# asensei rowing vs Hydrow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: asensei rowing at none against Hydrow's 1. asensei rowing also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 59%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). Hydrow's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hydrow sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per month. asensei rowing asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for asensei rowing against 4.8 for Hydrow. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4K and 3.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of asensei rowing's written reviews are positive against 59% of Hydrow's.

asensei rowing ships an update every 2 months, Hydrow every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | asensei rowing | Hydrow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asensei-rowing/id1335539383/reviews) | [4.8 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrow/id1458653991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | 3.5K |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 59.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 95 MB | 186 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ASensei Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/998668146) | [Hydrow, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1371506837) |

## What reviewers say

### asensei rowing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asensei-rowing/id1335539383)

Enhance your rowing performance with guided workouts from world-class athletes and AI coaching. Connect to compatible rowing machines for real-time analysis and personalized training programs designed to improve your technique and fitness.

**Highlights:** Personalized training programs, World-class athlete coaching, Real-time performance analysis, AI-driven technique correction, Hundreds of guided workouts, Compatibility with major rowing machines

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great coaching and feedback
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Concept 2 rower
- 💡 Personalized workouts and performance tracking
- 🤩 Motivating and engaging experience
- 🌟 Excellent customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🕹️ Unintuitive user interface
- 🕰️ Slow workout downloads
- 💾 Limited data tracking and export options
- 🔇 Music volume issues

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent pace and split time calculations
- Workout history not saving properly
- Bluetooth connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to select and customize workout programs
- Integration with Apple Health and Strava
- More detailed performance analytics and progress tracking
- Live/virtual rowing classes and competitions
- Support for more rowing machine models


### Hydrow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrow/id1458653991)

Access over 5,000 on-and-off rower workouts led by elite athletes filmed in beautiful locations. Track performance, connect with a community, and share achievements. Compatible with Concept2 PM5 rowers for integrated metrics and leaderboards.

**Highlights:** 5,000+ on-and-off rower workouts, Elite athlete instructors, Global scenic filming locations, Performance tracking, Rowing community features, Strava and Apple Health integration, Concept2 PM5 rower compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Basic | $29.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth motion
- 🚀 Engaging video coaching
- 👍 Variety of workouts
- 👍 Motivating instructors
- 👍 Convenient for travel

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App issues (no iPad support, audio sync, etc.)
- 🔒 Lack of account management features
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 💰 Requires expensive rower hardware

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during workouts
- Difficulty logging in or syncing account
- Inconsistent video/audio quality

**Requested features**

- Ability to search/filter workouts
- More data analytics and tracking
- Integration with other fitness devices/apps
- Ability to manage account on app/website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is asensei rowing free?

asensei rowing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hydrow free?

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

### Which has better reviews, asensei rowing or Hydrow?

asensei rowing and Hydrow are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4K and 3.5K ratings respectively.

### Do asensei rowing or Hydrow have ads?

asensei rowing shows ads; Hydrow does not.

### Which is updated more often, asensei rowing or Hydrow?

asensei rowing ships an update every 2 months, and Hydrow every 3 weeks. Most recently, asensei rowing was updated on October 7, 2026 and Hydrow on October 15, 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.*