Comparison

Hydrow 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

Hydrow

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
Read full description

Hydrow offers more than just a full-body workout – access over 5,000 on-and-off rower workouts led by elite athletes and filmed in stunning locations around the globe. Feature overview: • Track your performance and stay connected to a passionate rowing community: cheer on fellow rowers, form racing teams, and review racing stats • Share your achievements on Strava • Apple Health integration for further personalization • Now compatible with Concept2 PM5 rowers, Hydrow offers serious rowers the variety they seek, allowing you to pair your iPhone or iPad for in-workout rowing metrics and participate in competitive leaderboards Whether you aim to build strength, improve endurance, or perfect your technique, Hydrow delivers the benefits of rowing wherever you are.

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

Hydrow4 screens
Start Rowing4 screens

Verdict

The call

Hydrow and Start Rowing both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of Start Rowing's written reviews are positive against 59% of Hydrow's. Start Rowing also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). Hydrow's advantage is ratings volume (3.5K vs 682). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Hydrow sells 1 in-app purchase, 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 Hydrow against 4.7 for Start Rowing. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydrow has 3.5K ratings behind it against 682, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Hydrow's written reviews are positive against 73% of Start Rowing's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hydrow ships an update every 3 weeks, Start Rowing every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hydrow versus Start Rowing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHydrowStart Rowing
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.5K ratings) — better4.7 (682 ratings)
Positive reviews59.2% of reviews73.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.5K — better682
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size186 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHydrow, Inc.Vigour Group Ltd

Customer experience

Hydrow

All ratings3,459 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews103 reviews
Positive59.2%
Neutral18.4%
Negative22.3%

Start Rowing

All ratings682 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive73.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative17.5%

User reviews

Hydrow

From 3.5K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Start Rowing

From 682 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

Hydrow

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes during workouts
  • Difficulty logging in or syncing account
  • Inconsistent video/audio quality

Requested features

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

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

1 purchases

Hydrow

Subscriptions1
  • Digital Basic1 Month trial$29.991 Month
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 Hydrow free?
Hydrow 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, Hydrow or Start Rowing?
Hydrow is rated higher. Hydrow averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Start Rowing averages 4.7 from 682 ratings.
Do Hydrow or Start Rowing have ads?
Neither Hydrow nor Start Rowing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hydrow or Start Rowing?
Hydrow ships an update every 3 weeks, and Start Rowing every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hydrow was updated on October 15, 2026 and Start Rowing on October 10, 2026.

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