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Software · head to head

Riverside vs Hopin

Riverside logo

Riverside

Software

Studio-quality remote podcast and video recording

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hopin logo

Hopin

Software

Virtual and hybrid events at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Riverside the free plan gives a single one off 2 hours of recording rather than a monthly allowance; Hopin platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • They diverge on capability: Riverside covers Local recording, Hopin covers Virtual stages.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Riverside and Hopin actually diverge.

Attributes where Riverside and Hopin differ
AttributeRiversideHopin
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20202019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Hopin

  • Virtual stages
  • Networking sessions
  • Expo areas
  • Breakout rooms
  • Stripe
  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Live streaming
  • Web support
  • Ios 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 Hopin
  • Producing multi track recordings for editing after the sessionnot Hopin

Hopin

  • Event planningnot Riverside
  • Ticket salesnot Riverside
  • Attendee managementnot Riverside
  • Virtual eventsnot Riverside
  • Event marketingnot 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

Hopin

  • Platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • Hard registration caps with additional charges if events exceed 100 registrations
  • Post-acquisition delays with slow account activation taking up to 45 days and slow responses to onboarding questions
  • High pricing particularly problematic for organizations running occasional or simple webinars
  • No Facebook or YouTube live streaming integration and limited caption support for accessibility

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

Hopin

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hopin review.

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 Hopin if

  • You need virtual stages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want networking sessions.
Hopin review

Questions people ask

Is Riverside or Hopin better?
Neither clearly leads. Riverside starts at Free and Hopin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Riverside or Hopin?
Riverside starts at Free and Hopin at Free.
Does Riverside or Hopin run on more platforms?
Riverside runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Hopin runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Riverside for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Hopin is typically brought in for.
What can Riverside do that Hopin cannot?
Riverside covers Local recording, 4K video capture, Separate audio tracks, AI transcription. Hopin covers Virtual stages, Networking sessions, Expo areas, Breakout rooms. Both handle Live streaming, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hopin: What is Hopin's pricing?

Hopin (now RingCentral Events) starts at approximately $99 per organizer per month (billed annually) for the Events Pro plan, with higher tiers at $199 and $299 per month adding onsite capabilities and advanced integrations. A free plan is available with limited features.

Source
Hopin: What features does Hopin include?

Hopin provides registration, live streaming, networking tools (1:1 video matchmaking, breakout rooms), virtual reception and expo areas, real-time analytics and reporting, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot.

Source
Hopin: Can Hopin live stream to Facebook or YouTube?

No. Hopin does not offer native options to live stream video conferencing directly to Facebook or YouTube. This requires manual setup or third-party solutions.

Source
Hopin: Does Hopin provide automated captions during events?

Hopin does not offer built-in caption support across all features, which is a limitation for accessibility and engagement during live sessions.

Source
Hopin: Who acquired Hopin?

RingCentral acquired Hopin in late 2023. The platform is now sold as RingCentral Events with ongoing support and updates managed by RingCentral.

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