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Head-to-head buyer guide

Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine vs Hydrow Arc Rower

Specs, prices, editor verdict, and who should buy which, compared side by side.

By Ryan · Founder
Updated Sep 30, 2026

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Quick verdict

Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine (mid, $1,299.99) vs Hydrow Arc Rower (premium, $2,195 to $2,295). Different tools for different jobs (see the per-product details below).

Compared on 2 shared specs · same category (fitness).

Echelon Row-s smart rowing machine with a 22-inch swivel touchscreen
Echelon Fitness

Row-s Smart Rowing Machine

The Echelon Row-s is a connected magnetic rower with a 22-inch swivel touchscreen, aimed at buyers who want screen-led rowing without paying the top of the category. At $1,299.99 against a $1,799.99 compare-at, it sits $895 under the $2,195 Hydrow Arc while running a screen only two inches smaller.

PRICE
$1,299.99
View at Echelon Fitness →
Hydrow Arc connected rowing machine
Hydrow

Arc Rower

Rowing is one of the few pieces of cardio equipment that trains the whole body at once, low-impact, and Hydrow is the brand that made it a connected-fitness category. The Arc is its most advanced rower: a 24-inch HD screen, electromagnetic drag, and an AI system that scores every stroke.

PRICE
$2,195 to $2,295
SCORE
8.5 / 10
View at Hydrow →
The verdict

We have not scored these two head to head, so this page does not name a winner. The Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine starts at $1,299.99 and the Hydrow Arc Rower at $2,195. The per-buyer recommendations below say who each one suits.

Side-by-side specs

SpecEchelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing MachineHydrow Arc Rower
price$1,299.99$2,195 to $2,295
display22-inch (56 cm) Class HD touchscreen with 90-degree swivel24-inch HD (Arc); tilting HD on Wave and Origin
resistance32 electronic resistance levels, magnetic, handlebar Bluetooth controllerComputer-controlled electromagnetic drag

Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine also publishes: max user weight, seat height, product dimensions, footprint, product weight, storage, connectivity, SKU, subscription, warranty

Hydrow Arc Rower also publishes: type, AI, lineup, membership

Who should buy which

Pick the Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine if

Home exercisers who want class-led, screen-guided rowing on a large display and care more about the price gap to the category leader than owning its badge.

Skip if

You want a subscription-free rower, or you cannot give up 85 inches of floor length, since the class library is gated behind Premier and the frame is long even though it stores upright.

Pick the Hydrow Arc Rower if

Buyers who want premium, low-impact, full-body cardio at home and value guided live and on-demand classes enough to pay a monthly membership on top of the machine.

Skip if

You do not want a recurring subscription, you want the cheapest effective rower (a Concept2 costs far less without a screen), or you lack the floor space for a full-size rower.

Go deeper

FULL REVIEW
Read the Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine review →
FULL REVIEW
Read the Hydrow Arc Rower review →

Frequently asked

Which is better, the Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine or the Hydrow Arc Rower?

We have not scored these two head to head, so this page does not name a winner. The Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine starts at $1,299.99 and the Hydrow Arc Rower at $2,195. The per-buyer recommendations below say who each one suits.

How much do they cost?

Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine: $1,299.99. Hydrow Arc Rower: $2,195 to $2,295. Prices are verified against the manufacturer; check the live links for current pricing.

Who should buy which one?

Echelon Fitness Row-s Smart Rowing Machine: Home exercisers who want class-led, screen-guided rowing on a large display and care more about the price gap to the category leader than owning its badge. Hydrow Arc Rower: Buyers who want premium, low-impact, full-body cardio at home and value guided live and on-demand classes enough to pay a monthly membership on top of the machine.

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