Choosing a podcast platform used to be pretty simple. You found a hosting service, uploaded your episodes, got your RSS feed, and sent your podcast to Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Things are different now.
Podcasting has become much more than uploading audio files. Many creators are recording video, interviewing guests remotely, creating short clips for social media, using AI to edit episodes, and publishing the same content across several platforms.
That’s where Podbean and Riverside come in. Both platforms can be used for podcasting, but they were originally built with very different ideas in mind.
Podbean is primarily a podcast hosting and publishing platform. Riverside is primarily a remote recording, editing, and content creation platform that has expanded into podcast hosting and publishing.
That difference is important. If your main goal is to host and manage an established podcast, Podbean may be the better fit. If your podcast depends heavily on remote interviews, high-quality video, editing, and turning long recordings into social media content, Riverside may be more appealing.
What Is Podbean?
Podbean is one of the more established podcast hosting platforms. Its main job is to host your podcast and give you the tools needed to publish, distribute, analyze, and monetize it.
Podbean’s current plans include podcast RSS feeds, customizable podcast websites, embedded players, analytics, distribution, monetization tools, AI features, and support for audio and video podcasts.
The platform has also been around long enough to develop a fairly complete podcasting ecosystem.
You can upload your episodes, distribute them to major podcast directories, look at listener statistics, create a podcast website, sell premium content, use advertising tools, and manage multiple shows on higher plans.
Podbean is therefore a good example of a traditional podcast hosting platform that has expanded into modern creator tools.
What Is Riverside?
Riverside started with a different problem. It was designed to make remote recording easier.
Instead of recording a podcast guest through a normal video call and hoping the internet connection doesn’t ruin the recording, Riverside records participants locally and provides separate audio and video tracks.
That makes it especially useful for interviews. Over time, Riverside has expanded into editing, AI tools, video podcasting, social media clips, live streaming, and podcast hosting.
Its current Pro plan includes 4K video, 48 kHz audio, separate-track recording, AI-powered editing tools, transcription, Magic Clips, show notes, podcast hosting, analytics, and publishing to platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple, and other podcast directories.
So Riverside is no longer just a recording tool. It’s becoming more of an all-in-one content creation platform.
Podbean Pricing
One of the biggest differences between Podbean and Riverside is how their pricing is structured.
Podbean’s Unlimited Audio plan currently costs $12 per month when billed annually, or $17 when paid monthly.
It includes 1GB of new uploads per month, unlimited total storage, unmetered bandwidth, advanced podcast statistics, a customizable podcast website, monetization features, and one-click distribution.
If you need audio and video, Podbean’s Unlimited Plus plan costs $29 per month when billed annually, or $39 monthly.
It supports two audio or video podcasts and provides 10GB of uploads per month. There are also Network and Business plans for larger operations.
The Network plan costs $79 per month when billed annually and supports unlimited public podcasts, 40GB of uploads per month, 50 team members, and network-level statistics.
For a traditional podcast host, that’s a pretty comprehensive pricing structure.
Riverside Pricing
Riverside takes a different approach.
There is a free plan, but it’s primarily designed to let you try the recording and editing experience.
The free plan includes unlimited single-track recording and editing, video calls, up to 720p video, and a limited amount of separate-track recording downloads. Riverside currently provides a one-time two hours of separate audio and video track downloads on the free plan.
Paid plans start with Standard at $19 per month, or $15 per month when billed annually according to Riverside’s current pricing page.
The Pro plan costs $29 per month, or $24 per month when billed annually. It includes 4K video, 48 kHz audio, 15 hours of separate-track downloads per month, AI editing features, Magic Audio, transcriptions, show notes, and podcast hosting.
The Grow plan costs $39 per month, or $34 when billed annually. It adds features such as podcast hosting for two shows, social scheduling, a creator website, video hosting, AI thumbnails, and live streaming. So Riverside can become more expensive than Podbean if your primary requirement is simply podcast hosting.
But that’s because you’re paying for a much larger production toolkit.
Which Is Easier to Use?
This one is close. Podbean is relatively straightforward once you understand how podcast hosting works.
You upload an episode, add your information, publish it, and Podbean handles the hosting and RSS feed. Its dashboard contains quite a few features, though. You have analytics, monetization, AI tools, websites, distribution, and other settings. That can make it feel a little overwhelming when you first start.
Riverside is also easy to use, but its workflow is different. You create a studio, invite guests, record, edit, and then publish the finished content. For recording an interview, Riverside is probably easier.
For managing a podcast after the recording is finished, Podbean may feel more natural.
Recording Quality: Riverside Wins
If recording quality is your biggest priority, I’d choose Riverside. This is really Riverside’s home turf. Its system is designed specifically for recording remote guests.
Participants can record locally, giving creators separate audio and video tracks rather than relying entirely on the quality of a live internet connection.
Paid Riverside plans support up to 4K video and 48 kHz audio. That’s particularly useful for interview podcasts.
Imagine you’re interviewing someone who lives on the other side of the world. You could use a normal video call, but internet problems can cause compression, dropped frames, or poor audio.
Riverside is designed to avoid many of those problems. Podbean can certainly be part of a high-quality podcast production workflow, but it isn’t primarily a remote recording studio.
Podcast Hosting: Podbean Wins
This is where Podbean gets the advantage. Hosting is what Podbean was built for. The platform provides RSS feeds, podcast websites, distribution, analytics, monetization, storage, and bandwidth.
Its paid plans provide unlimited total storage, while the main creator plans offer unmetered bandwidth.
Riverside now provides podcast hosting and publishing on its paid plans, but hosting isn’t the core reason people originally chose Riverside.
It’s an extension of its recording and production platform.
If you already have a podcast and you’re mainly looking for somewhere reliable to host it, I’d pick Podbean.
Remote Interviews: Riverside Wins Easily
There’s really no contest here. If your podcast is based around interviews with remote guests, Riverside is one of the more compelling options.
You can send your guest a recording link, bring them into your studio, record separate tracks, and then edit the result. The workflow is designed around remote collaboration.
This is particularly useful for interview shows, video podcasts, business podcasts, online courses, and content creators who regularly work with guests. Podbean isn’t really competing with Riverside in this area.
Video Podcasting
Video has become increasingly important for podcasters. Many creators now publish the same episode as:
- An audio podcast.
- A YouTube video.
- Short clips on TikTok.
- Instagram Reels.
- YouTube Shorts.
- X clips.
This is where Riverside becomes extremely useful.
Its Pro plan supports 4K video, AI editing, Magic Clips, transcripts, show notes, and other tools designed to turn recordings into additional content. Podbean also supports video podcasts. Its Unlimited Plus plan allows two audio or video podcasts and 10GB of monthly uploads.
But Riverside is much more focused on the actual video production process. If you’re recording a video podcast, I’d choose Riverside.
Editing and AI Tools
Both platforms have embraced AI, but again, their priorities are different.
Podbean includes AI features that can optimize audio, remove filler words and silence, improve audio levels, generate titles and show notes, create chapter markers, and enhance transcripts. It also offers an AI Podcast Creator. That’s useful for podcasters who want to simplify the publishing process.
Riverside goes much further into editing and repurposing. Its paid plans include AI-powered audio enhancement, transcription, show notes, Magic Clips, eye-contact correction, filler-word and silence removal, and an AI editing and repurposing agent.
That means you can record a one-hour interview and then quickly turn it into smaller pieces of content.
Podcast Analytics
Podbean has the edge here if your main concern is podcast hosting analytics.
Podbean offers advanced statistics covering listener locations, devices, sources, trends, episode comparisons, and engagement information.
That’s useful when you’re trying to understand how your podcast is growing. You can compare episodes and see which content is getting more attention.
Riverside also provides podcast analytics on its paid plans, but its bigger strength is the production side.
If you’re building a serious podcast and want a traditional podcast-hosting dashboard, I’d lean toward Podbean.
Monetization
This is another category where Podbean has an advantage. Podbean offers several monetization options, including an Ads Marketplace, dynamic ad insertion, and Apple Podcasts subscriptions.
That gives creators multiple ways to turn a podcast into a business. Riverside is more focused on helping you create and distribute content. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
You can use Riverside to create an excellent podcast and monetize it elsewhere. But if you want monetization tools built into your podcast hosting platform, Podbean is the better choice.
Podcast Website
Podbean also wins when it comes to a dedicated podcast website. Its plans include customizable podcast websites, embedded players, and the ability to connect a custom domain. That’s useful if your podcast is becoming a brand.
You can have a dedicated place where listeners can find your episodes, learn about your show, and subscribe.
Riverside has added website capabilities, particularly on its Grow plan, but its website features are part of a much broader creator ecosystem. For a traditional podcast website, I’d still choose Podbean.
Multiple Podcasts
If you’re managing several shows, Podbean has some impressive options.
Its Network plan supports unlimited public audio and video podcasts, 40GB of monthly uploads, 50 team members, and network-level statistics.
Riverside’s Grow plan supports podcast hosting for two shows, while higher plans can support more extensive podcast operations. For a podcast network, Podbean feels more purpose-built.
Final Thoughts
So, Podbean vs. Riverside — which one is better? There isn’t one universal winner. They’re really designed for different jobs.
Podbean is the better podcast hosting platform. Riverside is the better podcast recording and production platform.
If you’re an audio podcaster who wants reliable hosting, analytics, monetization, distribution, and a podcast website, I’d choose Podbean.
If you’re creating a video podcast with remote guests and want high-quality recording, editing, AI tools, and social clips, I’d choose Riverside.
For many serious creators, though, the best answer might be both. Use Riverside to record and produce the show. Use Podbean to host and manage the finished podcast.
Think about what you actually do every week. If most of your time is spent recording interviews, Riverside is probably the better choice.
If most of your time is spent publishing, managing, analyzing, and monetizing your podcast, Podbean makes more sense.
And if you’re serious about turning your podcast into a full content business, using both can give you a workflow that covers almost everything from the first conversation with your guest to the final episode reaching your listeners.