Instagram is the better app overall, scoring 8.6 to 8.3. Instagram wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Riverside on 1.
Creators and small shops who post photos and short videos
Podcasters who interview guests online and want clean video and sound
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Riverside | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Media & Creator Tools | Social Media & Creator Tools |
| Category rank | #3 of 17 | #8 of 17 |
| Developer | Meta | Riverside |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Instagram better than Riverside?
Instagram is the better app overall, scoring 8.6 to 8.3. Instagram wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Riverside on 1.
Which is cheaper, Instagram or Riverside?
Instagram: Free with ads; optional Instagram Plus is $3.99 a month for Story and profile extras. Riverside: Free with a watermark; Pro is $29 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly. On value for money, Instagram scores higher.
Do Instagram and Riverside work on the same devices?
Only Riverside runs on Mac.
Which is more private, Instagram or Riverside?
Riverside scores higher on privacy (7.0/10). The App Store label says identifiers may be used to track you. Usage data, device ID, diagnostics and audio are collected but not linked to your identity.
Strengths and weaknesses
Instagram
- Huge audience for almost any topic
- Photos, video, Stories and chat in one app
- Strong free editing tools and music
- Feed is full of ads and suggested posts
- Collects a lot of data and tracks you
- Some Story and profile extras now cost $3.99 a month
Instagram is the all-rounder. You can post photos, carousels, Reels and Stories, go live and message friends in one app, and most of your friends are likely there already. Reels can run up to 20 minutes, but only Reels of three minutes or less get shown to new people. It is free, yet the feed is packed with ads and suggested posts, and Meta collects a lot of data about you.
Full Instagram 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
