Riverside is a remote recording studio for podcasts and video interviews that records each guest on a separate track and transcribes everything automatically. It is worth paying for if you record guests and want editing, clips and transcripts in one place, but it is more than you need if you only want plain transcription.
What Riverside is
Riverside is a browser based studio for recording podcasts, interviews and video shows with remote guests. Guests join from a direct link, and each person's audio and video arrive as separate tracks you can edit Zapier ↗. It runs on the web, macOS, iOS and Android Zapier ↗.
Transcription is built in. Riverside says it transcribes in more than 100 languages and dialects with up to 99 percent accuracy, and you can export transcripts as TXT or as SRT caption files Riverside transcription ↗. It also has a free standalone transcription tool that needs no sign up and accepts MP3, WAV, MP4 and MOV files Riverside transcription ↗.
Around that sit editing and AI tools. You edit video by editing the transcript, Magic Clips cuts short clips for social media, and paid plans add an AI editing and repurposing agent Riverside pricing ↗ Zapier ↗. Zapier named Riverside the best transcription app for podcasting workflows Zapier ↗.
What it does well
It handles the whole podcast workflow. Zapier notes that Riverside covers recording, transcribing and publishing, so you do not have to move files between tools or transcribe by hand Zapier ↗. It can publish to major podcast platforms Zapier ↗.
Separate tracks make editing and transcripts better. Because each guest records on their own track, speaker labels are accurate, and Riverside says recording uncompressed audio locally improves transcription Riverside transcription ↗.
The AI extras save time. Zapier lists tools that clean up audio, cut filler words and generate B roll, plus AI show descriptions, chapters and takeaways built from the transcript Zapier ↗. VideoDub can replace misspoken audio and adjust lip movement to match Zapier ↗.
Quality is high on paid plans. Pro records up to 4K video with 48kHz audio and removes the watermark Riverside pricing ↗. Paid plans list unlimited transcriptions Riverside pricing ↗.
Where it falls short
It is overkill for simple transcription. If you only need text from meetings or files, a dedicated transcription tool is cheaper. Zapier also notes you need to help remote guests set up Riverside before a session Zapier ↗.
The free plan is a sample. It includes 2 hours of multi track recording in total, not per month, at up to 720p with a Riverside watermark Riverside pricing ↗. On the free transcription tool, multi speaker uploads are assigned to one speaker Riverside transcription ↗.
The pricing page is confusing. It lists monthly recording hours in one place, but its FAQ says recording is unlimited and caps separate track downloads instead, at 15 hours on Pro, 20 on Grow and 25 on Webinar Riverside pricing ↗. The page we loaded also said it was a staging version that may be out of date Riverside pricing ↗. No refund policy was shown Riverside pricing ↗.
Hands on testing is in progress, and we will update this review.
Pricing and plans
Free costs nothing. It includes 2 hours of multi track recording one time, up to 720p video, 44.1kHz audio, a watermark, Magic Clips and unlimited single track recording and editing Riverside pricing ↗.
Pro costs $29 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly ($288). It adds up to 4K video, 48kHz audio, no watermark, unlimited transcriptions, the AI editing agent and 2,000 AI credits Riverside pricing ↗.
Grow costs $39 a month, or $34 a month billed yearly ($408). It adds a second studio, 1080p livestreaming, AI thumbnails and the Riverside MCP connector Riverside pricing ↗.
Webinar costs $99 a month, or $79 a month billed yearly, with 3 studios Riverside pricing ↗. Business has custom pricing, unlimited studios, collaborative editing, custom roles and 12,000 AI credits Riverside pricing ↗. Pro, Grow and Webinar come with a 14 day free trial, and an extra editor seat is a paid add on Riverside pricing ↗.
Who should (and shouldn't) use it
- Good fit: podcasters and video creators who record remote guests and want studio quality tracks Zapier ↗.
- Good fit: marketing teams that turn interviews into clips, captions and show notes Riverside pricing ↗ Zapier ↗.
- Good fit: anyone who needs a quick free transcript of a single file, using the no sign up tool Riverside transcription ↗.
- Skip it if: you only need meeting notes or file transcription; Otter or a similar tool costs less Otter pricing ↗.
- Skip it if: you need human checked transcripts for legal or research work; Rev sells those Rev pricing ↗.
Alternatives worth a look
- Descript: a strong audio and video editor that transcribes as you edit, with a free plan of 60 media minutes a month Descript pricing ↗.
- Otter.ai: better for live meeting transcription, with Pro at $8.33 a month billed yearly Otter pricing ↗.
- Rev: AI transcription plus human transcription from $1.99 a minute Rev pricing ↗.
- Castmagic: Zapier's pick for turning transcripts into other content Zapier ↗.
Where it appears
Best for recording guestsThe Best AI Tools for PodcastersComparedThe Best AI Transcription SoftwareWhat’s good
- Listed among Zapier's top transcription apps
- Built for podcasts and video
- Recording and transcripts in one
What to know
- More than you need for plain transcription
- Pricing not confirmed by us
Key features
- Remote recording
- Transcription
Questions people ask
Is Riverside free?
Yes, there is a free plan with 2 hours of multi track recording in total, 720p video and a watermark. A separate free transcription tool needs no sign up Riverside pricing ↗ Riverside transcription ↗.
How much does Riverside cost?
Pro is $29 a month or $24 a month billed yearly. Grow is $39 or $34 yearly, and Webinar is $99 or $79 yearly Riverside pricing ↗.
Does Riverside transcribe automatically?
Yes. Paid plans include unlimited transcriptions in more than 100 languages, with TXT and SRT export Riverside pricing ↗ Riverside transcription ↗.
Is Riverside good for transcription only?
It works, but it is built for recording. Zapier picked it for podcast workflows, not plain transcription Zapier ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Hands on testing is in progress.
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