Buffer is the better app overall, scoring 8.7 to 8.3. Buffer wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Riverside on 1.
Solo creators and small teams who post to several apps
Podcasters who interview guests online and want clean video and sound
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Buffer | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Media & Creator Tools | Social Media & Creator Tools |
| Category rank | #2 of 17 | #8 of 17 |
| Developer | Buffer | Riverside |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Buffer better than Riverside?
Buffer is the better app overall, scoring 8.7 to 8.3. Buffer wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Riverside on 1.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Riverside?
Buffer: Free for 3 channels; Essentials is $5 a month per channel, billed yearly. Riverside: Free with a watermark; Pro is $29 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly. On value for money, Buffer scores higher.
Do Buffer and Riverside work on the same devices?
Only Riverside runs on Mac.
Which is more private, Buffer or Riverside?
Buffer scores higher on privacy (8.0/10). The App Store label links contact info, identifiers, usage data, diagnostics and your content to you, with no tracking. There are no ads. Buffer needs access to the social accounts you connect.
Strengths and weaknesses
Buffer
- Free plan is useful on its own
- Clean and easy to learn
- Works with Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon
- Paid plans charge per channel
- Free plan holds only 10 posts per channel
- First-comment scheduling needs a paid plan
Buffer is the easiest way to plan posts for many apps at once. Write a post, pick your channels, and it goes out at the time you choose. The free plan covers three channels with 10 scheduled posts each, which is plenty for one creator. It works with 12 networks, including Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky and YouTube. Paid plans charge per channel, so costs climb if you run many accounts.
Full Buffer review
Riverside
- Each guest gets their own audio and video track
- Record, edit and make clips in one place
- Free plan has unlimited single-track recording
- Free plan puts a watermark on everything
- Only 2 hours of separate tracks on Free, one time
- Live streaming needs the $39 Grow plan
Riverside records each person on their own device, so a shaky internet connection doesn't spoil the sound or picture. You get a separate audio and video track for every guest, in up to 4K on paid plans. After that you can edit by text and make short clips with Magic Clips. The free plan is more of a trial: two hours of separate tracks, 720p video and a watermark.
Full Riverside review
