Comparison

Stark Dumbbell vs RowBetter

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

Head to head
About

Stark Dumbbell

This app provides a library of HD exercise videos and allows users to create personalized workouts. It includes timers for various training styles like Tabata and HIIT, and tracks progress by integrating with Apple Health.

Highlights
  • HD exercise videos
  • Personalized workout creation
  • Workout timers (Tabata, HIIT, Circuit)
  • Muscle group targeting
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

Optimize your results with Stark Dumbbell! - Be inspired by 65 exercises presented in sharp HD video. - Create your own personal workout. - When working out, follow the step by step workout-feature which take you through the workout using timers and your chosen specifics. - The timers support different workout types including Tabata, HIIT and Circuit training. - Find exercises targeting specific muscle groups. Integration with Apple Health: Save burned calories and performed workouts. Exercises are performed by the professional instructors, Seth Ronland, Jenny Ahlin & Benjamin Sällström.

About

RowBetter

Enhance your rowing workouts with AI-driven coaching and advanced performance analytics. Track progress, visualize trends, and set personalized goals to optimize your training and achieve new personal bests.

Highlights
  • AI smart coach for adaptive training plans
  • Advanced performance analytics (split trends, stroke rate vs. split)
  • Weekly training challenges
  • Seamless workout logging and sync
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Goal tracking for distance, split, and rate
Features
Read full description

Row smarter. Row faster. RowBetter. A completely free platform every rower has wanted. Whether you are training for a 2k personal best or hitting the daily steady-state grind, RowBetter is the ultimate companion for your rowing journey. Stop guessing your progress and start seeing it with professional-grade analytics and ai-driven coaching. Set your performance goals and let RowBetter take care of the rest. Our new AI trainer analyzes your recent workouts, progression, consistency and so much more to create a personalized plan. Smart Coach: Ask questions about your rowing and get the guidance based on your training. Smart coach can help you understand your recent performance, training plan, workouts, goals, and progress so you make the right decisions on what to do next. Advanced analytics Go beyond the monitor. Visualize your performance with precision: • Split trends: see exactly how your pace evolves over months of training. • Performance trends: See your average split, best split, distance, and more. • Meters over time: track your volume and stay consistent with your yardage. challenge yourself every week features a new "challenge of the week" designed to keep your training fresh. From low-rate power sessions to high-intensity sprints, there’s always a new way to level up your fitness. Seamless logging and sync • Quick log: add workouts in seconds with an intuitive, dark-mode interface. Directly sync with Concept 2 erg for even faster logging. • icloud sync: your data is yours. everything stays synced and secured across your devices. • Goal tracking: set your targets for distance, split, and rate, and watch the progress bar climb. take the guesswork out of the erg. Download RowRetter today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stark Dumbbell4 screens
RowBetter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RowBetter at Free against Stark Dumbbell's $4.99. RowBetter also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Stark Dumbbell's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (503 vs 12). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

RowBetter is free to download; Stark Dumbbell costs $4.99 up front. RowBetter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Stark Dumbbell asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RowBetter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stark Dumbbell has 503 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Stark Dumbbell's written reviews are positive against 100% of RowBetter's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stark Dumbbell ships an update every 2 months, RowBetter every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Stark Dumbbell versus RowBetter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStark DumbbellRowBetter
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (503 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings503 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPostra ABTara Steger

Customer experience

Stark Dumbbell

All ratings503 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral2.4%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews131 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral9.9%
Negative17.6%

RowBetter

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Stark Dumbbell

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Videos/graphics not working
  • Crashes when starting
  • Lack of weight/rep tracking

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add more exercises
  • Improve Apple Health integration
  • Add ability to track weights and reps
  • Implement dark mode
  • Add verbal exercise instructions
Show 1 more
  • Provide more pre-built workout routines

RowBetter

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Stark Dumbbell

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

RowBetter

Subscriptions2
  • RowBetter Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • RowBetter Pro Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Stark Dumbbell free?
Stark Dumbbell costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RowBetter free?
RowBetter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stark Dumbbell or RowBetter?
RowBetter is rated higher. Stark Dumbbell averages 4.6 out of 5 from 503 ratings, while RowBetter averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do Stark Dumbbell or RowBetter have ads?
Neither Stark Dumbbell nor RowBetter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stark Dumbbell or RowBetter?
Stark Dumbbell ships an update every 2 months, and RowBetter every 3 months. Most recently, Stark Dumbbell was updated on November 2, 2026 and RowBetter on October 30, 2026.

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