Riverside vs Zencastr

Zencastr covers the basics. Riverside is for consistent professional podcasts and videos. Get studio-quality recording, robust AI editing, and fast repurposing. From live shows to clips to hosting, it's the end-to-end platform for creators and teams.

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* No credit card needed. Free plan available.

4.8
On G2 with 1252 reviews
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Microsoft company logo with multicolored square icon and gray text.iHeart Media logoSpotify logoHubSpot logoMarvel logoNPR logo
Microsoft company logo with multicolored square icon and gray text.iHeart Media logoSpotify logoHubSpot logoMarvel logoNPR logo

A podcast platform built for every stage of your growth

Studio-quality resolution, every time

Record up to 4K video and lossless audio on desktop or mobile. Capture  everything directly on your device, so content stays crisp even if your Internet doesn’t.

Create more with less effort using AI

Edit in minutes with text-based editing. Or ask the AI agent to create full episodes for you. Turn your video into social-ready clips, hooks, and segments instantly with AI.

Live to published on 
one platform

Stream to multiple platforms in Full HD and engage with your audience with live calls, Q&A, and polls. Then edit, host, and publish your show, all without switching tools.

Record to publish in one end-to-end platform.

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Record anywhere on any device

No matter if you’re on iOS, Android or your desktop, record studio-quality content on any device. With local recording, record in up to 4K from anywhere.

Editing and repurposing as easy as typing

Generate clips and full episodes with an easy click or prompt. Keep control, and refine your story with captions, text, music, and b-roll in the full editor.
No switching tools, create content in one platform.

Host and publish where you create your show

Distribute your show to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and anywhere your audience is. Customize episode covers, generate show notes, and track analytics in the same place you record and edit.

Built to scale with your team

From solo creators to global brands, Riverside grows with you. Set up collaborative workspaces, manage brand kits, assign producer roles, and keep full control of your content as your team grows.

Riverside vs. Zencastr: Full feature breakdown

Compare Riverside’s recording features

Start for Free
5/5
3.4/5
Local recording

Record directly on each persons’ device so
quality isn’t affected by internet connection.

Also offers local recording.

Resolution

Capture 4K video and 48kHZ WAV audio
resolution.

Same. Record in up to 4K video and 48kHz resolution.

Separate tracks

Record and edit with separate audio and
video tracks for each participant.

Capture separate audio and video tracks per
guest. No multi-track editing timeline.

Mobile app (iOS & Android)

Record and edit on any iOS, or Android mobile device.

Only has an iOS app for recording. No
Android app and no editing on mobile.

Remote guests

Invite up to 9 remote guests with a reusable
invite link.

Invite up to 9 guests with a reusable link.

Editing and repurposing features

Start for Free
4.8/5
2.9/5
Full-suite editor

Full multi-track timeline editor with tools for branding, audio clean up, overlays, and more.

Basic editor with capped AI tools and limited customization options.

Chat-based editing

Ask the chat-based editor to clean audio,
style videos or create full edits.

No chat-based editor.

Text-based editing

Yes. Any text you change in your recording transcript syncs with your video.

Offers basic text-based editing.

Smart layouts

Smart layouts with speaker detection, plus control over rhythm and scenes.

Basic speaker switching with limited layout
control. Cannot see a preview in the editor.

Audio enhancement

Audio enhancer removes background noise
and reverb, and equalizes sound.

Audio enhancement available, with usage
limits based on editing credits.

Filler words & silence removal

Automatic AI tools to remove filler words and
cut silences to to set the pace.

Filler word and silence removal available but
usage is limited based on editing credits.

Automatic captions

Captions with customizable styles, fonts,
colors, and animations. Save presets to keep
on brand.

Captions are available but with limited and
less intuitive customization.

AI eye contact

Adjust a speaker’s gaze to look directly at the camera. Apply to all tracks or a single one.

No eye gaze correction available.

Video dubbing

Fix mistakes without re-takes. Adjust your transcript and your audio, video and lips sync.

No video dubbing features.

Social clips AI generation

Turn videos into shareable clips with the AI
clipper.  Set length, branding and topic focus.

Create shareable clips with AI. But limited
controls over clip settings.

AI repurposing agent

Ask the chat-based AI agent to turn your video
into clips, thumbnails, blogs and more.

No AI agent.

Transcriptions

Transcriptions available in 100+ languages with 99% accuracy.

Transcriptions available but only in a few languages.

AI translation

Translations available for select languages
with video dub to sync lips.

No synced translation available.

Live streaming features

Start for Free
4.5/5
0/5
Live streaming

Go live in up to 1080p HD.

No streaming capabilities.

Multistreaming

Simultaneously stream to YouTube, Twitch,
LinkedIn and any custom RTMP platform.

No multistreaming.

Live audience engagement

Invite viewers to call in live or engage your audience with a poll, Q&A and the chatbox.

Only has a chatbox.

Live analytics

Track audience engagement, watch time and attendance.

No live stream analytics.

Hosting and publishing features

Start for Free
4.5/5
4/5
Instant publishing to social platforms

Publish to Instagram, YouTube and other social media plaforms directly from Riverside.

Posting directly to social media platforms is only available on paid plans.

Cloud Storage

Host your show and distribute it to Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Yes, hosting available.

Native podcast hosting

Track streams, top episodes, demographics, and what platforms your viewers most use.

Analytics for downloads, listener retention, demographics and platform usage.

There’s a Riverside plan for every need.

From first-timers to professional marketing teams, find a plan that’s right for you.

Compare plans
*No credit card needed. Free plan available.

Made with Riverside

Jordan Harbinger speaking into a microphone
Logo for The Official Marvel Podcast
Michelle Obama and Kerry Washington video conversation
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Lenny's podcast logo
Jay Clouse
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Tim Ferriss logo
Spotify for Podcasters X Riverside
Video calls and chat
Jordan Harbinger speaking into a microphone
Logo for The Official Marvel Podcast
Michelle Obama and Kerry Washington video conversation
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Lenny's podcast logo
Jay Clouse
Morning Brew Daily logo
Tim Ferriss logo
Spotify for Podcasters X Riverside
Video calls and chat

The all-in-one podcast platform you can grow with.

Stream live, record in 4K, edit or repurpose in minutes, and host your show in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Riverside is better than Zencastr for creators who need reliable audio and video quality, advanced editing and repurposing tools, or host a live show. Meanwhile, Zencastr can be better for podcasters who need a basic setup and built-in monetization.

This is how they compare:

  • Recording: Riverside was built on recording. It offers up to 4K video and 48kHz local recording. Zencastr only recently matched this.
  • Editing: While Zencastr has an editor, it’s missing many of the features you’ll find in Riverside’s video editor. On Riverside, you have better customization available, mixed AI tools, and a full multi-track editor for working with individual tracks. Riverside also has a chat-based editor where you can prompt the app to turn a rough file into a clip.
  • Repurposing: Zencastr has a clip maker, but you don’t have the same controls that Riverside’s clip maker offers. Riverside’s clip maker lets you set presets for length, branding, and which speaker to focus on. Riverside also has more repurposing tools. The chat-based editor lets you repurpose videos into blogs, trailers, and more.
  • Hosting: Both platforms can host podcasts. Zencastr does have better monetization features built into its hosting, though.
  • Streaming: Zencastr does not support streaming. Riverside has a full live stream studio with custom branding, engagement features, and analytics.

Yes, you can use Zencastr on a phone but only on iOS devices. Zencastr does not support Android or mobile web browsers.

Zencastr’s mobile app lets you and guests record and participate in sessions. But you won’t have access to any editing or hosting features on mobile. If you want a podcast app compatible with Android and iPhone, or if you want more capability than Riverside would be the better option versus Zencastr here.

Zencastr alternatives include:

  • Riverside: On Riverside you get an end-to-end production workflow but with better AI editing and repurposing tools, streaming capabilities, and broader device support.
  • Descript: Descript offers better editing features than Zencastr, but it doesn’t have hosting.
  • StreamYard: This is an alternative if you’re focused on hosting a live podcast show. But note that StreamYard has limited post-production features.

Zencastr can be worth it for podcasters who want a platform that offers basic podcast recording, editing, hosting, and monetization. But it is limiting if you want advanced editing and AI features, streaming options, or if you’re looking for a podcast platform that will grow with you.

Yes, you can edit audio in Zencastr. You can trim, enhance and arrange audio tracks. But you won’t be able to make advanced audio edits like EQ effects or filters.

For more advanced edits, consider using dedicated audio editing software.

Riverside is one of the best platforms for podcasts. It stands out for its end-to-end workflow with high-quality recording, editing, streaming, and hosting in one platform.

Key features include:

  • Studio quality 4K video and 48kHz audio recordings.
  • Streaming to multiple platforms at once.
  • A built-in editor with automated tools to speed up editing.
  • Unlimited hosting with one-click distribution to major directories.
  • AI features for podcast clips, transcriptions, show notes and more.

It’s reliable, easy to use, and speeds up your workflow making it a good podcast maker for beginners and pros alike.

Pro-level podcasts made easy

Studio-quality recordings, AI-powered editing, and direct publishing in one workflow.

* No credit card needed. Free plan available.