Pick Riverside if you want one platform that also covers live streaming, webinars and newsletters, and you care about 4K local recording. Pick Zencastr if you mostly want a podcast-first tool, you'd like to record from your phone, or you like the idea of earnings that grow with your show. Both handle remote interviews well.
Two podcasters can want very different things from the same job. One wants a studio that records a guest, cleans up the audio and gets the episode out. The other wants the podcast to feed clips, live streams, webinars and a newsletter as well. Which of those you are decides this pair more than any single feature.
The short verdict for podcasters
Riverside makes more sense if your podcast is one part of a wider content operation, and you want high-quality local recording with separate tracks. Zencastr makes more sense if the podcast is the whole point, you'd rather work from a phone, and you'd like a route to earnings as your audience grows. Neither is the obvious winner for every show, so the rest of this page is about matching one to how you work.
A podcast studio or a whole content platform?
The bigger platform positions itself as end to end. Its homepage covers recording, editing with a text-based editor and AI, live streaming, webinars, podcast hosting and even newsletters, with publishing to YouTube, Spotify and Apple.
The podcast studio keeps a tighter focus: record, edit, publish, then earn. Hosting, RSS and analytics are listed among its features, and it publishes to Spotify, Apple and YouTube too.
If you only ever make audio or video podcasts, the extra scope of the bigger platform may be more than you need. If you're a marketer or a business running several formats, that scope is the reason to look at it.
The two studios on one page
| Area | Riverside | Zencastr |
|---|---|---|
| Product scope | Recording, editing, live streaming, webinars, podcast hosting and newsletters | Podcast focused: record, edit, publish and earn, with hosting, RSS and analytics |
| Editing approach | Text-based video editor with AI tools such as Magic Clips, AI Show Notes, AI Translation and an AI Twin | Chat with an AI Producer to clean audio, remove pauses and filler words, and create transcripts, cover art and show notes |
| Phone or desktop | Browser studio plus a Mac app and mobile apps | Leads with the phone as the studio, with a desktop version for a fuller set of tools |
| Earnings | Homepage doesn't mention earning from your podcast | An Earn section with milestone-based earnings and ad-based monetization |
| Free option | Says free recording and editing, with Start for Free buttons | Says unlimited studio-quality recording and hosting for free, and lists a Free tier |
| Company story | Founded in 2020 by two brothers, Gideon and Nadav, per its About page | States a philosophy of letting the humans do the talking; its site doesn't give a founding story |
Recording and editing: where your hours go
Recording quality is where the bigger platform puts its weight. Its site says it captures up to 4K video and uncompressed audio in separate tracks, recorded locally so a guest's shaky internet doesn't spoil the file. If you've ever lost an interview to a dropped connection, you'll see why that claim matters.
Editing is where the two feel most different. One gives you a text-based editor, so you edit the recording by editing the transcript, with AI tools for clips, show notes and translation on top. The other lets you edit by chatting with an AI Producer: you ask it to clean the audio, cut pauses and filler words, and it produces transcripts, cover art and show notes.
Neither approach is wrong. If you like seeing every cut, text-based editing gives you that control. If you'd rather describe what you want and move on, the chat route is the faster-sounding one.
Phone first or desktop first
The podcast studio leads with the phone. Its homepage pitches the phone as the studio, with a mobile-first idea it calls vibecasting, and offers a desktop version for shows that want the fuller tool stack.
The bigger platform starts from the browser studio and lists a Mac app and mobile apps alongside it. So both work on a phone, but only one is built around it. If you record on the move or interview people wherever they are, that emphasis is worth weighing.
You'll find more options in our guide to the best video podcast software, and there's a fuller list of alternatives to the all-in-one recording platform if you want to compare further.
The earnings angle, and what it means for your recordings
This is the detail that's easy to miss. Under its Earn section, the podcast studio's homepage invites users to help make its AI better and earn for it. So a free account can double as a small income stream tied to AI training, something the bigger platform's site doesn't mention at all.
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There's a tension worth noticing too. The same company states a philosophy of letting the humans do the talking, while it sells AI editing and asks users to help improve its AI. That isn't a reason to avoid it, but it's a reason to read how each service handles your recordings, and your guests' voices, before you commit a whole back catalogue to either one.
Three more studios for remote interviews
SquadCast
Best for: An in-browser studio for remote audio and video, with cloud storage and Progressive Upload, described as patented, saving as you record.
StreamYard
Best for: Live streaming to many platforms from a browser, with guests joining by link and separate audio and video files recorded on each device.
Descript
Best for: Editing by editing text, with Rooms for recording, an AI co-editor called Underlord, filler word removal, eye contact and studio sound tools.
Do you make podcast recording or editing software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this page.
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Frequently asked questions
Which one records better quality for remote guests?
The bigger platform makes the stronger claim, saying it captures up to 4K video and uncompressed audio in separate tracks, recorded locally so internet quality doesn't affect it. The podcast studio says studio-quality recording but doesn't spell out the same detail on its homepage.
Can I record a podcast from my phone?
Yes, with both. One leads with the phone as the studio and offers a desktop version for more tools. The other lists mobile apps and a Mac app alongside its browser studio.
Do both have a free plan?
Both say so. One says free recording and editing with Start for Free buttons. The other says unlimited studio-quality recording and hosting for free and lists a Free tier.
Which is better if I also run webinars or live streams?
The bigger platform, because it lists live streaming and webinars as part of the product. The podcast studio is focused on recording, editing, publishing and earning from a show.
How does AI editing differ between them?
One uses a text-based editor plus AI tools such as clips, show notes and translation. The other has you chat with an AI Producer that cleans audio, removes pauses and filler words, and makes transcripts and cover art.
