Comparison

Swelldone vs Rowing Machine Workouts

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

Head to head
About

Swelldone

Experience an open-world paddling game with realistic wave physics and dynamic swells. Connect your erg for immersive training, race head-to-head in multiplayer, and explore iconic real-world venues. Choose from various paddlers, vessels, and workouts to enhance your fitness and enjoy virtual ocean adventures.

Highlights
  • Open-world ocean with realistic wave physics
  • Multiplayer virtual training and racing
  • Selectable paddlers, vessels, and real-world venues
  • Ergometer and trainer connectivity (FTMS)
  • Customizable and pre-set workout library
  • Sync with Apple Health, Strava, C2 Logbook
Features
Read full description

Swelldone is an open-world paddling training game. The concept is simple: choose your paddler, pick your vessel, and go find some virtual waves and have fun. Learn and experience surfing the open ocean. If you have an erg, connect to it and get fully immersed in your training! If you paddle, you get it. FEATURES: - Infinite ocean with accurate waves physics model, dynamic and adjustable swells - Multiplayer head-to-head gameplay for virtual training and racing - Choose your course from iconic, real-world venues - Choose your paddler from various avatars - Choose your vessel from various boats including SUPs, outrigger canoes, surfskis, Sprint C1, Sprint K1, rowing sculls, marathon canoes, and dragon boats - Connect to your paddle ergs, rowers, bike trainers that support FTMS protocol for immersive training. - Choose from a library of workouts directly from the app or create your own custom workout - Sync your workouts to Apple Health, Strava, C2 Logbook - Designed to work with the Concept2 PM5 console, KayakPro GenesisPort console, Whipr, and Wahoo sensors. OHANA MEMBERSHIP Subscription Enjoy unlimited access to everything when connected to erg for Virtual Training. Row or Paddle as much as you want with Swelldone's monthly subscription of $9.99. Prices may vary from country to country. Payment will be charged to your App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Account settings at any time after purchase. Terms of Service: https://www.swelldoneapp.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.swelldoneapp.com/privacy-policy

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Swelldone4 screens
Rowing Machine Workouts4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rowing Machine Workouts at 88% against Swelldone's 44%. Rowing Machine Workouts also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.7 vs 4.2). Swelldone's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Swelldone sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rowing Machine Workouts holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 102 and 344 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Swelldone's written reviews are positive against 88% of Rowing Machine Workouts's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swelldone ships an update every 3 weeks, Rowing Machine Workouts every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Swelldone versus Rowing Machine Workouts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwelldoneRowing Machine Workouts
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (102 ratings)4.7 (344 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.4% of reviews87.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings102344 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.2 GB74 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer5007490 Ontario Ltd.Vigour Group Ltd

Customer experience

Swelldone

All ratings101 ratings
Positive81.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%

Rowing Machine Workouts

All ratings344 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral4.4%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews186 reviews
Positive87.6%
Neutral5.4%
Negative7.0%

Bugs and requests

Swelldone

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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

3 purchases

Swelldone

Subscriptions3
  • Wiki Member (Weekly)$3.997 Days
  • Ohana Membership$9.991 Month
  • Hoku Membership (Annual)$99.991 Year
9 purchases

Rowing Machine Workouts

Subscriptions8
  • Rowing Workouts Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly2 variants$14.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • 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
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$249.99

Questions

Is Swelldone free?
Swelldone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rowing Machine Workouts free?
Rowing Machine Workouts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Swelldone or Rowing Machine Workouts?
Rowing Machine Workouts is rated higher. Swelldone averages 4.2 out of 5 from 102 ratings, while Rowing Machine Workouts averages 4.7 from 344 ratings.
Do Swelldone or Rowing Machine Workouts have ads?
Rowing Machine Workouts shows ads; Swelldone does not.
Which is updated more often, Swelldone or Rowing Machine Workouts?
Swelldone ships an update every 3 weeks, and Rowing Machine Workouts every 5 days. Most recently, Swelldone was updated on August 13, 2026 and Rowing Machine Workouts on September 26, 2026.

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