It's close: Riverside edges it 8.3 to 8.2, so the right pick depends on what you need. Riverside wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Threads on 3.
Podcasters who interview guests online and want clean video and sound
People who like short text posts and already use Instagram
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Riverside | Threads |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Media & Creator Tools | Social Media & Creator Tools |
| Category rank | #8 of 17 | #13 of 17 |
| Developer | Riverside | Meta |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Riverside better than Threads?
It's close: Riverside edges it 8.3 to 8.2, so the right pick depends on what you need. Riverside wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Threads on 3.
Which is cheaper, Riverside or Threads?
Riverside: Free with a watermark; Pro is $29 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly. Threads: Free with ads; you do not need a paid plan to post, reply or message. On value for money, Threads scores higher.
Do Riverside and Threads work on the same devices?
Only Riverside runs on Mac.
Which is more private, Riverside or Threads?
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
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
Threads
- Quick to find people you know from Instagram
- Calmer feel than X for everyday chat
- Free to post, reply and message
- No direct pay program for creators
- Links a lot of personal data to you
- Feed leans on suggested posts
Threads is the friendliest of the big text apps. Posts are short, up to 500 characters, and you can add photos, videos or a longer block of text. It grew out of Instagram, so finding people you know is quick, and it now has 500 million monthly users. It is free with ads. Threads does not pay creators directly, and Meta links a lot of data to you.
Full Threads review
