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Webinars · head to head

Cisco Webex vs Riverside

Cisco Webex logo

Cisco Webex

Webinars

The leading enterprise video conferencing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Riverside logo

Riverside

Webinars

Studio-quality remote podcast and video recording

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cisco Webex listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL); Riverside the free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance
  • They diverge on capability: Cisco Webex covers HD video, Riverside covers Local recording.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cisco Webex and Riverside actually diverge.

Attributes where Cisco Webex and Riverside differ
AttributeCisco WebexRiverside
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded19842020

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

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 Cisco Webex

  • HD video
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording
  • Transcription
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Google Calendar

Only in Riverside

  • Local recording
  • 4K video capture
  • Separate audio tracks
  • AI transcription
  • Magic Editor
  • Live streaming
  • Zoom
  • YouTube

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cisco Webex

  • Video conferencing and team meetingsnot Riverside
  • Hybrid work collaboration with device integrationnot Riverside
  • Customer experience solutions and contact centersnot Riverside
  • Event hosting and large-scale meetingsnot Riverside

Riverside

  • Recording remote podcast and video interviews in local quality per participantnot Cisco Webex
  • Producing multi track recordings for editing after the sessionnot Cisco Webex

Where each one falls short

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

Cisco Webex

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)

Riverside

  • The free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance
  • Free exports are capped at 720p, so remote recording quality is the paid feature
  • Separate track recording is metered monthly, at 5 hours on Pro and 15 on Grow
  • Downloadable separate tracks are metered on a different allowance again, at 15, 20 and 25 hours
  • Removing all time limits requires the Webinar plan at $79 a month or a custom Business contract

Pricing, plan by plan

Cisco Webex

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 40-min group meetings
    • Unlimited 1:1 calls
    • HD video
  • Starter$13.5/month
    • Unlimited meetings
    • 100 participants
    • Recording
  • Pro$26.99/month
    • 300 participants
    • Advanced security
    • Priority support

Riverside

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours of multi-track recordings (one-time)
    • Up to 720p video quality
    • 44.1 kHz audio quality
  • Pro$29/month
    • 5 hours per month of multi-track recordings
    • Up to 4K video quality
    • 48kHz audio quality
  • Grow$39/month
    • 15 hours per month of multi-track recordings
    • Everything in Pro plus
    • Social media scheduling
  • Webinar$99/month
    • Everything in Grow plus
    • Webinar hosting (up to 100 registrants)
    • Pre-record & stream as live

Which should you pick?

Choose Cisco Webex if

  • You need hd video.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
  • You also want screen sharing.
Cisco Webex review

Choose Riverside if

  • You need local recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want 4k video capture.
Riverside review

Questions people ask

Is Cisco Webex or Riverside better?
Neither clearly leads. Cisco Webex starts at Free and Riverside at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cisco Webex or Riverside?
Cisco Webex starts at Free and Riverside at Free.
Does Cisco Webex or Riverside run on more platforms?
Cisco Webex runs on Web, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android. Riverside runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Cisco Webex for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cisco Webex best used for?
Cisco Webex is most often used for video conferencing and team meetings, hybrid work collaboration with device integration, customer experience solutions and contact centers, event hosting and large-scale meetings. Of those, video conferencing and team meetings and hybrid work collaboration with device integration are not what Riverside is typically brought in for.
What can Cisco Webex do that Riverside cannot?
Cisco Webex covers HD video, Screen sharing, Recording, Transcription. Riverside covers Local recording, 4K video capture, Separate audio tracks, AI transcription. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cisco Webex: Does Webex offer a free plan?

Yes, Webex by Cisco offers a free plan that includes video conferencing features. Specific details about free plan limitations and paid plan pricing are available on the Webex pricing page.

Source
Riverside: How much does Riverside Pro cost?

Riverside Pro costs $29/month (monthly) or $24/month when paid annually ($288/year). It includes 5 hours of multi-track recordings per month, 4K video, 48kHz audio, no watermark, teleprompter, 1 studio, and podcast hosting.

Source
Riverside: What are the recording hour limits for Riverside plans?

Free plan: 2 hours total. Pro: 5 hours/month. Grow: 15 hours/month. Webinar: 15 hours/month. Business: unlimited. Download limits range from 15-25 hours depending on plan, except Business which is unlimited.

Source
Riverside: How many studios are included in each Riverside plan?

Free: 0 studios. Pro: 1 studio. Grow: 2 studios. Webinar: 3 studios. Business: unlimited studios.

Source
Riverside: Does Riverside offer webinar hosting?

Yes, webinar hosting is available starting at the Webinar plan ($99/month or $79/month annually). It supports up to 100 registrants, with the Business plan supporting up to 10,000 registrants.

Source
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