
Have you ever finished a remote interview only to realize the video looks blurry or pixelated?
It is a terrible feeling.
You work hard to book great guests, but a bad internet connection can ruin everything.
When the Wi-Fi lags, your video freezes, and the audio sounds like a robot.
You do not need a television studio to get professional results. You just need Riverside.
Unlike Zoom, it records video and audio directly on your computer, so the internet does not affect the quality.
In this guide, we will show you exactly how to use Riverside to capture stunning 4K video and crystal-clear audio in 2026.

Want pro-level recordings? Riverside. FM offers 4K video and separate audio tracks. Thousands of creators use it. Explore it free and see the difference!
Riverside Tutorial
Getting started with Riverside is very simple for anyone to do today.
You do not need technical skills to set up your first studio. The dashboard makes finding tools easy for even the newest users.
Follow these steps to record high-quality video from your home computer.
How to use Async Recorder
The most important part of Riverside is its local recording technology.
This fancy term just means it records files directly on your computer. It does not rely on your internet connection speed.
Because of this, you always record high-quality audio and sharp video.
You will not lose quality even if your Wi-Fi drops.
Step 1: Create a New Studio
First, log in and look at your dashboard. You need to choose your audio & video settings here.
- Click the “New Studio” button to start.
- Select “Audio & Video” to capture a full video recording.
- This prepares your space for high-quality podcast audio.
- You can later export these files to other editing software.
Step 2: Invite Your Guests
You can invite people easily with a simple link.
- Copy the guest link from the studio.
- Send it to your guest for the best video quality.
- Riverside separates everyone into their own audio and video files.
- This separation helps you fix mistakes and keeps the recording quality high.

Step 3: Start the Recording
Now you are ready to capture the conversation.
- Check your camera to ensure the video settings look good.
- Hit record to start saving video files to your device.
- The system uses magic audio processing to clear up sound.
- Wait for the upload to finish to save that clear video quality.
How to Generate AI Captions
Captions help people watch your videos on social media platforms without sound.
Riverside makes this step very fast and simple for creators.
You do not need to type anything out yourself manually. The system listens to your words and does the work.
Step 1: Open the Editor
Go to your Riverside account and look for your finished recording.
- Click on the Riverside dashboard to see your list.
- Select your recording and click on the media tab.
- This works even if you have an audience member watching.
- It also captures any screen sharing you did during the chat.
Step 2: Activate Captions
Now, enter the magic editor to start the fun part.
- Click the Add Captions button on the toolbar.
- The tool automatically switches speakers and times the text.
- It cuts out internet issues or glitches from the text.
- You can also remove filler words like “um” here.

Step 3: Customize the Style
Make the text look good for your viewers.
- Change the font to match your brand’s style.
- Check audio levels and add music if you want.
- You can edit a fancy word if the AI misspelled it.
- This tool helps highlight key points from your talk.
- It works well because the echo cancellation keeps the audio clear.
- You pressed the record button, and now you have professional text.
- Even files from producer mode can get these captions.
How to use Magic Clips Generator
You can turn one long video into many short YouTube videos. This feature finds the best moments for you automatically.
It saves you hours of work in the editing process.
Step 1: Access Your Recording
Open your Riverside Studio recordings to find your files.
- This works even with a free account on Riverside.
- Look for the clips button near your main files.
- It uses the clear audio recorded from remote guests.
Step 2: Generate the Clips
Click the “Generate Clips” button and let the AI work.
- It takes just a few minutes to scan everything.
- The AI ignores background noise and finds good quotes.
- It provides easy-to-use tools to adjust the length.

Step 3: Review and Export
Now you can pick the winners for your YouTube channel.
- The Riverside Magic Editor lets you polish the clip.
- You can do detailed editing to trim the start.
- Open the full editor for more detailed editing if needed.
- Export the clip and share it with the world.
Riverside Alternatives
Looking for other platforms like Riverside for recording high-quality audio and video podcasts with remote guests?
Here are some riverside alternatives:
- Podcastle: This platform offers AI-powered tools to enhance your audio and video, including noise cancellation and transcription. It’s designed for ease of use with features like an AI audio assistant.
- Restream: Primarily a live streaming service, Restream also allows you to record your streams, which can be useful for podcasts that also have a live video component.
- Streamyard: A user-friendly, browser-based studio for live streaming and recording. It’s easy to invite guests and share your screen, making it suitable for interview-style podcasts.
- Zencastr: This platform focuses on recording high-quality audio from remote guests, capturing separate tracks locally to ensure good sound even with internet issues.
- Ecamm: A macOS-based software with advanced features for live streaming and recording, offering a lot of control over your production.
- Castr: Provides live streaming solutions to multiple platforms and includes recording options for repurposing your content.
Riverside Compared
Let’s see how Riverside stacks up against these other recording and streaming platforms:
- Riverside vs Restream: Riverside excels in producing high-quality recordings with separate tracks. Restream is primarily for simulcasting live video to multiple platforms, with recording as a secondary feature.
- Riverside vs Streamlabs: Riverside is designed for professional-quality podcast recording, particularly with video. Streamlabs is popular for live streaming with overlays and widgets, offering recording mainly for streaming purposes.
- Riverside vs Streamyard: Riverside records separate, high-quality audio and video tracks locally. Streamyard is a browser-based tool focused on easy live streaming and recording of conversations with guests.
- Riverside vs Zencastr: Both Riverside and Zencastr prioritize high-quality remote audio recording with local track capture. Riverside also offers robust video recording capabilities, which Zencastr lacks.
- Riverside vs Ecamm: Riverside is a dedicated platform for high-quality remote recording and live streaming. Ecamm Live is macOS software with extensive live production features, including recording.
- Riverside vs Castr: Riverside focuses on high-fidelity recording and live streaming with an emphasis on quality. Castr is more geared towards reliable live video streaming to various destinations.
Conclusion
Riverside beats other platforms because of its smart local recording technology.
It captures high-quality audio and clear video every time.
You can start with the free plan today. Always check your audio levels and ensure good lighting in the green room first.
Then, adjust your audio & video settings before inviting guests.
Click the three dots to invite people easily.
You can also try live-streaming your next episode.
The magic audio feature cleans up your audio and video. These tools help you save time. Start recording today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Riverside used for?
Riverside is a studio-quality recording platform designed for remote podcasters and video creators. Unlike standard video call tools, it records audio and video locally on each participant’s device. This ensures pristine 4K video and 48kHz audio, completely independent of internet connection stability.
How much does Riverside cost?
Pricing starts at $19 per month for the Standard plan (billed annually), which removes watermarks and offers unlimited recording. The Pro plan costs $29 per month and adds 4K video resolution and AI transcriptions. There is also a flexible Free plan for beginners.
Can you use Riverside for free?
Yes, the Free plan allows for unlimited single-track recording and editing. However, high-quality separate audio and video tracks are limited to two hours of recording. Free exports are capped at 720p resolution and include a Riverside watermark.
Why is Riverside better than Zoom?
Zoom records compressed audio and video over the internet, meaning glitches and lag are baked into your final file. Riverside records locally on your computer. Even if your Wi-Fi drops, the final file looks and sounds like you were in the same room. Uncompressed quality wins.
What browser to use with Riverside?
You must use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Riverside relies on specific web technologies found in these browsers to handle local recording and high-speed uploading. Safari and Firefox are not currently supported for recording sessions.
Is Riverside good for podcasting?
It is widely considered the industry standard for remote podcasting. Because it provides separate WAV audio tracks for every guest, you get granular control during post-production. Plus, features like AI Show Notes and the text-based editor streamline the entire workflow.
Can you use Riverside on a phone?
Absolutely. Riverside offers dedicated mobile apps for both iOS and Android. You can use your phone as a high-quality webcam for your computer, or host and record a full episode directly from the mobile device with the same local recording benefits.
More Facts about Riverside
- Free Plan: There is a free version of Riverside FM. It lets you record up to two hours of separate video and audio tracks at a time. However, the free plan usually does not let you do live streams or download the highest quality video.
- Standard Plan: This plan costs $15 per month. It lets you record up to five hours of high-quality audio and video every month.
- Pro Plan: This plan costs $24 per month. It gives you up to fifteen hours of recording time every month.
- Better Quality than Zoom: Unlike Zoom or Skype, which rely on your internet speed, Riverside records clear audio and video directly on your device. This makes it look and sound much better, even if your internet is slow.
- Separate Tracks: Riverside saves a separate file for every person’s audio and video. This makes it much easier to edit later because you can fix one person’s sound without changing everyone else’s.
- Safe Uploading: Riverside uses “progressive uploading.” This means your files upload while you are talking. If your computer crashes, your recording is still safe.
- Easy for Guests: You can invite guests with a simple link. They do not need to make an account to join your recording.
- Green Room: Before you start recording, there is a “Green Room.” This lets you and your guests check your camera and microphone to make sure everything looks and sounds good.
- Mobile App: You can use the Riverside app on your phone. It records high-quality video and audio just like on a computer.
- Text-Based Editing: Riverside has an editor that lets you edit your video by just deleting text from the transcript. It can also automatically remove long pauses and silence.
- Magic Clips: There is a tool called Magic Clips. It takes your long video and automatically turns it into short, vertical videos for TikTok or Instagram.
- Teleprompter: You can put your script on the screen using the built-in teleprompter. This helps you look at the camera while you read.
- Live Streaming: You can broadcast your recording live to places like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch while you are filming.
- Browser Choice: For the best results, you should use the Google Chrome browser on your computer. Other browsers, like Safari, might not work as well.
- Headphones are Important: You should always wear headphones when recording. This stops your microphone from picking up the sound from your speakers, which causes echoes.
- Lighting and Sound Tips: To get the best quality, use good lighting so your video is clear. Also, try to record in a quiet room with soft furniture to stop echoes.
- Testing: It is always a good idea to test your camera and microphone settings before you start your real recording to avoid mistakes.













