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Software · head to head

Podbean vs Riverside.fm

Podbean logo

Podbean

Software

All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Riverside.fm logo

Riverside.fm

Software

High-quality remote podcast and video recording platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Podbean has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Podbean upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage; Riverside.fm free plan limited to 2 hours of multi-track recording and adds a watermark
  • They diverge on capability: Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Riverside.fm covers Remote recording.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Podbean and Riverside.fm differ
AttributePodbeanRiverside.fm
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062019

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Podbean

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Built-in monetization
  • Video podcasting
  • Podcast app
  • Premium content
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Amazon Music

Only in Riverside.fm

  • Remote recording
  • High-quality capture
  • Automatic transcription
  • Video editing
  • Distribution tools
  • Zapier
  • IFTTT
  • Google Drive

Both cover

  • Live streaming
  • Privacy controls
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Podbean

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast with an RSS feed and playernot Riverside.fm
  • Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot Riverside.fm

Riverside.fm

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

Where each one falls short

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

Podbean

  • Upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage
  • The Network plan at $99 a month meters bandwidth at 3 TB while cheaper plans are unmetered, so the middle tier is the only one with a bandwidth ceiling
  • Advanced analytics are excluded from every plan below Business
  • Private podcasting and live chat support are Business only
  • Team members are capped at 50 on Network despite being described as unlimited

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

Podbean

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 5 hours total storage
    • 100 GB bandwidth
    • Basic analytics
  • Unlimited Audio$9/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited Plus$29/month
    • All audio features
    • Video podcasting
    • Live streaming
  • Business$99/month
    • All features
    • Team management
    • Enterprise security

Riverside.fm

On request
  • StarterFree
    • 1 hour/month recording
    • 1080p recording
    • Automatic transcription
  • Professional$19/month
    • 20 hours/month recording
    • 4K recording quality
    • Advanced editing
  • Studio$99/month
    • Unlimited recording
    • 4K video quality
    • Team collaboration

Which should you pick?

Choose Podbean if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want built-in monetization.
Podbean review

Choose Riverside.fm if

  • You need remote recording.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want high-quality capture.
Riverside.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Podbean or Riverside.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Podbean starts at Free and Riverside.fm at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Podbean or Riverside.fm?
Podbean has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Podbean and On request for Riverside.fm.
Does Podbean or Riverside.fm run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Podbean for free?
Yes. Podbean has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Riverside.fm starts at On request.
What is Podbean best used for?
Podbean is most often used for hosting and distributing a podcast with an rss feed and player, running multiple shows or a private internal podcast. Of those, hosting and distributing a podcast with an rss feed and player and running multiple shows or a private internal podcast are not what Riverside.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Podbean do that Riverside.fm cannot?
Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Video podcasting, Podcast app. Riverside.fm covers Remote recording, High-quality capture, Automatic transcription, Video editing. Both handle Live streaming, Privacy controls, Web support, Ios support.
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Related pages

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