Riverside
Record remote podcast and video interviews in 4K, then edit by text and prompt.
Riverside records each guest locally on their own device, so remote interviews keep studio quality regardless of connection speed. Its Editor works from the transcript and an AI editing agent, and recent 2026 releases add a Mac app, a rebuilt mobile app and an MCP server for AI assistants. Free and paid plans start at $0, with Pro at $24/mo billed annually.
- Freemium pricing
- Easy learning curve
What Riverside can do
- Infinite canvas No
- AI agent Yes
- Node / flow builder No
- Public API Partial
- MCP server Yes
12 of 26 capabilities confirmed
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Text to image | Yes | AI Image and Video Generation (September 2026), Pro and above, uses AI credits |
| Image editing | Not confirmed | |
| Text to video | Yes | AI Image and Video Generation and AI B-roll, Pro and above |
| Image to video | Not confirmed | |
| Video to video | Not confirmed | |
| Native audio in video | Not confirmed | |
| Lip-sync | Not confirmed | |
| Voice / TTS | Not confirmed | |
| Music & SFX | Not confirmed | |
| Upscaling | Partial | Video Enhancement improves clarity and lighting, Business plan |
| Character consistency | Not confirmed | |
| Camera control | Not confirmed | |
| Custom training | Not confirmed | |
| Third-party models | Partial | Says it offers all the top AI models, but no individual models are named publicly |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite canvas | No | |
| Node / flow builder | No | |
| AI agent | Yes | AI editing agent on Pro and above; edit by prompt in the Editor and mobile app |
| Chat assistant | Yes | AI Co-Creator, which does not use AI credits per the pricing FAQ |
| Team collaboration | Yes | Review links, comments panel, editor seats; collaborative editing on Business |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Public API | Partial | API access is listed on the Business plan only; developer docs not verified |
| MCP server | Yes | Riverside MCP (August 2026) for Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants |
| Mobile app | Yes | Rebuilt mobile app (July 2026) for recording, clips and editing |
| Desktop / local | Yes | Native Mac app with full Editor (September 2026); records locally on each device |
| Open source | No |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Free plan: 2 hours one-off separate-track recording, 720p with watermark |
| Commercial use | Not confirmed |
Yes Partial No Not confirmed by the vendor
What makes Riverside different
- 01
Local multitrack capture: each guest is recorded on their own device, so a bad connection degrades the stream, not the file.
- 02
Transcript-first editing: the AI editing agent and edit-by-prompt work from the transcript, so filler removal and cuts happen in text.
- 03
Cheapest paid entry among the interview-focused recorders that include AI clipping: Pro at $24/mo annual with 4K export and no watermark.
- 04
Recording, hosting, webinars, social posting and podcast analytics in one account, instead of separate recorder, editor and scheduler tools.
- 05
An MCP server (August 2026) so an AI assistant can act on recordings, which few recording tools offer.
About Riverside
Riverside is a remote recording and editing platform for podcasts, interviews and webinars. Each participant is recorded locally at up to 4K with separate tracks, then synced to the cloud, which is why it is the default for interviews over unreliable connections. The browser-based studio needs no download for guests.
The 2026 changes are mostly about turning recordings into finished output. The new Editor (July 2026) was rebuilt for speed and includes edit-by-prompt, version history and a comments panel. The full Editor now runs in a native Mac app (September 2026), the mobile app was rebuilt in July to record, cut clips and edit by prompt, and an AI Image and Video Generation feature (September 2026) adds b-roll, guest cards and transitions using AI credits. A Riverside MCP (August 2026) lets Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants request clips, edits and social posts from a recording.
It fits a film or video workflow mainly as a capture-and-rough-cut stage for talking-head and interview content: record clean multitrack, let the transcript-based editor and clip tools produce a first cut, then export to a non-linear editor when a finer timeline is needed. Podcasters, course and webinar producers, and agencies that deliver interview content are the core users. It is not a cinematic generation tool.
What's new in Riverside
-
AI Image and Video Generation
Generates b-roll, guest cards, transitions and cover art with several AI models, paid through AI credits on Pro and above.
Source: riverside.com ↗ -
Full Editor in the Mac app
The complete Riverside Editor now runs natively on Mac (September 7, 2026).
Source: riverside.com ↗ -
AI Twin
Builds an AI version of you from past recordings to generate video from scripts, on AI credits at Pro and above.
Source: riverside.com ↗ -
Riverside MCP
Connects Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants to your recordings to find moments, cut clips, make edits and schedule posts.
Source: riverside.com ↗ -
Private podcasts and review-link protection
Business plan adds invite-only private podcast feeds and password-protected, expiring review links (August 6, 2026).
Source: riverside.com ↗ -
Rebuilt mobile app and new Editor
The mobile app was rebuilt on July 29 for recording, sharing clips and prompt-based editing; the desktop Editor was rebuilt on July 16.
Source: riverside.com ↗
Key Features
- Local multitrack recording up to 4K with separate audio and video tracks per guest
- Browser-based guest studio, no download required
- AI editing agent and edit-by-prompt in the Editor and mobile app
- Transcription with 25 languages and regenerate-transcript in a chosen language
- Magic Clips, show notes and AI thumbnails for repurposing
- AI Image and Video Generation for b-roll, guest cards and transitions (September 2026)
- New Editor (July 2026) with comments panel, version history and motion graphics
- Mac app with the full Editor (September 2026) and rebuilt mobile app (July 2026)
- Riverside MCP for AI assistants (August 2026)
- Podcast hosting with analytics, Apple Podcasts video publishing and CSV export
- Live streaming and webinars with multistreaming, registration and post-event surveys
When to reach for it — and when to skip
Reach for it when…
- Local recording keeps guest audio and video clean on weak connections
- Clear plan ladder with a usable free tier and 4K on Pro at $24/mo annual
- Fast 2026 release cadence: dozens of updates from April to September
- Covers recording, editing, hosting and webinars in one account
Skip it when…
- Free plan exports are 720p with a watermark, and recording is capped at 2 hours one-off
- Recording caps are inconsistent: the pricing table lists hours per month, while the FAQ says recording is unlimited and the cap only applies to downloads
- Business-only items (SSO, API, collaborative editing) push serious teams to custom pricing
- Editing is mostly text and clip-oriented; it is not a timeline NLE for finishing a film
- AI generation pricing runs on credits that the public pages do not fully quantify
Best For
✓ Ideal for
- Remote podcast interviews recorded at 4K with separate tracks for post
- Turning a long interview into vertical clips, show notes and social posts
- Documentary talking-head interviews that need clean multitrack audio from remote subjects
- Webinar production with registration, replays and follow-up surveys
- Producers who want an AI assistant to pull clips from a recording via MCP
✗ Not built for
- Cinematic AI video generation or shot-by-shot camera control
- Finishing a film or episode on a multi-track timeline with color and VFX (use Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve)
Working Tips from Filmmakers Using Riverside
- 01 Record on Pro or above to get 4K and no watermark; on Free, the 720p watermarked export is only good for a rough check.
- 02 Track the separate-track download hours (5 per month on Pro) before a long shoot, since the cap, not the recording, is the limit that bites.
- 03 Use the transcript regeneration tool to fix wrong-language transcripts before running clip detection.
- 04 Export separate tracks and finish audio in a dedicated NLE so you keep control of levels and noise reduction.
Riverside pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 n/a |
|
| Pro | $24/mo annual ($288/yr); $29 monthly annual or monthly |
|
| Grow | $34/mo annual ($408/yr); $39 monthly annual or monthly |
|
| Webinar | $79/mo annual; $99 monthly annual or monthly |
|
| Business | Custom by request |
|
Prices checked against Riverside's pricing page on 9 Oct 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
Riverside vs Descript vs Opus Clip
| Riverside | Descript | Opus Clip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro $24/mo billed annually ($29 monthly); Business custom | Free (1 hr/mo, 720p, watermarked) · Hobbyist $16/mo annual ($24 monthly) · Creator $24/mo annual ($35 monthly) · Business $50/mo annual ($65 monthly, per person) | Free / $15/mo Starter / $29/mo Pro; Business custom |
| Node / flow builder | No | No | Partial |
| AI agent | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Chat assistant | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Team collaboration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Text to image | Yes | Partial | No |
| Image editing | Not confirmed | Partial | No |
| Text to video | Yes | Yes | No |
| Video to video | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Voice / TTS | Not confirmed | Yes | Partial |
| Music & SFX | Not confirmed | Yes | Partial |
| Upscaling | Partial | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Custom training | Not confirmed | Partial | No |
| Third-party models | Partial | Yes | No |
| Public API | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Desktop / local | Yes | Not confirmed | No |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Starting paid price | $24/mo annual, $29 monthly (Pro) | $16 or $24/person/mo (Hobbyist) | $15/mo (Starter) |
| Free-plan export cap | 720p, watermark | 720p, watermark | 1080p, watermark |
| Max paid export | Up to 4K | Up to 4K (Creator) | Highest available, no number given |
| Watermark-free paid exports | Yes (Pro and above) | Yes (Hobbyist and above) | Yes (Starter and above) |
| Free-tier allowance | 2 hours one-off recording | 1 media hour/month | Free plan with 1 brand template and 3-day export window |
Each column comes from that tool's own researched page. "Not confirmed" means the vendor doesn't say.
Open the full Riverside vs Descript vs Opus Clip comparison →Use Cases
Tags
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against Riverside's own pricing, product and changelog pages on , then cross-checked with independent coverage where vendor pages were silent. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked "Not confirmed" rather than guessed.
- Riverside pricing page (read via 301 from riverside.fm/pricing; page self-described as staging copy, see openQuestions) riverside.com
- Riverside product updates (2026 release list) riverside.com
- The Riverside MCP is here riverside.com
- AI Image and Video Generation riverside.com
- Edit in the Mac app riverside.com
- Riverside Pricing (2026) - third-party cross-check of plan prices castmagic.io
- Descript pricing (comparison) descript.com
- Opus Clip pricing (comparison) opus.pro
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
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