Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most podcasters in the United States, a browser-based studio like StreamYard is the easiest starting point for high-quality remote interviews, live shows, and podcast recordings with separate tracks. If you prioritize in-app editing and advanced post-production tools above live production or simplicity, a recording-first alternative like Riverside can be a useful secondary option.

Summary

• StreamYard offers browser-based podcast recording with local per-participant files, separate tracks, and up to 10 people on paid plans.(StreamYard Podcasting)
• Local recordings on StreamYard are unlimited on paid plans and do not count against cloud storage, which suits long-form and frequent shows.(StreamYard Podcasting)
• Riverside emphasizes high-spec local recording and in-app editing features, but multi-track hours are capped monthly by plan.(Riverside Pricing)
• For most US creators, pairing StreamYard with a dedicated hosting/distribution platform creates a flexible workflow without locking everything into one tool.

What does podcast recording software actually need to do?

When people search for “podcast recording software,” they’re usually thinking about one thing: "Will this make it easy to get clean, reliable conversations recorded without tech headaches?" Under that, there are a few non‑negotiables:

1. High-quality and reliable audio/video
   You want clear speech, minimal glitches, and files that hold up in editing. StreamYard captures cloud recordings as MP4/MP3 and local recordings as MP4/WAV, giving you uncompressed WAV audio per participant for editing.(Can I use StreamYard to create a Podcast?)

2. Ease of use for hosts and guests
   A shareable link that opens in the browser, no installs, and a simple interface are key. At StreamYard, this is the core design: guests join from a link and are in the studio in a couple of clicks.

3. Automatic recording and file access
   On paid StreamYard plans, live streams are automatically recorded with per-session caps, so your show is captured without extra steps.(StreamYard Recording Limits)

4. Branding and light editing
   Most podcasters don’t need a full non-linear editor inside their recording tool, but they do want custom branding, overlays, and quick highlight clips. StreamYard supports brand kits, color presets, and AI-powered clips aimed at fast repurposing rather than replacing a full editor.(StreamYard Podcasting)

How does StreamYard handle podcast recording in practice?

Think of StreamYard as a live studio that also happens to be a very capable podcast recorder.

• Up to 10 people on paid plans: You can record with up to 9 guests (10 people total), which covers most interview shows and panel formats.(StreamYard Podcasting)
• Local recordings on every plan: All plans support local recording; the free plan has a 2‑hour monthly cap, while paid plans are unlimited.(StreamYard Podcasting)
• Separate tracks and formats that editors like: Cloud video/audio come down as MP4/MP3, and local recordings export as MP4 video and WAV audio files, which plug cleanly into tools like Audition, Descript, or Resolve.(Can I use StreamYard to create a Podcast?)
• 4K local + 48kHz audio: StreamYard supports 4K local recordings and uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio per participant, giving you high-fidelity masters for post‑production when needed.
• Local does not eat your storage: Local recordings don’t count towards your StreamYard storage limits, which matters if you’re recording a lot of long-form conversations.(StreamYard Podcasting)

On top of capture, StreamYard layers in AI audio enhancements (noise removal, clarity boosts) with bitrates up to 256 kbps, so raw recordings are already polished before you ever open an editor.(StreamYard Podcasting)

Which podcast recording tools record separate tracks per participant?

Separate tracks are one of the key reasons to move beyond basic meeting software.

• StreamYard

  • Per-participant local recordings on all plans, with unlimited local hours on paid tiers.(StreamYard Podcasting)
  • On higher plans, additional separate cloud audio tracks are available for even more control in post.(Cloud Recording – Individual Audio Tracks)

• Riverside

  • Local multi-track recording per host/guest, with multi-track hours capped by plan (2 hours free, 5 hours Standard, 15 hours Pro, per month).(Riverside Pricing)
  • Designed to upload high-quality tracks (up to 4K video and 48kHz audio) from each participant’s device.(Riverside Podcast Recorder)

In day-to-day podcast production, both approaches yield editable, per-guest tracks. For many US creators, the more meaningful distinction is usage limits: StreamYard’s unlimited local recording on paid plans removes the need to manage a monthly multi-track quota, which simplifies life if you publish frequently or record long sessions.

How does StreamYard compare to Riverside for remote podcast recording?

Both StreamYard and Riverside are strong options for remote podcast recording, but they optimize for slightly different priorities.

Where StreamYard is a strong default

• Live-first workflow: If you stream to YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, or other destinations and then publish the audio as a podcast, StreamYard is built for that. Paid plans auto‑record your streams, handle multi-destination streaming, and add tools like AI Clips for fast repurposing.(StreamYard Pricing)
• Generous recording usage: Unlimited local recording on paid plans and per-session stream limits of up to 10–24 hours create room for long interviews, summits, or recurring shows without worrying about hitting a monthly hour cap.(StreamYard Recording Limits)
• Visual polish and branding: Color presets, grading controls, and branding options let you dial in a consistent visual style without opening a separate graphics tool.

Where Riverside may fit specific needs

• Spec-driven video capture: Riverside advertises up to 4K video and 48kHz audio per participant and leans into that spec on its marketing site.(Riverside Podcast Recorder) If your focus is a small number of heavily produced video episodes and you want in-app editing tools, this can be attractive.
• In-app editing and AI tooling: Features like Magic Clips and AI-generated show notes are bundled into Riverside’s plans, leaning into a record‑and‑edit‑in‑one‑place model.(Riverside Pricing)

For many US podcasters, the trade-off comes down to this: do you want your recording tool to be your live studio and capture hub that hands off to a dedicated editor, or do you want more editing features inside the recording platform itself? StreamYard intentionally focuses on the first path, which tends to keep workflows simpler and more resilient over time.

How do free plans and pricing affect real‑world workflows?

If you’re just testing podcasting, free plans are tempting—but they also come with constraints that matter the minute you get serious.

• StreamYard Free:

  • Lets you record with multiple guests, with local recording included but capped at 2 hours per month.(StreamYard Podcasting)
  • Live streams on the free plan are not stored as recordings in your library, so it’s better suited to testing than to ongoing production.(StreamYard Recording Limits)

• Riverside Free:

  • Offers 2 hours of multi-track recording and describes single-track creation as “unlimited,” but with watermarks and reduced quality versus paid tiers.(Riverside Pricing)

On the paid side, StreamYard often runs introductory pricing in the US (for example, first-year annual rates at accessible monthly equivalents for new users) and includes a 7‑day free trial, which makes it relatively low‑risk to move from testing to a stable workflow.

Many creators find that once they commit to a consistent show schedule, the peace of mind of unlimited local recording hours and automatic live recording on paid StreamYard plans outweighs the theoretical savings of staying on a free tier.

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

There’s a growing expectation that podcast recording software should “do everything.” That can sound appealing, but it often leads to shallow editing features that still require a dedicated editor later.

At StreamYard, the approach is different:

• AI Clips for leverage, not replacement: AI Clips uses prompts and detection to surface interesting moments, so you can quickly spin up short social videos, teasers, and highlights.
• Great for repurposing, not full mastering: It’s ideal for fast cuts, reels, and promos right after your live or recorded session. For deep structural edits, noise gating, mastering, and multi-layer design, we assume you’ll use a dedicated editor—and that’s intentional.

This keeps your recording studio fast and reliable while letting you choose best‑in‑class tools for heavy editing, rather than cramming everything into one interface.

How should you handle podcast distribution and hosting?

A common trap is picking a recording platform primarily because it bundles RSS hosting or basic distribution. That sounds convenient, but it can lock you into constraints later.

StreamYard takes the opposite stance: we focus on being the system of record for recording, live production, and repurposing, and expect you to pair that with dedicated hosting platforms for:

• RSS feed creation and management
• Distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other directories
• Analytics, monetization, and lifecycle management

In practice, this modular approach usually reduces friction: you keep your capture tool optimized for conversations and your hosting tool optimized for publishing. If you ever change one, you don’t have to rebuild your entire stack.

What we recommend

• Start with a browser-based studio like StreamYard as your primary podcast recording platform, especially if you plan to do remote interviews or live shows.
• Use StreamYard’s local multi-track recordings (WAV + 4K local video) as your high‑quality masters, and hand them off to a dedicated editor for deeper work.
• Layer in AI Clips and branding inside StreamYard to create a steady flow of short-form content from every episode.
• Consider recording-first alternatives like Riverside only if your top priority is in‑app editing and you’re comfortable managing monthly multi-track hour caps and a more editing-centric workflow.