Last updated on September 11th, 2025 at 05:20 pm
When I first started creating online content, my workflow was a patchwork of tools that never really fit together.That’s when Riverside FM entered the picture. I kept hearing friends in the creator community rave about this platform that could record studio‑quality audio and video right in a browser. It seemed almost too good to be true. Could I really ditch the tangle of apps and still deliver a professional podcast? Skeptical but curious, I signed up for a trial. Within an afternoon, I was hooked. The service promised to capture pristine audio and up to 4K video by recording locally on each participant’s device and then uploading the files automatically. It sounded like the answer to my many pain points.
What Is Riverside FM and How It Works
Before diving into the specifics of my experience, it helps to understand what Riverside FM actually is. At its core, Riverside is a browser‑based recording studio designed for podcasters, YouTubers and anyone who needs to capture high‑quality audio and video. You create a “studio” in your account, send a link to your guest, and both of you join via Chrome, Edge or the mobile app. There’s no need to download heavy software or navigate complex settings.
What sets Riverside apart is that it records each participant locally on their own device rather than over the internet stream. That means if your guest’s connection is unstable, the recording won’t suffer from the usual dropouts, lag or compression that plague typical video calls. After the session, the files upload automatically to the cloud, where you can download separate audio and video tracks for each person. This “local recording” approach is a game changer because it ensures uncompressed WAV audio and up to 4K video, even if your live call is a bit glitchy.
The platform also incorporates AI features to streamline post‑production. Built‑in tools can transcribe your conversation, generate captions, clean up background noise and even create short “Magic Clips” for social media. Instead of jumping between transcription software, caption services and video editors, you can handle a lot of the polish within Riverside’s browser interface. There’s a desktop app and mobile apps for iOS and Android as well, so you can record or check in on projects from almost anywhere.
Riverside works on a tiered subscription model. The free plan lets you experiment with basic functionality at 720p video resolution and two hours of recording per month. Paid plans unlock higher resolutions, more recording hours and advanced features like live call‑ins and unlimited transcripts. I’ll break down the specifics of these plans later, but for now just know that you can start without spending a penny and scale up as your needs grow.
Setting Up My First Podcast with Riverside
I still remember the excitement and nerves of setting up my first Riverside session. After creating an account, the dashboard prompted me to create a new studio. This is essentially a room where your recordings happen. You can name it (I called mine “Main Podcast Studio”), set a theme color and choose whether the session will be audio only or video. I opted for the full audio‑video experience because I wanted 4K footage for YouTube.
Inviting guests was as simple as sending a link. My guest clicked the link, granted microphone and camera permissions in Chrome, and popped into the virtual green room. Before recording, Riverside checks audio levels and encourages you to use headphones to prevent echo. There’s also a feature called “Producer mode” that lets a team member join without being recorded to manage settings or troubleshoot. Since I handle everything solo, I didn’t need that, but I can see its value for bigger productions.
We hit the record button, and Riverside began capturing our local video and audio. During the call, we saw each other’s webcam feeds and could share our screens if needed. The interface kept us both informed about our connection and upload progress. I liked that there were clear indicators showing when each track was syncing to the cloud after we finished. Once we wrapped, Riverside automatically processed the files and delivered separate tracks for me and my guest. I downloaded them and imported them into my editing software, noticing immediately that the audio was clean and the video looked fantastic. No more choppy frames or fuzzy sound; it felt like we’d been sitting in the same room.
Local Recording and 4K Quality: Why It Matters
If you’ve ever recorded a podcast over Zoom or Skype, you know how often the internet can ruin a good conversation. There’s the dreaded delay where one person starts a sentence and the other hears it a second later. There are freeze frames that make your guest’s face contort mid‑laugh. Worst of all, there’s the audio degradation that happens when your voice is compressed and transmitted over the web. These may be minor annoyances in everyday meetings, but in a professional recording they can be deal breakers.
Riverside avoids these issues by saving the raw audio and video on each participant’s device first. It uses a clever combination of local recording and cloud syncing. During the call, you see and hear each other through a low‑resolution feed. At the same time, the platform is capturing separate tracks on each computer or phone. When the session ends, Riverside uploads those local files to your account. The result is a pristine master track that’s unaffected by any hiccups you might have experienced in real time.
For me, the difference was obvious the first time I listened back. The audio sounded crisp, with no weird artifacts or dropouts. My guest’s laughter was preserved in all its richness, and our overlapping speech was clear. The video files were recorded in 4K (on the paid plan), which gave me plenty of room to crop or zoom in during editing without losing quality. Even when a guest’s internet connection faltered mid‑call, the final recording stayed intact because the local file didn’t miss a beat.
This local recording approach also means you get separate tracks for each speaker. In editing, this is invaluable. If my guest’s dog barked while I was speaking, I could cut that noise from their track without affecting my audio. If I wanted to adjust the volume or EQ of one voice independently, I could do that easily. The separation gives you granular control you can’t get with a single mixed track.
Using Riverside’s AI Tools: Transcripts, Magic Clips and More
Recording is only half the battle. Once you have your raw files, you need to turn them into polished episodes and shareable snippets. Riverside’s AI tools are designed to streamline that process. As soon as your recording uploads, you can request a transcript. The AI generates a text version of your conversation with impressive accuracy, complete with speaker labels and timestamps. I’ve used other transcription services, and Riverside’s built‑in solution stacks up well. It’s not perfect—you’ll still need to fix the occasional misspelled name or technical term—but it saves hours compared to manual transcription.
Once you have the transcript, you can edit the text and the changes will reflect in the audio or video. For example, if I realize I rambled during a question, I can highlight those sentences in the transcript and delete them. The corresponding section of the audio and video will be cut out, maintaining sync automatically. This text‑based editing is intuitive, especially if you’re used to editing words rather than waveforms.
My favorite AI feature is called “Magic Clips.” After you finish an interview, Riverside analyzes the recording and suggests short clips to repurpose for social media. It highlights moments with strong quotes, interesting insights or enthusiastic reactions. You can accept these suggestions or tweak them manually. Magic Clips will automatically add captions and format the clip for different platforms like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Shorts. I can’t overstate how much time this saves. Repurposing long podcasts into bite‑sized teasers is essential for marketing, but it’s usually a tedious process. With Magic Clips, I can generate five or six shareable snippets in minutes, complete with on‑screen text that’s synced perfectly with the audio.
Another helpful tool is “Magic Audio.” This feature cleans up background noise, balances levels and removes echoes with one click. I’ve used it on a few recordings where my guest’s environment was less than ideal—think a whirring fan or distant traffic. While it can’t perform miracles, it noticeably reduces distractions and makes voices sound fuller. It’s not as comprehensive as a dedicated audio engineer, but for most podcasts and interviews it’s more than sufficient.
Finally, Riverside offers automatic caption generation. This is crucial for accessibility and for social platforms where viewers often watch without sound. The captions sync with the video and can be exported in various formats. I appreciate that I can adjust the font, color and positioning before exporting, allowing me to match the style of my brand.
Editing and Post‑Production: My Workflow
Although Riverside’s editing capabilities are impressive for a browser‑based app, I still prefer to handle complex edits in dedicated software. My typical workflow looks like this: I record the session in Riverside, apply Magic Audio to clean up the sound, and request a transcript. I then skim the transcript to remove any tangents, stumbles or technical issues. If it’s a quick fix, I’ll cut those out within Riverside. For bigger edits—like moving entire segments around or adding music— I export the separate audio and video tracks and bring them into my favorite digital audio workstation and video editor.
Having the transcript open while editing speeds up the process. I can search for keywords like “promotion” or “story” to find specific sections. The timecodes make it easy to jump directly to the clip I want to work with. Once the edits are done, I’ll upload the finished audio back to Riverside for hosting, or publish it through my podcast hosting service. For video, I’ll add intros, outros and graphics in my video editor and then upload to YouTube.
One feature I wish Riverside had was more robust video editing within the platform. The text‑based editing is fantastic for trimming dead air or removing filler words, but it doesn’t allow for more creative transitions, overlays or multiple camera angles. That’s where a tool like Filmora, Final Cut or Adobe Premiere still comes in handy. However, Riverside makes it easy to export and re‑import files, so moving between tools is seamless.
Inviting Guests and Remote Collaboration: Ease of Use
A major headache in remote recording is getting guests set up. I’ve had people download the wrong app, struggle with settings or accidentally turn off their mic halfway through. Riverside solves these problems by making guest onboarding nearly effortless. When you send a studio link, your guest clicks it and is prompted to grant microphone and camera access. They don’t need to create an account or install software. The interface guides them to test their setup before joining you on screen.
Riverside runs in Chrome or Edge, which does mean your guest needs one of those browsers. I learned this the hard way when a guest joined from Safari and couldn’t get their camera to work. Now, I include a reminder to use Chrome in my pre‑interview email, and the problem has disappeared. There are also mobile apps for iOS and Android, so guests can join on their phones if they don’t have a laptop handy. I’ve recorded with people sitting in their cars or walking through a park, and the mobile recording quality has been surprisingly good—as long as they use headphones to avoid echo.
For teams, Riverside allows multiple producers or hosts to join. A producer can stay off the recording while monitoring levels, starting and stopping the session, or communicating privately with the host. This is useful if you have someone managing the technical side while you focus on the conversation. There’s also a screen share feature, which I’ve used for product demos and presentations. You can even record slides alongside your webcam, making Riverside versatile enough for webinars and virtual events.
Pricing and Plans: Choosing the Right Tier for Me
Let’s talk numbers. One of the most common questions I get is: “Is Riverside worth the cost?” The answer depends on what you need. Riverside offers four main plans:
- Free (Basic) Plan: You pay nothing and get unlimited single‑track recording and editing with a watermark on exported files. Video quality tops out at 720p and audio at 44.1 kHz. You can have unlimited video calls, but you can only record up to two hours per month. This plan is ideal for testing the platform or for hobbyists who aren’t concerned about watermarks or high resolution.
- Standard Plan: At around $15 per month per feature, this plan removes the watermark, boosts video quality up to 4K and audio to 48 kHz, and adds features like screen sharing and live streaming to social media. If you’re serious about podcasting or video content but don’t need advanced extras, this tier is a solid compromise. Five hours of recording time per month is usually enough for a weekly show.
- Pro Plan: Priced around $24 per month per feature, the Pro tier builds on the Standard features and includes live call‑ins (so listeners can join and ask questions), unlimited transcriptions and live chat support. It’s perfect for creators who run interviews or interactive shows, or who need more recording hours. I found the Pro plan to be the sweet spot for my needs; the unlimited transcripts alone have saved me a ton of money on third‑party services.
- Teams Plan: This plan is geared toward larger businesses and has custom pricing. It includes roles and permissions, the ability to remotely control guest devices, support for different frame rates like 29.97, 25 and 24 fps, and a presentation recorder. If you run a network of podcasts or manage a distributed production team, this tier offers the scalability and admin controls you’ll need.
I started on the free plan to get my feet wet. Once I realized the limitations—chiefly the low resolution and watermark—I upgraded to Pro. The jump to 4K recording and the addition of Magic Audio and unlimited transcripts were worth every penny for me. The Standard plan would suffice for many creators, but the extra features of Pro made my workflow smoother and more professional.
Pros and Cons: A Balanced Take
After months of using Riverside FM across countless interviews, I’ve come up with a list of benefits and drawbacks. I want to share both sides so you can make an informed decision.
Pros
- Broadcast‑quality audio and video: The local recording approach ensures your content looks and sounds like it was captured in a professional studio. Having separate tracks for each participant gives you ultimate control during editing.
- Beginner‑friendly interface: From the clean dashboard to the straightforward guest links, Riverside is intuitive. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to get great results. Guests appreciate not having to download anything.
- AI‑powered tools: Transcripts, Magic Clips, Magic Audio and automatic captions save time and simplify post‑production. These features helped me repurpose long‑form conversations into social media nuggets and shareable quotes.
- Cross‑platform flexibility: Record on a browser, desktop app or mobile app. This versatility made it easy for me to interview people from anywhere, including those who only had their phones.
- Cloud storage and backups: All sessions are stored in your Riverside account. I never worry about losing files, and I can retrieve old recordings for repurposing at any time.
- Responsive support: When I’ve run into issues—like a stuck upload or a minor bug—the live chat support has been prompt and helpful. It’s comforting to know there’s someone to turn to when time is tight.
Cons
- Free plan limitations: The basic tier’s 720p resolution, two‑hour cap and watermark make it impractical for professional use. It’s more of a trial than a long‑term solution.
- Reliance on Chrome or Edge: Riverside works best in these browsers. Guests who prefer Safari or Firefox may encounter issues. A simple reminder usually fixes this, but it’s an extra step to manage.
- Occasional glitches: While rare, I’ve experienced delayed uploads and slight desynchronization between audio and video. These hiccups are frustrating, especially when you’re on a deadline. They haven’t ruined any projects, but they remind me to be patient and ensure files fully upload before signing off.
- Basic in‑platform editing: The built‑in editor is great for quick trims and captioning, but it lacks more advanced transitions and effects. I still need to use external editing software for polished video production.
- Pricing jumps: The jump from Standard to Pro might feel steep for small creators. If your needs change mid‑production, you might outgrow a tier faster than expected. The Teams plan is expensive and really geared toward larger organizations.
Despite these cons, I’ve found that the pros far outweigh the drawbacks. The occasional glitch is a small price to pay for the overall quality and efficiency Riverside delivers.
Comparisons with Other Tools: Zoom, SquadCast, Descript and More
Before settling on Riverside, I tested several other recording platforms. Each has its own strengths, and understanding how they compare helps put Riverside in context.
Zoom is the default choice for many podcasters because it’s free or cheap and familiar. However, Zoom compresses audio and video to save bandwidth, resulting in lower quality. It’s fine for meetings, but listeners can tell the difference in a polished show. Zoom doesn’t provide separate tracks by default, which makes post‑production harder. It also lacks built‑in transcripts or easy ways to create social clips.
SquadCast is another podcasting platform that records local audio and supports separate tracks. When I tried it, I liked its reliability and slightly lower price point. However, it didn’t offer 4K video (at least in my version), and its editing and transcription features were more limited than Riverside’s. SquadCast was audio‑first, whereas I needed a tool that could handle high‑quality video as well.
Zencastr has been around for a while and offers local audio recording and separate tracks. It recently added video recording, but at the time of my testing, it capped resolution at 1080p and didn’t feel as polished. Its user interface was also less intuitive, and I encountered occasional sync issues.
Descript is a unique platform known for its text‑based editing, similar to Riverside’s transcript editor. It’s powerful for editing and transcription and has an AI tool called Overdub that lets you create a digital clone of your voice. However, Descript doesn’t handle the recording portion itself; you need to import files. I use Descript for certain projects, but I prefer Riverside’s all‑in‑one approach for recording and initial edits.
Ultimately, Riverside offered the best balance of recording quality, ease of use and integrated editing tools for my needs. It’s not the cheapest option, but the professional polish it brings to my content is worth the investment.
Troubleshooting and Support: My Experiences
No tool is perfect, and Riverside is no exception. I’ve encountered a handful of issues that tested my patience but ultimately taught me a few best practices. The most common problem has been delayed uploads. After finishing a recording, each local file needs to sync to the cloud. If my guest closes their laptop or leaves the site too soon, their file may not upload fully. This happened once when a guest closed the tab immediately after the call. I saw a warning in Riverside that the upload was incomplete, but there was no way to retrieve the missing file without them reopening the link. Since then, I always remind guests to wait until the upload completes. There’s a helpful progress bar in the interface so they know when it’s safe to exit.
Another hiccup I’ve experienced is a slight desynchronization between audio and video in the combined export. Riverside’s separate tracks are always perfectly synced, but the mixed video file can occasionally slip by a few frames. If you only use the mixed file for quick sharing, this can be annoying. Thankfully, the fix is simple: use the individual tracks in your editing software and align them manually, or let Riverside reprocess the mixed file. It’s a minor extra step but worth knowing about.
When I’ve needed help, Riverside’s support team has been responsive. The live chat is available on paid plans, and I’ve typically received replies within a few minutes. In one instance, I was having trouble with Magic Clips not loading. The support agent walked me through clearing my browser cache and refreshing the session, which solved the issue. On another occasion, I asked a question about audio bitrates, and they sent me a detailed article along with their recommendations. It’s clear they understand their audience and want to keep creators happy.
Final Verdict: Is Riverside FM Worth It?
So, after months of real‑world use, would I recommend Riverside FM? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. As a podcaster and content creator, the platform has elevated my production quality and simplified my workflow. Recording in a browser with local files gives me peace of mind that technical glitches won’t ruin my episodes. The built‑in AI tools—especially transcripts and Magic Clips—save me hours in post‑production and help me share my work across platforms quickly. The interface is intuitive enough for beginners, yet powerful enough to grow with you as your projects become more ambitious.
Riverside isn’t without its flaws. The free plan is more of a demo than a practical option. The need to use Chrome or Edge can be a minor annoyance, and occasional bugs still pop up. But none of these issues have outweighed the benefits for me. I appreciate that the company releases updates regularly, like improved mobile support and faster transcript processing in 2025. It shows a commitment to evolving with creators’ needs.
If you’re a hobbyist or only record sporadically, the price may feel high compared to free tools. In that case, you could start on the free plan or try another platform and upgrade later. But if you’re serious about your podcast or video content—especially if you monetize your show or want to attract sponsors—the investment in professional quality is worth it. Your audience can tell when you’ve put in the extra effort, and higher production value reflects well on your brand.
For me, Riverside FM is more than a piece of software. It’s a trusted production partner that has allowed me to focus on what I love most—having meaningful conversations and sharing stories—while taking away the technical headaches. If you’re ready to step up your podcast or video game, I encourage you to give Riverside a try. You may find, like I did, that it becomes an indispensable part of your creative toolkit.
