Head to head
NordicTrack RW900 vs Echelon Row-S
Two mid-priced big-screen rowers with near-identical memberships. The decision comes down to screen size, one clever handlebar feature, and which class library you prefer.
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These two occupy the same slot: a big touchscreen and guided classes at a hardware price below Hydrow’s, with memberships within a dollar of each other. NordicTrack’s iFIT is $39/month; Echelon’s Premier is $39.99/month. So the membership barely separates them — the decision is about the machines themselves.
Screen and features
The NordicTrack RW900 has the bigger screen at 24 inches, and iFIT’s library extends well beyond rowing into a broad fitness catalog. The Echelon Row-S has a 22-inch rotating screen and one genuinely clever hardware detail: resistance controls on the handlebar, so you change load mid-stroke without reaching for a dial. If a bigger screen and a wider library matter most, NordicTrack; if the handlebar ergonomics appeal, Echelon.
The five-year cost is a near-tie
With memberships at $39 and $39.99, the five-year running cost is effectively identical — roughly $2,340 to $2,400 on top of the hardware. The full subscription comparison is here. On both, the screen is the interface, so cancelling leaves you with a magnetic rower and a dark panel. Neither offers the membership-optional escape that NordicTrack’s cheaper RW300 does.
The honest recommendation
Choose the NordicTrack RW900 for the biggest screen and the broadest class library. Choose the Echelon Row-S for the rotating screen and the handlebar resistance controls at a slightly lower membership. It is a genuinely close call, which is why the deciding factor is usually which class style you prefer — and if the membership is what gives you pause, a subscription-free machine costs far less over five years.
Our pick
NordicTrack RW900
The bigger 24-inch screen and the broader iFIT library, at a membership a penny cheaper than Echelon's. Choose the Echelon Row-S instead if you want the rotating screen and the handlebar resistance controls.
Straight answers
Questions people actually ask
Is the NordicTrack RW900 or Echelon Row-S better?
It is close. The NordicTrack RW900 has the bigger 24-inch screen and iFIT's broader library; the Echelon Row-S has a 22-inch rotating screen and handlebar resistance controls. Memberships are within a dollar - iFIT $39, Echelon Premier $39.99 - so the five-year cost is effectively a tie. Choose on screen size, the handlebar feature, and which class style you prefer.
Which has the cheaper subscription, NordicTrack or Echelon?
Almost identical. NordicTrack's iFIT is $39/month and Echelon Premier is $39.99/month, so over five years both add roughly $2,340 to $2,400. Neither offers a membership-free mode the way NordicTrack's cheaper RW300 does - on both the screen is the interface.
What is the Echelon Row-S handlebar feature?
Its resistance controls sit on the handlebar, so you can change load mid-stroke without stopping or reaching for a dial. It is a real ergonomic advantage over machines that make you interrupt your stroke to adjust resistance, and it is the Row-S's clearest hardware edge over the NordicTrack.
Show your working
Sources
- NordicTrack RW900 - published specifications and iFIT requirementAccessed 2026-07-24. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GW95RG2Z
- Echelon Row-S - published specificationsAccessed 2026-07-24. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8PCNQMK
- Echelon Premier Monthly - published priceAccessed 2026-07-24. https://echelonfit.com/products/echelon-monthly-premier
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