Guide
Best video recording apps for creators: Riverside for guests, your phone for solo videos
Riverside is the best recording app if you record guests remotely. If you record yourself alone, your phone's own camera app is usually enough.
In short
- Riverside is the best video recording app for creators who record guests remotely. Pro, which records in up to 4K without a watermark, costs $24 a month, billed yearly.
- Riverside, Descript and Zencastr record each guest on their own device, so a bad connection does not spoil the recording.
- StreamYard is the best choice if your recording is also a live show.
- BigVU and Teleprompter Pro show your script while they record you: BigVU on any phone, Teleprompter Pro on Apple devices.
- All six apps have a free version. If you record alone without a script, your phone's camera app is enough, and it records vertical video for TikTok and Reels.
- Riverside Pro a month, billed yearly
- $24
- people can record together on Zencastr's free plan, each saved as a separate file
- 6
- your phone's own camera app
- $0
The best video recording apps for creators at a glance
A recording app saves your camera and microphone as a file you can edit. Some also record remote guests, a live show or you reading a script.
The video recording apps, side by side
Prices as published on each company's own pricing page on the day shown. Plans change, so check before you buy.
| Tool | Best for | Editing approach | Platform | Pricing from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Riverside | Recording podcasts and interviews with remote guests | Records each guest on their own device, then you edit the video by editing its transcript | Web, Mac app, mobile apps | Free plan; Pro $24/month billed annually ($29 monthly) |
| Recording with guests and editing the result as text | Its recorder, Rooms, records you and up to 10 guests; then you edit the transcript | Web, Mac, Windows | Free plan (watermark); Hobbyist $16/person/month, annual ($24 monthly) | |
| Zencastr | Free podcast recording and hosting, with each guest saved separately | Records each guest on their own device; AI cleans the audio and writes show notes | Web, iOS app | Free; Enterprise on request |
| StreamYard | Live streams with guests, recorded at the same time | A live studio in the browser that keeps a recording of each person | Browser, mobile | Free plan; Core $35.99/month, annual ($44.99 monthly) |
 BigVU | Reading a script and recording on your phone | Shows the script while the app records you, then adds captions and other AI tools on paid plans | iOS, Android, web | Free plan; Starter $12/month or $149/year |
| Teleprompter Pro | Reading a script and recording on Apple devices | Scrolls at a speed you set while the built-in camera records | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Free version; Pro $59.99/year or $159.99 once |
| Cutroom | Editing the video you recorded into a finished 9:16 ad | Does not record; you upload a clip and it edits it for you | Browser | First video free, no card; Lite $19.99/month |
- Riverside
- Best for
- Recording podcasts and interviews with remote guests
- Approach
- Records each guest on their own device, then you edit the video by editing its transcript
- Platform
- Web, Mac app, mobile apps
- Pricing from
- Free plan; Pro $24/month billed annually ($29 monthly)
Descript
- Best for
- Recording with guests and editing the result as text
- Approach
- Its recorder, Rooms, records you and up to 10 guests; then you edit the transcript
- Platform
- Web, Mac, Windows
- Pricing from
- Free plan (watermark); Hobbyist $16/person/month, annual ($24 monthly)
Zencastr
- Best for
- Free podcast recording and hosting, with each guest saved separately
- Approach
- Records each guest on their own device; AI cleans the audio and writes show notes
- Platform
- Web, iOS app
- Pricing from
- Free; Enterprise on request
StreamYard
- Best for
- Live streams with guests, recorded at the same time
- Approach
- A live studio in the browser that keeps a recording of each person
- Platform
- Browser, mobile
- Pricing from
- Free plan; Core $35.99/month, annual ($44.99 monthly)
- BigVU
- Best for
- Reading a script and recording on your phone
- Approach
- Shows the script while the app records you, then adds captions and other AI tools on paid plans
- Platform
- iOS, Android, web
- Pricing from
- Free plan; Starter $12/month or $149/year
Teleprompter Pro
- Best for
- Reading a script and recording on Apple devices
- Approach
- Scrolls at a speed you set while the built-in camera records
- Platform
- iPhone, iPad, Mac
- Pricing from
- Free version; Pro $59.99/year or $159.99 once
Cutroom
- Best for
- Editing the video you recorded into a finished 9:16 ad
- Approach
- Does not record; you upload a clip and it edits it for you
- Platform
- Browser
- Pricing from
- First video free, no card; Lite $19.99/month
Prices and plans read from each vendor's own pricing page on 21 September 2026.
What is the difference between these recording apps?
The main difference is who is on camera: remote guests, a live audience, or just you.
- Riverside, Descript and Zencastr record each guest on their own device and save each person as a separate file.
- StreamYard is a live studio in the browser that also keeps a recording of each person.
- BigVU and Teleprompter Pro record one person reading a script from the screen.
- Cutroom does not record. It edits the video you filmed with any camera.
Recording apps side by side
From each company's own site.
| App | Best for | Saves each person as a separate file | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | Remote guests | Yes | Web, Mac app, mobile apps |
| Descript | Guests, then editing as text | Yes, up to 10 guests | Web, Mac, Windows |
| Zencastr | Podcasts with hosting | Yes | Web, iOS app |
| StreamYard | Live shows | Yes, recorded on each person's device | Browser, mobile |
| BigVU | You and a script, any phone | One person | iOS, Android, web |
| Teleprompter Pro | You and a script, Apple devices | One person | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
App: Riverside
- Best for
- Remote guests
- Saves each person as a separate file
- Yes
- Runs on
- Web, Mac app, mobile apps
App: Descript
- Best for
- Guests, then editing as text
- Saves each person as a separate file
- Yes, up to 10 guests
- Runs on
- Web, Mac, Windows
App: Zencastr
- Best for
- Podcasts with hosting
- Saves each person as a separate file
- Yes
- Runs on
- Web, iOS app
App: StreamYard
- Best for
- Live shows
- Saves each person as a separate file
- Yes, recorded on each person's device
- Runs on
- Browser, mobile
App: BigVU
- Best for
- You and a script, any phone
- Saves each person as a separate file
- One person
- Runs on
- iOS, Android, web
App: Teleprompter Pro
- Best for
- You and a script, Apple devices
- Saves each person as a separate file
- One person
- Runs on
- iPhone, iPad, Mac
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
Riverside
Riverside is an online recording studio for podcasts and interviews with remote guests. It is best when the sound and picture of each guest matter.
- Each guest is saved as a separate file, so you can fix one person's sound or picture without touching the others.
- You can edit the recording by editing its text, and a feature called Magic Clips makes short clips from it.
- Pro records video in up to 4K, with no watermark.
- The free plan gives you 2 hours in total with each guest saved as a separate file. After that you can keep recording for free, with everyone in one file. Free videos are 720p with a watermark.
- Pro costs $24 a month billed yearly, or $29 month to month. Grow, at $34 a month billed yearly or $39 month to month, adds live streaming in full HD to several places at once.
- It runs on the web, as a Mac app and on phones.
Descript
Descript is a video editor where you edit the transcript, and it has its own recorder called Rooms. It is best if you want recording and editing in one subscription.
- Rooms records you and up to 10 guests, up to 4K, and saves each camera as a separate file.
- The recording opens straight in the editor, where you cut the video by deleting text.
- It also records your screen, cleans up the sound with a tool called Studio Sound, and removes filler words like 'um'.
- The free plan gives you 60 minutes of video a month, with 720p exports and a watermark.
- Hobbyist costs $16 a person a month billed yearly, or $24 monthly. It gives you 10 hours of video a month and exports at 1080p.
- Creator costs $24 a person a month billed yearly, or $35 monthly. It gives you 30 hours of video a month and exports in 4K.
Zencastr
Zencastr is a podcast recording and hosting service with a large free plan. It is best if you want recording, hosting and publishing in one free account.
- Each guest is saved as a separate audio and video file, in up to 4K.
- Its AI removes filler words and noise, corrects eye contact, and writes transcripts and show notes.
- It hosts your podcast and publishes it to Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
- The free plan lets 6 people record together in 4K, with unlimited transcripts and up to 5 podcast shows.
- Paid pricing is on request. It runs on the web and as an iOS app.
StreamYard
StreamYard is a live studio in the browser that also records. It is best if your recording is also a live show.
- You add graphics, pick a screen layout, bring guests on screen and go live, and it keeps a recording of each person.
- Core streams to 3 places at once, and Advanced to 8.
- Paid plans add short clips picked by AI and recordings saved online.
- The free plan shows the StreamYard logo on streams and gives you 2 hours of recording a month.
- Core costs $35.99 a month billed yearly, or $44.99 monthly.
BigVU
BigVU is a phone app that shows your script on a teleprompter while it records you. It is best if you record alone from a script.
- It can write the script for you with AI, on every plan.
- The free plan exports 720p with a watermark and records up to 9 minutes at a time.
- Starter costs $12 a month or $149 a year and adds captions and HD exports without a watermark.
- AI Pro costs $19 a month and adds eye contact correction, background replacement, auto b-roll and split screens.
Teleprompter Pro
Teleprompter Pro is a teleprompter with a built-in camera for iPhone, iPad and Mac. It is best if you read every word from teleprompter glass or a second screen.
- The free version records video and has unlimited scripts and cloud sync.
- You set the scroll speed, read from the screen or from teleprompter glass, and the camera records.
- Pro lets you import scripts from Word or PDF, use a remote control, and show the script on a second screen over HDMI or AirPlay.
- Pro costs $59.99 a year or $159.99 once.
Which of these apps make vertical videos for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
All six can give you a vertical 9:16 video. The phone apps record it when you hold the phone upright. The others switch the studio or the edit to 9:16.
How each app gives you a vertical 9:16 video
From each company's own help pages.
| App | How you get a vertical video |
|---|---|
| Riverside | Hold your phone upright in the mobile app before you join the studio, or export 9:16 from the editor |
| Descript | Set the project to Portrait (9:16) in the editor |
| Zencastr | Set the edit to Vertical (9:16) after you record |
| StreamYard | Switch the studio to Portrait before you go live or record |
| BigVU | Hold your phone upright while it records |
| Teleprompter Pro | Hold your iPhone or iPad upright while it records |
| Your phone's camera app | Hold the phone upright |
App: Riverside
- How you get a vertical video
- Hold your phone upright in the mobile app before you join the studio, or export 9:16 from the editor
App: Descript
- How you get a vertical video
- Set the project to Portrait (9:16) in the editor
App: Zencastr
- How you get a vertical video
- Set the edit to Vertical (9:16) after you record
App: StreamYard
- How you get a vertical video
- Switch the studio to Portrait before you go live or record
App: BigVU
- How you get a vertical video
- Hold your phone upright while it records
App: Teleprompter Pro
- How you get a vertical video
- Hold your iPhone or iPad upright while it records
App: Your phone's camera app
- How you get a vertical video
- Hold the phone upright
How much do video recording apps cost?
All six apps have a free plan or a free version. Zencastr's free plan gives you the most: 6 people, each saved as a separate file, in 4K.
Free plans and paid plans
Prices from each company's own pricing page.
| App | Free plan | Paid from |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside | 2 hours in total with each guest saved separately, then unlimited recording in one combined file; 720p, watermark | $24 a month, billed yearly ($29 monthly) |
| Descript | 60 minutes of video a month, 720p, watermark | $16 a person a month, billed yearly ($24 monthly) |
| Zencastr | 6 people, 4K, up to 5 podcast shows | On request |
| StreamYard | Logo on streams, 2 hours of recording a month | $35.99 a month, billed yearly ($44.99 monthly) |
| BigVU | 720p, watermark, 9 minutes a recording | $12 a month or $149 a year |
| Teleprompter Pro | Records, unlimited scripts, cloud sync | $59.99 a year or $159.99 once |
| Your phone's camera app | Free | Free |
App: Riverside
- Free plan
- 2 hours in total with each guest saved separately, then unlimited recording in one combined file; 720p, watermark
- Paid from
- $24 a month, billed yearly ($29 monthly)
App: Descript
- Free plan
- 60 minutes of video a month, 720p, watermark
- Paid from
- $16 a person a month, billed yearly ($24 monthly)
App: Zencastr
- Free plan
- 6 people, 4K, up to 5 podcast shows
- Paid from
- On request
App: StreamYard
- Free plan
- Logo on streams, 2 hours of recording a month
- Paid from
- $35.99 a month, billed yearly ($44.99 monthly)
App: BigVU
- Free plan
- 720p, watermark, 9 minutes a recording
- Paid from
- $12 a month or $149 a year
App: Teleprompter Pro
- Free plan
- Records, unlimited scripts, cloud sync
- Paid from
- $59.99 a year or $159.99 once
App: Your phone's camera app
- Free plan
- Free
- Paid from
- Free
Is your phone's camera app enough?
Yes, if you record alone and know what you want to say. It is free, records at your phone's best quality and adds no watermark.
- A recording app adds three things your camera app lacks: a separate file for each guest, a live stream, or a script beside the lens.
- If you need none of those, your phone's camera app is all you need.
- Hold the phone upright and it records a vertical 9:16 video, the shape TikTok, Reels and Shorts use.
Which video recording app should you choose?
It depends on who is on camera and whether you go live.
Which video recording app should you choose
Choose Riverside if you record interviews or a podcast with remote guests and the sound and picture of each guest matter most.
Choose Descript if you want to record up to 10 guests and edit the recording as text in the same subscription.
Choose Zencastr if you want each guest saved separately, 4K video and podcast hosting on a free plan.
Choose StreamYard if your recording is also a live show that streams to several places.
Choose BigVU or Teleprompter Pro if you record alone from a script: BigVU on any phone, Teleprompter Pro on Apple devices.
Choose your phone's camera app if you record alone, without a script, and want to pay nothing.
Choose Cutroom if you already recorded a clip of yourself talking and want it edited into a finished 9:16 ad. Your first video is free.
Where Cutroom fits
Cutroom does not record. It edits the video you filmed on your phone or any other camera.
- You upload one clip of yourself talking, up to 3 minutes long.
- Cutroom cuts the pauses, puts b-roll on your words, and adds captions in 40 styles and an opening headline.
- You get a finished 9:16 video, and you change it by fixing a word or deleting a line in the transcript.
- Before you film, a free browser teleprompter checks that your script fits 30, 60 or 90 seconds.
- It has no camera, no guest recording and no live streaming.
- Your first video is free, with no card, and you have 7 days to make it. It carries a Cutroom mark; Lite at $19.99 a month removes it.
Questions people ask
- What is the best video recording app for creators?
- Riverside, if you record guests remotely. StreamYard is best for live shows, and BigVU or Teleprompter Pro if you read from a script. If you record alone without a script, your phone's camera app is enough.
- Which video recording apps are free?
- All six have a free version. Zencastr's gives you the most: 6 people, each saved as a separate file, in 4K. Riverside saves each guest separately for 2 hours in total, then records everyone in one file for free. Descript gives you 60 minutes of video a month. Both export 720p with a watermark.
- What is the difference between local recording and recording a video call?
- A call recording saves the video as it arrived over the internet, so a guest's bad connection ends up in your file. A local recording saves what each camera and microphone captured on the guest's own device. Riverside, Descript, Zencastr and StreamYard record locally.
- Can I record remote guests in 4K?
- Yes. Riverside records up to 4K on Pro, Descript's Rooms records up to 10 guests at up to 4K, and Zencastr records in 4K on its free plan. The result still depends on each guest's own camera.
- Do I need a recording app to film talking videos on my phone?
- No. Your phone's camera app records a talking video as well as any app here. A recording app helps when you read a script: BigVU and Teleprompter Pro show the text near the lens while they record.
- Which recording apps make vertical videos for TikTok and Reels?
- All six can. BigVU and Teleprompter Pro record vertically when you hold the phone upright, and so does Riverside's phone app. StreamYard has a Portrait mode, and Descript and Zencastr switch the edit to 9:16.
- Which video recording apps also edit the video?
- Most of them, a little. Descript edits the recording as a transcript. Riverside lets you edit by editing the text, and Magic Clips makes short clips. BigVU adds captions from Starter and more AI tools on AI Pro. Zencastr removes filler words and noise, and StreamYard picks short clips with AI on paid plans.
Record with whichever app fits, then upload your clip to Cutroom for the edit. Your first video is free.