ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a content agency producing interviews with remote guests, I’d usually prioritize guest reliability + recording quality over pure livestream features. The “best” platform depends on whether you’re creating polished assets after the interview or broadcasting live.

My shortlist:

Riverside SaaSCompared## My recommendation for an interview agency

If your deliverable is edited videos, podcasts, clips, and social content:

Use Riverside as your default recording studio.

A typical agency workflow:

1. Producer sends guest a Riverside link.
2. Guest joins in browser.
3. Record separate high-quality tracks.
4. Export footage to Premiere Pro / Final Cut / DaVinci.
5. Create long-form interview + clips.

This minimizes the biggest remote-production risk: a guest’s unstable connection ruining the master recording. Riverside’s core advantage is local recording of each participant rather than relying only on the live call feed. SaaSCompared Riverside

If your clients expect live LinkedIn/YouTube events:

Use StreamYard.

It is very strong for:

• executive interviews
• thought-leadership livestreams
• panel discussions
• branded shows
• guests who are not technically confident

Guests can generally join through a browser link without installing software, and it is built around layouts, branding, and live production. StreamYard StreamYard

The setup many agencies end up with:

• Riverside → recording the interview master
• StreamYard → live broadcasts and client-facing events
• Adobe Premiere / DaVinci Resolve / Descript → post-production

What I would avoid as your primary system

I wouldn’t make OBS your main guest workflow unless you have a dedicated technical producer. It is excellent for complex productions, but every extra moving part becomes a possible failure point when guests are external. StreamYard

For a remote interview agency, my ranking would be:

1. Riverside — best overall for professional interview production
2. StreamYard — best for live branded interviews
3. Restream — best when distribution to many channels is the priority
4. Zoom — best only when convenience beats production quality

If you’re producing 10–100+ interviews/month with clients, I’d also evaluate team features, reusable studios, storage, editor handoff, and whether guests are executives (who need a near-zero-friction experience).

For a content agency interviewing multiple remote guests, I’d make StreamYard the default choice.

The key distinction is that you’re not really looking for “streaming software”; you’re looking for a remote production studio that happens to stream.

My ranking

Why I'd pick StreamYard

1. Guest friction is exceptionally low.
You send someone a link; they join from a browser without installing software or creating an account. It supports up to 10 people on screen on higher tiers, with additional backstage capacity useful for producers or people waiting to come on. streamyard.com

That's particularly valuable for an agency: your guest might be a CEO, journalist, athlete, or client who has zero interest in troubleshooting production software.

2. Local recording protects you from bad guest connections.
For interviews, this is more important than the livestream itself. StreamYard can record separate audio/video locally on each participant's device, so a guest's unstable connection doesn't necessarily translate into a ruined master recording. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

3. It's genuinely production-friendly.
You can control layouts, participant audio/video, graphics, branding, screen sharing and comments from the producer side rather than asking the guest to do production work. streamyard.com

4. Multistreaming is built in.
You can distribute one production to YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitch, etc. StreamYard's cloud architecture means your computer uploads one stream rather than separately uploading to every destination. streamyard.comstreamyard.comstreamyard.com

When I'd choose Riverside instead

If your agency's priority is “record pristine interviews and edit them later” rather than “produce a live show,” I'd seriously consider Riverside.

For a typical agency workflow:

Guest invite → remote recording → isolated tracks → editor → finished client content

Riverside is particularly compelling.

For:

Producer + host + 3–8 guests → branded live show → multiple social destinations → recording

I'd choose StreamYard.

Where OBS fits

OBS Studio is fantastic if you have a dedicated technical producer and want elaborate scenes, custom routing, plugins, hardware encoders, etc. But I wouldn't make it the foundation of an agency's remote-guest workflow. OBS itself doesn't provide the guest-calling experience, so you end up bolting other technology onto it. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

The setup I'd use for an agency

I'd standardize on:

StreamYard + good host mic/camera + guest preflight + local recording + wired Ethernet for the producer.

And I'd make the recording, rather than the live stream, your primary safety net. That way, if someone's Wi-Fi gets ugly for 30 seconds, you don't necessarily lose the interview.

If you're doing 4–10+ guests per episode, recurring client shows, and need multiple producers, the choice gets a little more nuanced—I'd compare StreamYard vs. Riverside vs. Restream specifically around agency/team workflows and cost per production seat.

For a content agency interviewing remote guests, I’d pick Riverside as the primary platform—especially if the interviews will be edited into polished client content.

My ranking

Why Riverside wins for an agency: it records each participant locally on their own device, then progressively uploads the files. That means a guest's shaky internet connection is much less likely to ruin the master recording. You also get separate, synchronized audio/video tracks for every participant, which is enormously valuable when your editor needs to clean up a client's interview. riverside.comriverside.fm

Riverside currently supports up to 10 participants total (host + 9 guests) for separate high-quality tracks, and guests can join through a link without creating an account or installing software. riverside.comriverside.fm

Riverside

When I'd choose StreamYard instead

If your agency's priority is actually going live—YouTube/LinkedIn/etc.—rather than capturing the highest-quality master for editing, StreamYard is arguably the better production interface.

It is particularly good for a producer who needs to bring people in and out of a live show: guests join via a link, don't need an account or download, and paid plans support up to 10 people on screen. streamyard.com

It also has strong multistreaming: depending on plan, you can broadcast to 3, 8, or 10 destinations simultaneously. support.streamyard.com

StreamYard

The key distinction

I'd think about it this way:

• "We need a beautiful, reliable recording that an editor will turn into content." → Riverside
• "We're producing a live interview/show and need a producer-friendly control room." → StreamYard
• "Our main requirement is broadcasting everywhere simultaneously." → Restream
• "Our clients insist on using the platform they already know." → Zoom

For an agency, I'd actually standardize on Riverside for recording and use its live-streaming capabilities when appropriate, rather than optimizing around the live broadcast first. The local recording + separate tracks + automatic uploading gives you a much better safety net when you're dealing with guests you don't control technically. Riverside specifically says recordings continue to be protected even if a browser crashes or an internet connection drops. riverside.comriverside.fm

If you tell me (1) typical number of guests, (2) whether you're live or recorded, (3) YouTube/LinkedIn/etc., and (4) whether you're handing footage to editors, I can recommend the exact setup and plan tier I'd use for an agency.

For a content agency producing remote guest interviews, I’d optimize for guest reliability, recording quality, and repeatable production workflows rather than pure “streaming power.” The best choice depends on whether you’re primarily live broadcasting or capturing interviews for edited content.

My shortlist

StreamYard StreamYard## What I’d choose for a content agency

1. Best overall: Riverside + StreamYard-style workflow

If your deliverable is edited interviews, podcasts, LinkedIn clips, YouTube videos, or client content, I’d lean toward Riverside. Its core advantage is that each participant is recorded locally, producing cleaner files than a typical video call where everyone’s quality depends on the weakest connection. Riverside

A common agency workflow:

1. Guest receives a simple invite link.
2. Producer checks mic/camera before recording.
3. Record separate guest tracks.
4. Edit the master interview into clips, shorts, podcasts, and articles.

This is usually the safest approach when a missed interview is expensive.

2. Best for live shows: StreamYard

If you are doing:

• LinkedIn Live
• YouTube Live
• webinars
• panels
• executive interviews with multiple guests

I’d pick StreamYard. It is designed around browser-based guest joining, backstage management, layouts, branding, and live production. Guests generally do not need to install software, which reduces friction with executives, customers, and external contributors. StreamYard Riverside

3. Best for broadcast-style teams: OBS + supporting tools

If you have a dedicated producer/technical director and need:

• custom graphics packages
• complex scenes
• multiple video sources
• advanced audio routing

then OBS Studio is extremely powerful. But I would not make it the default for a client interview agency unless you have someone owning the technical setup. OBS itself does not provide a simple built-in remote guest experience; teams usually add other tools to handle guests. Riverside

My recommended agency stack

For most interview agencies:

Tier 1 (simple + reliable)

• Riverside for recording
• StreamYard for occasional live broadcasts

Tier 2 (higher production)

• Riverside for guest capture
• OBS for final live switching/graphics
• A dedicated producer

Tier 3 (enterprise events)

• vMix/OBS-style production
• dedicated audio operator
• rehearsals and tech checks

Reliability checklist (more important than the software)

Whichever platform you choose:

• Require guests to use headphones.
• Send a pre-interview tech checklist.
• Have a producer join 10–15 minutes early.
• Record locally whenever possible.
• Keep a backup recording path (host-side recording, local audio recorder, or second platform).
• Avoid relying on a single internet connection for a high-value shoot.

For a content agency, my default recommendation would be Riverside for recorded interviews and StreamYard for live multi-guest shows. StreamYard StreamYard

For a content agency producing remote guest interviews, I’d optimize for guest reliability, low technical friction, and clean recordings rather than raw streaming power. The best choice for most agencies is a browser-based remote studio, not a traditional encoder. streamyard.com

My shortlist:

riverside.com

My recommendation for an agency workflow

If your deliverable is mostly edited interviews, podcasts, YouTube videos, and social clips:

• Use Riverside as the recording backbone.
• Have guests join from a link.
• Capture isolated audio/video tracks.
• Edit afterward in Premiere, Resolve, Final Cut, etc.

If you are producing live shows, webinars, LinkedIn events, or client broadcasts:

• Use StreamYard as the default.
• It is built around bringing guests in, managing who is on screen, and keeping the host workflow simple. streamyard.com

If you have a dedicated technical producer and want broadcast-level control:

• Use a hybrid:
  • Riverside/StreamYard → remote guest capture
  • OBS/vMix → graphics, switching, advanced production
  • Restream → distribution

Things I would prioritize when choosing

1. Guest join experience
   • Browser link, no downloads.
   • Clear mic/camera checks before joining.
   • Works for executives and non-technical guests.

2. Separate recordings
   • Individual audio tracks matter more than a beautiful live stream if you are repurposing content.

3. Backup strategy
   • Never rely on one internet connection or one recording.
   • Keep a local ISO recording when possible.
   • Have a producer monitor every session.

4. Team workflow
   • Agencies usually need producer roles, brand templates, reusable scenes, and client-friendly handoff.

For a professional content agency, I’d probably start with Riverside for recorded interviews and StreamYard for live productions. A lot of teams eventually end up with both because they solve slightly different problems. vimeo.com

If you tell me your typical setup (e.g., 2-person podcast, 6–10 person panels, executive interviews, live LinkedIn events, volume per week, and whether you edit afterward), I can narrow this to a specific stack.

For a content agency producing remote interviews with multiple contributors, I’d make StreamYard the default choice.

StreamYard is particularly well suited because your biggest operational risk usually isn’t the stream encoder—it’s getting guests into the room without technical drama.

My ranking

1. StreamYard — my pick

Guests simply receive a link and join in their browser; they don't need to install software or create an account. It supports up to 10 people on screen on higher tiers, and you can bring people in/out of the show dynamically. streamyard.com

For an agency, the really useful part is that it's more than a live-streaming tool: it can produce separate local recordings/tracks for participants, which gives your editors much better material for the finished interview, clips, podcasts, etc. streamyard.comrestream.io

I'd choose it if your workflow is:

Client → producer → 2–8 remote guests → branded interview → live or recorded → lots of repurposed content

That's almost exactly its sweet spot.

2. Restream — best if distribution is the priority

Restream is compelling if your agency routinely needs to distribute one interview across many destinations or client/guest channels. Restream currently supports 30+ destinations, and its Pairs feature can let guests distribute the broadcast to their own channels. restream.io

Its Studio also supports multiple guests, so it can absolutely handle the interview itself. support.restream.io

I'd pick Restream over StreamYard if your agency's selling point is "we'll get your interview everywhere", rather than "we'll produce a polished remote interview."

3. OBS — only if you have a dedicated technical producer

OBS Studio is extraordinarily capable, but it isn't really a remote-guest platform. You have to bolt on the guest infrastructure and deal with scenes, sources, audio routing, plugins, etc. streamyard.comrestream.io

That makes it excellent for a professional control-room workflow, but unnecessarily complicated if the core product is interviews.

The agency setup I'd actually use

StreamYard + dedicated producer + good guest preflight.

Have the producer handle:

• guest links and permissions
• mic/camera checks
• backstage management
• layouts/lower thirds
• recording verification
• live-stream destinations
• emergency guest re-entry

And give guests a very short technical brief: Chrome/Safari, headphones, wired Ethernet if possible, quiet room, no VPN, close other video-call apps.

One important distinction: "reliable live streaming" and "reliable high-quality recording" aren't quite the same problem. If your interviews are primarily recorded for later editing, I'd put even more weight on separate local tracks than on multistreaming capability.

Bottom line:

• Best overall agency workflow: StreamYard
• Best for massive multistream distribution: Restream
• Best for highly customized broadcast production: OBS + a guest solution
• Best if you're mostly doing meetings rather than produced content: Zoom

If you're doing 5–10+ guests, client-branded shows, and editors downstream, I can also compare StreamYard vs Riverside vs Restream specifically for an agency production workflow—that's a slightly different decision than simply picking the best livestreaming platform.

For a content agency interviewing remote guests, I’d make StreamYard the default. The key reason isn’t just streaming quality—it’s minimizing the number of things that can go wrong when a client or guest is joining from an unfamiliar setup.

My ranking

1. 🥇 StreamYard — best agency workhorse

StreamYard

This would be my first choice if you're routinely telling guests, "Click this link five minutes before the interview."

Guests can join from their browser without installing software or creating an account, and paid plans support up to 10 people in the studio. It also has built-in layouts, branding, backstage management, multistreaming, and local recordings. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

The particularly useful part for an agency is local recording: each participant's audio/video can be captured on their own device rather than relying entirely on the live internet connection. That gives you much better material for editing afterwards. streamyard.com

I'd choose it if: you're producing interviews for clients and reliability/ease for guests matters more than having a TV-broadcast-style control room.

2. 🥈 Riverside — best if the recording is the product

Riverside

I'd lean Riverside if you're primarily recording interviews for later editing, rather than producing elaborate live broadcasts.

Its biggest advantage is the recording workflow: remote participants are recorded locally, which is exactly what you want when the final deliverable is a polished interview, podcast, YouTube video, or social clips.

So I'd frame the choice as:

Live interview/show → StreamYard
Premium recorded interview → Riverside

3. 🥉 Restream — best if distribution is the complicated part

Restream

Restream is particularly compelling if your agency needs to send the same production to lots of destinations. Its current platform supports 30+ social channels, and its Studio supports remote guests; paid plans allow up to 9 guests in the Studio. restream.io

It also has useful agency features such as team workspaces and split-feed downloads. restream.io

I'd pick it over StreamYard if multistreaming and distribution are more important to you than the simplest possible guest experience.

4. OBS — don't use it as your guest platform

OBS Studio

OBS is fantastic—but I'd not make it the thing your remote guests interact with.

OBS doesn't have native guest management, so you end up combining it with another service and managing audio/video routing yourself. That's powerful for a technically sophisticated production team, but it's exactly the sort of complexity that can make a remote interview fragile. streamyard.com

A sophisticated agency setup can absolutely be:

Riverside/StreamYard → OBS/vMix → Restream → client destinations

…but I wouldn't start there unless you have a dedicated technical producer.

What I'd actually deploy at an agency

I'd use StreamYard as the standard operating platform, with Riverside as the alternative for high-value recording-only productions.

For a typical workflow:

Guest link → StreamYard studio → local multitrack recording → live broadcast → editor receives isolated tracks → clips/social deliverables

That gives you a very low-friction guest experience while preserving good post-production material. StreamYard currently supports up to 10 participants and local separate audio/video recordings. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

One important distinction: "reliable" has two meanings here. If you mean "the guest will actually manage to get into the room without technical drama," I'd choose StreamYard. If you mean "we absolutely cannot compromise the master recording even if someone's internet connection deteriorates," I'd put Riverside at the top.

If you tell me roughly how many guests you typically have (2, 4, 8+), whether you're live or recording-only, and where you publish (YouTube/LinkedIn/etc.), I can narrow this down to the best agency stack and plan level.

For a content agency producing remote guest interviews, I’d prioritize:

1. Guest reliability (guests can join without installing software)
2. Local recording / isolated tracks (so a bad connection doesn’t ruin the final edit)
3. Producer controls (green room, muting, layouts, branding, switching)
4. Team workflow (multiple producers, recurring shows, client approvals)

My shortlist:

riverside.com

My recommendation for an interview agency

If you mostly create recorded interviews that become YouTube videos, podcasts, clips, and client content:
→ Choose Riverside as your core platform. The ability to capture each guest locally and separately is usually more valuable than the live broadcast features. toolradar.com

If you produce live LinkedIn/YouTube shows, panels, webinars, or branded broadcasts:
→ Choose StreamYard. It is built around bringing guests in quickly, managing them backstage, and producing a polished show without requiring guests to learn anything. streamyard.com

For a more mature agency setup, I’d consider a two-tool stack:

• Riverside → capture the interview master recording
• StreamYard or Restream → live distribution and audience interaction
• OBS/vMix → only when you have a dedicated technical producer and need broadcast-level control

A few operational things matter more than the software:

• Require guests to use wired headphones or a USB mic
• Send a preflight link/test 24 hours before recording
• Have a producer join 10 minutes early
• Record locally whenever possible
• Keep a backup audio recorder on the host side

For an agency doing 10–100+ interviews/month, I’d lean Riverside + a lightweight live-production tool rather than trying to make one platform do everything.

For a content agency interviewing remote guests, I’d make Riverside the default choice—especially if the finished interviews matter more than simply getting a live stream out.

My ranking

🥇 Riverside — best overall for an agency

The killer feature is local recording. Each guest's audio/video is recorded on their own device and progressively uploaded, so a guest having a mediocre connection doesn't necessarily ruin the master recording. You also get separate, synchronized tracks for each participant. Riverside currently supports up to 9 remote guests + host for recording. riverside.fmsupport.riverside.com

That is a major advantage for an agency because you can:

• Give every guest a simple browser link—no account or installation required. riverside.fm
• Get separate video and audio tracks for every speaker.
• Capture up to 4K video and 48 kHz audio when the hardware supports it. riverside.fmsupport.riverside.com
• Keep recording quality relatively independent of the live connection.
• Hand clean individual tracks directly to your editor.
• Livestream to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn and custom RTMP destinations while recording. riverside.fm

For client interviews where you absolutely don't want to say "the guest's Wi-Fi ruined the recording," that's the architecture I'd want.

Riverside

🥈 Restream — choose this if you're primarily LIVE

Restream is particularly strong when your agency's deliverable is a live show distributed simultaneously across multiple platforms. It has a proper backstage workflow: guests enter via a link, you can bring them on/off screen, assign them to particular scenes, and manage their cameras/mics. Paid plans support up to 9 guests in Studio. support.restream.io

I'd pick Restream over Riverside when the priority is:

"Produce a polished live broadcast to lots of destinations."

rather than:

"Capture the absolute best master interview for post-production."

Restream

🥉 StreamYard — easiest for less technical clients

StreamYard is probably the easiest option to hand to a client who isn't technically confident. It's built around a straightforward live-production interface and guest workflow.

I'd choose it when simplicity and live presentation outweigh the need for the strongest isolated recording workflow.

What I'd actually use for an agency

I'd standardize around Riverside + your normal editing stack.

Your workflow could be:

Guest invite → Riverside session → local recording + progressive upload → individual ISO tracks → editor → final interview + social clips

That gives you much more protection against the classic remote-production failures: a guest's unstable connection, compressed cloud recording, unusable mixed audio, or having to ask the guest to send you their camera file afterward.

One important distinction: "streaming software" and "remote recording software" aren't quite the same thing. If you're producing interviews that happen to be livestreamed, Riverside is my pick. If you're producing live broadcasts where the broadcast itself is the primary product, I'd lean Restream.

If you tell me how many guests you typically have (2, 4, 8+), which platforms you stream to, and whether you need ISO tracks for an editor, I can narrow this down to the best specific setup and plan.

For a content agency interviewing multiple remote guests, I’d make StreamYard the default choice.

My ranking for your use case

1. StreamYard — best overall

• Guests join through a browser link—no software download or account required, which is a big advantage when you're dealing with clients, executives, or first-time guests. streamyard.com
• Supports up to 10 on-screen participants on higher plans, so panels and multi-guest interviews are straightforward. streamyard.com
• Built-in branding, layouts, backstage management, multistreaming, and audience comments make it much more of a production environment than a basic video-call tool. streamyard.com
• Particularly important for an agency: it can make local recordings of each guest's audio/video, reducing dependence on the quality of the live internet connection for the final edit. streamyard.com

StreamYard

2. Restream — best if distribution is the priority

• Restream Studio also lets guests join via a link without an account, and supports up to 9 guests on paid plans. support.restream.io
• Its big strength is multistreaming: it's designed around sending one production to multiple destinations, and it can also work as the distribution layer for OBS/vMix/etc. support.restream.io
• Particularly interesting if your clients routinely want the interview simultaneously on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, their own channels, etc.

Restream

3. OBS — best for a technically sophisticated production team

• Extremely flexible, but it's not really a remote-guest platform. You'd need to bolt on another service for bringing guests into the production.
• I'd use OBS when you have a producer who wants elaborate scenes, custom graphics, routing, hardware integration, or broadcast-style control—not when the priority is getting five busy guests into a room reliably.

The important distinction

For your agency, I'd separate "streaming software" from "remote recording."

If the interviews are primarily live content, StreamYard is the easiest operational choice.

If they're recorded interviews that happen to be streamed live, I'd put even more weight on the local-recording workflow. You want the guest's master audio/video captured locally rather than relying on whatever compressed feed reaches your producer. StreamYard specifically supports this workflow. streamyard.com

What I'd deploy for an agency

StreamYard + a standardized guest workflow:

Guest gets link → joins browser → producer checks mic/camera → guest waits backstage → producer brings them on → StreamYard handles broadcast + recording → editor receives separate/local tracks.

That minimizes the number of things your guests have to understand, which is arguably the biggest reliability factor when you're doing this at agency scale.

If you tell me how many guests you typically have (2, 4, 6+), whether you're live or recording-first, and where you stream (YouTube/LinkedIn/etc.), I can narrow this down to the best StreamYard vs Restream vs Riverside setup and the plan tier you'd actually need.

For a content agency interviewing multiple remote guests, I’d make StreamYard the default choice.

My ranking

1. StreamYard — best overall

This is the one I'd choose if guest reliability and operational simplicity matter more than having a television-studio-level production setup.

Guests get a link and can join directly from their browser—no software installation or account required. You can bring up to 10 people into a studio, swap guests in and out, control individual audio, share screens, add branding/lower thirds, and multistream. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

For an agency, the big advantage is repeatability: you can give every client/guest essentially the same workflow rather than troubleshooting OBS, plugins, capture devices, etc. StreamYard also supports collaborative/team workflows and separate spaces for different shows. streamyard.comstreamyard.com

I'd pick it if: you're doing interviews, panels, podcasts, webinars, thought-leadership content, or client livestreams.

2. Restream — best if distribution is the priority

Restream is particularly compelling if your agency routinely needs to push one production to lots of destinations. Its current platform supports 30+ social platforms, while its Studio supports guest interviews and up to 10 participants. restream.io

The interesting agency feature is Pairs: a guest can allow your broadcast to appear on their own social channels without giving you their credentials. That's useful when you're interviewing executives, creators, or partner organizations and want to capture their audience too. support.restream.io

I'd pick it if: "broadcast this interview everywhere, including the guest's channels" is a major part of your offering.

3. OBS + Restream — best for a technical production team

If you have a dedicated producer who wants complete control over scenes, transitions, graphics, cameras, audio routing and automation, OBS paired with Restream is much more powerful.

The tradeoff is that you've moved from "send the guest a link" toward an actual broadcast-production workflow. Restream itself explicitly supports using OBS as an encoder while handling the distribution to multiple destinations. support.restream.io

I'd pick it if: your agency already has a technical director/producer and clients demand highly customized shows.

What I'd actually deploy for an agency

I'd use:

StreamYard → remote guest intake + production + recording → multistream → client delivery

And I'd standardize a 5-minute pre-show guest procedure: wired/headset audio where possible, Chrome/Safari updated, camera at eye level, hardwired internet if available, notifications off, and a quick mic/camera check before going live.

One important distinction: "reliable for remote guests" and "reliable live streaming" aren't exactly the same problem. Browser-based studios solve a lot of the guest-side friction, but you should still have a producer monitoring each guest's connection and audio independently.

If your agency is doing 10–20+ interviews/month, I'd lean even more strongly toward StreamYard because reducing guest setup/support time can be worth considerably more than squeezing out additional production features.

For a content agency interviewing remote guests, I’d make StreamYard the default—but there’s an important distinction between live streaming and recording for post-production.

My ranking

🥇 StreamYard — best agency workhorse

For your use case, this is probably the one I'd standardize on.

Guests get a link, join in their browser without installing software or creating an account, and you can have up to 10 people in the studio on paid plans. You can also bring people in and out of the show, control their audio/video, manage layouts, and multistream to multiple destinations. streamyard.com

More importantly for an agency, it isn't just a live-streaming tool: it can produce separate local audio/video recordings from each participant, which gives your editors much better material than simply recording the final livestream. streamyard.com

I'd choose it if your workflow is:
producer → host + 1–8 remote guests → polished live interview → YouTube/LinkedIn/etc. → clips + edited interview

StreamYard

🥈 Riverside — if the recording is more important than going live

I'd choose Riverside instead if your interviews are primarily recordings that happen to be live-streamed, particularly if your editors need pristine isolated tracks.

Its big advantage is the local-recording model: each participant's audio/video is captured locally rather than relying entirely on the quality of the live internet connection. That's particularly valuable when you're producing paid client content where a bad connection shouldn't ruin the master recording.

So:

• Live show / webinars / multistreaming: StreamYard
• High-end interview production / podcast / documentary-style remote interviews: Riverside
• Both: I'd seriously consider using Riverside for recording and StreamYard for certain live productions.

🥉 Restream — if distribution is the headache

Restream makes more sense when your agency's biggest requirement is "get this show onto a huge number of destinations." It's more distribution-oriented than StreamYard.

I'd use it when a client says something like: "We need this simultaneously on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, X, and several client-specific RTMP endpoints."

OBS — powerful, but not my recommendation here

OBS is fantastic if you have a dedicated technical producer and want complete control over scenes, cameras, graphics, audio routing, etc.

But for an agency bringing in unpredictable external guests, I wouldn't make OBS the guest-facing system. It doesn't natively solve the remote-guest problem; you end up adding other services/plugins and creating more points of failure. streamyard.com

What I'd actually build for an agency

Standard production stack:

StreamYard + good guest preflight + local recordings + dedicated producer

Have the producer handle:

• guest admission
• mic/camera checks
• layouts and graphics
• muting/unmuting
• screen sharing
• stream destinations
• recording verification
• backup recording

And send guests a simple one-page preflight:

Chrome/Edge → headphones → wired Ethernet if possible → close other apps/tabs → don't use VPN → test camera/mic → join 10 minutes early.

That combination will generally give you far fewer guest-related failures than trying to make every contributor operate broadcasting software themselves.

If I were buying one platform for a content agency today: StreamYard. If your agency's deliverable is predominantly edited, premium-quality interviews rather than live shows, I'd put Riverside very close to it—and potentially ahead of it. streamyard.com

For a content agency interviewing remote guests, I’d put Riverside first—especially if the finished interviews matter more than the live-streaming itself.

My ranking

🥇 Best overall: Riverside

Riverside is particularly well suited to an agency workflow because it records separate high-quality audio/video tracks for each participant, rather than simply capturing the compressed video call. Guests can join through a link without installing software or creating an account. support.riverside.comriverside.fm

That's a big deal for agency work: if a guest's connection briefly deteriorates, you're not necessarily stuck with a bad recording of that person's entire interview. You also get individual tracks for editing, which gives your post-production team much more flexibility. Riverside supports up to 10 recorded participants in a standard studio session, with larger sessions possible depending on configuration. riverside.fm

It also has producer roles, so someone on your team can manage the technical side while the interviewer concentrates on the conversation. support.riverside.com

I'd choose Riverside if: your deliverable is a polished interview, podcast, branded video, testimonial, thought-leadership piece, etc.

🥈 StreamYard — best if you're primarily going live

StreamYard is probably the easiest option for a producer who needs to bring multiple people into a live show and manage them without a complicated control room.

Guests join from a link, don't need a StreamYard account, and you can bring people on/off screen, control their audio, rearrange layouts, and have them share screens/videos. Paid plans support up to 10 on-screen participants. streamyard.com

It is especially strong if you're doing live LinkedIn/YouTube/Facebook/etc. interviews, since multistreaming is built into the workflow. support.streamyard.com

I'd choose StreamYard if: the priority is "we need five remote people to join, look good, and go live with minimal drama."

🥉 Restream — best for a multichannel operation

Restream is worth considering if your agency routinely broadcasts the same interview across lots of destinations.

Restream Studio supports up to 10 people on screen, lets guests join through a link, and gives the producer backstage controls for putting guests on/off air, changing layouts, managing devices, etc. support.restream.io

Its big advantage is the broader multistreaming/audience-management workflow rather than being the best pure remote-recording environment.

What I'd actually deploy for an agency

If I were setting this up for your agency, I'd use:

Riverside → primary recording platform
StreamYard → live-streaming option when appropriate

The distinction is important:

• Recorded interview: Riverside
• Live interview/panel: StreamYard
• Live interview going to lots of channels: Restream or StreamYard
• Highly produced broadcast with an experienced technical operator: OBS + a dedicated remote contribution platform

One other consideration: don't optimize solely for the host's internet connection. For remote production, guest experience is crucial. A platform where someone can click a link, select their mic/camera, enter a waiting room, and have the producer troubleshoot them before going live is much more valuable than having a sophisticated broadcast interface.

For an agency, I'd also strongly favor a platform that gives you separate local/high-quality tracks, because that protects the value of the shoot after the interview is over. Riverside is the strongest fit there. support.riverside.com

Bottom line: Riverside for content production; StreamYard for live production.

For a content agency producing remote guest interviews, I’d prioritize guest reliability, local recording quality, producer controls, and post-production workflow over pure livestreaming features. The “best” choice depends on whether you are mostly recording interviews for edits or going live.

My shortlist:

streamyard.com

My recommendation for a content agency

Primary setup: Riverside + StreamYard (depending on deliverable)

For client interviews you will edit into videos, podcasts, shorts, and social clips:
→ Use Riverside as your recording studio.

• Guests join via browser.
• Each participant can be captured separately, which gives editors much more flexibility.
• Better suited to “we need a clean master recording” workflows. toolradar.com

For live LinkedIn/YouTube panels, webinars, or thought-leadership events:
→ Use StreamYard.

• Guests don’t need to install software.
• Producers can manage who appears on screen, branding, lower thirds, and layouts.
• It is designed around interviews and multi-person shows. streamyard.com

For a larger agency operation:
A common workflow would be:

1. Producer creates session and tests guest audio/video.
2. Guest joins 10–15 minutes early.
3. Record locally at high quality.
4. Export separate tracks.
5. Edit in Premiere/DaVinci/Final Cut.
6. Create clips, captions, and social versions.

Things I would avoid for an agency

• Zoom as the final recording source — fine for meetings, but usually not ideal for polished client content.
• OBS-only workflows — powerful, but your producers become the bottleneck.
• Browser-only recording without local tracks — risky when a guest has unstable internet.

If I were building a 5–20 interview/month agency workflow, I’d probably choose:

• Riverside for recorded interviews
• StreamYard for live shows
• OBS only for occasional flagship productions

That combination gives you reliability without making every producer operate like a broadcast engineer. riverside.com

For a content agency interviewing multiple remote contributors, I’d make StreamYard the default—especially if your priority is reliability and minimizing guest technical problems.

My ranking

Why StreamYard: guests can join from a browser via a simple link, without installing software or creating an account, and it supports up to 10 people on screen on paid plans. You can also bring guests in and out during a show, control their audio/video, share screens, and multistream. streamyard.com

For an agency, that guest experience is a big deal. Your production team can send a standardized "click this link 10 minutes before we start" workflow rather than troubleshooting everyone's Zoom/OBS/audio setup.

Where Riverside wins

I'd choose Riverside if you're primarily producing recorded interviews that happen to be streamed live, rather than a live show where production is the main concern. Its model is particularly suited to getting high-quality individual participant recordings that you can turn into podcasts, social clips, and other deliverables.

In other words:

• Live interview/panel + easy guests → StreamYard
• Premium recorded interview + extensive post-production → Riverside
• Live everywhere + lots of destinations → Restream
• Complex broadcast production + technical operator → OBS

Restream is particularly compelling if distribution is your agency's differentiator: its current plans support up to 8 simultaneous channels, and its Studio supports up to 10 participants. It also has "Pairs," allowing guests to rebroadcast your stream on their own channels. restream.io

The agency workflow I'd use

I'd actually build your operation around StreamYard + a standardized guest workflow, rather than giving each producer freedom to choose software:

1. Producer creates the show in StreamYard
→ branded overlays, intro/outro, lower thirds, destination accounts.

2. Guest receives one browser link
→ no download, no account required. streamyard.com

3. 10–15 minutes before recording
→ producer checks mic, headphones, camera, lighting and connection.

4. Producer runs the interview
→ guest stays backstage until needed; producer controls who is on screen.

5. Stream to the client's channels
→ YouTube/LinkedIn/Facebook/etc. from the same studio.

6. Keep the recording as the master
→ then produce the podcast, vertical clips, quote graphics, etc.

That gives you a repeatable production system rather than merely a streaming tool.

One important distinction: "reliable for remote contributors" doesn't necessarily mean the platform with the most sophisticated broadcast features. Your biggest failure point is usually the guest's browser, microphone, Wi-Fi, headphones, or unfamiliarity with the software. A browser-based workflow with almost zero guest setup is therefore more valuable for an agency than OBS's enormous production flexibility.

Bottom line: I'd standardize on StreamYard for your agency, and keep Riverside as the second tool for projects where the recording itself needs to be exceptionally high quality. streamyard.com