Best OpenReel Alternative for Your Remote Video Recording

Every day, massive volumes of videos get published online by creative individuals and businesses. To make all that video look and sound professional, there is a growing need for affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use video production software.

While OpenReel is a remote video recording tool enterprises use, you might find a better alternative out of Riverside. This OpenReel competitor is significantly more affordable and allows you to create high-quality video recordings from anywhere.   

This article will review compare both tools in terms of reliability, platforms supported, ease of use, pricing, recording quality, collaboration features, the download speed of the recordings, and more. These are all essential criteria to help you understand which remote video recording platform is for you.

OpenReel Review

What is OpenReel?

OpenReel is a remote video recording software that enables you to record up to 4K videos straight from your tablet, phone, or webcam. Global enterprises commonly use it to remotely control, direct, script, film, and collaborate on high-definition video projects without leaving the desk.

OpenReel’s software functionality allows distributed teams to enhance collaboration and high production value while minimizing logistical and resource constraints associated with in-person shoots.

It’s Perfect For…

• Companies looking to record videos remotely.
• Companies looking to record on iPhone.

Features and Functionality

• Record up to 4K high-definition video and choose between a 24, 30, or 60 Frame Rate.
• Shoot with your phone, tablet, or web camera.
• Control the shoot through your computer: start, stop, focus, resolution, and more.
• Control the teleprompter on your subjects’ screen.
• Record and download 4K video files directly on your iOS device.
• Record your subject’s screen and camera at the same time.

Price

OpenReel doesn’t display the exact pricing for its plans, but it varies depending on the client account and can range from $4.8K to $10K per month for the regular plans. If you want to record remotely outside the US, expect the prices to increase further.

Pros

• Multicam setup available to capture videos from different angles.
• Teleprompter functionality for you, your subject, or both.
• Ability to invite four crew members and collaborate with them in real-time.
• Possible to film up to 8 subjects, all at the same time.
• Available through the browser for desktop. 
• iOS and Android users can also use the OpenReel app they need to download.

Cons

• Extremely expensive, it can cost you more than 50K a year.
• No free trial.
• Not user-friendly.
• Unless you upgrade to the latest OpenReel's Remote Capture 2.0, invite links for collaborators expire after 48 hours. This means that you won’t be able to schedule and create the session more than two days in advance.  
• Unstable and buggy.
• It only supports 4 collaborators in a session out of the 8 participants you can add in total.
• Recordings are not automatically recorded to MP4. You need to request each video to be converted to MP4, and it takes a very long time before the videos are ready to download. 
• Maximum recording resolution if using Firefox on a Mac computer is 720p.
• No live streaming to custom RTMPs or social media platforms, only through the OpenReel events feature.
• No editing tools for touch-ups or quick promotional clips.
• No automatic transcriptions of recordings.
• No option for the person in charge of the recording to manually change the input device selection of subjects or other participants.

Mobile Capabilities: OpenReel Capture App

OpenReel’s app is available for both iOS and Android devices. It offers 4K recording but this is dependent on the device you’re using and this is not supported on both front and back cameras on all mobile devices. Guests can join a mobile recording session through a code or link and the app is compatible with various external microphones.

Riverside.fm Review

What is Riverside.fm?

Riverside is an online video and audio recording platform that lets you record and produce webinars and video interviews in studio quality through your computer browser. There’s no need for any additional equipment. It’s incredibly easy to use, and Riverside locally records each video and audio track, meaning that you receive high-quality recordings even if the browser or computer crashes or your internet is slow.

It’s Perfect For…

• Teams looking for high-quality video recording options for conferences, webinars, and internal use.
• Video creators looking to record studio-quality remote interviews and other remote video recordings from the comfort of their home.
• Live Streamers looking to easily simulcast top-quality video to various platforms at once. 
• Marketing and communication teams looking for simple tools to create shareable, short promotional content. 
• Companies looking to record professional online courses or training videos remotely.
• On the go creators looking to record content straight from their phones without losing quality. 

Features and Functionality

• Available in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers as well as through a downloadable mobile app (for hosts and guests).
• Record locally uncompressed up to 4K video quality and 48kHz WAV audio for every guest separately, even with a slow internet connection.
• Download individual video and audio tracks for each guest instantly as your files are uploaded and saved automatically during the recording.
• Shared Teams Productions dashboard for a collaborative work environment between team members under one platform.
• Easily schedule your video sessions and webinars, and invite up to 9 guests with a link.
• Producer mode: A user assigned to this role is not recorded, but they will be able to control different parts of the session, such as speaking rights, changing volume levels, and monitoring remote guests’ equipment.
• Host a live recording or webinar and interact with the audience in real-time through live call-ins and chat while you are streaming.
• Share and record the screen with your colleagues during a business meeting, conference call, or webinar.
• Live stream your video to Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and a custom RTMP destination simultaneously.
• Customize your content with personalized branded logos and backgrounds.
• Create shareable Magic Clips to distribute and promote your content everywhere. This takes one quick click and is great to create short video content at scale.
• Download automatic AI transcriptions in over 100 languages straight after recording.
• Share your content to YouTube or Transistor directly from Riverside.
• Add sound effects and share pre-recorded tracks live with Riverside’s Media Board.
• Business plan users can control guests’ input and output manually and request that they change their microphone and camera all from the studio.
• The easy-to-use Text-based Video Editor takes your projects and content creation from beginning to end within minutes.
• Built-in virtual teleprompter so you can keep track of your notes and script while recording

Price

The Riverside Business plan price is available upon request. Feel free to contact our team to learn more. Riverside's Business plan is customized and has more recording hours, manual onboarding, custom-branded green room and studio, a dedicated customer success manager, a shared work environment between team members, a master service agreement, and SSO.

Pros

• Reliable platform. 
• Progressive upload. The audio and video recording gets progressively uploaded throughout the session in the background. This helps ensure that nothing gets lost in case a participant accidentally disconnects. Progressive uploading also makes the time it takes to download the recording much shorter.
• Professional-quality audio and video recording from the comfort of your home.
• Customized recording packages for enterprise use.
• Easy tools to create Clips and ready-to-publish projects.
• Text-based video editor so making precise and quick edits is as easy as editing a text-document
• You can instantly download the recording after the session’s over.
• Ability to record with up to 10 participants for video and audio interviews and webinars.
• It does not require any additional recording software or equipment.
• User-friendly and simple interface.
• Affordable pricing.
• Free trial available for Business plan clients.
• Recordings are automatically saved in cloud storage and Business plan users can store recordings in an external storage cloud of their own. 
• Easier track synchronization with constant frame rate MP4 files.  
• Reusable studio links so you don’t need to resend a link every time you’re recording a new session in the same studio.
• Both hosts and guests can share and record their screen.
• Media board to add pre-recorded tracks and sound effects.
• Business plan users can request to change and customize their audio bitrate when recording.
• Business plan has a collaborative productions dashboard with assignable Director, Admin, and Editor roles for a streamlined workflow.
  

Cons

• The Editor is not available on Mobile apps currently.

Mobile Capabilities: Riverside Mobile App

Riverside’s Mobile App gives you the freedom to host and join recordings on any Android, iOS, or iPad device. You can record in up to 4K resolution depending on the capabilities of your mobile model. The app also supports external microphones and gives iPhone users the ability to turn their phone into a secondary camera for a desktop recording.

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OpenReel vs Riverside: Summary

Now that we have taken a look at the two remote video recording and production tools let us summarize the key differences and similarities between OpenReel and Riverside.

Reliability

• Openreel only recently enabled adaptive uploading, allowing video and audio to upload as you record. Considering this is new, it may not be as reliable or stable.
• Riverside is a trusted and reliable platform that offers progressive upload (videos are uploaded simultaneously as they are recorded). In addition, the videos are recorded locally, meaning that the quality isn’t affected by your internet connection. 

Platforms Supported

• OpenReel works on both Mac and Windows on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browsers whereas on mobile devices, it’s available on iOS and,  recently, on Android. 
• Riverside is available on the exact same platforms. It has web-based software for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox and there is a downloadable mobile app for hosts and guests.

Ease-of-Use

• OpenReel lacks user-friendliness and requires some time to get used to.
• Riverside offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface and does not require additional equipment or recording software.

Pricing

• OpenReel prices can reach over $50K per year, and there is no free trial available.
• Riverside offers a 1-hour free trial and has affordable plans. Feel free to contact our team to find out more.

Recording Quality

• Even though OpenReel captures recordings at up to 4K in quality, users using Firefox on a Mac computer can only record in 720p. 
• Riverside allows for up to 4K video quality recording through your webcam or mobile device. With this platform, each video is recorded locally, meaning that you can receive a high-quality recording regardless of the internet speed and interruptions.

Collaboration

• In total OpenReel allows you to record with up to 9 participants. One of these participants needs to be a Director, or the person in charge, and only up to 4 of these participants can be collaborators who are behind-the-scenes crew members. Note that this can depend on the contract you choose.
• Riverside allows you to record with up to 10 participants for video interviews and webinars.  While one of these participants must be a Host, there is no limit to the number of Producers or behind-the-scenes crew members, you can invite as long as it does not supersede the total of 10 participants.  

Download Speed

• With OpenReel, you need to request the video to be converted to MP4 manually, and it takes considerable time before it is ready for download.
• The video is available for download with Riverside as soon as the recording is complete.

Security

• OpenReel has an ISO 27001:2013 certification to verify its data privacy standards. 
• Riverside is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant which means that it securely manages customers’ data and privacy. This certificate of security is generally more difficult to attain and reflects a higher security standard.

Customizable roles

• There are three types of customizable roles on OpenReel. Directors run the show and control recordings and productions; Collaborators have the same controls but work behind the scenes to assist directors and, lastly, Subjects are the guests being recorded. Note that only 4 collaborators can be added to a session.  
• On Riverside, the Hosts are in charge of the recordings and have all controls, whereas Guests are recorded but join sessions with no studio setting controls. The Producer role is for behind-the-scenes assistance. These users have the same controls as the Host but are not recorded even though they can still be seen in the studio. Unlike OpenReel, Producers do not cap at 4 per session. Lastly, Audience members watch without controls and without being recorded or appearing on the screen. They can, though, call-in live to join the recording. 

Live Streaming

• You can live stream using OpenReal Events which is for webinars or other virtual meetings and includes branding features as well as a live Q&A chat for audiences. This all happens directly on the OpenReel platform.
• On Riverside, you can live stream directly on the platform or you can simulcast and push your stream to various social platforms including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. You can also insert a custom RTMP to stream for other streaming options. Riverside goes beyond a Q&A chatbox with live call-ins for audience members.

Editing Tools

• OpenReel does not have any editing tools for final touches or to create and repurpose content for various platforms. 
• Riverside has a Text-Based Video Editor for easy touch-ups to turn your recordings into a final ready-to-publish project. Any text you delete from your recording transcripts automatically removes the matching video and audio in your recordings. You can also use the Magic Clips tool to transform your long-form recordings into short, shareable promotional videos suitable for various social media platforms.

Constant Frame Rate files

• While you can choose between 24, 30 or 60 Frame Rate files, there is no option to download a constant frame rate MP4 file.
• Riverside offers easier track synchronization with constant frame rate MP4 files.  

Final Thoughts

Overall, Riverside offers a more user-friendly and reliable solution for online video and audio recording compared to OpenReel. For an affordable monthly subscription fee, you receive locally-recorded videos in 4K quality that are ready for download as soon as the session is over.

Record Professional Videos Remotely with Riverside.fm

Nothing makes an everlasting impression like a high-quality video recording. Whether you are an amateur video lover, a YouTuber, or a business professional looking to enhance your company’s marketing efforts or simplify webinar logistics, it is important to select the right video recording and conferencing software that will meet your needs and stay within your budget. With Riverside.fm, a reliable and user-friendly online video and audio recording platform, you can create locally-recorded high-definition videos from anywhere in the world. Start recording with Riverside today.

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