Recently, there have been some points that are relevant red flags for me in the financial situation of Freeletics.
A lifetime subscription was introduced. Depending on the discount, this costs around 3 years. Looks like a financial injection…
From original blog posts on diets without supplements (I still remember an official Freeletics post saying that you can do without whey protein and other supplements), suddenly even whey and shakes were being sold. Probably had something to do with the new orientation following the involvement of external sponsors.
The store was then constantly expanded (the Freeletics mat was really brilliant!!) and has now been closed. It probably has something to do with Decathlon, but that was never communicated.
The ongoing design study on the integration of Rest-Days was canceled
Historically, a lot has changed with regard to the platform after the entry of external investors in 2018. Some for the better, some for the worse. Lately, I have the feeling that a tacit withdrawal is taking place.
Am I the only one who sees this and is afraid that his long-standing training-buddy could be lost? How critical is Freeletics really?
I dont beleive will be the financial strougles but is more about to keep the clients in the system,this related to Lifetime subscription.
I beleive the Decathlon has been a good move to implement new workouts with equipment and easier for the users but equipment in a store next to them, that will make life easier to use the app too.
lets see hows going with new implementations in the next few years.
I think there’s a few false assumptions here For example
Where do you hear that this is cancelled? This is absolutely something that we want to introduce in to the app.
You don’t need to be worried-we’ve been working so hard to improve the main Training Experience in the app, introducing updates that users have been telling us for a long time that they wanted to see in the app-we simply can’t do everything that everyone asks for.
Interesting points. I’ve noticed many of the same changes, but my take is a bit different (purely personal theories - I don’t represent Freeletics).
Lifetime subscription - Depends on the average user lifetime. If most users drop off before 3 years, this is actually a win. Plus it gives them upfront cash to reinvest. It may also convert users who wouldn’t have subscribed long term otherwise.
Store closure - Likely tied to the Decathlon deal. Possibly a non-compete clause. Focusing purely on software makes sense in the current subscription economy. Also, the Decathlon partnership could boost the number of users.
Rest-Days initiative: Not familiar with it, but I work in product myself. Canceling something before development (after validation) usually means you’re doing things right rather than wrong!
All in all, I wouldn’t say these changes point to financial struggles. But I get why you wondered - there’s been a lot of changes, plus they’re more noticeable to long-term users, especially to those as engaged as using the brand forum (us both).
Hey @Josh , I don’t work at Freeletics either but I’d say, from an external point of view, the company seems to never have been better, releasing new features that everyone was asking for for a long time (new training journey, new equipments, Spaces, new cardio equipments, etc).
Strategic partnership with Decthlon enables Freeletics to integrate more equipments, getting new users from other channel, and being able to focus on the tech, rather than the equipment store.
Just a point on protein and supplement, I am not dieticien, but yes you can get all your protein needs from wholefood diet. It is recommended. Supplements are just there to supplement your diet, and given the huge market I don’t see an issue for Freeletics to take advantage of this. You just don’t have to buy them.
An article from 8 years ago states the difference between the two and highlight the pros and cons of diet vs protein shake:
[Protein shake vs. protein food: Necessity or trend?]
(Protein shake vs. protein food: Necessity or trend?)
I don’t think you need to be afraid! A company wouldn’t put that much money that much development and ressources to just shut down a few years later also, Decathlon would have done a lot of due diligence and wouldn’t do this partnership with a company close to bankruptcy (all assumptions of course but that’s what I would have done haha).
I’m not shure, but I guess I was in that study (filled out diary and had some interviews). Before it was officially ended, I recieved an e-mail that the study is canceled. The combination that I was in that study is based on some UX-Studies that I saw in a post of some Freeletics Designers.
For example 
