The rise in the popularity of podcasting has brought a plethora of great remote podcast recording services available; however, which one is the best?
In this article, we will be putting Riverside.fm and SquadCast up against one another to see which one comes out victorious.
When choosing the perfect podcast recording service, you’ll want to make sure it tickets all these boxes: studio-worthy audio recording, easy to use, reliable, and loaded with features.
Let’s get straight into determining which is the better recording service: Riverside.fm or Squadcast.
Riverside.fm
Founded in 2019, Riverside.fm was created by brothers Nadav and Gideon Keyson, and has become a host for many highly influential people including Hillary Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg, Gary Vaynerchuk, and more!
Below, you will find everything you need to know about Riverside.fm.
User Experience
Riverside presents an extremely user-friendly experience. The dashboard features a clean and practical design, making it easy to navigate the platform and get your podcast episode up and running.
Before you join an episode, you’re placed in a ‘waiting room’ where you can double-check your output, input, and yourself ahead of recording.
Riverside supports up to eight people on a single recording, with one host and seven guests.
Audio Quality
Riverside enables you to record uncompressed clear audio at 48kHz WAV from your browser.
Video Recording
The top-quality recording feature of Riverside is a game-changer for many podcasters. No matter whether or not you have a strong Wi-Fi connection, Riverside will record up to 4K video quality.
This is because the video gets recorded locally while simultaneously being uploaded in the background, guaranteeing a clean video (also see, “Why You Need A Video Podcast).
Video recordings are important for podcasts. YouTube is among the most used platforms for podcasts with a massive audience reach; therefore, having your content published here is advantageous.
Pricing
- Basic – $9/month ($7.50/m paid yearly) – Allows you to record up to 2 hours of video and audio per month, live streaming on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, separate video and audio tracks, and you can accept live call-ins.
- Standard – $19/month ($15/m paid yearly) – Allows you to record up to 5 hours of video and audio per month, live streaming on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, separate video and audio tracks, and you can accept live call-ins.
- Pro – $29/month ($24/m paid yearly) – Allows you to record up to 20 hours of video and audio per month, live streaming on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, separate video and audio tracks, you can accept live call-ins, and it includes transcriptions.
SquadCast
Established in 2016, SquadCast was co-founded by Zachariah Moreno and Rockwell Felder who were on a mission to amplify collaboration.
Below, you will find everything you need to know about SquadCast.
User Experience
SquadCast features a simple, easy-to-use user interface. All you need to do is create a new session (or utilize a former one) and invite your guests with a link or via email.
Once you join a session, you will be placed in a ‘Green Room’, where you can check your input and output, and make sure your hair is looking good before going on camera.
SquadCast allows you to record with a total of four people, with one host and three guests.
Audio Quality
SquadCast features excellent audio quality for remote recording.
While many services claim to have ‘studio-quality audio’- SquadCast comes the closest to having it.
One feature includes a built-in-echo cancellation, which is only good when not wearing headphones.
Once the recording has finished, you’re presented with audio files for all your guests in both .mp3 and .wav formats.
A feature that puts SquadCast above any other podcast recording service is their ‘progressive upload’, this ensures that audio files are being uploaded in real-time as the conversation goes on.
Other podcast recording platforms upload your recording once finished; although, this runs the risk of losing your audio files to a bad connection or accidentally closing the browser.
You don’t have to worry about this with SquadCast as your audio is uploaded in real-time.
Video Recording
Similar to Riverside, SquadCast allows you to record high-quality video.
This makes a great difference when recording remote conversations and interviews (also see, ‘How To Record A Podcast Remotely‘). Moreover, with the demand for video content, it’s important for podcasters to upload their content to reach a wider audience.
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Likewise, it makes for a much more natural conversation, which results in a more professional podcast.
Pricing
SquadCast offers a wide range of pricing options that become progressively more expensive depending on the features and audio recording you purchase.
The pricing structure can sometimes be quite difficult to comprehend since there are two payment options: audio and video or audio-only.
- Audio plans – Start at $10 a month for 2 hours worth of audio. This can go up to $150 a month for 25 hours’ worth of audio.
- Audio and video plans – Start at $40 a month for 5 hours worth of video and audio. This can go up to $300 a month for 25 hours’ worth of video and audio.
Riverside.fm Vs SquadCast – Which Is Better?
Since both remote podcasting recording services are extremely similar, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you. Ultimately, the decision is based on your personal podcasting requirements.
Although, if you’re looking for an extremely professional podcasting service then Riverside.fm would be your winner.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right remote podcasting recording service for you can sometimes be a very difficult task. Not only do you have to factor in features but also pricing, audio quality, and user experience, to name a few.
However, choosing a recording service doesn’t have to be difficult. Hopefully, this article has provided you with all the information you need to make a clear decision on which service, Riverside or SquadCast, is right for you.
