Happy Valley

Riverside vs Runway

Riverside and Runway are both video & screen recording tools. Riverside is aimed at creators, while Runway is aimed at creators and agencies. Runway costs less, from $15/mo versus $29/mo for Riverside. Both have a free plan.

Riverside

Remote recording in studio quality

Runway

AI video generation and editing suite

PricingFreemium · $29Freemium · $15
Starting price$29/mo$15/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial14 days—
Built forCreatorsCreators, Agencies
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb
CountryIL · 2020US · 2018
Rating——

Choose Riverside if

Podcasters and content teams recording remote guests.

  • Studio quality remote recording
  • Reliable despite poor connections
  • Built-in editing and clips

Look elsewhere if: Internal meetings (Zoom, Meet suffice).

Choose Runway if

Creative professionals and agencies producing AI-assisted video.

  • Professional-grade generation quality
  • Broad editing toolset
  • Consistency controls for storytelling

Look elsewhere if: Simple talking-head videos (HeyGen, Synthesia).

Riverside vs Runway pricing

Riverside

  • Free$02 hours (one-off) of separate track recording
  • Pro$29/mo$24/mo billed annually; 4K, 15 hrs separate tracks/mo
  • Grow$39/mo$34/mo billed annually; live streaming, podcast hosting
  • Webinar$99/mo$79/mo billed annually; webinar tools, unlimited studios
  • BusinessCustomSSO, API, SOC2, dedicated CSM

Runway

  • Free$0125 one-time credits, 5 GB storage
  • Standard$15/user/mo$12 billed annually; 625 credits/mo, no watermark
  • Pro$35/user/mo$28 billed annually; 2,250 credits/mo, voice clone
  • Max$95/user/mo$76 billed annually; 9,500 credits/mo

Riverside · Key features

  • Local recording up to 4K per participant
  • Separate audio and video tracks
  • Text-based editor and transcription
  • Magic Clips for social shorts
  • Live streaming to platforms
  • AI voice and audio enhancement

Cons

  • Hour limits on plans
  • Editor less powerful than Descript
  • Large file sizes

Runway · Key features

  • Text and image to video with Gen-4
  • Character and scene consistency with References
  • Act-One performance capture
  • Video editing with prompts (Aleph)
  • Green screen, inpainting, motion tracking
  • Upscaling and audio tools

Cons

  • Credits deplete quickly
  • Generation length limits
  • Learning curve for best results

Riverside vs Runway: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Riverside or Runway?

Runway starts at $15/mo and Riverside at $29/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Riverside and Runway have a free plan?

Yes, both Riverside and Runway have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Not sure yet?

Riverside vs Runway (2026): Pricing and Features