Adobe Audition
Riverside
| Feature | Adobe Audition | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $22.99/mo | Free / from $15/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | audio-engineers, podcasters, video-editors, musicians | podcasters, content-creators, media-companies, video-producers |
| Founded | 2003 | 2018 |
| Multi Track Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Noise Reduction | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spectral Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Effects | ✓ | ✗ |
| Podcast Tools | ✓ | ✗ |
| Batch Processing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Local Recording | ✗ | ✓ |
| Separate Tracks | ✗ | ✓ |
| 4k Video | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Transcription | ✗ | ✓ |
| Magic Clips | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live Streaming | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screen Recording | ✗ | ✓ |
| Text Based Editing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Adobe Audition Pros
- Professional quality
- Great noise reduction
- Multi-track editing
- Adobe integration
✗ Adobe Audition Cons
- Subscription only
- Learning curve
- Overkill for simple edits
✓ Riverside Pros
- Records locally for uncompressed studio quality
- Separate audio and video tracks per participant
- AI-powered editing with transcription and clips
- 4K video recording support
✗ Riverside Cons
- Free plan limited to basic features
- Requires stable internet for real-time monitoring
- AI editing features still maturing
The Verdict
Adobe Audition is built for audio engineers and podcasters, with a focus on multi-track-editing and noise-reduction. Riverside targets podcasters and content creators and leads with local-recording and separate-tracks.
On pricing, Riverside is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $15/mo compared to $22.99/mo for Adobe Audition. That $7.989999999999998/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Riverside has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Adobe Audition requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Riverside offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 6), while Adobe Audition takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for podcasters — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.