CyberLink PowerDirector vs Riverside Video Editor
CyberLink PowerDirector
cyberlink.com
Riverside Video Editor
riverside.comSide by side
| Figure | CyberLink PowerDirector | Riverside Video Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 6 |
| Spec score · AI Video Editors | 9.2 (#3) | 8.9 (#10) |
| AI editing | Its Agentic Editor can take a plain-language request, generate clips, clean footage, apply effects, and place results on the editing timeline. | AI tools remove pauses and filler words, find fluff, apply Magic Audio, smart mute, smart layouts, gaze correction, video enhancement and color correction. |
| Documentation and support | CyberLink provides a Support Center, Learning Center, tutorials and downloadable user guides. | The Help Center covers recording setup, equipment, studio use, editing, publishing, mobile and Mac apps, billing and business administration. |
| Founded | 1996 | 2020 |
| Integrations | Built-in stock media comes from Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection, and direct publishing supports YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Vimeo. | Official integrations include Spotify for Creators, Transistor, Castos, HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo, webinar webhooks, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro exports. |
| Licence | The EULA grants a non-exclusive proprietary licence, prohibits reverse engineering and states that CyberLink retains ownership of the software and documentation. | Riverside is delivered as a proprietary hosted service; its Business API documentation does not provide an open-source licence for the editor. |
| Notable news | CyberLink's September 2026 update added the Agentic Editor, AI Cinematic Shorts and light/dark workspace modes. | Riverside's product-updates page lists its MCP launch on August 31, 2026 and a native Mac editor release on September 7, 2026. |
| Purpose | PowerDirector is AI video-editing software combining editing tools, creative effects, and built-in stock media. | Riverside is an online editor built for conversations, podcasts, webinars, and interviews. |
| Rating on Apple App Store | 4.6 out of 5 from 31K ratings. | 4.7 out of 5 from 20K ratings |
| Rating on G2 | 4.4 out of 5 from 57 reviews. | 4.8 out of 5 from 1,754 reviews |
| Rating on GetApp | 4.3 out of 5 from 122 reviews. | 4.8 out of 5 from 286 reviews |
| Rating on Google Play | 4.2 out of 5 from 1.73M reviews. | 4.6 out of 5 from 7.65K reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 1.5 out of 5 from 133 reviews for CyberLink Corp. | 3.8 out of 5 from 521 reviews |
| Security | CyberLink says it protects financial and personal information with advanced encryption and fraud protection, and recommends downloading from its official site or authorized app stores. | Riverside states it is SOC 2 compliant and its security is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, initially approved in May 2022. |
| Support | CyberLink provides a Support Center, learning tutorials, user guides, software updates, and support ticket tracking. | The Pro and Live plans list live chat support, while Business lists priority support, customized onboarding, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager. |
Plans
CyberLink PowerDirector
- PowerDirector EssentialFree
- PowerDirector 365Priced on request
- PowerDirector 365$79.99 a year
- PowerDirector 2027$139.99, paid once
- PowerDirector 365 for Mac$24.99 a month
- PowerDirector 365$59.99 a year
- PowerDirector 365 for Mac$79.99 a year
- Director Suite$109.99 a year
- PowerDirector 2027$139.99, paid once
Riverside Video Editor
- FreeFree
- FreeFree
- Standard$15 a month
- Pro$24 a month
- Live$34 a month
- BusinessPriced on request
In their own words
CyberLink PowerDirector
CyberLink PowerDirector is video-editing software for making videos with editing tools, creative effects and built-in stock media. Its Agentic Editor accepts plain-language requests to generate clips, clean footage, apply effects and add results to the timeline. That timeline supports multiple tracks, frame-accurate trimming, markers, snapping, ripple editing and keyframe controls. PowerDirector can transcribe footage, edit video from text, generate subtitles, synthesize narration and reduce unwanted audio noise. Its royalty-free stock library includes Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection media described as cleared for commercial and personal use. Exports can be optimized for YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Vimeo; the Windows FAQ lists MP4, MKV, WMV and MPEG-2 formats, with output up to 4K. The free Essential version has no time limit, but restricts advanced AI tools and some export options. PowerDirector runs on macOS and Windows, with desktop and mobile apps. The listed plans include 50GB cloud storage with PowerDirector 365 and 25GB with PowerDirector 2027. The product information lists a 1996 founding year.
Riverside Video Editor
Riverside Video Editor is an online editor for conversations, podcasts, webinars and interviews. Its transcript-based editing lets users remove a line or correct a word and apply the change to the video. Recordings made in Riverside and uploaded files can have separate tracks for each speaker. One-click tools cover speaker layouts, eye contact, audio enhancement and B-roll generation, alongside a timeline for editing. Teams can share files, assign roles, comment and give feedback in the editor. Edited timelines can be exported as XML for Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. Listed integrations include Spotify for Creators, Spotify, Transistor, Castos, HubSpot, Salesforce and webinar webhooks. Riverside supports web, macOS, iOS and Android, and its app supports editing on a phone. Computer recording works in Chrome, Edge and Safari; Linux computers are unsupported for recording. The free plan includes two hours of multi-track recordings as a one-off, up to 720p, a watermark and 44.1 kHz audio. Paid pricing starts at $15.00 per month billed annually; Pro is $24.00 per month billed annually, and a 14-day trial is available.