DoneEdit vs Riverside: recording studio software or editing service?

What they are

Why podcasters choose Riverside

Riverside records each participant locally on their own device, so a guest's choppy internet doesn't ruin the recording, and you get separate audio and video tracks for each person. That's a big deal for interview shows. It also includes a text-based editor, AI clip tools and captions, so you can do a lot of the editing inside the same platform.

Where Riverside leaves work for you

Recording quality solves half the problem. You still need to edit: cut the episode, choose camera switches, clean up mistakes, add captions and graphics, make clips. Riverside's tools make that faster, but someone has to do it. Many podcasters record on Riverside and hire an editor for the rest.

Where DoneEdit fits

DoneEdit isn't a Riverside replacement. It's useful when you've recorded a solo talking-head video (on Riverside, a webcam, a phone or a camera) and want it edited without doing it yourself. Upload the file, add notes, and get it back within 48 hours with captions, zooms, b-roll and music. DoneEdit doesn't currently support multi-speaker podcasts, so interview episodes recorded on Riverside need a podcast editor instead.

Choosing between them

• Recording interviews with remote guests: Riverside (or a similar recording platform).
• Editing multi-speaker podcasts yourself: Riverside's editor or Descript.
• Outsourcing multi-speaker podcast edits: a podcast editor or agency. See podcast editing cost.
• Outsourcing solo talking-head videos: DoneEdit or another done-for-you service.

Recording tips that make any edit better

• Use a dynamic or headset mic and a quiet room.
• Record each person on a separate track.
• Keep the camera at eye level with soft light in front of you.
• Leave a second of silence before and after each section to make cuts clean.

Worked example: one solo episode, two workflows

Say you record a 10-minute solo update for YouTube.

Riverside-only workflow

1. Record in Riverside.
2. Open the recording in its editor and trim the start and end.
3. Cut mistakes, long pauses and tangents.
4. Add captions and check them for errors.
5. Add any b-roll, zooms or on-screen text you want.
6. Export and upload.

Every step after recording is your time. Some people enjoy that; many don't.

Riverside + DoneEdit workflow

1. Record in Riverside.
2. Download the video file of your track.
3. Send it to DoneEdit with a short note on anything to cut.
4. Review the finished edit within 48 hours and ask for changes if needed (2 revisions included).

The second workflow only fits if the recording is one English speaker, up to 10 minutes of raw footage, and you want up to 5 finished minutes. Interviews with guests are a job for Riverside's own tools or a podcast editor.

Decision checklist

• Is it just you on camera? If not, DoneEdit isn't the right fit.
• Do you like editing? If yes, Riverside's editor may be all you need.
• Is the episode short? Long episodes need a podcast editor or a DIY workflow.
• Do you need it fast without your involvement? That is what a done-for-you service is for.

Recording settings that save editing time anywhere

• Record a few seconds of silence at the start so noise reduction has something to learn from.
• Keep the camera at eye level and fill the frame with your head and shoulders, leaving room to punch in.
• Say "cut" or clap after a mistake, then restart the sentence. Editors can spot it quickly in the waveform.
• Note the timestamps of anything you definitely want removed.

Key takeaways

• Riverside is recording and editing software; DoneEdit is an editing service.
• They work together: record in Riverside, send your track to DoneEdit.
• DoneEdit is only for one English speaker, up to 10 minutes raw.
• Interviews with guests need Riverside's tools or a podcast editor.