# RowingCoach vs Start Rowing

The clearest difference is rating: Start Rowing at 4.7 against RowingCoach's 3.3. Start Rowing also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 38%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RowingCoach sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Start Rowing sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Start Rowing holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Start Rowing has 682 ratings behind it against 117, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of RowingCoach's written reviews are positive against 73% of Start Rowing's.

RowingCoach ships an update every 2 months, Start Rowing every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RowingCoach | Start Rowing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rowingcoach/id1202290980/reviews) | **[4.7 (682 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-rowing-workouts-app/id1504306767/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 117 | **682** |
| Positive reviews | 38.4% of reviews | **73.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gunther Cronenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1202290979) | [Vigour Group Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546613605) |

## What reviewers say

### RowingCoach

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rowingcoach/id1202290980)

Track your rowing sessions on land or water with detailed metrics like stroke rate, distance, pace, and calories burned. Use your iPhone or Apple Watch independently or together for flexible workout recording and progress analysis. Syncs with iCloud and Apple Health, and exports to popular fitness platforms.

**Highlights:** Track stroke rate, distance, pace, pulse, and calories, Use iPhone or Apple Watch for recording, Siri integration for workout control, Automatic stroke detection, Workout display on map, Export to Strava, TrainingPeaks, and more, iCloud synchronization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unltd. recs & export (1 Month) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unltd. recs & export (3 Months) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unltd. recs & export (1 Year) | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⌚ Excellent Apple Watch integration
- 🗺️ Accurate GPS tracking for on-water rowing
- ❤️ Heart rate monitoring functionality
- 📊 Comprehensive workout statistics and metrics
- 🔄 Seamless syncing with Apple Health

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 📏 Inaccurate distance estimation (especially indoors)
- ⚠️ Strokes per minute (SPM) consistently underreported
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain on Apple Watch
- ❌ Data loss after pausing workouts

**Reported bugs**

- Distance resets to zero when workout is paused
- SPM not displaying in real-time during workouts
- App crashes when receiving phone calls
- GPS tracking stops working after iOS updates
- Stroke count significantly underreported (off by 30-50%)

**Requested features**

- Calibration settings for different rowing machines
- Automatic pause/resume detection
- Customizable workout countdown timers
- Bluetooth connectivity for Concept2 PM5
- Improved calorie burn calculations


### Start Rowing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-rowing-workouts-app/id1504306767)

This app provides structured rowing machine training plans for all experience levels, from beginner to advanced. It guides users through workouts with audio cues and a metronome, helping them build strength, burn calories, and improve rowing technique. Track progress and integrate with Apple Health for a comprehensive fitness journey.

**Highlights:** Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced training plans, Audio coach guidance, Rowing metronome, Workout logging and progress tracking, Apple Health integration, Session-based Challenger workouts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Start Rowing Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for beginners
- 🚀 Structured workout plans
- 👍 Easy to follow
- 👍 Enjoyable and motivating
- 🚀 Useful metronome and pacing features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues (blank screen, spinning circle)
- 🔋 High battery drain
- 💰 Misleading about free access, requires subscription
- 👎 Limited customization and flexibility
- 👎 Inconsistent performance (stroke rate changes, screen shutoff)

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screen during workouts
- Inconsistent stroke rate changes
- Automatic screen shutoff during workouts

**Requested features**

- Allow custom workout creation
- Improve volume control for metronome and audio
- Add more advanced workout options
- Enhance user interface and navigation
- Improve sync and data tracking across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RowingCoach free?

RowingCoach is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Start Rowing free?

Start Rowing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RowingCoach or Start Rowing?

Start Rowing is rated higher. RowingCoach averages 3.3 out of 5 from 117 ratings, while Start Rowing averages 4.7 from 682 ratings.

### Do RowingCoach or Start Rowing have ads?

Neither RowingCoach nor Start Rowing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RowingCoach or Start Rowing?

RowingCoach ships an update every 2 months, and Start Rowing every 2 weeks. Most recently, RowingCoach was updated on September 30, 2026 and Start Rowing on September 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*