Can You Use Hydrow Without a Subscription or Membership?

As you research whether you want to purchase a Hydrow rowing machine and membership, it’s natural to wonder whether it’s possible to use your Hydrow without a subscription. After all, adding another monthly subscription to your budget might not be high on your list—we get it! 

The short and sweet answer to this question is that yes, you can technically use Hydrow without a subscription or a membership. However, it’s important to note that membership is an integral part of the Hydrow rowing experience providing you access to a variety of immersive rowing workouts filmed on scenic waterways around the world—and much, much more. 

The perks of a Hydrow membership 

From day one, Hydrow set out to create a fitness membership unlike any other. Most fitness subscriptions focus on guiding you through a workout—Hydrow’s goal is to immerse you in it.

The all-inclusive Hydrow membership ($44/mo—$528 annually—plus taxes) provides everything you need to maximize your investment in your Hydrow rowing machine and your health. Our all-inclusive membership includes:

• Thousands of live and on-demand rowing workouts filmed on iconic waterways around the world. These workouts cater to all paces, experience levels, and schedules—from foundational cardio workouts for beginners to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) rowing workouts.

• A wide range of non-rowing workouts, including yoga, Pilates, strength training, circuit training, and mobility workouts.

• Multiple user profiles for your household

• Instruction from world-class and Olympic Hydrow Athletes

• A community of fellow rowers to compete against and learn from

• Incentives to celebrate your progress and achievements

• On-the-go workouts with the Hydrow app 

• Donations to Water.org every 25 days you work out with Hydrow

Hydrow’s membership costs $44/mo, plus any applicable taxes. 

How to use Hydrow without a subscription or membership

Hydrow rowers are intended to be purchased and used with a Hydrow membership—but if you’re not interested in an ongoing membership, there are options: 

1. Purchase a Hydrow Core rower

For a limited time, purchasing our Hydrow Core rower will come with a library of 30 self-guided rows through stunning locations—with no membership required. Buying a Hydrow Core rower does not include access to instructor-led workouts, badges, milestones, or other premium features. 

2. Using “Just Row” mode

If you purchase a Hydrow Wave or Pro without a membership, you’ll be able to utilize our “Just Row” mode. In this mode, you will not have access to any pre-recorded, preloaded, or free workout videos. 

What features are available in Just Row mode?

• Adjustable drag / resistance setting during workouts

• "Hydrow 101" videos and introductory material

• On-screen Rowing Metrics during workouts

• Bluetooth Connection for heart rate monitors only

What features are not available in Just Row mode?

• All live and recorded workout videos

• All music and workout audio (no music can be played without membership)

• Any stored records of your progress, such as time, distance, and stroke rate metrics

• Any stored records of your progress

• Any saved stats after a workout

• Ability to appear to other users on the leaderboard

• Full mobile app integration to stream workouts via the Hydrow mobile app

If you decide you want to purchase a Hydrow membership later on, it’s easy! Simply click the “Activate” button on your Hydrow’s home screen and you’ll initiate the process of activating your subscription. 

Additionally, if you don’t want to subscribe to Hydrow’s all-inclusive membership but still want workout content, you can use the Hydrow app with a Digital Basic Membership for $19.99/mo, plus taxes. This will allow you access to workouts without the rowing machine. 

The bottom line

So yes, you can use Hydrow without a subscription or membership—but we don’t recommend it. Being a part of the Hydrow community comes with a ton of benefits, all meant to help you along your fitness journey. 

If you want to learn more about what makes the Hydrow membership so worth it, check out our blog post, What Does a Hydrow Membership Include?