Gather vs Riverside.fm: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editorยท12 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing Gather and Riverside.fm in 2026, Gather is the stronger choice for remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence due to fun virtual office concept. Riverside.fm excels for podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews with studio-quality local recording. Gather offers Virtual offices, Customizable 2D spaces, Proximity-based audio starting at $7/user/mo with a free plan. Riverside.fm provides Local recording, Separate tracks, Video and audio from $15/mo with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Gather delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 78/100. Gather and Riverside.fm compete in the video conferencing segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading video conferencing tools include Zoom, Google Meet, Webex. Gather serves 10M+ users globally (founded 2020) while Riverside.fm reports 2M+ active users (founded 2019).

Gather vs Riverside.fm at a Glance

Gather
Riverside.fm
Starting Price
$7/user/mo
$15/mo
Free Plan
Yes
Yes
User Rating
4.5/5
4.6/5
Best For
Remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual off...
Podcasters and video creators recording high-quali...
Users
10M+
2M+
Founded
2020
2019
hiltonsoftware Score
78/100
78/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
๐ŸŽฎ
Gather
Video Conferencing
78
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
๐ŸŽ™๏ธ
Riverside.fm
Video Conferencing
78
hiltonsoftware.co Score

What are the main differences between Gather and Riverside.fm?

Gather and Riverside.fm differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Gather leads in 4 of 7 categories.

GatherRiverside.fm
87Ease of Use86
78Features78
73Value for Money75
68Customer Support71
68Integrations65
70Scalability65
75Learning Curve76

What are the pros and cons of Gather vs Riverside.fm?

Gather
+Fun virtual office concept
+Great for remote team bonding
-Not for formal meetings
-Can be distracting
Riverside.fm
+Studio-quality local recording
+Separate audio tracks per guest
-Not for live streaming or meetings
-File upload after recording

Which is better, Gather or Riverside.fm?

After evaluating Gather and Riverside.fm across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Gather earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 78/100 versus Riverside.fm at 78/100. Gather stands out for "fun virtual office concept" and "great for remote team bonding". Riverside.fm delivers competitive advantages in "studio-quality local recording", making Riverside.fm a viable alternative.

Both Gather and Riverside.fm offer free plans. Gather paid plans start at $7/user/mo while Riverside.fm begins at $15/mo. ROI depends on which features justify upgrading.

Bottom line: Choose Gather for remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence. Choose Riverside.fm for podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews. Both Gather and Riverside.fm are established video conferencing platforms.

CHOOSE GATHER IF:

Remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence.

CHOOSE RIVERSIDE.FM IF:

Podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews.

Gather vs Riverside.fm: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gather better than Riverside.fm in 2026?
Gather outperforms Riverside.fm in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 78/100 compared to 78/100. Gather excels in Virtual offices, Customizable 2D spaces, Proximity-based audio, making Gather the better choice for Remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence. Riverside.fm is the stronger option for Podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews due to studio-quality local recording. For teams needing virtual offices, hiltonsoftware.co recommends Gather.
How does Gather pricing compare to Riverside.fm in 2026?
Gather starts at $7/user/mo and includes a free plan. Riverside.fm starts at $15/mo and offers a free plan. Gather includes features like Virtual offices, Customizable 2D spaces, Proximity-based audio. Riverside.fm provides Local recording, Separate tracks, Video and audio. Gather serves 10M+ users while Riverside.fm serves 2M+ users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between Gather and Riverside.fm?
Gather specializes in Virtual offices, Customizable 2D spaces, Proximity-based audio, earning a 78/100 hiltonsoftware Score. Riverside.fm focuses on Local recording, Separate tracks, Video and audio, scoring 78/100. Gather is best for Remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence. Riverside.fm is best for Podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews. Both Gather and Riverside.fm serve the Video Conferencing market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from Gather to Riverside.fm?
Migrating from Gather to Riverside.fm is possible since both operate in the Video Conferencing space. Export data from Gather and verify Riverside.fm import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: Virtual offices, Customizable 2D spaces, Proximity-based audio (Gather) versus Local recording, Separate tracks, Video and audio (Riverside.fm). Running both Gather and Riverside.fm in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is Gather or Riverside.fm better for small business?
Both Gather and Riverside.fm offer free plans. Gather (78/100) is ideal for Remote teams wanting a fun, persistent virtual office for daily presence. Riverside.fm (78/100) fits Podcasters and video creators recording high-quality remote interviews. Evaluate both during trial periods.

Reviewed by Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editor. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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