participants on a free plan. Riverside's pricing page lists a free plan with a one-off 2 hours of separate-track recording at up to 720p with a Riverside watermark, and caps paid separate-track recording at 5 hours a month on Pro and 15 hours a month on Grow.
We would start a new or low-budget show on Zencastr's free plan and only pay for Riverside when its paid extras (the editing suite, hosting, livestreaming and the 4K watermark-free export bundle) solve a problem you actually have. That is a research recommendation from published plan terms, not a recording-reliability test: this publication has not run sessions on either service.
Side-by-side plan limits from the official pages
Riverside's own pages disagree with each other. The pricing page shows a free plan and Pro at $29 a month (or $24 a month billed annually, $288 a year). Riverside's "Is Riverside free?" article, updated 10 September 2026, says there is no longer a free plan, only a 14-day trial, and quotes Pro at $35 a month on monthly billing. Confirm the price at checkout before you budget. Riverside's pricing page is also inconsistent with itself: its comparison table lists 5 separate-track recording hours a month on Pro and 15 on Grow, while the plan cards list 15 and 20 hours of separate-track downloads. Zencastr's pricing page shows no dollar prices at all: a free column, a Producer column with no price shown, and an Enterprise column marked custom.
| Item | Riverside (pricing page) | Zencastr (pricing and recording pages) |
|---|---|---|
| Free separate-track recording | 2 hours, one-off | Unlimited |
| Free video resolution | Up to 720p, with watermark | Up to 4K (desktop and mobile) |
| Free audio | 44.1 kHz | 48kHz WAV and 44kHz MP3 |
| Paid entry plan | Pro: $29/month or $288/year | Producer shows no price; Enterprise is custom |
| Paid separate-track recording | Pro 5 hrs/month; Grow 15 hrs/month; Business unlimited | Not applicable on free; unlimited listed |
| Paid video and audio | Up to 4K, 48 kHz, no watermark | Same free-plan figures |
| Participants | Not stated on the pricing page | 6 on the free plan |
| Transcription | Unlimited on Pro | Unlimited transcription hours on free |
Recording quality: what each service actually promises
Riverside says it captures up to 4K video and uncompressed audio in separate tracks, unaffected by the internet connection, and offers each speaker's track as a WAV and MP4 download. Zencastr says it records locally on your device regardless of the wifi connection, records every participant on a separate track, uploads files to the cloud while you record, and keeps local plus cloud copies so a crashed computer should not lose the recording.
Both claims describe the same approach: the guest's machine records a clean local file instead of relying on the call stream. That approach still depends on the guest's microphone, camera, free disk space and on the upload finishing. Resolution caps on a plan only matter if the guest's camera can produce that resolution in the first place, so a 4K ceiling does nothing for a guest on a 720p laptop webcam.
- Audio-only show: separate tracks and 48kHz audio matter; video resolution does not.
- Video show: the 720p cap and watermark on Riverside Free rule it out for publishing; Riverside Pro or Zencastr free both list 4K.
- Either way, ask guests to use wired headphones so the local track is not full of the host's voice.
Decide by show frequency: worked hour budgets
Riverside meters separate-track recording per month on paid plans, so the number of recorded hours decides which plan you need. Zencastr's pricing page lists separate-track recording as unlimited, so hours are not the constraint there.
Count recording time, not finished runtime. A 45-minute episode usually needs a longer session once you include setup, a sound check and retakes.
| Schedule | Recorded hours per month (approx.) | Riverside plan that covers it | Riverside cost per year (annual billing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One 1-hour session a week | About 4.3 | Pro (5 hrs) | $288 |
| Two 1-hour sessions a week | About 8.7 | Grow (15 hrs) | $408 |
| One 75-minute session a week | About 5.4 | Grow, or Pro with a tighter session | $408 or $288 |
| Daily 45-minute weekday show | About 16 | Above Grow; Webinar or Business (both listed as unlimited) | Confirm at checkout or with sales |
Editing, hosting and the rest of the bundle
Riverside's pricing page lists a full editing suite even on the free plan, plus unlimited text-based editing, unlimited transcriptions, audio enhancement and podcast hosting on Pro. Grow adds 1080p livestreaming and multistreaming, hosting for 2 shows and AI thumbnails. Zencastr's free column lists unlimited transcription hours, advanced filler-word removal, clip exports up to 4K, hosting with 1080p video streaming and up to 5 podcast shows, and its homepage describes editing "just by chatting".
If you already edit in another tool, these bundles may be redundant. Price the recorder for the recording job alone and treat editing and hosting as a bonus, not the reason to buy.
Who should pick which
Choose the option whose limits you will not hit in the first three months, then re-check, because Riverside's own pages already disagree on its free plan and prices, and plan terms change.
- Pick Zencastr first if: you are launching a show, you record more than 5 hours a month, or you are price-sensitive and want separate tracks without a subscription.
- Pick Riverside Pro if: you want its editing suite, hosting and host teleprompter in one paid product and record under 5 hours a month.
- Pick Riverside Grow if: you livestream or multistream, or record up to 15 hours a month.
- Skip both if: you only record yourself, or an existing video-call tool already gives you separate local tracks that you are happy with.
Pre-commitment test checklist
Run one real 20-minute session with a guest on each candidate before moving your show.
- Have the guest join from the device they will actually use and note any install or permission prompts.
- Confirm each participant's separate track downloads, and check sample rate and resolution in the file properties.
- Check whether the export carries a watermark on your plan.
- Note how long the guest's upload takes to finish after the session ends.
- Record the date and plan name you tested under, because plan terms change.
Questions before you decide
Is Zencastr really free for unlimited recording?
Zencastr's pricing page checked on 30 Oct 2026 lists unlimited separate-track recording, unlimited track storage, up to 4K video and 6 participants in its free column, and its recording page says unlimited recording time is free. It shows no paid prices, so confirm current terms when you sign up.
How much does Riverside Pro cost?
The Riverside pricing page lists Pro at $29 a month or $24 a month billed annually ($288 a year). A Riverside article updated 10 September 2026 instead quotes $35 a month for Pro and says the free plan was replaced with a 14-day trial, so confirm at checkout.
Which is better for an audio-only podcast?
For audio, both list separate tracks and 48kHz audio on the plans checked; Riverside Free lists 44.1 kHz. If hours are your constraint, Zencastr's listed unlimited free recording is the cheaper starting point.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Riverside pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside: Is Riverside free? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside recording overview Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zencastr pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zencastr recording features Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zencastr overview Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.