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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs Riverside

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Riverside logo

Riverside

Webinar & Virtual Events

Studio-quality remote podcast and video recording

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Meet google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option; Riverside the free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Riverside covers Local recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Meet and Riverside actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Meet and Riverside differ
AttributeGoogle MeetRiverside
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded19982020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Webinar & Virtual Events).

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 Google Meet

  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording
  • Chat
  • Real-time captions
  • Hand raise
  • Grid view
  • Google Calendar

Only in Riverside

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

Both cover

  • End-to-end encryption
  • Web support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Google Meet

  • Organisations already invested in Google Workspace ecosystemnot Riverside
  • Large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance trackingnot Riverside
  • Hybrid work environments needing integrated Gmail, Drive, and collaboration toolsnot Riverside

Riverside

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

Where each one falls short

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

Google Meet

  • Google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option
  • Starter plan limits Meet to 100 participants; Standard tier required for 150 participants
  • Organisation-wide user cap of 300 users on Starter, Standard, and Plus plans
  • Enterprise tier requires custom pricing and sales contact; no transparent per-user cost
  • Free tier (from basic Google account) limits meetings to 60 minutes with 3+ participants

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

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Riverside

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours recording
    • 720p video
    • Separate audio tracks
  • Standard$15/month
    • 5 hours recording
    • 4K video
    • AI transcription
  • Pro$24/month
    • 15 hours recording
    • All features
    • Live streaming
  • Business$39/month
    • Unlimited recording
    • Team collaboration
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Meet if

  • You need video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want screen sharing.
Google Meet 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 Google Meet or Riverside better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet 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, Google Meet or Riverside?
Google Meet starts at Free and Riverside at Free.
Does Google Meet or Riverside run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Riverside runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Meet best used for?
Google Meet is most often used for organisations already invested in google workspace ecosystem, large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance tracking, hybrid work environments needing integrated gmail, drive, and collaboration tools. Of those, organisations already invested in google workspace ecosystem and large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance tracking are not what Riverside is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Riverside cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Riverside covers Local recording, 4K video capture, Separate audio tracks, AI transcription. Both handle End-to-end encryption, Web support, Ios support.
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Related pages

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