Hydrow vs Concept2
Concept2's RowErg is $990 with no membership, so its three-year cost is $990. Hydrow Wave is $1,995 plus a $50 monthly membership that Hydrow says is not optional, so $3,795 over three years. On pages read 2026-11-02, the RowErg is the simpler, lower-priced route; Hydrow is the coached, screen-led one.
MudderElla compares the two here as part of the group behind best rowing machines for home. Concept2 is named in plain text and is not a partner of this site, so nothing on this page sends you to it. The choice mostly comes down to whether you want a bare, durable rower or a rower sold together with a paid class library.
Disclosure: the Hydrow, Ergatta and Bowflex links on this page are affiliate links. MudderElla may earn a commission if you buy after clicking one, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what a page says. How we link.
The decisive table
Three-year cost is the machine price plus 36 months of membership, with no shipping, tax or accessories.
| Hydrow Wave | Concept2 RowErg | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,995 MSRP, which Hydrow says may change | $990 with standard legs; $1,155 with tall legs |
| Membership | $50 a month, for the whole household | None found on the page read; free ErgData app |
| Three-year cost | $3,795 | $990 |
| Resistance | Electromagnetic drag, in Hydrow's description | Flywheel; outlets describe it as air resistance |
| Monitor | Hydrow's screen; size not found on the pages read | PM5 monitor included, powered by the flywheel and two D cell batteries |
| Size assembled | 80 x 19 in | 96 x 24 in |
| Weight | 102 lb | 57 lb with standard legs; 68 lb with tall legs |
| User weight limit | Not found on the pages read | 500 lb as tested by Concept2; 300 lb per the European standard EN 20957-7 |
| Warranty | Five years on the frame; 12 months on components, screen, electronics and labor | Not stated on the page read |
| Return window | 30-day home trial | Not stated on the page read |
The price difference before membership is $1,005. Membership accounts for the rest of the gap: $1,800 of the Hydrow figure.
What the Hydrow price includes
Hydrow's FAQ says membership "should not be considered an optional part of purchasing." Without it the rower runs in Just Row mode with "very limited functionality": drag adjustment, on-screen metrics and Bluetooth heart-rate, but no workout videos, music, stored progress or leaderboard. The Wave page lists "6,000+ workouts" in Hydrow's own words. Its standard terms include a free 30-day home trial and free shipping.
The Concept2 page read shows no membership. It lists the free ErgData app for iOS and Android and says "over 40 other apps" work with the monitor. Shipping is $55 to the lower 48 with standard legs, or $85 with tall legs, as Concept2's page states.
Pick by situation
A tight budget. The cells point to Concept2 by a wide margin: $990 against $3,795. If the machine is the whole cost you want to carry, this is the clearest row on the page.
You want to be coached. Hydrow. Its membership is the class library, and InsideHook (page dated 2025-06-26) described engaging instructor-led classes. Expert Reviews (page dated 2022-12-14) said Hydrow was "more rewarding for complete novices" than the RowErg. Garage Gym Reviews titles its Wave review "The Concept2 of Smart Rowers." Those pages were read only as summaries.
You are happy to follow your own plan or use a third-party app. Concept2 fits, and the PM5 shows your numbers without a subscription. Garage Gym Reviews (updated 2026-06-01) says the RowErg is the top rower it has tested and lists basic built-in programming as a con.
A small room. The data splits. The Hydrow Wave is shorter and narrower assembled, at 80 x 19 in against 96 x 24 in, and Hydrow sells a Vertical Anchor at $190 for upright storage on the Wave. The RowErg separates into two parts with no tools; Concept2 gives the standard-legs storage size as 25 x 33 x 54 in and says to allow 9 ft x 4 ft with clearance. The small spaces guide compares more footprints, since the room decides this one.
A taller rower. Concept2 says inseams of 38 in or more may need an extra-long monorail, and sells tall legs at $1,155 with a 20 in seat. Hydrow's page read gives no height range, so the table cannot separate them.
A quiet home. The makers do not separate them. Hydrow calls the Wave's drag mechanism "whisper-quiet" in its own words. Concept2's page states no noise figure. Outlets lean one way: Breaking Muscle (page last updated 2023-11-14) calls the RowErg loud and says it gets louder as you row harder, and BoxRox (2025-09-17) says it is louder than magnetic machines. Neither page was read as raw text, and there is no agreed decibel number. For the types in general see air vs magnetic vs water rowing machines.
A heavier rower. Concept2 gives two figures, 500 lb and 300 lb, and prints both for that reason. Hydrow's limit was not found, so it cannot be compared.
Where each is the simpler choice
Concept2 is simpler to own: one price, no plan to choose, a monitor powered by the flywheel and two D cell batteries, and free apps. It is also the lower-priced route by $1,005 on machine price alone. Hydrow is simpler to use if you want the next class chosen for you, and its Wave offers optional upright storage. This is a difference in how you will spend time and money, not a verdict.
Hydrow's Wave page also shows badges such as "Best Smart Rowing Machine of 2026" without naming an outlet, so this page does not use them. The Hydrow review covers all three Hydrow models, and the Concept2 RowErg review covers the other side. For a water rower against Hydrow see Hydrow vs Ergatta; for the other major connected rower see Hydrow vs Peloton's rower; and for Concept2 against a water rower, Ergatta vs Concept2.
FAQ
Is Concept2 or Hydrow cheaper over three years?
Concept2's RowErg: $990, with no membership on the page read. Hydrow Wave: $3,795, which is $1,995 plus 36 months at $50. Shipping and tax are excluded from both.
Does the Concept2 need a membership?
The Concept2 page read states none and lists a free ErgData app. Its warranty and return terms were not on that page, so check Concept2 directly.
Is Hydrow worth the membership?
That depends on whether you will use the classes. Hydrow says membership should not be treated as optional, and without it the rower offers only Just Row mode. If you would row without classes, the Concept2 numbers are simpler.
Which takes less space?
Hydrow Wave is 80 x 19 in assembled; the RowErg is 96 x 24 in and separates into two parts. Check your room against both.
Why are Hydrow and Concept2 warranties not compared?
Hydrow lists a five-year frame warranty. The Concept2 page read did not state a warranty, so no comparison is printed.