Decision Support · Side-by-side

ON24 vs Riverside.fm. Side by side.

Compare pricing, strengths, and use cases so it is easier to pick the right fit.

Browse alternatives Browse workflows

Change tools

Comparison Ready

ON24

Riverside.fm

Best overall

For everyday users who want to record and edit podcasts or video interviews easily, Riverside.fm is the clear winner—it's affordable, beginner-friendly, and works right from your browser. ON24 is a powerful but complex enterprise tool for running large-scale webinars with deep analytics; it's overkill and too expensive for most individuals or small teams. The single biggest difference: Riverside.fm is built for content creators, while ON24 is built for corporate marketing teams.

ON24

#1244 of 3,826 Web

Riverside.fm

Free Tier Available #1452 of 3,826 Web

Scores at a glance

ON24Riverside.fmPractical Versatility

Onboarding Ease

Ecosystem Fit

Market Value

Choose ON24 if

You run weekly sales webinars and need to score leads automatically
Your company requires enterprise security and SSO for attendee logins
You want AI to repurpose your webinar into blog posts and social clips
You have a dedicated marketing team to manage the complex setup

Choose Riverside.fm if

You record remote interviews or podcasts every week and want studio-quality audio
You want to edit videos by deleting text from a transcript (no timeline dragging)
You're a solo creator or small team on a budget—free tier works for basic needs
You need to live-stream to YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn at the same time

Key differences

Riverside.fm has a free tier; ON24's pricing is hidden and enterprise-level
ON24 focuses on lead tracking and analytics; Riverside.fm focuses on recording quality and editing ease
Riverside.fm can be used from a browser in minutes; ON24 requires 10-step IT-heavy setup
ON24 has no mobile app; Riverside.fm has a mobile companion app for monitoring
Riverside.fm is for content creators; ON24 is for corporate marketing and sales teams
ON24 includes AI content repurposing natively; Riverside.fm offers AI editing tools as add-ons

Facts side by side

	ON24	Riverside.fm
Free plan
Mobile app
API access

ON24: strengths & weaknesses

Tracks exactly who watched what and for how long—great for sales leads
Built-in AI that turns one webinar into blog posts, clips, and social posts
Lets you fully brand your event pages and emails
Enterprise-grade security (SSO, encryption) for big companies
Hard to learn—setup takes 10 steps and often needs IT help
No mobile app, so you can't host or manage events from your phone
Pricing is hidden and likely expensive—not for casual users
Old-looking interface in some parts can be confusing

Riverside.fm: strengths & weaknesses

Records high-quality audio/video locally on each person's computer, so no internet drops ruin your file
Text-based editing: just delete words from the transcript and the video edits itself
Free tier lets you record up to 2 hours with basic features—no credit card needed
Publish directly to YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts from the platform
Advanced features (like multi-streaming to several platforms) cost extra
Some users report occasional glitches or sync issues
Customization of recording studio look is limited

Common questions

Can I use ON24 or Riverside.fm on my phone?

Riverside.fm has a mobile app for monitoring recordings, but you can't record from it. ON24 has no mobile app at all—you need a desktop to host or manage events.

Which tool is easier for a beginner?

Riverside.fm is much easier. You sign up, invite guests via a link, and start recording. ON24 requires domain setup, SSO, CRM integration, and training—it's not beginner-friendly.

Is ON24 worth the price for a small business?

Probably not. ON24 is expensive and built for large enterprises with dedicated marketing teams. A small business would be better off with Riverside.fm for content or a simpler webinar tool like Zoom.

Can I edit my recording in Riverside.fm without video editing skills?

Yes. Riverside.fm's text-based editor lets you delete words from the transcript, and the video automatically cuts those parts. No timeline or keyframes needed.

Does ON24 automatically turn my webinar into social media clips?

Yes, ON24's AI Content Engine can repurpose your webinar into blog posts, social clips, and more. Riverside.fm has similar AI features but they are part of paid plans.

Which tool is better for live streaming to multiple platforms?

Riverside.fm supports multi-streaming to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others. ON24 is primarily for hosting webinars on its own platform, not for broadcasting to social media.

Riverside.fm wins for everyday creators with its free tier and simple recording; ON24 is a powerful but pricey enterprise webinar tool that most people don't need.

If you're a regular person making podcasts, videos, or interviews, start with Riverside.fm—it's free to try, easy to learn, and does everything you need. Leave ON24 to the big corporate teams with IT support and a six-figure marketing budget.

Visit ON24 Visit Riverside.fm

Detail pages: ON24 · Riverside.fm

ON24

Riverside.fm

Free plan

Mobile app

API access