Row & Recover

Head to head

Concept2 RowErg vs Echelon Row-S

A $990 air rower you own outright against a 22-inch rotating screen with resistance controls on the handlebar - and a $39.99/month membership that makes the screen worth having.

By Stephen V.An enthusiast who reads the manuals and does the math. Not a coach, not a lab.Last verified July 24, 2026.

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Two pieces of home cardio equipment side by side in a home gym

The Echelon Row-S undercuts the pricier connected rowers on hardware while offering a 22-inch rotating screen and a genuinely clever detail: resistance controls on the handlebar, so you change load mid-stroke instead of reaching for a dial. Against it sits the Concept2, which does none of that and costs nothing per month.

The five-year number

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Echelon prices its Premier membership at $39.99/month, and the Row-S is a screen-first machine — without the membership the 22-inch panel loses most of its reason to exist. Over five years that is roughly $2,400 on top of the hardware. The Concept2 adds nothing.

Where the Echelon leads

The rotating screen is good for off-rower classes, the handlebar resistance controls are a real ergonomic win, and the hardware price sits well below the Hydrow tier. If you want a big-screen connected experience without paying Hydrow money for the machine, this is the value option.

Where the Concept2 leads

Cost over five years, a published 500 lb capacity against no published figure for the Echelon, a five-year frame warranty, decades of parts availability, and PM5 split times that mean something to other rowers. It is also the better tool for anyone training seriously rather than following classes.

The honest recommendation

Buy the Echelon Row-S if you want the cheapest way into a big rotating screen and you know you will use the classes. Buy the Concept2 if you want to own your machine outright, train against comparable numbers, and keep it for a decade. Our full Echelon review is here.

Our pick

Concept2 RowErg

Cheaper over five years, a published 500 lb capacity, a five-year warranty and no subscription. Buy the Echelon Row-S instead if you specifically want a big rotating screen and handlebar controls, and will use the $39.99/month classes.

Straight answers

Questions people actually ask

Is the Echelon Row-S worth it against a Concept2?

It depends on whether you want a screen. The Echelon offers a 22-inch rotating touchscreen and handlebar resistance controls at a hardware price below Hydrow's, but it attaches a $39.99/month membership - roughly $2,400 over five years. The Concept2 has no subscription, a published 500 lb capacity and a five-year warranty, and is cheaper to own over time.

Does the Echelon Row-S need a membership?

In practice, yes. Echelon prices Premier at $39.99/month, and the Row-S is built around its 22-inch screen - without the membership the panel loses most of its purpose. The hardware still rows, but you would be paying screen money for a machine you use like a plain one.

What is special about the Echelon Row-S handlebar?

Its resistance controls sit on the handlebar, so you can change load mid-stroke without reaching for a dial. It is a genuine ergonomic advantage over machines that make you stop or reach to adjust resistance, and it is one of the Row-S's clearest hardware wins.

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