Riverside.fm vs Descript vs SquadCast: AI Podcast Production Tools

TL;DR

• If you need rock-solid remote recording with easy video options and strong post-production AI, Riverside.fm is a solid all‑rounder.
• If your workflow hinges on AI-powered editing, transcription, and text-based video editing, Descript leads the pack.
• If reliability for guests and live, high-quality multi-track recording is your priority, SquadCast excels in simplicity and uptime with great collaboration features.
• For many creators, the sweet spot is a blended workflow: record with Riverside or SquadCast, then polish in Descript using its audio editing AI and transcript-driven workflow. Expect AI features to reduce editing time by 30–60% in many scenarios.

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Introduction

The rise of AI-assisted podcast production tools has given content creators a much-needed boost: better audio quality, faster post-production, and easier discovery through transcripts and searchable show notes. The three heavyweights in this space—Riverside.fm, Descript, and SquadCast—each bring a distinctive angle to AI-powered podcasting. Riverside emphasizes reliable remote recording with built-in video options and post-production features. Descript blends audio editing, video editing, and AI-driven capabilities like Overdub and Studio Sound into a powerful content creation suite. SquadCast focuses on dependable remote interviews, clean multi-track recordings, and a straightforward collaborator experience.

If you’re a podcaster, editor, or content creator trying to decide which tool best fits your workflow, you’re not alone. The decision often boils down to how much you value AI-assisted editing and transcripts, how you run your interviews (solo creator vs. team), your budget, and how you plan to publish and repurpose content. In this article, I’ll break down how each platform handles AI, what you get for podcast production, and how to stitch them into practical workflows—plus a side‑by‑side comparison table and an FAQ to help you decide faster.

From my experience working with dozens of podcast workflows, you’ll find that AI is most valuable when it complements, not replaces, your process. You still want reliable recording quality, straightforward collaboration, and an editing persona that matches your skills and time. Let’s dive in and map out where Riverside, Descript, and SquadCast shine—and where they might fall short for different use cases.

Pro tip: Start by outlining your ideal episode workflow (record → transcribe → edit → publish → repurpose). Then map each step to features you actually need in one or two tools rather than chasing every shiny AI feature.

Quick note: Always test AI features with a small, non-critical episode before relying on auto-transcripts or auto-editing for a live release. AI is powerful, but it isn’t perfect, and human oversight still matters for accuracy and tone.

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Main Content Sections

1) Core capabilities: recording, AI features, transcription, and editing

• Riverside.fm: The backbone here is reliable remote recording with high-quality audio streams and local recording options to safeguard quality even if the internet dips. Riverside is known for:

  • Separate audio/video tracks for each guest, which makes post-production cleaner.
  • Built-in video recording options and a web-based recorder that works across devices.
  • AI-assisted post-production features like transcription and captioning, plus noise reduction tools and basic processing you can apply after recording.
  • Collaboration and guest management baked in, with calendar invites and easy guest onboarding.

  From a practical standpoint, Riverside shines when your primary need is smooth live interviews with guests who may be geographically dispersed. You’ll get dependable call quality, simple collaboration, and a workflow that keeps you in one ecosystem from recording to publish.

  Quick note: If you’re aiming for heavy text-based editing and deep AI-driven re-organization of your audio, Riverside’s AI features are strong but not as granular as Descript’s. That’s by design—Riverside prioritizes reliable capture and straightforward post‑production.

• Descript: Descript is the AI-powered Swiss Army knife for audio and video editing. It’s less about raw recording quality (though it records well) and more about post-production efficiency and AI-assisted transformations:

  • Text-based editing: you edit the transcript, and the audio follows. Cut words to remove ums and filler words, and Descript trims the audio automatically.
  • AI-driven capabilities: Overdub lets you clone your voice for safe, approved prompts; Studio Sound provides advanced noise reduction and vocal clarity; various automated editing options reduce manual trim time.
  • Editor-as-a-first-class citizen: you can switch between audio, video, and text editing in one interface, making it ideal for show notes, chapters, and repurposing for video platforms.
  • Transcriptions and captions: Descript is known for high-quality automatic transcripts, searchable transcripts, and caption generation, which is great for accessibility and SEO.

  If your goal is heavy post-production leverage—especially if you want to generate show notes, chapters, and short-form content from transcripts—Descript is the most AI-forward option among the three. It’s particularly powerful when you want to do text-based edits, generate AI transcripts, and produce video content without leaving the platform.

  Pro tip: Build a two-tool workflow when possible—record with Riverside or SquadCast for top-notch audio during the interview, then bring the file into Descript for AI editing and transcription. It’s the fastest route to polished episodes with minimal friction.

• SquadCast: SquadCast is built around reliable, studio-grade remote recording with a focus on the guest experience and straightforward collaboration:

  • Separate tracks for each participant and a clean, browser-based recording experience.
  • Built-in video options and simple, shareable interview links, which makes scheduling and guest onboarding painless.
  • AI features exist, but in practice, SquadCast emphasizes reliability and ease of use; you’ll typically rely on Descript or other tools for heavy AI editing and transcription if you want that level of automation.
  • Collaboration and team features (multiple user roles, shared projects) are strong, making it a good fit for teams with guest-heavy schedules.

  SquadCast is a go-to for teams prioritizing uptime and a no-surprises guest experience. It’s not as feature-dense in AI post-production as Descript, but it often wins on the “works out-of-the-box” factor and robust recording integrity.

  Quick note: If you plan to post-process with AI-heavy editing, you’ll likely want to pair SquadCast with Descript or another editor. The combination gives you the best of both worlds: rock-solid recording and powerful AI post-production.

From my experience: choose Riverside if your episodes rely on video repurposing and you want everything under one umbrella; pick Descript if you want to squeeze every ounce of editing power from AI; pick SquadCast if you’re after reliability and guest-focused interviews with minimal setup.

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2) AI capabilities in practice: what actually speeds up your workflow?

• Transcription and searchability

  • Descript leads the field here. Transcripts are highly accurate out of the box for many English-language podcasts, and the search/indexing features make it easy to extract quotes and build show notes, SEO metadata, and blog content quickly.
  • Riverside and SquadCast offer integrated transcripts or captioning, but the depth and editing affordances are typically not as expansive as Descript’s text-first approach. Riverside’s transcripts are solid for accessibility and quick show-note generation, but if you want to deeply edit via text, Descript is the better bet.

• AI-assisted editing

  • Descript’s editing model uses AI to streamline removing filler words, phrases, or silences, while preserving natural pacing. Overdub can be used to correct or add lines in your own voice, which can be a huge time-saver for last-minute adjustments.
  • Riverside provides post-production tools that help with noise suppression, gain control, and general cleanup, often integrated directly into the recording suite. It’s less about rewriting content and more about polish and clarity.
  • SquadCast’s AI tooling is comparatively lighter; the platform excels in the core recording reliability and workflow. If you want AI editing, you’ll typically rely on Descript or other tools post-recording.

• Text-to-content and show notes

  • Descript shines at turning transcripts into show notes, summaries, chapters, and social snippets. The ability to repurpose into blog posts or YouTube chapters is a big time-saver if content repurposing is a big part of your strategy.
  • Riverside can automate captions and provide transcripts, which helps with accessibility and initial notes, but the heavy lifting for content creation usually happens in a tool like Descript or a separate editor.

• Video, clips, and social-ready content

  • Descript’s video editing approach (text-based editing, drag-and-drop to trim sections, and easy export for social clips) makes it easy to produce vertical video for YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels. If video is part of your podcast strategy, Descript is a strong advantage.
  • Riverside offers built-in video capture and multi-source video production with the recording. If your primary deliverable includes video, Riverside keeps things simpler by letting you capture both the podcast audio and video in a unified workflow.

Pro tip: If your content strategy depends on fast turnarounds and frequent clip creation, use Descript for its text-to-video editing. Then, push the final assets to your publishing pipeline (YouTube, YouTube Shorts, TikTok) and your show notes to your CMS.

Quick note: AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement for human judgment. Use AI editors to handle repetitive tasks (removal of filler words, noise reduction, auto-chapters) but review the result for tone, pacing, and brand voice.

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3) Workflow patterns: solo creator, small team, or enterprise

• Solo creator or small team

  • Riverside + Descript is a strong combo: record with Riverside (or SquadCast, depending on preference for guest onboarding) and run post-production in Descript. For solo creators, the ability to generate show notes and publish-ready content from transcripts can drastically cut turnaround time.
  • If you want everything in one place and prioritizing a clean, simple interface, Riverside can handle recording and some post-production, and Descript can take it from there.

• Small teams with multiple guests

  • SquadCast shines here with its guest-friendly interface and reliable live recording. You can schedule with guests, run a tight interview flow, and then sync the files with your Descript project for editing and transcription.
  • A practical workflow: Schedule in SquadCast, record, export audio into Descript for editing and transcription, then export final assets to your CMS and social channels.

• Enterprise or content studios

  • For larger teams that require robust collaboration, access controls, and centralized asset management, Riverside and SquadCast both offer team features and higher-tier plans. When combined with Descript, teams can standardize on a single AI-assisted editing workflow across multiple shows, saving time on every episode.

From my experience, the sweet spot often looks like this: a reliable recording platform (Riverside or SquadCast) paired with Descript for editing and transcription. The two-tool approach minimizes the friction of moving between a recording-only app and a heavy editing environment, while giving you access to Descript’s powerful AI features when you need them.

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Comparison Table

Notes:

• The table reflects general strengths as of today. Pricing and feature sets can evolve, so check current plans and feature lists before deciding.
• For many teams, a hybrid approach works best (record with Riverside or SquadCast; edit and transcribe in Descript).

Pro tip: If you’re deciding between two tools, run a 2–3 episode pilot in each tool for your typical show format (e.g., interview-heavy, long-form, or quick-cut clips) and compare the time saved per episode.

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FAQ Section

1. Which tool is best for solo podcasters who want AI editing?

• Descript is often the best pick for solo podcasters who want AI editing, transcripts, and show-note automation. You can record with Riverside or SquadCast and run the post-production entirely inside Descript, leveraging Overdub and Studio Sound to save you time on edits.

2. Do these tools support remote guests?

• Yes. Riverside, Descript (via its recording and editing features), and SquadCast all support remote guests. Riverside and SquadCast emphasize reliable multi-track recording for interviews, while Descript can handle recording within its Studio environment but truly shines in its post-production capabilities.

3. How accurate are the AI transcripts?

• Descript is typically the strongest in transcription accuracy, especially for clean audio with standard accents. Riverside’s transcripts are solid for accessibility and quick show notes, but may require minor corrections. SquadCast relies on its own transcripts or third-party services, so accuracy can vary with the service used.

4. Can I publish directly from these tools?

• All three tools allow you to export audio (and often video) to common hosting platforms. Descript specifically makes it easy to export cleaned audio/video and publish show notes, clips, and chapters. Riverside and SquadCast focus on ensuring you have clean, high-quality recordings ready for post‑production and publishing through downstream tools.

5. What’s the best workflow for repurposing content?

• A common and effective workflow is: record with Riverside or SquadCast for reliability, export the raw files to Descript, use Descript to generate transcripts, show notes, and video clips, then publish to your CMS and social channels. This leverages each platform’s strengths: top-tier recording reliability and AI-driven editing from Descript.

6. Are there any privacy or copyright concerns with AI features?

• When you use AI features like voice cloning or automated editing, you should review consent and licensing policies. For example, Overdub requires explicit permission to clone your voice, and any synthetic voice usage should comply with your platform’s terms and your audience’s expectations. Quick note: keep backups of your original recordings in case you need to revert AI edits.

7. How do I choose between Riverside, Descript, and SquadCast for video podcasts?

• If video is central to your strategy, Riverside and Descript offer robust video workflows (Riverside with built-in video capture; Descript for video editing and clipping). SquadCast provides reliable video as well but is often simpler for audio-first workflows with a straightforward guest experience. Your choice should hinge on how much you value AI editing and show-note automation (Descript) vs. end-to-end recording quality and guest onboarding (Riverside/SquadCast).

8. Can I mix these tools in a single podcast production workflow?

• Absolutely. A popular approach is to record with Riverside or SquadCast and then import the files into Descript for AI editing, transcription, and show-note generation. This mixed workflow typically yields the best balance of recording reliability and post-production efficiency.

9. How do I balance cost and value when choosing?

• If you’re a solo creator or small team, you’ll likely benefit from Descript’s AI editing, even if you use a separate recording platform. For teams that need strong collaboration and guest coordination, SquadCast’s simplicity and collaborative features are compelling. Riverside offers an all-in-one solution with solid AI features and video capabilities. Compare annual vs. monthly pricing and consider the cost of add-ons such as higher transcription quotas, extra hours, or team seats.

From my experience, you’ll get the most value when you:

• Start with a straightforward recording plan (Riverside or SquadCast) to ensure clean, multi-track audio with minimal headaches.
• Layer in Descript for AI editing, transcripts, and clip generation to accelerate publishing and repurposing.

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Conclusion

In the current landscape of AI podcast production tools, Riverside.fm, Descript, and SquadCast each bring a distinct value proposition to the table. Riverside stands out for reliability and a robust, all-in-one recording and video experience that’s ideal for interviews and guest-heavy shows. Descript dominates when AI-driven editing, transcription, show notes, and video repurposing are your primary drivers of productivity and growth. SquadCast shines with its focus on uptime, guest onboarding, and a streamlined workflow that keeps the interview experience frictionless.

The most practical way to approach tool selection is to map your exact workflow and content goals:

• If your top priority is reliable, high-quality remote recording with an easy guest experience, start with Riverside or SquadCast.
• If you want to maximize AI-powered post-production, transcription, and content repurposing, make Descript your core editing hub.
• For many creators, a blended workflow yields the best results: record with Riverside or SquadCast, then import into Descript for AI editing, transcription, and clip generation.

Quick note: consider starting with shorter, controlled episodes to test your chosen workflow before committing to a long-term setup. AI features are powerful, but they’re most valuable when they align with your brand voice, publishing cadence, and repurposing strategy.

From my perspective, the best approach isn’t to pick a single tool but to design a lean, repeatable process that uses the strengths of each platform. That often means an initial investment in time to configure templates (show notes, chapters, clip lengths), an automation mindset for uploads and exports, and a discipline for reviewing AI outputs to preserve your voice and standards.

If you’re still unsure, run a 2-3 episode pilot with two setups (Riverside + Descript and SquadCast + Descript) and compare:

• Which setup gets you from recording to publish fastest?
• Where do you save the most time in editing and show-note creation?
• Is the final audio quality meeting your standards across devices and platforms?

By the end of a small pilot, you’ll have a practical sense of whether AI podcast production tools will shave hours off your process and help you scale your content creation AI strategy.