ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a live video podcast where you also want high-quality local tracks, I’d narrow it to three:

My pick: StreamYard

streamyard.com is probably the best fit if your priority is live streaming + good isolated recordings without a complicated production rig.

• Records separate local tracks for participants rather than relying solely on the compressed livestream.
• Supports high-quality local audio/video, including 48 kHz audio and high-resolution video.
• Makes guest participation very easy—guests can join through a browser.
• Handles multistreaming and live-production features in the same workflow.
• Much less technical than OBS. StreamYard StreamYard

If recording quality/control is the absolute priority: Riverside

riverside.fm is the one I'd consider if your podcast is primarily a recording that happens to be live.

Its local-recording approach is particularly good for getting separate, high-quality participant tracks for post-production, and it supports 4K video. Riverside The Podcast Consultant

The tradeoff is that it's more recording-centric than a traditional live-production system.

If you want maximum production control: OBS Studio

obsproject.com is the power-user choice. It's free and can stream and record simultaneously, with up to six separate audio tracks. You can, for example, have:

• Track 1 — full mix for the livestream
• Track 2 — Host mic
• Track 3 — Co-host mic
• Track 4 — Guest
• Track 5 — music
• Track 6 — system/remote audio

OBS officially documents this multitrack workflow. OBS Studio OBS Studio

The downside is that OBS doesn't solve remote-guest recording by itself. You'd typically pair it with something like VDO.Ninja, a remote-recording service, or dedicated audio interfaces/routing.

What I'd choose for your podcast

One important distinction: "local tracks" can mean two different things. If you mean each person's microphone is recorded locally on their own computer (ideal for remote guests), I'd favor StreamYard or Riverside. If you mean you have everyone physically in your studio and want each microphone/interface channel recorded separately, I'd favor OBS or vMix paired with a proper audio interface/DAW workflow. vMix, for example, can route different audio buses independently to its recording and streaming outputs. vmix.com

If you tell me how many hosts/guests you have, whether they're remote or in-studio, Mac/Windows, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup—including how I'd route the individual audio tracks.

If your priority is high-quality local tracks while also going live, I’d narrow it to Riverside vs. OBS Studio, with Riverside being my pick for most video-podcast workflows.

My recommendation

1. Riverside — best for podcast-first production

Riverside is designed around local recording: participants' audio/video are captured locally and you can get separate tracks for post-production, while still being able to livestream. That makes it particularly attractive if the finished podcast matters as much as the live broadcast. Riverside Riverside

Choose Riverside if:

• You have remote guests.
• You want each person's clean, separate audio/video track.
• You want 4K recording capability.
• You don't want to spend much time configuring a production system.
• You edit the podcast after the live show.

2. OBS Studio — best for maximum control

obsproject.com is the better choice if you're technically comfortable and want your computer to be the production studio. It's free/open-source and can stream and record simultaneously, with up to six separate audio tracks and independent recording/stream encoders. OBS Studio OBS Studio

For example, you could record:

• Track 1 — complete mix for immediate playback
• Track 2 — host mic
• Track 3 — co-host mic
• Track 4 — remote guest
• Track 5 — music
• Track 6 — sound effects/other sources

That gives you tremendous flexibility in post.

3. vMix — best for a serious Windows production

If this is becoming more like a broadcast studio than a podcast, vmix.com is worth considering. It has sophisticated live switching, multiple outputs, recording, NDI/SRT, and MultiCorder for simultaneously recording individual inputs. vMix

The downside is complexity and Windows-only operation.

What I'd use for your situation

One important distinction: "local tracks" can mean two different things. If you mean each remote guest gets a pristine isolated recording on their own computer, I'd strongly favor Riverside. If you mean you have multiple microphones/cameras/audio sources physically connected to your studio computer and want every source recorded independently, I'd favor OBS or vMix.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, how many hosts/guests, what microphones/cameras/interface you use, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/Facebook/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup and recording-track layout.

If your priority is high-quality local tracks while simultaneously livestreaming a podcast, I’d narrow it to these:

My recommendation

If you're primarily a podcast that happens to livestream: choose Riverside. It records locally rather than relying on the livestream feed, giving you much better source material for editing afterward, including separate audio/video tracks. Current Riverside materials describe local recording up to 4K and separate tracks. riverside.com

If you're running a more traditional studio/control-room production: choose vMix. Its MultiCorder can ISO-record individual camera inputs, while its audio system supports multiple independent buses/mixes. That's considerably more powerful if you have several cameras, microphones, guests, graphics, etc. www.vmix.com

If you want free: OBS Studio is surprisingly capable. You can assign different audio sources to separate recording tracks (for example, host mic, guest mic, music, and remote-call audio) and keep them independently editable later. obsproject.com

One important distinction: "multitrack audio" and "ISO video" aren't the same thing. If you want each microphone isolated for editing, Riverside/OBS/Ecamm can be excellent. If you want each camera recorded independently so you can completely re-edit the video later, vMix becomes much more compelling.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras/mics, where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), and whether guests join remotely, I can recommend the exact setup—including recording format, audio routing, and bitrate.

For a podcast that is also a live video show, I’d rank them like this:

1. Riverside — best for podcast-first production
   • Records locally rather than relying on the stream quality.
   • Separate audio/video tracks for participants.
   • Up to 4K video and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio.
   • Particularly good if you have remote guests and want clean individual tracks for editing afterward. riverside.com
   • My pick if your priority is the quality of the podcast recording.

2. vMix — best for a professional live studio
   • Excellent if you're doing a more elaborate live production with multiple cameras, capture cards, graphics, guests, etc.
   • Its MultiCorder can ISO-record individual camera inputs, and vMix supports multiple independent audio mixes. www.vmix.com
   • The catch: it's Windows-focused and considerably more production-oriented.

3. OBS Studio — best free option
   • Free and extremely flexible.
   • Can stream while recording locally and supports up to six separate audio tracks, so you can give your editor isolated mic/guest/music/etc. tracks. obsproject.com
   • It takes more configuration to get a polished podcast workflow.

4. Ecamm — best Mac option for live production
   • Particularly attractive if you're on Mac.
   • Can automatically record streams locally and record individual audio and video tracks. support.ecamm.com

What I'd choose

If your setup is something like 2–4 microphones + cameras + occasional remote guests + YouTube/Twitch live, I'd go:

Riverside → podcast-quality recording + live streaming
vMix → serious broadcast/studio production
OBS → maximum flexibility for $0

One important distinction: "local recording" and "stream recording" aren't the same thing. You want each microphone/guest captured locally at full quality, while a separate mixed/encoded feed goes out to YouTube/Twitch. That way a bad internet connection doesn't ruin your master podcast.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of hosts/mics, number of cameras, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup—including which software should handle the audio and how I'd configure the isolated tracks.

If your priority is a live video podcast + high-quality local recordings with isolated audio tracks, I’d rank the options:

My recommendation: Riverside + OBS

For a podcast like yours, I'd seriously consider using Riverside for the recording layer and OBS for the live-production layer.

Riverside records audio/video locally and can provide separate tracks, which is particularly valuable for podcasts where you want to remix each host/guest independently after the show. It supports recordings up to 4K. riverside.com

OBS Studio is the better choice if you want your local master recording to contain separately controllable tracks—for example:

• Track 1: complete program mix
• Track 2: Host 1 mic
• Track 3: Host 2 mic
• Track 4: Guest mic
• Track 5: music/SFX
• Track 6: remote audio

OBS officially supports up to six audio tracks and lets you stream while recording with different recording settings/encoders. obsproject.com

If you're on Windows and have several cameras, I'd instead look hard at vMix. Its MultiCorder feature can ISO-record individual camera inputs while you're simultaneously producing and streaming the show; it's available in the 4K/Pro tiers. www.vmix.com

The key distinction

If by "local tracks" you mean "I want a pristine recording of each microphone/guest locally so I can edit the podcast later", Riverside is probably the easiest answer.

If you mean "I want complete control over every camera, audio bus, graphic, recording and stream from one production computer", vMix/OBS wins.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras, number of hosts/guests, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup—including how I'd route the isolated audio tracks.

If your priority is high-quality local tracks while simultaneously streaming live video, I’d narrow it to three:

🥇 My pick: Riverside

For a podcast that also happens to be a live video show, Riverside is probably the easiest fit. It records participants locally rather than relying solely on the livestream connection, supports separate tracks, and can capture up to 4K video and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio. riverside.com

That means you can have:

• Host mic → isolated track
• Guest mic → isolated track
• Each camera → separate video
• A live-program feed → streaming
• Clean files for editing afterward

The big advantage is that the livestream can have internet hiccups without necessarily ruining the local recording.

Riverside

🥈 OBS if you want control

OBS Studio is fantastic if you're comfortable building your own production setup. It can assign different audio sources to separate recording tracks—for example, your mic on one track, guest/interface on another, music on another, and the complete mix on another. obsproject.com

It's free and extremely flexible, but it isn't as turnkey for remote podcast guests as Riverside.

OBS Studio

🥇 For a full broadcast studio: vMix

If you're running multiple cameras, capture cards, graphics, remote feeds, and a proper audio workflow, I'd seriously consider vMix. Its MultiCorder feature can record individual camera/capture inputs as separate files while you simultaneously produce the live program. download.vmix.com

It also provides multiple independent audio buses, which is useful for creating different mixes for the stream, recording, headphones, guests, etc. doc.vmix.com

vMix

For your specific use case, I'd choose Riverside if you have remote guests; OBS if everyone is local and you want maximum flexibility; vMix if you're building a professional multi-camera studio.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of hosts/guests, cameras, and what platform you stream to (YouTube/Twitch/Facebook/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup—including how I'd route the isolated audio tracks.

If your priority is high-quality local tracks while simultaneously livestreaming a podcast, I’d narrow it to three:

🥇 My pick: Riverside

For a podcast that records and streams at the same time, Riverside is probably the easiest way to get what you want. It records participants locally, giving you separate audio/video tracks rather than relying entirely on the livestream's compressed feed. It supports recordings up to 4K and separate tracks. riverside.com

That's particularly valuable if you have, say:

• Host mic
• Co-host mic
• Remote guest
• Multiple cameras
• Separate video files
• A live program feed

You can stream live while retaining much higher-quality material for editing afterward.

🥈 OBS if you want maximum control

OBS Studio is my choice if you're willing to configure things yourself. It's free and lets you put individual audio sources onto separate recording tracks. riverside.comobsproject.comwww.vmix.com

For example, you could record:

• Track 1 — full podcast mix
• Track 2 — Host
• Track 3 — Co-host
• Track 4 — Guest
• Track 5 — music
• Track 6 — sound effects

That gives your editor tremendous flexibility.

🥇 for a full broadcast studio: vMix

If you're running multiple physical cameras, capture cards, graphics, replay, complicated switching, etc., I'd seriously consider vMix. Its MultiCorder feature can ISO-record individual camera inputs while simultaneously producing the live program. ISO recording is available in the 4K and PRO editions. www.vmix.com

It also has a proper audio mixer with independent inputs and support for multichannel ASIO devices, so it's particularly well suited to a hardware-heavy podcast studio. www.vmix.com

Bottom line:

• Podcast-first + remote guests → Riverside
• DIY/custom + inexpensive → OBS
• Professional multi-camera broadcast → vMix

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras/mics, where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/Facebook/etc.), and whether guests join remotely, I can recommend the exact setup—including how I'd route the audio so you get pristine isolated tracks and a polished live mix.

For a podcast that streams live video and also needs high-quality local tracks, I’d narrow it down to three options:

riverside.comstreamyard.com

My recommendation for your use case

Pick Riverside if:

• Your podcast is interview-based or guest-heavy
• You want the cleanest possible edit files afterward
• You care about separate tracks for every speaker
• You want video episodes that can become YouTube content

Riverside’s main advantage is that it records participants locally instead of relying only on the live internet feed, which helps preserve quality when a guest has connection issues. thepodcastconsultant.com

Pick StreamYard if:

• The live broadcast itself is the centerpiece
• You frequently bring guests on quickly
• You stream to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
• You want a producer-friendly interface

StreamYard is built more around “run a live show easily,” while still offering local recordings and separate tracks. streamyard.com

Pick OBS + a local recorder if:

• You have a dedicated studio computer
• You use multiple cameras, overlays, soundboards, or scenes
• You have someone producing the show live

OBS gives you the most control, but it requires more technical setup than browser-based podcast studios. riverside.com

A pro-level setup I’d use

For a serious podcast:

• Live production: OBS or StreamYard
• Remote guest recording: Riverside
• Audio backup: record each host locally in a DAW (Reaper, Logic, Pro Tools, etc.)
• Editing: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Descript, or similar

That gives you a live broadcast feed plus isolated, high-quality files for the final episode.

If you tell me:

1. how many hosts/guests you usually have,
2. where you stream (YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, etc.), and
3. whether everyone is remote or in the same studio,

I can recommend a specific workflow.

If your priority is high-quality local recordings with separate tracks while simultaneously live-streaming, I’d narrow it to OBS Studio vs. vMix, with the best choice depending on how serious your production is.

My pick: OBS Studio for most podcasts

OBS Studio is the best value if you want:

• Live streaming + local recording simultaneously
• Separate audio tracks for each mic/guest/system source
• High-quality local recording independent of your stream bitrate
• Windows, Mac, or Linux
• No licensing cost

OBS supports multiple audio tracks specifically for post-production, so you can, for example, keep Host Mic, Guest Mic, Music, and Stream Mix separate rather than baking everything into one stereo track. obsproject.comwww.vmix.com

For local recording, I'd use a quality-oriented encoder setting rather than your stream's CBR settings. That lets the local master be substantially better than what viewers receive.

If you're running a serious multi-camera show: vMix

vMix is the stronger choice if your podcast has several cameras, capture cards, NDI sources, remote guests, graphics, and a more traditional broadcast workflow.

Its MultiCorder can record raw video/audio from individual camera and capture inputs into separate files while the program is simultaneously streamed and recorded. www.vmix.comwww.vmix.com

That's a major advantage for editing a podcast afterward: instead of having one finished camera feed, you can have something like:

Camera 1.mov
Camera 2.mov
Camera 3.mov
Host audio
Guest audio
Program mix

vMix also supports multiple independent audio mixes and ASIO devices, which is particularly useful for a studio podcast setup. www.vmix.com

The catch: MultiCorder is in vMix's higher-tier editions and has substantially higher hardware/storage requirements. www.vmix.comwww.vmix.com

What I'd choose

One important distinction: “separate audio tracks” and “ISO recording” aren't quite the same thing. OBS is excellent at putting multiple audio tracks into a recording; vMix goes further with MultiCorder by creating separate files for individual video/capture sources. obsproject.comwww.vmix.com

For a typical video podcast, I'd start with OBS Studio and configure it so the stream uses a compressed broadcast mix while the local recording gets high-quality video plus isolated audio tracks. If you're doing a multi-camera studio production and want every camera preserved independently, vMix is the better investment.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras, number of mics, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), I can recommend the exact recording/streaming setup and settings.

For a live video podcast where the recording quality matters, I’d narrow it to Riverside, OBS Studio, or vMix:

My pick: Riverside

If your priority is getting pristine podcast recordings while simultaneously going live, Riverside is probably the easiest choice. It records locally on the participants' devices, supports separate audio/video tracks, and can record up to 4K with uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio. riverside.com

That's especially valuable if you have remote guests: each person's recording isn't dependent on the quality of the live stream connection.

Best free option: OBS Studio

If everyone is physically in your studio and you want maximum control, I'd use OBS. It can record up to six separate audio tracks, so you can have, for example:

• Track 1: full mix for immediate playback
• Track 2: Host mic
• Track 3: Co-host mic
• Track 4: Guest mic
• Track 5: music/production audio
• Track 6: remote-call audio

OBS specifically supports recording while streaming and lets you assign individual sources to separate tracks. obsproject.comdownload.vmix.com

Best professional option: vMix

If you're running a multi-camera, broadcast-style podcast, vMix is the more powerful choice. It supports multiple independent audio buses and, in its 4K/PRO editions, ISO recording of individual camera sources through MultiCorder. download.vmix.com

So my recommendation:

• 🎙️ Remote podcast + easiest workflow → Riverside
• 🖥️ Studio podcast + free/flexible → OBS Studio
• 🎥 Serious multi-camera production → vMix

One important distinction: if by "local tracks" you mean separate, uncompressed microphone recordings for editing afterward, rather than simply a high-quality recording of the livestream, I'd design the setup around that specifically. Riverside is strongest for remote guests; OBS/vMix are stronger for a controlled local studio.

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras/mics, and whether guests join remotely, I can recommend the exact setup and recording settings.

If your priority is live video + high-quality local recordings with isolated tracks for editing later, I’d narrow it to three:

My recommendation

If you're on Mac → Ecamm Live.
It specifically supports isolated audio recording, so each guest/mic/sound effect can be saved separately while you're simultaneously streaming. www.ecamm.com

If you're on Windows and have multiple cameras → vMix.
Its 4K/PRO editions can ISO-record individual camera inputs while producing the live program, which is fantastic if you want to turn one podcast recording into multiple edits/reels afterward. www.ecamm.comwww.vmix.com

If you want the most flexibility for $0 → OBS Studio.
OBS can record multiple audio tracks separately while streaming, with up to six tracks in Advanced Output mode. You can, for example, have the live mix on Track 1 and individual host/guest/music sources on Tracks 2–6. obsproject.com

For a podcast, I'd set it up like this

Live stream:
Mic 1 + Mic 2 + guest audio + music → live mix → YouTube/Twitch/etc.

Local master recording:

• Track 1: complete mix
• Track 2: Host mic
• Track 3: Co-host mic
• Track 4: Remote guest
• Track 5: music/SFX
• Track 6: computer/other audio

That gives you a ready-to-watch recording and clean isolated tracks for Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, etc.

One important distinction: if by "local tracks" you mean isolated video feeds as well as audio—e.g. each of your 3 cameras gets its own full-quality recording—I'd choose vMix over OBS. vMix's MultiCorder is specifically designed for that ISO workflow. www.vmix.com

If you tell me Mac or Windows, number of cameras, number of microphones/remote guests, and where you stream (YouTube/Twitch/etc.), I can recommend the exact setup and recording settings.

For a podcast that also goes live, the “best” tool depends on whether you prioritize broadcasting live or getting the cleanest edit-ready recordings. For high-quality local tracks, I’d rank them like this:

thepodcastconsultant.com

My recommendation for a live video podcast:

Use StreamYard + a good local audio workflow if your show is mostly:

• interviews with remote guests
• YouTube/Facebook/LinkedIn live streams
• multiple hosts
• quick turnaround after recording

StreamYard’s local recording feature creates separate participant audio/video files, which helps avoid quality loss from internet problems during a live broadcast. support.streamyard.com

If your priority is “Netflix-style” post-production:

Choose Riverside. It is built around recording each participant locally, so you can edit with cleaner audio and video tracks afterward. thepodcastconsultant.com

If you want the most control:

Choose OBS Studio:

• best scene switching
• custom overlays
• audio routing
• local recording
• multiple cameras

The tradeoff is that it takes more setup and technical maintenance. riverside.com

A common pro workflow is:

• OBS/Ecamm → live production (switching cameras, graphics, overlays)
• Riverside → isolated guest recordings
• DAW (Logic, Adobe Audition, Reaper, etc.) → final audio mix

If you tell me:

1. how many hosts/guests you usually have,
2. where you stream (YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, etc.),
3. Mac or Windows, and
4. whether you edit full episodes or mostly post clips,

I can recommend a specific setup.

If your priority is high-quality local tracks while you’re simultaneously live streaming, I’d narrow it to three:

My pick for your podcast: Riverside

If the recording itself is the most important asset, Riverside is probably the strongest fit. It records participants locally rather than relying on the quality of the livestream connection, and provides separate tracks for post-production. It supports up to 4K video and uncompressed 48 kHz audio. vimeo.com

The workflow I'd use is:

Riverside → local isolated tracks → live stream → edit the local masters afterward

That gives you a polished livestream while preserving clean audio/video for the actual podcast.

If you're primarily a live show: StreamYard

If you care more about running the live broadcast—graphics, guests, comments, multistreaming, etc.—I'd choose StreamYard. Its local recording feature creates individual audio/video files for each participant while you're live, so an internet hiccup doesn't necessarily ruin your master recording. support.streamyard.com

If you want a serious production setup: OBS or vMix

OBS Studio is fantastic if you're comfortable configuring it yourself. Importantly, you can assign microphones and other audio sources to separate recording tracks, giving your editor isolated audio without requiring a separate recorder. obsproject.com

vMix is the step up if you're doing a multi-camera production. Its 4K/PRO editions can ISO-record individual camera inputs, which is extremely useful for editing the show later. doc.vmix.com

Bottom line:

• 🎙️ Best podcast recording: Riverside
• 🔴 Best live podcast workflow: StreamYard
• 🆓 Best free/control-heavy option: OBS
• 🎬 Best professional multi-camera setup: vMix

If you tell me how many hosts/guests you have, what cameras/mics you use, and whether you're streaming to YouTube/Twitch/Facebook/etc., I can recommend the exact setup and recording settings.

For a live video podcast where you want high-quality local recordings you can edit later, I’d narrow it to three:

🥇 My recommendation: Riverside

For a podcast specifically, Riverside is probably the easiest fit. It records participants locally rather than relying entirely on the livestream connection, and supports separate audio/video tracks, with local recordings up to 4K depending on plan/setup. riverside.com

That's particularly useful if you have remote guests: a bad internet connection during the live broadcast doesn't necessarily ruin the high-quality recording you edit afterward.

Riverside

🥈 OBS Studio if you want control

If everyone is in your studio and you're comfortable configuring things, I'd actually choose OBS Studio.

OBS can stream and record simultaneously, and its Advanced Output mode lets you put different microphones/sources onto separate recording tracks—e.g.:

• Track 1: complete podcast mix
• Track 2: Host mic
• Track 3: Guest mic
• Track 4: music
• Track 5: Discord/remote audio

OBS supports up to six audio tracks, and recommends MKV for multitrack recording, which you can remux afterward. obsproject.com

OBS Studio

🏆 vMix if you're building a real production

If you're running multiple cameras, HDMI/SDI capture, graphics, remote callers, replay, etc., I'd seriously consider vMix—particularly on Windows.

Its MultiCorder can ISO-record individual cameras, so you can have the live switched program and clean recordings of each camera for editing afterward. www.vmix.com

vMix

For your use case, I'd choose:

Riverside → podcast-first, remote guests, easiest workflow
OBS → best free/flexible solution
vMix → professional multi-camera studio

One important distinction: if by “local tracks” you mean separate, uncompressed/high-quality audio from every microphone, rather than simply recording the livestream locally, I'd lean Riverside or OBS + a proper multichannel audio interface. That setup gives you much more flexibility in post.

If you tell me Mac vs. Windows, number of cameras/mics, and whether guests join remotely, I can recommend the exact setup and recording settings.