Softwr

Video Production · head to head

Blender vs Riverside.fm

Blender logo

Blender

Video Production

Free and Open Source 3D Creation Suite

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Riverside.fm logo

Riverside.fm

Video Production

High-quality remote podcast and video recording platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blender rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines; Riverside.fm free plan limited to 2 hours of multi-track recording and adds a watermark
  • They diverge on capability: Blender covers 3D modeling, Riverside.fm covers Remote recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blender and Riverside.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Blender and Riverside.fm differ
AttributeBlenderRiverside.fm
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20022019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Video Production).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blender

  • 3D modeling
  • Sculpting
  • Animation
  • Rigging
  • Rendering
  • Compositing
  • 2D animation
  • Python scripting

Only in Riverside.fm

  • Remote recording
  • High-quality capture
  • Automatic transcription
  • Live streaming
  • Distribution tools
  • Zapier
  • IFTTT
  • Google Drive

Both cover

  • Video editing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blender

  • 3D modeling and animationnot Riverside.fm
  • Visual effectsnot Riverside.fm
  • Game developmentnot Riverside.fm
  • Architectural visualizationnot Riverside.fm
  • Video editingnot Riverside.fm

Riverside.fm

  • Remote podcast and video interview recording with multi-track separationnot Blender

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blender

  • Rendering performance lags behind dedicated render engines
  • Limited real-time viewport performance for very large scenes

Riverside.fm

  • Free plan limited to 2 hours of multi-track recording and adds a watermark
  • Pro plan at $29 per month caps separate-track recording at 5 hours per month
  • Business plan with unlimited storage and SSO is quote only, requiring contact with sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Blender

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Blender review.

Riverside.fm

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours of multi-track recordings
    • 720p video quality
    • 44.1 kHz audio
  • Pro$29/month
    • $24 per month annual
    • 4K video and 48kHz audio
    • No watermark
  • Grow$39/month
    • $34 per month annual
    • 1080p live streaming
    • Social media scheduling
  • Webinar$99/month
    • $79 per month annual
    • Host webinars up to 100 registrants
    • Lead capture tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Blender if

  • You need 3d modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want sculpting.
Blender review

Choose Riverside.fm if

  • You need remote recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want high-quality capture.
Riverside.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Blender or Riverside.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Blender starts at Free and Riverside.fm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blender or Riverside.fm?
Blender starts at Free and Riverside.fm at Free.
Does Blender or Riverside.fm run on more platforms?
Blender runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Riverside.fm runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Blender for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Blender best used for?
Blender is most often used for 3d modeling and animation, visual effects, game development, architectural visualization. Of those, 3d modeling and animation and visual effects are not what Riverside.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Blender do that Riverside.fm cannot?
Blender covers 3D modeling, Sculpting, Animation, Rigging. Riverside.fm covers Remote recording, High-quality capture, Automatic transcription, Live streaming. Both handle Video editing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blender: Can I use Blender commercially for free?

Yes. Blender is distributed under the GNU GPL license, meaning it is completely free to use for any purpose, including commercially or for education, with no licensing fees or restrictions.

Source
Riverside.fm: How much does Riverside FM cost?

Pro plan is $29/month ($24 annually), Grow is $39/month ($34 annually), and Webinar is $99/month ($79 annually). A Free plan with 2 hours recording is available. Business plan requires contacting sales.

Source
Blender: What operating systems does Blender support?

Blender is cross-platform and runs equally well on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh computers.

Source
Riverside.fm: Does Riverside FM offer annual billing discounts?

Yes, annual billing provides up to 20% discount compared to monthly rates. Specific savings vary by plan tier.

Source
Blender: Can I extend Blender's functionality?

Yes. Blender has a flexible Python-controlled interface and you can use hundreds of add-ons by the community or create your own using Blender's accessible Python API.

Source
Riverside.fm: What is included in the Free plan?

The Free plan includes 2 hours of multi-track recordings, 720p video quality, 44.1 kHz audio, unlimited single-track recording, and a Riverside watermark on exports.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Blender

More on Riverside.fm

Keep looking

Other head to heads