Do I need a subscription to use a smart-screen rower like the Hydrow Wave?

Yes — and this is the most common complaint surfaced by r/Rowing threads about the Hydrow. The machine's value proposition is the live and on-demand classes streamed to the 16-inch touchscreen, and without an active membership the experience is significantly diminished. Budget magnetic rowers from Sunny and MERACH offer free companion apps with no required subscription.