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Webinars · head to head

Google Meet vs Riverside

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinars

Get on a video call in seconds

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: 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

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

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 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

  • Video conferencing for remote teamsnot Riverside
  • Educational virtual classroomsnot Riverside
  • Large-scale webinars with up to 1,000 participantsnot 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
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 100 participants
    • Up to 60 minutes per meeting
  • Google Workspace Starter$4.76/month
    • Up to 100 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
  • Google Workspace Standard$9.52/month
    • Up to 150 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
    • Recording capability
  • Google Workspace Plus$14.77/month
    • Up to 500 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
    • Attendance tracking

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 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 video conferencing for remote teams, educational virtual classrooms, large-scale webinars with up to 1,000 participants. Of those, video conferencing for remote teams and educational virtual classrooms 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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Meet: What are the participant limits in Google Meet's free plan?

The free version of Google Meet allows up to 100 participants per meeting. One-on-one calls and mobile calls have unlimited duration, but group meetings are limited to 60 minutes.

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
Google Meet: How long can meetings last on paid Google Workspace plans?

All paid Google Workspace plans (Starter, Standard, Plus, Enterprise) support up to 24-hour meeting durations, removing the 60-minute limit of the free tier.

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
Google Meet: What participant limits apply to different Google Workspace tiers?

Starter tier supports 100 participants, Standard supports 150, Plus supports 500, and Enterprise tier supports up to 1,000 participants for in-domain live streaming.

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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