Hydrow vs Rowing Machine Workouts
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
Rowing Machine Workouts
Guided indoor rowing workouts for fat loss, cardio, and strength. Offers plans for all fitness levels, from beginner to weight loss, with features like audio coaching and activity tracking. Works with any rower.
- Guided rowing plans for various goals
- SPM metronome for pace control
- Audio coaching with music support
- Activity tracking and workout logging
- Customizable workout builder
- Free Row mode
- Apple Health integration
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Full-body indoor rowing workouts — fat loss, cardio, strength & technique. Works for any rower or home setup. Get stronger and fitter with guided rowing machine workouts. Build muscle, lose weight, or enhance your overall health! Follow along with rowing programs that help you smash your goals. Rowing is an excellent full-body workout that caters to all fitness levels, helping you live with energy and vitality. Why this app? Rowing workouts that help you achieve and exceed your personal targets. If you’re new to rowing, start with our Beginner Plan. Looking to shed some pounds? Our Weight Loss Plan is perfect for you! Rowing regularly will help you see progress and feel stronger over time. Train from just 2 days a week to improve your rowing ability and technique with simple approachable routines. Use the SPM metronome to keep your stroke rate in time. Each rowing plan is designed to help your body adapt and improve while minimizing the risk of injury or burnout. Why choose us? These rowing machine workouts are perfect as a supplement to your gym routine or for use with an at-home rowing machine, such as the Concept2. They're easy to follow and can be used regardless of your fitness level. No specific equipment needed! FEATURES GUIDED ROUTINES: Choose a rowing plan based on your fitness level and goals. Target your ideal SPM and follow rest guidance with HIIT-based rowing training, perfect for indoor rowing. ACTIVITY TRACKING: Monitor your rowing activity to ensure continuous growth. Use the countdown timer to enhance your rowing ability and endurance. AUDIO COACHING: Enjoy audio coaching with support to play your own music in the background. The metronome helps you maintain your target SPM, ensuring you row at the perfect pace. CUSTOM WORKOUTS: Build your own rowing workouts. Set your desired SPM and duration to row your way, while staying in sync with the metronome. FREE ROW: Row at your own pace with Free Row. Simply increment or decrement your SPM as you go to follow along with the metronome and phase guide. WORKOUT LOGGER: Log all your rowing workouts and repeat your favorites. Track metrics like average heart rate, distance, and split time to monitor your improvement over time. APPLE HEALTH INTEGRATION: Sync your rowing workouts with the Health App to get a comprehensive view of your daily activity. DAILY EXERCISES: Supplement your rowing workouts with recommended exercises. Warm-up, cool down, and build full-body strength with additional exercises. 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 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
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Hydrow at none against Rowing Machine Workouts's shown. Hydrow also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 349). Rowing Machine Workouts's advantage is review sentiment (87% vs 59%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Hydrow sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per month and Rowing Machine Workouts sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Hydrow against 4.7 for Rowing Machine Workouts. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydrow has 3.3K ratings behind it against 349, 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 87% of Rowing Machine Workouts's.
Hydrow ships an update every 3 weeks, Rowing Machine Workouts weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hydrow | Rowing Machine Workouts |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (3.3K ratings) — better | 4.7 (349 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 59.2% of reviews | 87.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3.3K — better | 349 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hydrow, Inc. | Vigour Group Ltd |
Customer experience
Hydrow
Rowing Machine Workouts
User reviews
Hydrow
From 3.3K App Store ratingsWhat 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
Rowing Machine Workouts
From 349 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Effective graphics and workout
- 👍 Straight forward and easy to use
- 👍 Metronome helps with pacing
- 👍 Variety of workouts and programs
- 👍 Warm-up and cool-down exercises
Room to improve
- 🐛 Subscription issues and lost access
- ⚠️ Lacks ability to sync with rowing machines
- ⚠️ Interrupts stroke when changing pace
- ⚠️ Limited data tracking and analytics
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
Rowing Machine Workouts
Reported bugs
2 issues- Free trial not functioning properly
- Connectivity issues with some rowing machines
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to create custom workouts
- Integration with Apple Watch
- More detailed workout data and progress tracking
In-app purchases
Hydrow
- Digital Basic1 Month trial$29.991 Month
Rowing Machine Workouts
- Rowing Workouts Weekly$6.997 Days
- Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
- Premium Monthly2 variants$14.991 Month
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- Premium Yearly1 Year trial$79.991 Year
- Premium$79.991 Year
- Rowing Workouts Yearly$79.991 Year
- Rowing Workouts Yearly7 Days trial$79.991 Year
- Rowing Workouts Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$249.99
Questions
Is Hydrow free?
Is Rowing Machine Workouts free?
Which has better reviews, Hydrow or Rowing Machine Workouts?
Do Hydrow or Rowing Machine Workouts have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hydrow or Rowing Machine Workouts?
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