Last updated: 2026-01-14

If you want podcast software for a Chromebook, start with StreamYard—a browser-based recording and live studio that fully supports ChromeOS. For niche workflows that demand Riverside’s 4K local tracks, you’ll typically need a non-Chromebook device that meets its system requirements.

Summary

• StreamYard runs directly in your browser and works on Chromebooks using Chrome, making it a natural fit for ChromeOS podcasting. (StreamYard devices and equipment)
• Riverside’s own documentation says Chromebooks and Chromebox PCs are not currently supported for recording. (Riverside system requirements)
• On paid plans, StreamYard offers unlimited local recording hours, per-participant tracks, and multistreaming to multiple destinations from the same Chromebook studio. (StreamYard local recording)
• Pairing StreamYard with a dedicated podcast host gives you a flexible, high-quality workflow without locking your whole stack into one tool.

Why is browser-based software the best fit for Chromebook podcasters?

Chromebooks are built around the browser, so the most reliable podcast setup is one that stays there. When your studio lives in Chrome, you avoid installing heavy desktop apps and you keep the experience consistent for you and your guests.

At StreamYard, the entire studio runs in the browser and works with Chrome on ChromeOS. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera are all supported, with Chrome recommended for the best experience. That means if your Chromebook can open Chrome and access a mic and camera, you can host or join a podcast session.

This browser-first approach lines up with what most Chromebook users care about:

• High-quality, reliable audio and video without wrestling with drivers.
• Simple guest access via a link—no installs, no updates.
• Automatic recording so every session is captured.
• Branding controls in the same interface where you record.
• Quick, lightweight editing, especially to spin off social clips.

Can I record a podcast on a Chromebook using StreamYard?

Yes. For most creators in the United States using a Chromebook, StreamYard is the most straightforward way to record a podcast.

Here’s what that looks like in practice from a Chromebook:

1. Open Chrome and log into StreamYard.
2. Create a recording studio (you can go live, or just record-only).
3. Share an invite link with your guests—they also join from their browsers.
4. Hit record; the full session is captured automatically in the cloud on paid plans, and you can also enable local recording per participant.

On paid plans, local recording captures separate audio and video files for each participant directly on their device, then uploads them—reducing the impact of internet hiccups on your final files. All paid StreamYard plans have unlimited local recording hours, while the free plan includes 2 hours per month for recording-only sessions.

For podcasters who care about high-fidelity masters, StreamYard supports 4K local recordings and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio per participant, giving you strong source material for later editing.

How do I capture multi-track audio on a Chromebook?

Multi-track audio is where Chromebook-compatible, browser-based studios really help.

With StreamYard:

• Local recordings capture separate audio and video files per participant right in the browser, so you can tweak each voice independently in your editor later. (Local recording overview)
• On higher tiers, you can also work with separate cloud audio tracks, which gives you another path to isolate speakers without managing local files yourself. (Cloud recording – individual audio tracks)

A simple Chromebook workflow might look like this:

• You host a weekly interview show from your Chromebook.
• Guests join from laptops or desktops via a browser link.
• You enable local recording for everyone and record for 60–90 minutes.
• After the session, you download each participant’s WAV file and bring them into your editor for leveling and light cleanup.

Because paid StreamYard plans do not cap local recording hours monthly (you’re mainly bound by per-session and storage limits), you don’t have to micromanage how many multi-track hours you’ve used this month. That’s especially helpful if you run multiple shows or long-form interviews.

Is Riverside supported on Chromebooks for recording?

This is where many people get tripped up.

According to Riverside’s own system requirements, Chromebooks and Chromebox PCs are not currently supported for recording. (Riverside system requirements) So even though Riverside is browser- and app-based, it’s aimed at devices running operating systems like macOS and Windows.

Riverside does offer impressive specs—local per-participant video up to 4K and audio up to 44.1/48 kHz on certain paid plans. (Riverside pricing) For some teams, that matters, especially when they record on high-end non-ChromeOS machines and want deeper built-in editing features.

But if your main device is a Chromebook, Riverside’s current compatibility statement makes it a poor fit as your primary recording studio. In that scenario, it typically works better as an option you use only on supported devices, while you keep StreamYard as your reliable, Chromebook-ready studio.

Browser-based podcast recording tools that work on ChromeOS

If you filter out tools that need native desktop apps, the short list of practical Chromebook-friendly podcast studios gets a lot smaller.

Today, StreamYard is one of the rare options that:

• Runs fully in the browser.
• Officially supports Chrome on ChromeOS.
• Handles live streaming, recording-only sessions, and local multi-track capture in one place. (StreamYard devices and equipment)

Other options tend to fall into one of three buckets:

• Traditional DAWs (Audacity, Reaper, etc.) that don’t run natively on ChromeOS.
• Native video apps that require Windows/macOS.
• All‑in‑one podcast platforms that might handle hosting and RSS, but still rely on desktop apps or unsupported browser flows for high-quality recording.

You can certainly piece together alternatives—recording separate local audio on each guest’s machine, for example—but that adds instructions, coordination, and room for human error. Most Chromebook creators are better served by a single browser-based studio and a separate podcast host.

StreamYard vs Riverside: feature differences and plan constraints

When you zoom out from Chromebook compatibility and look at the broader picture, you see two slightly different philosophies.

StreamYard focuses on live-first production plus recording.

• Multistreaming to multiple destinations is available on paid plans, with destination limits set by tier. (How to multistream)
• Paid plans include automatic cloud recordings of live streams, and unlimited local recording hours, with per-session caps (for example, up to 10 hours) and storage caps that can be expanded. (Recording limits)
• AI Clips and lightweight editing help you quickly spin off highlight moments, especially for social and promo content, without trying to replace a full non-linear editor.

Riverside focuses on recording and built-in editing tools.

• Local per-participant recording up to 4K video and 48 kHz audio is central, with plan-based limits.
• Multi-track recording hours are explicitly capped per month (for example, 2 hours on Free, 5 on Standard, 15 on Pro). (Riverside pricing)
• Free plans add a watermark and lower resolution/quality, which can be fine for tests but less ideal for polished shows.

Both approaches can work well. But for Chromebook users who want to go live, record reliably, and repurpose episodes without counting monthly multi-track hours, StreamYard usually feels more straightforward.

How does StreamYard fit into a full podcast workflow on Chromebook?

A strong Chromebook podcast stack keeps recording, live production, and distribution loosely coupled.

With StreamYard at the center:

• You record and/or stream your show from the Chromebook using your favorite mic and camera.
• Local and cloud recordings give you high-quality masters (including 4K local and 48 kHz WAV audio) that drop cleanly into your editor of choice.
• AI Clips helps you identify highlight moments quickly for Shorts, Reels, or promo assets.
• A separate podcast host (Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Spotify for Podcasters, etc.) handles RSS, distribution to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, analytics, and monetization.

This separation has two big benefits:

• You’re not locked into one vendor for every stage of your show’s lifecycle.
• You can swap or upgrade pieces of your stack over time without redoing everything.

What we recommend

• If you’re on a Chromebook and want to start a podcast, use StreamYard as your primary recording and live studio.
• If you need ultra-high-spec recordings on non-ChromeOS devices, consider Riverside as an additional tool—but keep StreamYard as your Chromebook-friendly hub.
• For ongoing shows, enable local multi-track recording in StreamYard and pair it with a dedicated podcast host for RSS distribution.
• As your workflow matures, lean on AI Clips and simple in-app adjustments for speed, and reserve deep, frame-level edits for dedicated editing software.