Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most podcasters in the U.S., a browser-based studio like StreamYard—with local multi-track recording, automatic cloud backups, and simple guest links—is the most practical starting point. If your top priority is deep, built-in AI editing and transcription in the same app, a more recording-first tool like Riverside can also work well alongside your podcast stack.

Summary

• StreamYard gives podcasters a browser-based video studio with multi-track local recording, 4K local files, and uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio per participant on supported plans. (StreamYard)
• On paid plans, you can stream and record with generous per-session limits, automatic cloud backups, and storage caps designed around recurring shows. (StreamYard)
• Riverside focuses more on post-production inside the app, with 4K/48kHz multi-track capture and AI transcription and Magic Clips-style editing features on paid tiers. (Riverside)
• For most creators, pairing StreamYard for capture + a dedicated editor and podcast host keeps workflows simpler than relying on an all-in-one recording-and-editing tool.

What actually matters in video recording software for podcasters?

When you strip away the marketing pages, podcasters tend to care about the same core things:

• High-quality, reliable capture – Your guests should sound good even if Wi‑Fi hiccups. That means local recording on each device, not just a single cloud feed. StreamYard supports multi-track local recording so each participant’s audio and video are captured separately on their own device for better quality and safer backups. (StreamYard)
• Ease of use for everyone – A good tool shouldn’t require your guest to install software or study a tutorial; a browser link should just work.
• Automatic recording and backups – You shouldn’t have to remember to hit a second “record” button, or worry that your live show won’t be saved. On StreamYard’s paid plans, live streams are automatically recorded up to the documented per-session limits. (StreamYard)
• Branding and repurposing – Clean overlays, lower-thirds, and layouts during the recording, plus quick ways to grab clips for social.

If a tool nails those points, you can adapt it to almost any podcast format—from solo video monologues to multi-guest live shows that later become an audio feed.

How does StreamYard handle video recording for podcasters?

StreamYard is built as a browser-based studio for talk shows, interviews, and podcasts, with both cloud and local recording working together.

Capture modes that matter for podcasters

• Cloud recording: Every paid live stream or recording session is saved as a cloud MP4/MP3 for quick downloads and backups. (StreamYard)
• Local multi-track recording: Each participant (and shared assets) can be recorded locally on their own device, producing separate MP4 video and WAV audio files. (StreamYard)
• 4K local masters and 48kHz audio: On supported higher-tier plans, StreamYard offers 4K local recordings plus uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio per participant, giving you high-fidelity masters that hold up in professional post-production. (StreamYard)

For most podcasters, the workflow looks like this: host and guests hop into a browser studio, you record or go live, StreamYard saves a cloud file automatically, and local tracks upload behind the scenes.

StreamYard also layers on visual polish: scene layouts, custom overlays, and color presets and grading controls so you can dial in a consistent look without touching a hardware switcher.

How do StreamYard and Riverside differ for multitrack recording?

Both StreamYard and Riverside offer local, per-participant recording for podcasts, but they’re optimized for slightly different priorities.

StreamYard:

• Focuses on live-first workflows: multistreaming to several destinations, automatic recording, and an interface that looks and feels like a live control room.
• Provides local multi-track recording with unlimited hours on paid plans, subject to storage caps, which reduces the need to track multi-track time each month. (StreamYard)
• On higher-tier plans, adds separate cloud audio tracks in WAV for each participant, so editors can work from cloud-based stems as well as local files. (StreamYard)

Riverside:

• Emphasizes local-first capture and post-production inside the app, recording individual tracks on each device and then uploading them. (Riverside)
• Offers up to 4K video and 48kHz audio for each participant on paid plans, with multi-track hours capped per month (for example, 5 or 15 hours depending on tier). (Riverside)
• Includes built-in AI tools, like transcription in 100+ languages and Magic Clips‑style repurposing on paid tiers. (Riverside)

In practical terms: if you run recurring, multi-hour live shows that double as a podcast, StreamYard’s unlimited paid local recording and live-first studio make it easier to “set and forget” without tracking multi-track quotas. If you rarely stream live and want more of your editing and transcription to happen in one app, Riverside’s model can also fit.

Which StreamYard plan should podcasters consider for recording?

StreamYard’s free tier is a low-friction way to test the studio, but most serious podcasters benefit from paid plans.

• The Free plan gives you streaming with a StreamYard logo and 2 hours per month of local recording used with the recording feature, not with live streams. (StreamYard)
• On paid plans, you get automatic recording for live streams, unlimited local recording hours (within storage limits), and longer maximum session lengths—10 hours per recording on many standard tiers, and up to 24 hours on business plans. (StreamYard)
• Higher tiers also unlock 4K local recordings, more on‑screen participants (up to 10 on many plans), and more multistream destinations for live shows. (StreamYard)

For U.S. podcasters, StreamYard frequently runs special offers for new users, with first-year discounts on paid plans and a 7‑day free trial, making it straightforward to test a more complete setup before committing. (StreamYard)

How do AI clips and in-app editing fit into a podcast workflow?

There’s a temptation to look for a single app that records, edits, mixes, distributes, and markets your show. In practice, that usually leads to compromises.

Our approach at StreamYard is to keep the heavy editing in dedicated tools, and focus our AI features on the highest-leverage parts of the workflow:

• AI Clips: After a recording or live show, you can use prompt-based selection of moments to quickly surface highlight segments for shorts and promos.
• These clips work especially well for social repurposing, episode trailers, and quick turnarounds on live content.

For deep editorial work—multi-track audio mastering, complex story restructuring, or frame-level video fine-tuning—podcasters are usually better served by a professional editor like Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or a DAW. StreamYard’s design assumes you’ll pair our recordings with those tools, rather than trying to replace them with a shallow in-app editor.

What’s a practical end-to-end workflow using StreamYard?

Here’s a simple scenario that mirrors what many U.S. podcasters do:

1. Setup: You schedule a StreamYard studio session, add your logo, lower-thirds, and color presets to match your brand, and share a browser link with your guests.
2. Record or go live: Guests join from their browser—no installs. You run the show, switching layouts and bringing in screen shares or overlays as needed.
3. Automatic backups: On a paid plan, your entire show is recorded to the cloud automatically. Local multi-track files upload from each participant’s device in the background.
4. Post-production: You download the cloud MP4 for quick publishing, or pull the per-participant WAV and video files into your editor for more detailed mixing. (StreamYard)
5. Repurpose: Use AI Clips in StreamYard to quickly generate short highlights for social platforms, then hand off the full-resolution masters to your editor for the main episode.

This keeps your recording and live production in one place, while letting your editing and distribution stack stay flexible—whether you host on Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Spotify for Podcasters, or another specialized tool.

When might Riverside or other tools make sense instead?

There are cases where starting from a recording-first tool such as Riverside can be appealing:

• You rarely or never stream live, and you want a lot of your editing (including text-based trims) and transcription to live in the same interface.
• You need AI transcription in 100+ languages built directly into your recording app and tied to an internal editor. (Riverside)
• Your episodes are relatively short, and you’re comfortable managing monthly multi-track recording hour caps.

Even then, many teams still end up pairing these tools with external editors or separate podcast hosts. The choice often comes down to whether you prioritize live-first simplicity and flexible ecosystem integration (where StreamYard tends to fit) or all-in-one recording plus in-app editing (where Riverside is positioned).

What we recommend

• Use StreamYard as your default recording studio if you want local multi-track capture, automatic cloud backups, live streaming, and a simple guest workflow in one browser-based tool.
• Pair StreamYard with a dedicated editor (for deep cuts) and a specialist podcast host for RSS distribution, instead of relying on an all-in-one.
• Consider Riverside if you don’t need live streaming and prefer more editing and transcription baked directly into your recording app.
• Whichever route you choose, prioritize local multi-track recording, automatic backups, and a frictionless guest experience—they matter more than any single spec on the feature chart.