Best Tools for Recording Video Podcasts in 2026
The video podcast is no longer a nice-to-have. Audiences increasingly expect to watch their favourite shows on YouTube as well as listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which means the software you record with needs to handle audio and video equally well.
The problem is that most podcasters start with audio-only tools and bolt on video as an afterthought. The result is a fragmented workflow, inconsistent quality, and hours of unnecessary editing.
This guide covers the best remote podcast tools available right now for recording video podcasts.
Whether you are just launching your first video podcast or looking to upgrade a setup that has outgrown your current software, these are the platforms worth your time.
Table of Contents
What to Look for in Video Podcast Software
Not all podcast recording software is built with video in mind. Some tools are exceptional at capturing audio but treat video as a secondary feature.
Others are built for live streaming but lack the post production flexibility that video podcasters need. Before committing to any platform, there are a few things worth evaluating.
Local recording is the most important feature to look for. Platforms that record video and audio locally on each participant's device produce significantly higher quality files than those that rely entirely on a live stream.
If one person has a poor internet connection, local recording ensures the actual audio and video files are not affected.
Separate tracks matter too. The best podcast recording software captures each guest and host on separate audio and video tracks, which gives you far more control during editing.
Being able to adjust, clean, or replace one person's audio without touching anyone else's is the difference between a polished video podcast episode and one that sounds like it was recorded in a hurry.
Beyond that, consider whether the software handles editing natively or requires a separate tool, how well it manages background noise, whether it supports live streaming, and how much of the post production workflow it can absorb.
The fewer platforms you need to stitch together, the smoother your recording and editing process will be.
Riverside.fm
Riverside.fm is the strongest all-round option for video podcasters who want reliable remote recording without a steep learning curve. It was built specifically for podcast recording and has become the go-to platform for creators who cannot afford dropped recordings or compressed audio.
Every participant records audio and video locally on their own device. Riverside then uses progressive uploads to send those files to the cloud in real time.
Even if the internet cuts out mid-session, the recording continues locally and syncs automatically once the connection returns. For podcast interviews with guests who may not have reliable setups, this is an incredibly easy system to trust.
Video quality goes up to 4K, and each participant is captured on separate tracks, including separate audio and separate video files.
This makes editing significantly cleaner. Riverside also supports multiple aspect ratios natively, so you can export the same recording optimized for YouTube, Instagram, and short-form clips without returning to a separate video editor for each format.
On the editing side, Riverside includes background noise removal, automatic transcription, and AI tools for generating clips and show notes.
It is not a full suite editing platform in the way Descript is, but for most podcasters the built-in editing options cover the essentials without needing separate software.
Riverside also supports live streaming to multiple platforms simultaneously and includes a Producer Mode that lets a producer manage the session in the background without appearing on camera. For teams running more produced shows or live events, this is a genuinely useful feature.
There is a free tier available, with paid plans starting at around $24 per month. Given its quality and reliability, it offers strong value for any remote video podcast.
Best For
Podcasters who prioritize recording reliability, high-quality video, and a clean multitrack recording workflow with minimal technical setup.
Descript
Descript approaches video podcast production from the editing side rather than the recording side, and that distinction shapes everything about how it works. If the recording process feels manageable, but editing is where you lose hours every week, Descript is the platform most likely to change that.
Its core feature is text based editing. Once your podcast recording is complete, Descript transcribes the audio automatically and lets you edit the video and audio by editing the transcript.
Delete a sentence from the text and it is removed from the timeline. Trim clips, remove filler words, and restructure entire segments without ever touching a traditional editing timeline.
For video podcasters who are not experienced video editors, this approach makes post-production dramatically faster.
Filler word removal is one of Descript's most popular features. The software identifies every instance of filler words across all speakers and lets you remove filler words in bulk with a single click. On a long podcast episode with multiple guests, this alone can save thirty minutes of manual editing.
Descript also handles remote recording with local recording for each participant, separate tracks, and solid audio quality.
Its AI powered tools, grouped under the name Underlord, cover background noise removal, automatic transcription, clip creation, and the ability to add subtitles to video exports automatically. For a YouTube channel repurposing full podcast episodes into shorter clips, that last feature is particularly useful.
One thing to be aware of is that Descript uses proxy files during editing to keep the interface fast.
The preview quality looks lower than the final export, which can be disorienting at first. Final exports use the full quality source files, and the results are consistently strong.
Descript also supports collaboration tools that make it easy for multiple team members to work on the same project. For agencies or shows with a dedicated editor, being able to share a project and leave comments inside the editing software removes a lot of back and forth.
Plans start at around $16 per month with a free tier available for basic use.
Best For
Video podcasters who want to speed up editing, remove filler words at scale, add subtitles automatically, and manage their full suite of post-production inside a single platform.
Squadcast
Squadcast is a remote recording platform built with audio quality as its primary focus, and it shows.
It records audio locally on each participant's device, produces clean separate tracks for every speaker, and has a reputation among audio-first podcasters for delivering some of the most consistent recording quality of any platform in its category.
For video podcasting, Squadcast supports video recording up to 1080p and captures separate audio and video files per participant.
It is not the strongest platform if 4K video is a requirement, but for most podcast recording workflows where audio takes priority and video is being published to YouTube at standard resolution, 1080p is more than sufficient.
Squadcast integrates directly with Descript, which is worth noting. If you want to use Squadcast for its recording reliability and Descript for its editing software, the two platforms connect natively.
Your recordings move from one to the other without manual file management, which removes one of the more tedious steps in the podcast production process.
The interface is clean and straightforward, and guests do not need to create an account to join a session. For podcast interviews with guests who are not technically confident, this matters more than most people expect.
Squadcast does not include a built-in video editor, so you will need separate software for editing after recording. For podcasters who already have an editing workflow they are happy with, that is not a drawback. For those looking for an all-in-one solution, Riverside or Descript will serve better.
Best For
Audio-first video podcasters who want reliable multitrack recording and a direct integration with Descript for editing.
StreamYard
StreamYard occupies a different space to the other tools on this list. Where Riverside and Squadcast focus on capturing the highest quality recording possible, StreamYard is built around professional live streaming and live events. If your video podcast has a live audience component, it belongs in the conversation.
StreamYard allows you to stream live to multiple platforms simultaneously, including YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others, from a single session.
You can bring guests in remotely, display on-screen graphics, add background music, add subtitles, and manage the visual layout of your broadcast in real time. For a video podcast that doubles as a live show, this is a full suite of live production tools in a browser-based interface.
The trade-off is that StreamYard is not optimized for the kind of deep audio and video editing that Descript or Adobe Premiere Pro enable.
It records the session and produces downloadable video files, but post-production flexibility is limited compared to platforms that capture separate tracks. The audio quality is solid, but it does not match what you get from local recording platforms.
For podcasters who are primarily focused on growing a live audience and do not require heavy editing, StreamYard makes the recording and broadcasting process incredibly easy.
It also handles podcast hosting integrations and connects with popular distribution platforms.
StreamYard has a free tier with branding limitations, with paid plans starting at around $20 per month.
Best For
Video podcasters who prioritize live streaming, live events, and broadcasting to multiple platforms over deep post-production control.
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Video Podcast
The best video podcast software is the one that removes the friction that is slowing you down most. These four platforms are all strong, but they are built around different priorities.
If recording reliability is your biggest concern and you regularly bring on guests with unpredictable setups, Riverside is the safest choice. Its local recording and progressive upload system means you will not lose a recording to a dropped connection.
If editing is where you lose the most time and you want AI tools that can remove filler words, clean background noise, and cut your editing time significantly, Descript is worth trying first. Its text based editing approach is genuinely different from anything else on the market.
If you are audio-first and want the cleanest possible separate tracks with a direct path into Descript for editing, Squadcast is a strong recording studio alternative that many experienced podcasters prefer for its simplicity and reliability.
If live streaming is central to your podcast format and you want to reach a live audience across multiple platforms at once, StreamYard gives you professional live streaming tools without requiring any technical background.
It is also worth noting that these tools do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Many video podcasters use Riverside or Squadcast to record and Descript to edit, treating each platform as the best tool for its specific job rather than trying to find software that does everything at once.
In the near future, AI powered tools will likely close the gaps between these platforms further. For now, pairing a strong recording platform with strong editing software is the most reliable path to a professional result.
Grow Faster. Create Smarter.
Red 11 Media is an educational platform and creative studio focused on driving growth online through strategic content creation.
We help creators, brands, and businesses understand how to build sustainable audiences across YouTube, podcasting, and long-form digital content.
Final Thoughts
Video podcasting is not going anywhere. If anything, the gap between shows that invest in their video and audio quality and those that do not will continue to widen as audiences grow more discerning and YouTube becomes an increasingly important discovery platform for new listeners.
The good news is that the remote podcast tools available today make it easier than ever to record video podcasts that look and sound professional without a recording studio or a large production budget.
Pick the platform that solves your biggest problem, get comfortable with it, and build from there.
The best time to upgrade your setup was when you started. The second best time is now.
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Riverside.fm is the strongest option for most video podcasters recording remotely. It records audio and video locally on each participant's device, captures separate tracks for every speaker, and supports up to 4K video quality. For podcasters who also want editing built in, Descript is a strong alternative that combines remote recording with AI powered text based editing in a single platform.
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Not necessarily. Descript handles both recording and editing in one place, making it a good fit for solo podcasters or small teams who want to keep their workflow simple. That said, many video podcasters choose to use a dedicated recording platform like Riverside or Squadcast for capture and a separate editing tool for post production. The right approach depends on how much control you want over each stage of the process.
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Live streaming sends your video and audio out to an audience in real time, while recording captures your session as high quality files for editing and publishing later. Tools like StreamYard are built around live streaming to multiple platforms at once, making them ideal for shows with a live audience. Platforms like Riverside and Squadcast prioritise local recording quality, giving you cleaner audio and video files to work with in post production.
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Most modern video podcast software includes built in background noise removal. Riverside and Descript both offer automatic background noise removal powered by AI tools, which can be applied after recording without any manual audio editing. For best results, combine software noise reduction with good habits at the recording stage: use a quiet room, close doors and windows, and keep your microphone close to your mouth.
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Yes. Riverside, Descript, and Squadcast all support multitrack recording, which means each guest and host is captured on their own individual audio and video track. This gives you full control during editing, letting you adjust, clean, or replace one person's audio without affecting anyone else on the recording. Separate tracks are one of the most important features to look for in any remote podcast recording software.
Red 11 Media is an educational platform and creative studio focused on driving growth online through strategic content creation. We help creators, brands, and businesses understand how to build sustainable audiences across YouTube, podcasting, and long-form digital content.
