Riverside vs. Descript
Riverside is the all-in-one platform for talking head videos: intuitive AI editing, 4K recording, and seamless publishing. The easy pick over Descript for quality, speed, and efficiency.
* No credit card needed. Free plan available.
Why Riverside over Descript:
Create better, faster. Video editing without the learning curve.
Unlimited text-based editing
Edit video as easily as text. Delete words to trim video, move sections around, or rewrite to fix mistakes.
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Save hours with seamless AI editing
Clean audio, fix eye contact, set layouts in minutes. Generate clips, thumbnails, and promos with AI.
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Separate tracks, full editing control
Record separate audio and video tracks for each guest. No splitting files, just more editing control.
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Turn your live sessions into a content powerhouse.
Start for FreeThe only all-in-one video studio made for talking head content.
Studio-quality recording
Record uncompressed 4K video and WAV audio in one smooth flow. Local recording means top quality no matter your internet.
Pro-level editing made easy
Everything you need to turn your recording into engaging content. Edit with text or timeline. Then, touch up with music, b-roll, captions and branding.
Live stream anywhere. Repurpose instantly.
Stream to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, all at once. Brand your studio, invite viewers to call-in, and repurpose your stream.
Podcast hosting with one-click publishing
No platform hopping. Publish to YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify right where you record. Add episode covers, track analytics, and schedule posts.
Turn your live sessions into a content powerhouse.
Your all-in-one streaming, recording, and editing platform.
Start for Free*No credit card needed. Free plan available.
Riverside vs. Descript: Full feature breakdown
Explore each platform’s features side-by-side.
Compare Riverside’s editing features
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Intuitive interface
Clean, intuitive recording and editing.
Features buried in menus.
Unlimited text-based editing
Edit videos with text, no matter how long your recording is.
Text-based editing is capped by your transcription hours.
AI transcription
Unlimited transcriptions. 99% accuracy. Available in 100+ languages.
95% accuracy. Only 25 languages, with time limits.
Multi-track recording and editing
Separate audio and video tracks for each guest. Synced and ready to download or edit.
Separate audio and video tracks, but only if you export via the editor.
AI assistant
Stitch videos together for trailers, create clips, blogs, and endless assets with your AI Co-creator.
Underlord helps you edit video and create assets. But, it only works in the editor with a single recording.
AI clip generation
Let AI create viral clips, but set the rules. Personalize length, style and who’s in focus.
Generate shareable clips with custom presets. But can’t set speaker focus.
Audio cleanup and enhancement
Remove noise, cut filler words, and delete awkward silences. Enhance audio in a click.
Can also clean up filler words, remove long silences and enhance audio.
Branding and customization
Style your way and save presets for consistency.
Customized assets and branding, but creating presets isn’t so intuitive.
Stock images and videos
Full library with smart suggestions for your video and AI generated b-roll.
Stock video and images, but no smart suggestions based on your video.
AI text-to-speech
Turn text to speech in your own voice.
Same. Convert text-to-speech in your voice.
Compare Riverside’s recording features
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High-quality recordings
Record 4K video and 48kHz WAV audio locally.
Record up to 48kHz audio, but 4K video is in beta.
Real-time noise cancellation
Noise cancellation to remove background noise as you record.
Offers background removal and echo cancellation, just like Riverside.
Mobile app
Record & edit directly from your phone or tablet.
No. Desktop app only.
Studio branding
Customize your studio with lower thirds, a logo, background and theme.
No branding in your live studio. Can only add preset branding after recording.
Producer mode
Manage guests behind the scenes without being recorded. Invite unlimited producers.
Monitor guests without being recorded. But only limited Producer invites.
Cloud Storage
Files upload to the cloud as you record. Comes with unlimited storage.
Tracks upload as you record, but cloud storage is capped according to plan.
Compare Riverside’s streaming features
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Streaming
Stream to YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, or anywhere else with a custom RTMP link.
No streaming. You’ll need a separate platform to go live.
Multistreaming
Stream to as many platforms as you like, all at the same time.
No multistreaming available.
Live overlays and customization
Add lower thirds, overlays, backgrounds, or text. Switch scene layouts to keep dynamic.
No live streaming.
Live call ins
Invite guests to call in and ask their questions live.
No direct live call ins.
There’s a Riverside plan for every need.
From first-timers to full-time creators, find a plan that’s right for you.
Compare plansJoin thousands of creators and businesses who switch to Riverside and never look back.
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Ebony F.
Podcast Host
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Helped me combine all my tools"
I used to have to record using one platform, edit in another one and create my own social media clips in another application. Riverside.fm has cut out all the noise and the need for multiple platforms. Now everything is truly all in one place for me. The tools were so easy to learn!
Marisa C.
Founder, Chief Amazement Officer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.
"All-in-one recording studio!"
The best part of Riverside is the ability to edit a self-recorded episode of your podcast with ease. You do need to know how to navigate the dashboard and understand production terms, but, it's simple and easy to use for a seasoned technical marketer.
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Jared K.
Producer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Game changing AI editing software"
I'm constantly amazed at how much time Riverside's AI features save our team, across "magic" audio editing, easy video clip generation, and constantly releasing new features that make our team's workflows more efficient.
Ben W.
Senior Coordinator, AV Services & IT
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Took our podcast abilities to a whole new level."
The simplicity to not just edit, but create shorts and long form podcast. The built in features really allow anyone to create a top tier show with a professional touch.
Sydney O.
Content and Messaging Strategist
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Effortless Podcast Editing That Saves Time"
I switched from another text-based editor/recording platform to Riverside and I'm so glad I did. I'm not a super tech-savvy person and I love the ease of use of all the editing features. It saves me so much time and makes my audio so much better.
Maria G.
Senior Director of Brand Marketing
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
“The Engine Behind Our Social Media Video Strategy”
Riverside is the perfect tool for my team because of the integration between recording and editing. A live interview is easily transformed into a YouTube video. And the quality of screen recording is just right for making short product care guides.
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Steph P.
Sales Team Leader Real Estate
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"From Trial to Trust: Why I Chose Riverside"
Riverside has been a game-changer for me. It combines all the core features I need with some really impressive extras that make everything easier. Editing video and audio used to feel like a slow, expensive process, but with Riverside, it’s quick, simple, and profitable. Especially for freelancers, agencies, or solo creators like myself.
Anthony C.
Content Creator and Educator Online Media
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Video Editing Without the Overwhelm"
Riverside's editing system is surprisingly robust for something browser based. I can highlight sentences and delete them, and it instantly edits the video and audio together. It's clean, quick, and doesn't require downloading large files or using separate apps.
*No credit card needed. Free plan available.
Made with Riverside
Create talking head content from A to Z.
One seamless workflow for recording, editing, and publishing.
*No credit card needed. Free plan available.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Is Riverside good for editing?
Text-based editing: This means you can edit your video like a doc. Delete words in your transcript to trim video instantly.
- Automatic audio editing: With AI tools for audio enhancement, background noise removal, and equalization, you can clean your audio in a few clicks.
- AI assistant: Prompt AI to make edits for you. From creating a full video edit to creating short shareable clips, do it without any extra effort.
- A seamless timeline: Mix, cut, and rearrange clips with automated chapters and color-coded speakers for flexible editing and easy navigation.
- Captions: Add your own dynamic captions and style their font, color and animation.
- Overlays: Choose b-roll, images, or music from our library. Upload your own, or even get AI to generate b-roll clips for you.
Is Riverside easy to use?
There are also many automated tools to speed up your workflow. You can cut filler words, clean up your audio, and customize your video, all in a few clicks.
Is Descript good for beginners?
So while it offers powerful tools, it may feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to editing.
Can you edit captions on Riverside?
In the editor, you’ll see a transcript alongside your video. Any changes you make here will automatically show up in your captions.
Font
- Color
- Animation
- Highlighting style
What is better, Descript or Riverside?
Descript can be a good contender if you’re looking into video editing tools. However, it comes with a steep learning curve and weak or no capabilities when it comes to recording, publishing or streaming.
Editing: Descript offers text-based and AI editing tools, but the interface can feel difficult to navigate. Riverside includes text-based editing and AI too, but in a more streamlined way.
- Recording: Riverside is built for high-quality 4K recordings with crystal-clear audio, even on a weak internet connection. Descript’s recording is still in beta and doesn’t match Riverside’s reliability.
- Repurposing: Riverside makes it simple to turn long-form content into short, shareable clips with AI, giving you as much or as little control as you wish. Descript allows for repurposing, but it often requires more manual work.
- Podcasting: Riverside was built with podcasters in mind, offering lossless audio, local recording, tools for remote interviews, and now built-in hosting. Descript can edit podcasts, but it wasn’t designed primarily as a podcasting platform.
- Streaming: Riverside includes live streaming to multiple platforms in 4K, and has tools for live audience engagement. Descript doesn’t offer native streaming, so you’d need an integration.
- AI: Both platforms use AI. Descript leans heavily on it and limits some tools by plan. Riverside integrates AI thoughtfully across recording and editing without caps on core features.
- Ease of use: Descript takes time to learn. Riverside is easier to pick up and use right away, especially for beginners and busy teams.
Can I record with Descript?
On Descript, 4K local recording is in Beta. You also have a limit on recording hours depending on the plan you’re on.
If you want top recording quality alongside flexibility and stability, try Riverside. Riverside was built for recording in 4K video and 48khz audio lossless resolution. You can get separate tracks, all in sync and ready for editing. And of course, everything gets recorded locally, so internet issues don’t affect your recordings’ quality.
Hard to believe these are free?
AI Transcription
AI transcriptions that are 99% accurate in 100+ languages. Te best bit? Edit the transcript to edit your video.
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Magic Clips
Let AI find your video highlights and turn them into viral social clips. Use them as they are or tweak them as you feel.
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Captions
Pick a caption style, try out different fonts, colors, and sizes, choose your animation, and place it.
Co-creator
Turn your content into endless promotional assets, like clips, blog posts, social media content, and more
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We walk the talk and help you do the same.
Create high-quality, talking head videos from A to Z. All in one place.
* No credit card needed. Free plan available.
