Best Rowing Machine Apps in 2026

ErgData is our pick for rowers who care about numbers more than classes. It connects by Bluetooth to a Concept2 PM5 monitor, logs workouts, shows stroke graphs and heart rate zones, and syncs to the free Concept2 Online Logbook, where you can join challenges and compare times. The rower itself needs no subscription at all, so the total ongoing cost is zero.

The limit is content. ErgData will not coach you through a class or play scenic video, so motivation has to come from your own goals, logbook challenges, or a third-party app layered on top. For serious rowers, that is a strength, not a flaw. For someone who needs an instructor to get on the machine, look at Hydrow or Peloton instead.

Hydrow is the closest thing to a rowing studio at home. Its classes are filmed on real waterways, led by coaches including Olympic-level rowers, and supported by live leaderboards that make a solo session feel competitive. The membership also covers yoga, strength, and mobility work, so the app serves as a broader fitness library, not just rowing.

The cost is the honest catch. The membership is $44 per month, and without it a Hydrow machine drops back to a basic rowing mode with far less content. The hardware is also a large purchase on top of the subscription. If instructor-led training is what keeps you consistent, Hydrow earns that fee. If you row for data and already own a rower, ErgData plus a cheaper app will save a lot.

Ergatta takes a different approach to motivation: instead of an instructor talking you through a workout, you race against yourself, other rowers, or game-style challenges that adapt to your fitness. That structure suits people who find classes repetitive but still want a reason to push hard. The water-resistance rower also feels natural and looks good in a living space, with a cherry wood frame.

The membership is $39 per month, and the full experience depends on it, though the machine still works in a basic mode without it. Ergatta offers less instructor-led content than Hydrow, so class lovers may miss that variety. If competition drives you more than coaching, Ergatta is the more interesting pick.

Aviron is the entertainment-first rower. Its screen runs games, live and on-demand classes, team competitions, and streaming apps, which makes long sessions pass faster than a plain metrics display. Importantly, the machine still works without a membership: through the free MyAviron companion app you keep workout history, live metrics, resistance control, and badges, so you are not locked out of equipment you bought.

The full library still sits behind a membership, and the hardware itself is a major purchase. Aviron suits households where different people want different things, since one person can race a game while another follows a class. If you only want quiet, data-driven rows, a simpler rower and ErgData will cost far less.

Peloton brings its studio formula to rowing: energetic instructors, live and on-demand classes, leaderboards, and pace targets that adjust to your performance. The Row also offers form feedback through sensors in the handlebar and slide rail, which helps beginners learn technique instead of just pulling harder. One $44 per month All-Access membership covers the household, and it also covers strength, yoga, and other classes.

The catch is the same as with Hydrow: the subscription is the product, and the hardware is expensive and heavy at over 150 pounds. Peloton also works best if you already like its class style. If you want rowing plus a full fitness library in one subscription, Peloton is a strong pick. If you only row, a rowing-specific app costs less.

Kinomap is the best rowing app for people who already own a rower and want scenery without buying new hardware. It pairs with a wide range of Bluetooth rowers and other machines, plays real-world video that matches your effort, and offers a free version with no time limit, with Premium from 11.99 euros per month. It also syncs with Strava and Apple Health, which keeps your training history in one place.

The rowing library is thinner than the cycling library, and Kinomap offers little structured coaching or training plans. It suits rowers who want a pleasant distraction and a realistic feel, rather than a coach telling them what to do. On a tablet, the experience is far better than on a small phone screen, so plan your setup accordingly.

EXR turns rowing into a virtual sport. You row through 3D worlds, join live races, and take part in regular challenges, which gives competitive rowers a reason to return without an instructor-led class. It pairs with many Bluetooth rowers from brands including Concept2, WaterRower, and others, and reviewers put the price at roughly $15 per month, with a 14-day trial to test it.

The gap is guidance. EXR offers no real coaching or technique instruction, so beginners who need form help should pair it with a coaching app or a few technique sessions. It also needs your own device as a screen. For rowers who already know how to row and want racing, EXR is a focused, affordable option.

Asensei is built around coaching rather than entertainment. Its programs set goals, teach technique through lessons, and progress over weeks, with coaching input from experienced rowers. That structure suits rowers who want to get better, not just sweat, and it works with Concept2 machines and other connected rowers, so you may not need new hardware.

The downside is scale. Asensei does not offer the huge class libraries of Hydrow or Peloton, and its pricing is less clearly published than some rivals, so confirm the current membership cost before subscribing. If your goal is faster splits and better form, Asensei is the most coaching-focused app on this list.

LiveRowing is a simple, older option for Concept2 owners who want to pick a workout, have it program the monitor, and save the result with analysis. It is free to download, with paid upgrades inside the app, and it connects to Strava for sharing. For a rower who finds ErgData too plain but does not want a subscription, LiveRowing is worth a look.

Its limits are real. The app has a smaller feature set than current rivals, and its platform support is narrower. Treat it as a lightweight tracker for Concept2 workouts, not as a full training platform. If you need classes, games, or coaching, the apps above will serve you better.