Hydrow Rower vs Echelon Row-s Connected Rower
Hydrow Rower (#2, best premium) vs Echelon Row-s Connected Rower (#4, best value): in our Rowing Machines scoring the Hydrow Rower totals 9/10 and the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower 7.7/10, the Hydrow Rower leading on Row Feel and Build Quality and the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower on Value.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Hydrow Rower | Echelon Row-s Connected Rower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1895 | $1299 |
| Resistance | Electromagnetic | Magnetic (32 levels) |
| Screen | 22" HD touchscreen | 21.5" HD touchscreen |
| Length | 86" | — |
| Storage | Upright kit available | — |
| Max User | 375 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Folded Length | — | 43" |
| Monitor | — | Built-in |
How they differ in real use
Built from our rowing machines scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Hydrow Rower and the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower made our Top 5 Rowing Machines, at #2 (best premium) and #4 (best value). The Peloton of rowing—22" HD screen streams on-water classes with whisper-quiet electromagnetic resistance. Beautiful design for living spaces. Connected rowing on a budget—live classes and 21.5" HD screen at roughly half the Hydrow price. Folds compact for storage.
We score rowing machines on Row Feel (35%), Resistance Type (25%), Build Quality (20%), Features (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Hydrow Rower totals 9 out of 10 and the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower 7.7. The widest gap is Row Feel, where the Hydrow Rower scores 9 against 7 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower — stroke smoothness. Build Quality also separates them: 10 for the Hydrow Rower versus 7 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower. The Echelon Row-s Connected Rower claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Resistance — Electromagnetic on the Hydrow Rower versus Magnetic (32 levels) on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower; Screen — 22" HD touchscreen on the Hydrow Rower versus 21.5" HD touchscreen on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower; Max User — 375 lbs on the Hydrow Rower versus 300 lbs on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower.
Pricing as of February 1, 2026: $1,895 for the Hydrow Rower and $1,299 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower, a $596 difference in the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower's favor. Owners praise the Hydrow Rower for 22" HD touchscreen and on-water filmed classes; the most common complaint is $44/mo membership required. Owners praise the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower for live and on-demand classes and much cheaper than Hydrow; the most common complaint is $39.99/mo membership.
Hydrow Rower
- 22" HD touchscreen
- On-water filmed classes
- Whisper quiet
- Electromagnetic resistance
- $44/mo membership required
- Very expensive
- Heavy (145 lbs)
Echelon Row-s Connected Rower
- Live and on-demand classes
- Much cheaper than Hydrow
- 21.5" HD touchscreen
- Magnetic resistance
- $39.99/mo membership
- Less polished than Hydrow
- Resistance feel not as smooth
Which should you buy?
The Hydrow Rower is the better fit for connected fitness enthusiasts and quiet home gyms — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Row Feel and Build Quality. The Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is the better fit for budget connected fitness and streaming workout fans, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $596 saving matters more than Row Feel, the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is the better value. The Hydrow Rower is a poor fit for budget shoppers; the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is a poor fit for premium experience seekers.
Choose the Hydrow Rower if
- Connected fitness enthusiasts
- Quiet home gyms
- Premium experience seekers
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- Subscription avoiders
Choose the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower if
- Budget connected fitness
- Streaming workout fans
- Space-conscious users
Skip it if
- Premium experience seekers
- Subscription avoiders
Common questions
Is the Hydrow Rower better than the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower?
In our Rowing Machines ranking the Hydrow Rower scores higher overall, 9 to 7.7, with the biggest advantage in Row Feel. The Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Hydrow Rower cost than the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower?
$596 more as of February 1, 2026: $1,895 for the Hydrow Rower against $1,299 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Row Feel — 9 versus 7 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Hydrow Rower and the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower?
The headline spec difference is Resistance: Electromagnetic on the Hydrow Rower versus Magnetic (32 levels) on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower. In use, the gap that matters most is Row Feel (9 vs 7 in our scoring): stroke smoothness.