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Riverside vs Crowdcast

Riverside logo

Riverside

Software

Studio-quality remote podcast and video recording

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Crowdcast logo

Crowdcast

Software

Live video Q&As, interviews, and webinars

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Riverside has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Riverside the free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance; Crowdcast exceeding the plan's attendee limit costs $0.15 per extra live attendee, so an unexpectedly popular session bills on the spot
  • They diverge on capability: Riverside covers Local recording, Crowdcast covers Q&A sessions.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Riverside and Crowdcast actually diverge.

Attributes where Riverside and Crowdcast differ
AttributeRiversideCrowdcast
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb
Founded20202015

Identical on both: 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 Riverside

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

Only in Crowdcast

  • Q&A sessions
  • Polls
  • Multi-speaker
  • Replay library
  • Zapier
  • ConvertKit
  • Mailchimp
  • Stripe

Both cover

  • Live streaming
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Riverside

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

Crowdcast

  • Hosting live webinars and interactive Q and A sessionsnot Riverside
  • Running paid online events with registrationnot Riverside

Where each one falls short

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

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

Crowdcast

  • Exceeding the plan's attendee limit costs $0.15 per extra live attendee, so an unexpectedly popular session bills on the spot
  • Session length is capped by plan, at 2 hours on Lite, 4 on Pro and 6 on Business
  • Team seats are tightly limited, at 1 on Lite and 2 on Pro, with additional seats at $29 each
  • Studio storage is capped at 1 GB on Lite and 5 GB on Pro
  • The 14 day trial allows 10 live attendees and 60 minute sessions, which is short of any real event

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Crowdcast

$49/month
  • Lite$49/month
    • 50 live attendees
    • 2-hour sessions
    • Basic features
  • Pro$89/month
    • 100 attendees
    • 4-hour sessions
    • Custom branding
  • Business$195/month
    • 500 attendees
    • Multi-day events
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Crowdcast if

  • You need q&a sessions.
  • You also want polls.
Crowdcast review

Questions people ask

Is Riverside or Crowdcast better?
Neither clearly leads. Riverside starts at Free and Crowdcast at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Riverside or Crowdcast?
Riverside has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Riverside and $49/month for Crowdcast.
Does Riverside or Crowdcast run on more platforms?
Riverside runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Crowdcast runs on Web.
Can I use Riverside for free?
Yes. Riverside has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Crowdcast starts at $49/month.
What is Riverside best used for?
Riverside is most often used for recording remote podcast and video interviews in local quality per participant, producing multi track recordings for editing after the session. Of those, recording remote podcast and video interviews in local quality per participant and producing multi track recordings for editing after the session are not what Crowdcast is typically brought in for.
What can Riverside do that Crowdcast cannot?
Riverside covers Local recording, 4K video capture, Separate audio tracks, AI transcription. Crowdcast covers Q&A sessions, Polls, Multi-speaker, Replay library. Both handle Live streaming, Web support.
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Related pages

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