Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most US podcasters searching for browser-based software, starting with StreamYard gives you high-quality local recordings, simple guest links, and easy live + recording workflows in one place. If you prioritize 4K/48 kHz across every track and heavier built‑in editing, Riverside is a focused alternative worth looking at alongside a dedicated editor.

Summary

• StreamYard is a browser-first recording and live studio with local multitrack on every plan and simple guest links—no downloads required. (StreamYard podcasting)
• On paid plans, StreamYard supports 4K local recordings, uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio per participant, and color presets for visual polish.
• Riverside is another browser option with local recording, capped multi-track hours per month, and 4K/48 kHz on paid tiers. (Riverside pricing)
• For most creators, pairing StreamYard with a separate editor and hosting platform delivers a flexible, low-friction podcast workflow.

What should you look for in browser-based podcast software?

When everything runs in the browser, the real question isn’t “What’s the fanciest spec sheet?”—it’s “What makes it easy to reliably capture great conversations with guests?”

For most US podcasters, the key criteria are:

• Join simplicity for guests: Your guests should click a link and be in. StreamYard is fully browser-based, so hosts and guests do not need to download anything. (StreamYard podcasting)
• Local multitrack recording: Each participant should be recorded on their own device to avoid internet glitches. StreamYard captures separate audio and video files per participant locally and uploads them for post-production. (StreamYard podcasting)
• High-quality audio and video: 48 kHz WAV audio and 4K local video give you headroom for serious editing and repurposing.
• Automatic recording and storage: You want the full session captured without extra steps, plus enough storage that you’re not constantly deleting.
• Basic editing and clipping in-app: You don’t need a full NLE in the browser, but you do want to pull highlights quickly.

If your browser tool checks those boxes, you can layer on dedicated editors, hosting, and analytics without locking yourself into an all-in-one bundle that does everything “okay” but nothing well.

How does StreamYard work as browser-based podcast software?

At StreamYard, we treat the browser as your virtual studio. You send guests a link, they join from Chrome or another supported browser—no account or install required. (StreamYard podcasting)

Some core pieces for podcasters:

• Local recordings on every plan: All plans include local recordings; each user records a separate audio and video file on their device, then uploads them to StreamYard. (StreamYard podcasting)
• Per-participant quality: We support 4K local recordings for high-fidelity masters and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio per participant, so your editor has clean tracks to work with.
• Audio cleanup built in: You can enable echo cancellation and background-noise removal to refine your audio right in the studio, which is especially helpful when you can’t control guest environments. (StreamYard podcasting)
• Participants and formats: You can record with up to 5 guests on the free plan and up to 9 other guests (10 people total) on paid plans, which comfortably covers most interview and panel shows. (StreamYard podcasting)
• Local recording limits: The free plan includes 2 hours per month of local recording; paid plans offer unlimited local recording, within the usual storage and per-session caps. (StreamYard podcasting)

Because StreamYard is built for live-first workflows, you can stream to multiple destinations and automatically capture recordings on paid plans, then re-use those files as your podcast episodes. (StreamYard pricing)

How does StreamYard compare to Riverside in the browser?

Riverside is another strong browser-based recording option, especially if you want high-spec local tracks tightly coupled with built-in editing tools.

Where the workflows are similar:

• Both StreamYard and Riverside let guests join from a browser without downloads. (StreamYard podcasting; Riverside podcast recorder)
• Both record locally on each participant’s device and upload those files, so the final quality is less dependent on moment-to-moment internet stability. (StreamYard podcasting; Riverside podcast recorder)

Where the emphasis differs:

• Live vs post-production: StreamYard is live-first, with multistreaming and automatic recording on paid plans; Riverside leans more into post-production features like Magic Clips and AI-generated notes. (Riverside pricing)
• Usage limits: StreamYard paid plans offer unlimited local recording hours, subject to storage caps, so you don’t track multitrack quotas month to month. Riverside caps multi-track hours per month by tier (for example, 5 or 15 hours on paid plans). (StreamYard local recording; Riverside pricing)
• Video/audio specs: Riverside paid tiers advertise up to 4K video and 48 kHz audio. (Riverside pricing) StreamYard supports 4K local recordings and 48 kHz WAV audio per participant, which is more than enough for typical podcast distribution and repurposing.

For many podcasters who record weekly or multiple times per week and often go live, not having to manage multi-track hour quotas and live configuration details is a meaningful advantage. When you outgrow basic needs, you can still export StreamYard’s 4K/48 kHz files into a full editor without feeling locked into one editing stack.

How do free browser plans actually compare?

Free plans are great for experimentation—but they come with real constraints.

On StreamYard Free:

• You can record in the browser with up to 5 guests.
• You get local recordings on the free plan, limited to 2 hours per month. (StreamYard podcasting)
• Live streams on the free plan are not recorded into your library, so it’s best for test runs or short-form content. (StreamYard recording limits)

On Riverside Free:

• You can try a small amount of multi-track recording (2 hours) before hitting plan limits. (Riverside pricing)
• Video quality and branding are constrained, which is typical of free plans.

If you’re just validating a podcast concept or getting comfortable on mic, both free tiers can work. Once you’re publishing consistently, most teams move to paid plans quickly so they’re not juggling hour caps, missing recordings, or watermarks.

How does pricing differ when you’re ready to commit?

Because prices can change, the smartest way to think about cost is by value per month of real use.

For new StreamYard users in the US, paid plans start at around $20/month (billed annually for the first year) for Core and around $39/month (billed annually for the first year) for Advanced, with a 7‑day free trial and frequent special offers. (StreamYard pricing) Those tiers include unlimited streaming and recording in terms of monthly totals, plus storage caps you can extend as needed. (StreamYard recording limits)

Riverside’s Standard and Pro plans are typically in a similar monthly range but tie multi-track recording to fixed hour buckets—5 hours on Standard and 15 hours on Pro—while offering 4K/48 kHz quality and AI tooling. (Riverside pricing)

In practice, many US creators choose StreamYard when they:

• Record or stream frequently and don’t want to track multi-track hours.
• Care about visual polish via color presets and grading controls, but still prefer doing serious editing in dedicated software.
• Want flexible pricing for the first year, with room to upgrade or add storage later.

How do you actually record a podcast in the browser with StreamYard?

Here’s a simple, realistic workflow for a remote interview show using StreamYard:

1. Create a studio: Log into StreamYard, create a new recording or live show, and set your branding—logo, colors, overlays, and color presets that match your visual identity.
2. Invite guests: Copy the invite link and send it to guests. They click the link, allow mic/camera access, and they’re in the green room—no software to install. (StreamYard podcasting)
3. Set audio and video: Turn on echo cancellation and background-noise removal, confirm everyone’s mics, and fine-tune the color presets or grading controls if lighting is uneven. (StreamYard podcasting)
4. Record (with or without going live): Hit record (or go live). Local recording runs in the background, capturing per-participant files while the conversation flows.
5. Wrap and export: When you’re done, StreamYard processes both the main file and individual local tracks so you can download them or send them to your editor.
6. Repurpose quickly: Use AI Clips to identify highlight moments and generate short-form clips for social or promo, then do deeper structural edits in your preferred editing suite.

This gives you a high-quality capture workflow that feels as easy as joining a Zoom call but produces files that are ready for serious post-production.

Where does podcast hosting and distribution fit in?

Browser-based recording tools sometimes bundle hosting, analytics, and RSS feeds. At StreamYard, we intentionally do not.

Instead, we focus on being your system of record for recording, live production, and repurposing, then connect cleanly to dedicated podcast hosts that specialize in RSS management, distribution to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and analytics.

This separation has a few advantages:

• You can change hosts without re-learning your recording workflow.
• You avoid “okay but not great” built-in distribution tools.
• Your team can choose the right mix of hosting, monetization, and analytics for your goals.

For many US creators, this modular approach ends up being simpler and more future-proof than an all-in-one stack that tries to own every step.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard if you want a browser-based podcast studio that balances simplicity, 4K/48 kHz local recording, and strong live capabilities.
• Pair StreamYard with a dedicated editor (DaVinci Resolve, Premiere, Descript, etc.) for deep multi-track editing instead of relying solely on in-browser editors.
• Consider Riverside alongside StreamYard if your priority is high-spec local capture plus more built-in AI editing, and you’re comfortable managing monthly multi-track hour caps.
• Whichever route you choose, keep your browser tool focused on reliable capture, then let podcast hosts and editors handle what they do best: publishing, analytics, and fine-grained edits.