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Webinars · head to head

Restream vs Riverside

Restream logo

Restream

Webinars

Multistream to 30+ platforms

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: Restream the free plan applies Restream branding to the stream; Riverside the free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance
  • They diverge on capability: Restream covers Multistreaming, Riverside covers Local recording.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Restream and Riverside actually diverge.

Attributes where Restream and Riverside differ
AttributeRestreamRiverside
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20152020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), 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 Restream

  • Multistreaming
  • Live studio
  • Chat aggregation
  • Analytics
  • Recording
  • Twitch
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Only in Riverside

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

Both cover

  • YouTube
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Restream

  • Streaming one broadcast simultaneously to several platformsnot Riverside
  • Running live shows with guests and recording the outputnot Riverside

Riverside

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

Where each one falls short

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

Restream

  • The free plan applies Restream branding to the stream
  • Simultaneous destinations are rationed tightly, at 2 on free, 3 on Standard and 5 on Professional
  • Recording storage is 15 days on free and Standard, rising to 30 only on Professional
  • Reaching 8 destinations costs $199 a month on the Business plan
  • Resolution is not the differentiator, since every tier including free offers 4K, so the plans sell reach and retention instead

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

Restream

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Stream to 2 channels simultaneously
    • Includes Restream branding
  • Standard$19/month
    • Stream to 3 channels
    • No Restream branding
    • Guest channel support
  • Professional$49/month
    • Stream to 5 channels in Full HD 1080p
    • 4K recording capability
    • Dual format streaming (vertical and horizontal)
  • Business$239/month
    • Stream to 8 channels
    • Website player supporting 1,000 viewers
    • 2 included team seats with co-producer mode

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 Restream if

  • You need multistreaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want live studio.
Restream 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 Restream or Riverside better?
Neither clearly leads. Restream 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, Restream or Riverside?
Restream starts at Free and Riverside at Free.
Does Restream or Riverside run on more platforms?
Restream runs on Web. Riverside runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Restream for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Restream best used for?
Restream is most often used for streaming one broadcast simultaneously to several platforms, running live shows with guests and recording the output. Of those, streaming one broadcast simultaneously to several platforms and running live shows with guests and recording the output are not what Riverside is typically brought in for.
What can Restream do that Riverside cannot?
Restream covers Multistreaming, Live studio, Chat aggregation, Analytics. Riverside covers Local recording, 4K video capture, Separate audio tracks, AI transcription. Both handle YouTube, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Restream: How much does Restream cost?

Restream offers a free tier at $0/month, plus paid plans at $19/month (Standard), $49/month (Professional), and $239/month (Business). Enterprise pricing is available for media and corporate teams.

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
Restream: Do I get a discount for annual billing?

Yes, Restream offers a 20% discount for annual commitments versus monthly billing on all paid tiers.

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
Restream: How much does it cost to add team members?

Additional team seats are available at $25/seat/month for most tiers on Restream.

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
Restream: What is the difference between the tiers?

Free tier streams to 2 channels with Restream branding. Standard streams to 3 channels ($19). Professional supports 5 channels with 1080p and 4K ($49). Business supports 8 channels with website player for 1,000 viewers ($239).

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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