# Tonal vs Hydrow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tonal at none against Hydrow's 1. Tonal also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 59%) and ratings volume (11K vs 3.5K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Tonal against 4.8 for Hydrow. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11K and 3.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Tonal's written reviews are positive against 59% of Hydrow's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tonal | Hydrow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonal/id1437460744/reviews)** | [4.8 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrow/id1458653991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 3.5K |
| Positive reviews | **70.9% of reviews** | 59.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 187 MB | 186 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tonal Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437460743) | [Hydrow, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1371506837) |

## What reviewers say

### Tonal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonal/id1437460744)

This app provides a smart home gym experience with digital weight that adapts to your workouts. Access programs, track progress, and enjoy a variety of on-the-go exercises led by expert coaches. Connect with a community for motivation.

**Highlights:** Adaptive digital weight, Expert coach-led workouts, Personalized fitness programs, Progress tracking by muscle group, On-the-go workout library, Custom workout creation, Community motivation features

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and effective workouts
- 👍 Variety of workouts and programs
- 🚀 Convenient home gym experience
- 👍 Motivating and engaging coaches
- 👍 Comprehensive fitness tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity and syncing issues
- 💡 Lack of personalization options
- 💡 Limited custom workout capabilities
- 💡 Lack of language and accessibility options
- 🔒 Facebook integration required for profile photo

**Reported bugs**

- Membership activation and login issues
- Inconsistent performance and app crashes
- Syncing problems with Apple Health and other devices

**Requested features**

- Calendar function to plan workouts
- Ability to track and filter custom workouts
- Customizable movement options and exercise libraries
- Injury/condition-specific workout recommendations
- Ability to use without subscription or disable features


### 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 Tonal free?

Tonal 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, Tonal or Hydrow?

Tonal is rated higher. Tonal averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Hydrow averages 4.8 from 3.5K ratings.

### Do Tonal or Hydrow have ads?

Neither Tonal nor Hydrow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tonal or Hydrow?

Tonal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hydrow every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tonal was updated on October 20, 2026 and Hydrow on October 18, 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.*