Comparison

CITYROW vs Start Rowing

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

Head to head
About

CITYROW

Access a wide range of on-demand rowing and strength training classes designed for all fitness levels and goals. Track your performance in real-time and connect with your rowing machine for a comprehensive workout experience.

Highlights
  • On-demand rowing and strength classes
  • HIIT, cardio, endurance, and yoga workouts
  • Real-time performance metrics tracking
  • Connects with rowing machines via Bluetooth
  • Progress tracking and badges
  • Instructor-led workouts
Features
Read full description

Find your strength, tap into your power, go further with CITYROW. Immersive workouts on and off the rower deliver cardio, strength training, endurance and mobility in every single class. Whether you want to gain muscle, lose weight, increase endurance, or start a lifelong fitness routine, CITYROW has you covered. With on-demand classes for every goal and fitness level, you’ll always come back for more. CHOOSE YOUR WORKOUT Train on and off the rower. Choose from an incredible variety of classes offered in multiple lengths and levels: Signature HIIT Cardio+Core Endurance Power Row HIIT the Rower Strength Active Yoga Restorative Yoga HIIT the Floor And more TRAIN WITH THE BEST The ultimate motivators, our instructors are movement experts with diverse backgrounds and a shared passion for functional fitness. They design workouts to make you stronger, push you harder, and keep you going. REAL-TIME METRICS FOR INSTANT MOTIVATION Live tracking lets you see where you’ve been and how far you can go. Our proprietary technology allows you to see your performance metrics in real-time and track your progress over time. Earn badges as you do it! Meters rowed Split time Personal records and badges Monitor your heart rate through your Apple Watch Total classes and minutes JUST ROW For days when you just want to do you. Row at your own pace and make your own workout, while tracking your metrics. NEW TO CITYROW? You can use the app with any rowing machine. The app can even connect via Bluetooth to the WaterRower ComModule and Concept2 PM5 monitor to stream your live rowing data, set intervals within the app, record your workouts and track your progress over time. Connect your Apple Watch to the CITYROW Max Rower to track your workout data in the Health App. ALREADY A MEMBER? The app pairs seamlessly with the CITYROW Classic Rower for a fully immersive experience, and can be used as a companion app to the CITYROW Max Rower to view workout history or do off-rower workouts. Terms and conditions: https://cityrow.com/terms-of-service Privacy policy: https://cityrow.com/privacy-policy

About

Start Rowing

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
Read full description

Start Rowing without any previous experience needed. Get in shape, build strength and burn calories. Our rowing app's workout plans will train you for the next stage in your rowing journey. Never rowed before? Start with our beginner plan. In 8 weeks you’ll be comfortable rowing 2000 meters with correct technique. Experienced erger? Use our intermediate and advanced plans to improve your overall fitness while increasing your rowing capacity. Start Rowing will guide you step by step, letting you know when to change rowing intensity and when to rest. Each plan is designed to slowly become more challenging so your body can adapt and gain endurance while minimising any risk of injury. Spend just 10-30 minutes a day, 2-5 days a week. You’ll be fitter, stronger and a much better rower! Features - Choose from Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced training plans. - Session based Challenger workouts to exercise your whole body. - Audio coach to guide your through your rowing workout. - Rowing metronome to help you keep in time. - Log your workouts and keep track of your overall progress. - Share your progress. - APPLE HEALTH INTEGRATION: Connect your workouts to Health App to track your daily activity. Legal Disclaimer This app and any information given by it are for educational purposes only. They are not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any fitness program. If you upgrade to a premium Start Rowing subscription, payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. There is no increase in cost when renewing. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal turned off in Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. Once purchased, the current period cannot be cancelled. Any unused portion of a free trial period is forfeited if you choose to purchase a premium subscription. Find the full terms and conditions at https://www.vigour.fitness/terms, and our privacy policy at https://www.vigour.fitness/privacy.

Screenshots

CITYROW4 screens
Start Rowing4 screens

Verdict

The call

CITYROW and Start Rowing both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of CITYROW's written reviews are positive against 73% of Start Rowing's. Start Rowing's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. CITYROW sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for CITYROW against 4.7 for Start Rowing. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 717 and 681 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of CITYROW's written reviews are positive against 73% of Start Rowing's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CITYROW ships an update weekly, Start Rowing every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 23, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
CITYROW versus Start Rowing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCITYROWStart Rowing
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (717 ratings) — better4.7 (681 ratings)
Positive reviews88.3% of reviews — better73.2% of reviews
Number of ratings717 — better681
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB49 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperCITYROW Interactive, LLCVigour Group Ltd

Customer experience

CITYROW

All ratings717 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.5%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews137 reviews
Positive88.3%
Neutral6.6%
Negative5.1%

Start Rowing

All ratings681 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive73.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative17.5%

User reviews

CITYROW

From 717 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great workouts
  • 👍 Engaging instructors
  • 💪 Variety of classes
  • 🤸‍♀️ Full-body workouts
  • 🏠 Convenient home workouts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App connectivity issues
  • 🔍 Lacking detailed workout data
  • 🎵 Subpar music options
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔍 Difficult to find/navigate classes

Start Rowing

From 681 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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)

Bugs and requests

CITYROW

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Connectivity issues with rowers
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Inaccurate workout tracking

Requested features

5 requests
  • Integrate with fitness trackers
  • Provide more detailed workout metrics
  • Allow custom music selection
  • Improve class search and scheduling
  • Expand on-demand class library

Start Rowing

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blank screen during workouts
  • Inconsistent stroke rate changes
  • Automatic screen shutoff during workouts

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

2 purchases

CITYROW

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly14 Days trial$29.991 Month
  • Yearly14 Days trial$299.991 Year
7 purchases

Start Rowing

Subscriptions6
  • Start Rowing Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly2 variants$14.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Premium Yearly$79.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$179.99

Questions

Is CITYROW free?
CITYROW 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, CITYROW or Start Rowing?
CITYROW is rated higher. CITYROW averages 4.8 out of 5 from 717 ratings, while Start Rowing averages 4.7 from 681 ratings.
Do CITYROW or Start Rowing have ads?
Neither CITYROW nor Start Rowing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CITYROW or Start Rowing?
CITYROW ships an update weekly, and Start Rowing every 2 weeks. Most recently, CITYROW was updated on August 23, 2026 and Start Rowing on September 11, 2026.

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