Riverside vs Zencastr (2026): the audio veteran against the video studio
Zencastr helped invent browser-based double-ender recording, and in August 2026 it made 4K recording and hosting free. Riverside took the same local-recording idea video-first and built a paid platform around it.
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Riverside Reviews · Updated November 1, 2026
If cost decides it, Zencastr wins: since August 2026 its free plan records 4K for up to 6 people and includes unlimited hosting and transcription, while Riverside Pro is $24 a month billed annually. Riverside leads on track record and breadth. G2 reviewers rate it 4.8 from 1,756 reviews against Zencastr's 3.7 from 30, and it adds Android and Mac apps, webinars, and in-person multi-cam. Zencastr works only in Chromium browsers on desktop, so Safari and Firefox guests must switch browsers before they can join.
Riverside vs Zencastr at a glance
| Compared on | Riverside | Zencastr |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plans | Pro $24/mo billed annually ($29 monthly) | Enterprise only, custom pricing; no self-serve paid plan on its pricing page since August 14, 2026 |
| 4K recording | From Pro ($24/mo annual) | On the free Vibecastr plan |
| Free plan | 720p with watermark, 2 hrs multi-track, unlimited single-track | Vibecastr: up to 6 participants, 4K video, unlimited separate tracks, unlimited transcription (10 languages); AI production credits unlimited for a limited time |
| Audio capture | Uncompressed WAV, 44.1 and 48 kHz, separate track per participant | Lossless 16-bit 48 kHz WAV, separate track per participant |
| Browser and app support | Chrome plus Mac app and iOS and Android apps | Chrome, Edge, or Brave on desktop (no Safari, no Firefox), plus an iOS app; Chrome on Android, no Android app |
| Livestreaming / webinars | 1080p multistreaming (Grow); webinar plans to 10,000 registrants | 1080p livestreaming to major platforms on the free plan; no webinar product listed |
| Hosting and monetization | Podcast hosting and publishing from Pro | Unlimited audio and video hosting on the free plan; ad campaign analytics on Enterprise |
| G2 | 4.8 (1,756 reviews) | 3.7 (30 reviews) |
| Trustpilot (overall score) | 3.8 (544 reviews) | Only a handful of reviews, too few to score meaningfully |
| Company | RiversideFM, Inc., founded 2020, $80M raised, Spotify partner | Zencastr, Inc., Utah, founded ~2014, $4.6M seed plus a 2022 crowdfunding round, ~36 employees |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-11-01. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Recording: honors even on audio, daylight on video
Both tools record each participant locally in lossless WAV with separate tracks, the architecture that makes remote recordings survive bad connections. On pure audio capture there is little to choose between them, and Zencastr's audio pedigree is real: it was doing this before most competitors existed.
Video used to be the big gap. Since August 2026 Zencastr records 4K on its free plan, with an iOS app, so resolution alone no longer separates them. Riverside still has more around the recording: Mac, iOS, and Android apps, in-person multi-cam recording, and a longer track record with video. On desktop, Zencastr works only in Chromium browsers, so a guest on Safari or Firefox has to install Chrome before your session starts. That is the kind of friction remote recording tools exist to remove.
The ratings gap deserves attention
Zencastr's G2 profile holds a 3.7 from just 30 reviews, against Riverside's 4.8 from 1,756. Its Trustpilot presence is a handful of reviews, most of them complaints about slow email-only support and billing. A sample this small calls for caution, but the direction and the difference in volume still tell you something: one product has a large, mostly satisfied reviewer base, the other has a small and lukewarm one.
Company scale tells the same story. Zencastr raised a $4.6M seed in 2021 and a small crowdfunding round in 2022, and employs a few dozen people. Riverside has raised $80M and is embedded in Spotify's creator tools. That does not make Zencastr a bad product, but it is a real difference in how much engineering and support capacity sits behind each subscription.
Zencastr is now free, and that changes the price math
On August 14, 2026 Zencastr replaced its paid tiers with one free plan, Vibecastr, plus custom Enterprise contracts. The free plan covers 4K recording for up to 6 participants, unlimited transcription, unlimited audio and video hosting, and 1080p livestreaming. On price, Riverside can't win that comparison: its Pro plan is $24 a month billed annually.
Zencastr's announcement calls its unlimited AI production credits a limited-time offer, so part of the free plan may change, and the company has not said how it will fund the free tier beyond Enterprise contracts. If you need webinars, an Android app, or Riverside's editing and clip tools, the free plan does not replace them. If you need recording and hosting at no cost, Zencastr is the better deal today.
Where Zencastr wins
- Free plan with 4K recording, up to 6 participants, and unlimited separate tracks, against Riverside Pro at $24 a month billed annually
- Unlimited audio and video hosting and unlimited transcription included free
- 1080p livestreaming to major platforms on the free plan
- Audio-first pedigree: one of the original browser double-ender tools, still respected for pure audio work
Riverside vs Zencastr FAQ
Is Zencastr still good in 2026?+
It is better value than it was. Since August 2026 its free Vibecastr plan includes 4K recording, unlimited transcription, and unlimited hosting. The concerns are the same as before: a 3.7 G2 rating from a small review base, support complaints, Chromium-only desktop browser support, and a small team now giving its core product away.
Is Riverside or Zencastr better for video podcasts?+
Both now record up to 4K. Riverside has the deeper video toolset: Mac, iOS, and Android apps, in-person multi-cam recording, webinars, and a 4.8 G2 rating from 1,756 reviews. Zencastr records 4K for free, with an iOS app, and works only in Chromium browsers on desktop.
Is Zencastr cheaper than Riverside?+
Yes. Since August 14, 2026 Zencastr's self-serve plan is free, including 4K recording and hosting, and its only paid plan is custom-priced Enterprise. Riverside Pro is $24 a month billed annually. Zencastr calls its unlimited AI production credits a limited-time offer, so check what the free plan includes when you sign up.
Do guests need Chrome for Zencastr?+
On desktop, effectively yes. Zencastr supports Chrome, Edge, and Brave, and does not support Safari or Firefox. It has an iOS app and works in Chrome on Android, but has no Android app. Riverside also recommends Chrome on desktop and offers iOS and Android apps for guests on phones.