Iris.fm

Iris.fm is a browser-based service for recording remote podcast interviews. Each participant is captured locally, and the session produces separate audio and video files for editing. Real-time captions appear during recording and are saved with the session, while progressive uploads back up the recording as it proceeds. Guests join through a browser link without installing an app or creating an Iris account. Rooms support host, producer, and guest roles with device controls, and can record up to nine people at once. Iris supports desktop and laptop browsers as well as iPhone and Android, with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge listed. Users can create a studio with their branding and a custom URL. Paid plans include Google Drive and Dropbox uploads, and recording hours are counted by total session time rather than multiplied by participant count. A free plan is available, with paid plans starting at $9/mo. The Starter plan lists two hours of recording. Iris operates its services in the United States, where information from users elsewhere is transferred, stored, and processed.

Iris.fm focuses on remote interview capture, with individual participant files and a browser link for guests. Consider its participant limit and stated data-handling location when deciding whether it fits your workflow.

Iris.fm may suit podcast hosts and producers who want separate participant tracks and browser-based guest access. Its room roles and captions also support interview production workflows.

Iris.fm is a browser-based service for recording remote podcast interviews as separate participant audio and video files. It is best suited to podcast teams that want editable local tracks and low-friction guest access. Its main trade-offs are a nine-person room cap and paid recording-hour limits.

Overview

Each participant is recorded locally, so a disruption in the live call need not spoil the files used for editing. Iris also creates progressive uploads during a session, but its terms do not guarantee against data loss or corruption; keep another copy of important recordings.

Guests join from a browser link without installing an app or creating an Iris account. Rooms support up to nine people, with host, producer, and guest roles and device controls. Iris is operated in the United States, and information from users elsewhere is transferred to, stored, and processed there.

Key features

• Separate local tracks: Individual audio and video files give editors more flexibility in post-production than a single mixed recording. Video recording and automatic transcription are supported.
• Live captions: Captions appear during recording and are saved with the session, offering material for show notes and repurposing.
• Progressive uploads: Uploads back up the session as it records, though they are not a guarantee against loss or corruption.
• Browser access: Guests can join without an Iris account or app installation, which is useful when interviewees should not need to set up recording software.
• Room roles: Host, producer, and guest roles with device controls suit a session with a dedicated producer as well as the interviewer and guest.
• Custom studio: Users can apply their branding and URL. Paid plans add Google Drive and Dropbox uploads.
• Supported environments: Iris supports desktop and laptop browsers as well as iPhone, Android, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.

Pricing

Iris has a free plan and three paid tiers. Recording hours are counted by total session time, not multiplied by participant count, so a multi-person interview does not consume hours as though each guest were a separate recording.

Starter is the entry paid option for occasional sessions; its two-hour allowance may be tight for frequent or long interviews. Pro and Studio increase that quota to five and ten hours respectively, while retaining the same listed features. Choose among paid tiers mainly by expected session time.

Platforms

Iris is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Recording runs in a browser, including desktop and laptop browsers and the named mobile and desktop browser environments.

Who it's for

Iris is a sensible fit for interview-based podcasters who need separate participant recordings, captions, and browser-based guest access. Teams that record longer sessions or do so frequently should compare their expected hours with the paid caps before committing. It is less suitable as the sole archive for irreplaceable content, given the stated backup limitation, or for productions needing more than nine people in one room.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Local, separate audio and video files give editors participant-level material and reduce reliance on the live call remaining flawless.
• Pro: Browser-link guest access avoids requiring interviewees to install software or register an account.
• Pro: Session-based hour billing avoids multiplying usage by the number of participants.
• Con: Rooms stop at nine participants, which rules out larger panels.
• Con: Paid recording quotas range from two to ten hours, so regular or long-form users need to budget around them.
• Con: Progressive uploads and regular backups do not guarantee data will never be lost or corrupted.
• Con: User information from outside the United States is transferred to and processed in the United States, which may not suit every organization's data requirements.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Podcast Recording Software and Video Podcast Software.

• Async has a free plan with 10 lifetime AI credits, one hour of lifetime media upload to AI chat, exports up to 720p, and 2 GB of storage; consider it if those limits suit your workflow.
• Riverside offers a free plan with two hours of multitrack recordings, video up to 720p, 44.1 kHz audio, and a watermark; it also has a free trial.
• Cleanfeed is an alternative with a free Lite tier for two guests, unlimited recording time, one local audio source, and mono remote audio; consider it if those constraints match your needs.
• Spreaker offers a free tier for one podcast with unlimited episodes and six months of statistics, making it an alternative to consider for that publishing setup.
• Zencastr has a free plan for up to six participants, with unlimited recording and downloads, video up to 4K, unlimited track storage, and five podcast shows; compare it if those allowances matter more than Iris's workflow.
• Podsplice is a paid alternative with a free trial.
• NowMax is a paid alternative available on web, iOS, Android, and Windows.
• Alitu is a paid web alternative with a free trial and a monthly plan that includes 10 recording hours under its fair-use policy.

Verdict

Choose Iris.fm if your podcast workflow depends on separate local participant tracks, browser-link guests, and captions, and your sessions fit the hour allowance and nine-person cap. Its strongest reason to choose it is the combination of individual files and guest access without installs or accounts. Look elsewhere if you need larger rooms, more recording time than the paid tiers allow, or a backup guarantee.