Riverside
Whereby
| Feature | Riverside | Whereby |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $15/mo | Free / from $8.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | podcasters, content-creators, media-companies, video-producers | small-teams, consultants, telehealth-providers, embedded-video-apps |
| Founded | 2018 | 2013 |
| Local Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Separate Tracks | ✓ | ✗ |
| 4k Video | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Transcription | ✓ | ✗ |
| Magic Clips | ✓ | ✗ |
| Live Streaming | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Text Based Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Based | ✗ | ✓ |
| Permanent Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screen Sharing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Recording | ✗ | ✓ |
| Breakout Groups | ✗ | ✓ |
| Embeddable Api | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Whereby Pros
- No downloads or plugins required for anyone
- Permanent meeting room URLs
- Embeddable video API for custom integrations
- Clean and minimal interface
✗ Whereby Cons
- Limited to 200 participants on highest plan
- Fewer features than Zoom or Teams
- Recording only available on paid plans
The Verdict
Riverside is built for podcasters and content creators, with a focus on local-recording and separate-tracks. Whereby targets small teams and consultants and leads with browser-based and permanent-rooms.
On pricing, Whereby is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $8.99/mo compared to $15/mo for Riverside. That $6.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Riverside offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while Whereby takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Riverside has a slight overall edge — but if no downloads or plugins required for anyone matters most to you, Whereby may still be the right call.