Descript vs Riverside: what the free plans actually include
Descript is built around editing a transcript. Riverside is built around remote recording. Their free plans reflect that split, and they meter usage in different ways.
Short answer
On free plans, Descript resets monthly (60 media minutes) but limits AI features to 100 one-time credits. Riverside gives a one-off 2 hours of separate-track recording, then unlimited single-track recording and editing. Choose Descript to edit a short show every month. Choose Riverside to try separate-track remote recording.
Head to head
| Item | Descript Free | Riverside Free |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $0/month |
| Main allowance | 60 media minutes per month (recorded or imported) | 2 hours multi-track recording, one-off |
| After the allowance | Resets monthly | Unlimited single-track recording and editing |
| AI allowance | 100 AI credits, one-time. Studio Sound and filler-word removal "Limited". | Magic Clips included |
| Video resolution | Local export up to 720p | Up to 720p |
| Watermark | Watermark-free video export not included | Riverside watermark |
| Audio | Transcription in 25 languages | 44.1 kHz audio quality |
| Source | descript.com/pricing | riverside.com/pricing |
Who each free plan suits
- Descript Free: solo or local recordings of about an hour a month that you want to cut by editing text. AI features draw on 100 one-time credits.
- Riverside Free: testing separate-track remote interviews (2 hours, once). After that it suits single-track recording with editing and Magic Clips.
Using both
Recording in one tool and editing in another is common. Note that importing a Riverside recording into Descript counts against Descript's 60 media minutes, which cover imported media too. For a free tool built for ongoing separate-track recording, see Zencastr and others.
Paid plans: this page compares free plans only. Both vendors list paid tiers with higher limits. See their pricing pages for current prices.