Comparison

RowingCoach vs Row Nation

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RowingCoach

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
Read full description

RowingCoach, available also for the Apple Watch, allows you to track your rowing sessions, compare your workouts and see your overall progress – whether you train on land or on water. == RowingCoach displays the following metrics: • Your current and overall stroke rate (SPM) • The distance covered • Your current and overall pace • Your pulse • Your calories burned == Use the app as suits you best: • Track your session on the iPhone • Only use your Apple Watch to record the training (and leave your iPhone onshore!) • Use the iPhone as display for your Apple Watch recording. Very useful for indoor rowing. == RowingCoach also offers these features: • Use Siri to start and stop your workout • Automatic Stroke detection • Get notified after a certain distance covered, strokes reached or time passed • Display your workout on a map • Speed/pulse shown in color-coding • Share your rowing track with iMessage • Weather conditions are recorded for outdoor workouts • iCloud synchronisation: Have your workouts on all your devices. • Apple Health App integration • Watch Complication: See your weekly progress at a glance • Use Force Touch in the Watch app to quickly start and stop a workout • Today Widget: See your weekly and monthly progress from the Today screen • Add notes (to remember who was cox for example) == Export and upload your workouts to other platforms: • Upload to Strava • Export to RowsAndAll • Upload to MapMyFitness • Upload to TrainingPeaks • Upload to Concept2 Logbook • Upload to Intervals.icu External bluetooth heart rate monitors are supported. If you want to export your workouts via e-mail or want to record more than 3 workouts - you can get to a subscription right in the app.

About

Row Nation

This app offers a comprehensive rowing workout experience with on-demand videos, audio-only sessions, and detailed descriptions. It connects users with a community, allows event participation, and tracks progress, syncing with fitness devices. Transform your rowing machine into a full-body workout tool.

Highlights
  • On-demand video and audio workouts
  • Multiple workout types (endurance, strength, intervals)
  • Social community and clubs
  • Event promotion and registration
  • Progress tracking and logging
  • Syncs with Concept 2 PM5 and fitness devices
Features
Read full description

Row Nation is the ultimate fitness app for people looking for a full-body workout routine that can be done in the comfort of their home or gym. The app is designed to make the rowing machine a usable piece of fitness equipment for anyone, regardless of their rowing experience. With Row Nation, users have access to a library of on-demand workouts from different content creators. These workouts come in three forms: video follow-along, video intro and description, and audio-only. Users can choose from various workout types, including endurance, strength, intervals, and more, all designed to help users achieve their fitness goals. In addition to the on-demand workouts, Row Nation also offers a social community where users can connect with other users, join clubs, and share their workouts. The app's event promotion feature allows users to find and register for competitions, classes, and other in-person and virtual events. Users can track their progress through the app's tracking and logging features, which allow them to save their workouts and monitor their progress over time. The app also syncs with the Concept 2 PM5 monitor and other fitness tracking devices, so users can keep all their data in one place. Row Nation's user-friendly interface makes it easy for users to find workouts, track their progress, and connect with other users. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced rower, Row Nation has something to offer everyone. The app is available for download on iOS devices, with a free trial period and a subscription option for premium features. With Row Nation, users can transform their rowing machine into a full-body workout experience and achieve their fitness goals with the support of a welcoming and supportive community. Apple Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

RowingCoach4 screens
Row Nation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RowingCoach at 3.3 against Row Nation's 1.5. RowingCoach also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (117 vs 2). Row Nation's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 38%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. RowingCoach sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Row Nation sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RowingCoach holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RowingCoach has 117 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of RowingCoach's written reviews are positive against 75% of Row Nation's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and August 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
RowingCoach versus Row Nation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRowingCoachRow Nation
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (117 ratings) — better1.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews38.4% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings117 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB68 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperGunther CronenbergROW NATION PTY LTD

Customer experience

RowingCoach

All ratings117 ratings
Positive49.6%
Neutral16.2%
Negative34.2%
Written reviews151 reviews
Positive38.4%
Neutral24.5%
Negative37.1%

Row Nation

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

RowingCoach

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • 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%)
Show 15 more
  • Distance values wildly inaccurate (2-3x actual distance)
  • Workouts not appearing in app history despite being tracked
  • Subscription validation fails on Apple Watch
  • App hangs on workout start
  • Data not uploading to Apple Health
  • Clock overlay blocking metrics on Apple Watch
  • Display elements overlapping when phone is rotated
  • SPM showing zero for entire workouts
  • Metrics switching between metric and imperial units mid-workout
  • App freezing when trying to save workouts
  • PM5 connection showing as connected but not syncing data
  • Strava export missing distance data for indoor rows
  • Watch app not appearing after installation
  • Contact/feedback link in app not functional
  • Inconsistent heart rate detection

Requested features

18 requests
  • Calibration settings for different rowing machines
  • Automatic pause/resume detection
  • Customizable workout countdown timers
  • Bluetooth connectivity for Concept2 PM5
  • Improved calorie burn calculations
Show 13 more
  • Watt power output calculations
  • Distance per stroke efficiency metric
  • Audible stroke rate announcements
  • Always-on display support for Apple Watch
  • Manual workout editing capabilities
  • Automatic Strava uploads
  • Detailed heart rate and pace graphs
  • Training plan integration
  • Ghost/challenge mode for self-competition
  • Garmin Connect integration
  • Multiple language support (French, German)
  • Improved watch display optimization for larger screens
  • Better contrast for outdoor visibility

Row Nation

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

RowingCoach

One-time3
  • Unltd. recs & export (1 Month)$0.99
  • Unltd. recs & export (3 Months)$1.99
  • Unltd. recs & export (1 Year)$4.99
1 purchases

Row Nation

Subscriptions1
  • Row Nation Premium14 Days trial$9.991 Month

Questions

Is RowingCoach free?
RowingCoach is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Row Nation free?
Row Nation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RowingCoach or Row Nation?
RowingCoach is rated higher. RowingCoach averages 3.3 out of 5 from 117 ratings, while Row Nation averages 1.5 from 2 ratings.
Do RowingCoach or Row Nation have ads?
Row Nation shows ads; RowingCoach does not.
Which is updated more often, RowingCoach or Row Nation?
RowingCoach ships an update every 2 months, and Row Nation every 2 months. Most recently, RowingCoach was updated on September 21, 2026 and Row Nation on August 18, 2026.

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