Last updated: 2026-01-20

If you’re podcasting on an iPad and want reliable, multi‑participant recording, start with StreamYard in the browser plus the StreamYard iOS Guest App for guests. For mobile‑first local multi‑track capture on a single device, consider pairing StreamYard with Riverside and iPad-native editors like Ferrite or GarageBand.

Summary

• StreamYard in Safari on iPad gives you a full remote studio with local and cloud recording, branding, and AI clips, while guests can join via the StreamYard iOS Guest App. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Riverside’s iPad app is useful when you need mobile, on‑device multi‑track recording for several people in the same room or on the go. (Riverside App Store)
• For editing on the iPad itself, Ferrite and GarageBand handle multitrack post‑production and external audio interfaces. (Ferrite App Store) (Apple GarageBand Guide)
• A streamlined workflow is: record with StreamYard, pull high‑quality local/ cloud tracks, then finish detailed edits in a dedicated editor while using StreamYard’s AI Clips for fast repurposing.

How should you think about podcasting from an iPad?

When someone types “podcast software for iPad,” they’re usually not asking for a hundred apps. They’re asking, “How do I actually run my show from this thing without breaking it?”

The key question is where the “brain” of your podcast lives:

• Remote studio in the browser (host + guests over the internet)
• On‑device capture (you and maybe a co‑host in the same room)
• On‑device editing (turning raw tracks into finished episodes)

StreamYard is strongest as your remote studio: it runs in the iPad browser for hosts, supports guests on the StreamYard iOS Guest App, and gives you live production, local recordings, and custom branding in one place. (StreamYard Help Center)

You can then hand those files off to iPad-native editors like Ferrite or GarageBand if you want detailed, timeline-based editing.

Can you capture separate local tracks from each guest on iPad?

This is the big quality question: can you get individual WAV files per person when some or all of you are on iPad?

On StreamYard, local recording captures per‑participant audio and video at the source device, then uploads them, so final quality doesn’t depend on internet glitches; free plans include 2 hours per month of local recording, while paid plans have unlimited local recording hours subject to storage. (StreamYard Local Recording) That means:

• Your iPad‑based host or guest can still deliver clean, local tracks.
• You can later download those files individually for deeper editing on any DAW that runs on iPad or desktop.

Riverside’s iOS app records individual HD audio and video tracks for up to 10 participants at a time, also using a local‑first model before upload. (Riverside App Store)

In practice:

• If your priority is a stable, live‑friendly environment where each guest just clicks a link and you still get local tracks, StreamYard as your primary studio is usually more straightforward.
• If your priority is recording everyone from a single iPad on the go with no browser studio at all, Riverside’s app can be useful as a capture tool alongside a broader StreamYard‑centric workflow.

StreamYard vs Riverside for iPad podcast recording: feature comparison

Most podcasters don’t care which app has the flashiest spec sheet; they care about whether each episode sounds good, looks consistent, and is easy to ship.

Here’s how StreamYard and Riverside differ in the contexts that matter most on iPad:

1. Remote studio vs mobile-first app

• At StreamYard, we focus on a browser-based studio that also works on iPad: you can host from an iPad in Safari, with some advanced features limited, and guests can join via a dedicated iOS Guest App. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Riverside offers a full App Store download, with local multi‑track recording built directly into the app interface. (Riverside App Store)

For many US creators, “open Safari, open studio, send link to guests” is faster than installing and managing a separate host app on every device.

2. Recording limits for recurring shows

• On paid StreamYard plans, local recording hours are unlimited (storage caps apply), while free plans have a 2‑hour monthly local recording limit that’s recording‑only, not live. (StreamYard Local Recording)
• Riverside caps multi‑track recording hours per month by plan (e.g., 2, 5, or 15 hours), even though you can create many projects. (Riverside Pricing)

If you run long interviews weekly or batch‑record full seasons, having to budget multi‑track hours each month can add friction; unlimited local hours on paid StreamYard plans remove most of that mental overhead.

3. Live shows that later become podcasts

If your iPad workflow includes going live to YouTube, LinkedIn, or Facebook and then turning that show into an audio podcast, StreamYard is built for that. Paid plans auto‑record live streams up to defined per‑session limits and support multistreaming to several destinations at once. (StreamYard Limits)

Riverside focuses more on recording sessions first, then exporting or streaming from within its ecosystem; live streaming is tied to specific higher‑tier options. (Riverside Pricing) For many iPad‑based shows that value live reach plus podcast reuse, StreamYard tends to align more naturally with the workflow.

StreamYard local recording limits and plan scope

Local recording is where your “real” master files come from, so limits matter.

On StreamYard:

• Free plans include 2 hours per month of local recording, available only when you use the recording feature (not while live). (StreamYard Local Recording)
• All paid plans include unlimited local recording hours, with storage caps you can expand via add‑ons. (StreamYard Local Recording)
• Recorded sessions are stored in the cloud; free plans store up to 5 hours at a time, and paid plans store up to 50 hours before you need to free space or extend storage. (StreamYard Storage)

This structure fits a lot of iPad workflows:

• You can host or co‑host from your iPad, rely on local files to protect against Wi‑Fi hiccups, and know your monthly capacity is effectively open‑ended once you’re on a paid tier.
• Because we focus StreamYard on recording, live production, and repurposing—not RSS hosting—you remain free to pair it with whatever podcast distribution platform you prefer.

iPad apps that support multitrack editing and external interfaces

StreamYard is your capture and production studio. For detailed editing on the iPad itself, you’ll probably want a dedicated editor.

Two standouts are:

• Ferrite Recording Studio – An iPad‑native app popular with podcasters; with Pro features, it can record up to 8 channels at once when paired with a compatible multichannel audio interface. (Ferrite App Store)
• GarageBand for iPad – Apple’s free DAW that supports recording several audio channels at once when you plug in a multichannel interface, so you can do multitrack sessions and layer music, intros, and ads. (Apple GarageBand Guide)

A common hybrid setup for US creators looks like this:

1. Record your show in StreamYard (from desktop or iPad) so you get local per‑participant files, custom branding, and AI clips.
2. Export those WAVs to your iPad.
3. Do surgical edits—breath cuts, music beds, ad swaps—in Ferrite or GarageBand.
4. Upload the final master to your podcast hosting platform.

This way, you avoid overloading any single tool and keep your workflow modular and resilient.

On-device podcast editing workflows for iPad (Ferrite, GarageBand)

Let’s walk through a sample episode from the perspective of a creator who lives on iPad.

• Planning & prep – Outline your show in Notes, set up your StreamYard studio with overlays, color presets, and any grading tweaks that match your brand.
• Recording – Host from iPad Safari in StreamYard, invite guests via links, and let local + cloud recording handle backup. If you’re in the same room and don’t need a live studio, you might instead capture raw tracks into Ferrite or GarageBand with a multichannel interface.
• First pass cleanup – Pull your StreamYard local tracks, run AI Clips to quickly surface highlight moments for social and promotional cutdowns.
• Deep edit (optional) – Open your multitrack session in Ferrite or GarageBand for tight edits and detailed mixing.
• Publish & promote – Upload the final audio to your podcast host, then deploy your StreamYard-generated clips across social platforms.

For many iPad‑centric podcasters, this division of labor—StreamYard for capture and repurposing, Ferrite/GarageBand for line‑by‑line editing—delivers a strong balance of quality, control, and speed.

What we recommend

• Use StreamYard in Safari on iPad as your default podcast studio, especially if you run interviews, want custom branding, and care about reliable local recordings for each participant.
• Add Riverside’s iPad app only if you have specific on‑device, mobile multi‑track needs that aren’t centered on live shows.
• Rely on Ferrite or GarageBand for intensive editing when you want full DAW-style control directly on your iPad.
• Keep StreamYard as the hub for recording, live production, and AI-powered clipping, while delegating hosting and RSS distribution to your preferred podcast platform.