Introduction
In an increasingly crowded digital fitness landscape, WithU has carved out a distinctive position as a pioneer of audio-guided fitness technology. Founded in 2019 and launched to market in 2020, this UK-based fitness technology company has experienced remarkable growth, earning recognition as one of Europe's fastest-growing companies. By prioritizing audio instruction over video-centric workouts, WithU addresses a fundamental challenge in the fitness app market: how to deliver expert coaching without requiring users to remain glued to their screens.
The company's approach represents a philosophical departure from the prevailing trend of video-based fitness applications. While competitors like Peloton, Apple Fitness+, and Nike Training Club have built their platforms around visual demonstrations, WithU has bet on the power of voice guidance to create more immersive, distraction-free workout experiences. This strategic differentiation has resonated with users seeking flexibility in where and how they exercise, contributing to the company's rapid expansion across multiple markets and platforms.
Company Origins and Leadership
WithU was co-founded by Tim Benjamin, a former Olympic 400-meter athlete who represented Great Britain at World Championship and Olympic level before retiring in 2009. Benjamin's transition from elite athletics to the fitness industry began with the founding of Fitness Space, a results-driven gym concept that evolved into a franchise model with locations across the UK. His experience building physical fitness facilities informed the development of WithU's digital platform, combining athletic expertise with an understanding of what motivates people to exercise consistently.
Benjamin serves as Chief Product Officer at WithU, overseeing product development, content creation, and production across both UK and international markets. His co-founders include Steve Clarke, who serves as CEO, and Kaleigh Scott, who leads marketing as Co-Founder and CMO. This leadership team has guided the company through significant milestones, including strategic partnerships with major corporations and the development of innovative technology products.
The company operates under WithU Holdings Limited, registered in Maidstone, Kent, England. Since its founding, WithU has grown from an ambitious startup into a recognized fittech disruptor with a presence in over 28 countries worldwide. This growth trajectory earned the company placement at number 26 in the 2025 Financial Times FT 1000 list of Europe's fastest-growing companies, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 246% and the distinction of being the fastest-growing Leisure and Entertainment company in Europe.
Core Product Philosophy
At its foundation, WithU is designed around the principle that effective fitness coaching should be accessible to anyone, anywhere. The platform offers over 1,500 on-demand audio workouts across more than 20 fitness disciplines. This extensive library includes strength training, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, mobility work, cardio, running, walking, pre and postnatal exercise, breathwork, rowing, boxing, barre, dumbbell and kettlebell training, meditation, and menopause support programming.
The audio-first approach serves several practical purposes. By eliminating the need to watch a screen, users can exercise in environments where video viewing would be impractical or distracting—running outdoors, working out in gyms without phone mounts, or exercising in spaces where privacy is desired. The format also reduces screen time, a growing concern as digital device usage continues to increase across all demographics.
Workout durations range from quick six-minute sessions to comprehensive 70-minute routines, accommodating varying schedules and fitness goals. Users can filter workouts by focus area, difficulty level, duration, target body area, equipment requirements, or preferred trainer. This flexibility extends to program design, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced progressive workout programs enabling users to follow structured weekly schedules targeting specific goals such as improving 5K running times, building strength, or enhancing mobility.
AI-Powered Personalization
WithU has integrated artificial intelligence throughout its platform to deliver increasingly personalized fitness experiences. The AI system builds customized training plans based on user goals, available time, and current fitness levels. As users progress through workouts, the platform adapts recommendations to match their evolving capabilities and changing schedules.
The AI Assistant feature allows users to make real-time adjustments to their training plans. If a workout doesn't fit into a particular day's schedule, users can request modifications, discover alternative sessions, or reorganize their weekly plan through conversational interactions with the assistant. This built-in flexibility addresses one of the primary barriers to consistent exercise: the inability to adapt rigid programs to the unpredictable demands of daily life.
Beyond scheduling, the AI analyzes workout history, preferences, and performance patterns to surface relevant content from the extensive workout library. This recommendation engine helps users discover new training modalities they might not have explored independently, reducing the monotony that often leads to fitness program abandonment.
World-Class Coaching Team
The quality of WithU's coaching roster distinguishes the platform from many competitors. The trainer lineup includes Olympians, elite athletes, and advanced fitness professionals with credentials from leading global organizations. Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a Team GB Olympic sprinter, brings athletic excellence to the platform's training content. Co-founder Tim Benjamin contributes his Olympic-level experience in 400-meter running. Rory Knight, voted Men's Health UK Smartest Coach 2019 and appointed as WithU's Performance Director, oversees workout performance standards across the platform.
Faisal Abdalla, a master trainer for Nike and Barry's Bootcamp, is recognized as one of London's top 10 personal trainers and ranks among the top 50 fitness personalities worldwide. His high-intensity sessions exemplify the platform's commitment to delivering premium coaching quality. Carrie Ruby brings expertise across multiple sports disciplines with high-energy sessions designed to push users beyond their comfort zones. Omar, a former 800-meter track athlete, combines athletic background with technical coaching expertise. Jo-Leigh Morris, one of London's most sought-after Pilates and barre instructors, provides controlled, elegant sessions emphasizing strength and mobility.
This coaching diversity ensures users can find instructors whose communication style, energy level, and expertise align with their personal preferences. The platform facilitates this matching process by allowing users to explore different coaches and develop ongoing relationships with those who resonate most effectively with their training approach.
Strategic Partnerships and Business Development
WithU's growth strategy has relied heavily on strategic partnerships with major consumer brands, telecommunications companies, and media organizations. These partnerships serve dual purposes: expanding the platform's user base while demonstrating the versatility of audio-based fitness content across different distribution channels.
The company's joint venture with Sky resulted in the creation of Mvmnt, a television-first fitness application launched in 2022. Initially developed for Sky Live's interactive camera system, Mvmnt incorporated AI-powered body-tracking technology that provides real-time form feedback during workouts. The platform analyzes user movements through the camera and offers on-screen corrections to help users refine their exercise technique. In 2024, Mvmnt expanded to the broader Sky market across Sky Glass, Sky Stream, and Sky Q devices with a modified proposition that doesn't require camera hardware.
Following strong performance—including 270% year-over-year growth among Sky customers, a 97% Customer Satisfaction Score, and 94% coaching quality ratings—WithU assumed full ownership of the Mvmnt brand in 2025. Sky signed a new three-year partnership agreement to retain Mvmnt across its TV platforms while WithU prepares for global expansion of the product into EMEA, Americas, and APAC regions. Colin Griffith, with 15 years of experience at Sky, was appointed as Mvmnt's Managing Director to lead this expansion phase.
The Samsung Health partnership produced “WithU On-Screen,” the company's first visual-led format, designed for seamless integration into selected Samsung Smart TV devices. This collaboration extended WithU's reach to Samsung's global customer base while demonstrating the platform's ability to adapt its coaching model for different viewing contexts.
Visa selected WithU as a preferred fitness technology partner for its Latin America and Caribbean region customer loyalty program. Platinum, Visa Signature, and Visa Infinite cardholders in 22 countries across the LAC region receive complimentary access to WithU, representing Visa's first customer loyalty expansion into the fitness sphere.
Vodafone partnerships in the UK and Ireland provided one year of free WithU Unlimited access to customers, welcoming over 26,000 new members who subsequently worked out three to four times weekly. This initiative demonstrated the platform's ability to convert promotional access into sustained engagement.
The multinational McDonald's partnership placed WithU as a prize partner in the McDonald's Monopoly promotional campaigns across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The UK campaign alone drove a 297% increase in new app signups, with 95% of code redeemers proceeding to create full accounts. Notably, beginner-level workouts accounted for over 83% of completed workouts among new members from this promotion, validating the platform's appeal to fitness newcomers.
Employee wellness partnerships with John Lewis brought WithU to 80,000+ employees and partners, with a particular focus on sleep-focused programming designed to support night shift workers. This B2B distribution channel represents growing corporate interest in digital fitness solutions for workforce wellness programs.
The parkrun partnership established WithU as the exclusive digital fitness partner for the global running community, with dedicated parkrun content including running workouts, warm-ups, cool-downs, and event information available free to all app users. This alignment with grassroots running culture reinforced the platform's commitment to accessibility and community building.
Most recently, WithU launched TrvlWell in 2025, a joint venture with The Collinson Group focused on travel wellness. TrvlWell provides personalized wellbeing recommendations for travelers at every stage of their journey, with a flagship partnership with Priority Pass integrating these recommendations into the world's leading airport lounge program.
Subscription Model and Pricing
WithU operates a freemium model with tiered access levels. The Basic tier provides free access to Daily Sessions—short, equipment-free workouts updated with new content and disciplines daily. These sessions are designed to deliver quick feel-good boosts in under 10 minutes, accessible anytime and anywhere.
WithU Unlimited unlocks the complete workout library of over 1,500 sessions across all disciplines, full access to training programs, integration with wearables and health apps, and personalized post-workout and progress statistics. The Unlimited tier is available through either a monthly subscription at £9.99 or an annual subscription at £79.99, representing a 33% savings. New members receive a seven-day free trial to explore premium features before committing to a paid subscription.
Compared to competitors like Peloton Digital, Apple Fitness+, and Centr, WithU positions itself as an affordable option, particularly considering the breadth of content available. The platform periodically offers promotional discounts on annual subscriptions, further reducing the barrier to entry for price-conscious consumers.
Technology Integration and Platform Availability
WithU is available on iOS, Android, and Wear OS platforms, enabling access across smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. The Wear OS application supports real-time GPS tracking and on-the-go workout management directly from the wrist, allowing users to leave phones behind during outdoor activities while maintaining full coaching support.
Integration with wearable technology extends to major fitness tracking ecosystems. Strava integration allows runners to automatically sync workout data with their running community. Apple Health and Google Fit connections enable unified tracking of activity metrics across all fitness applications a user employs.
The offline download feature addresses connectivity limitations by allowing users to save workouts in advance. This capability proves particularly valuable for travelers, outdoor exercisers in areas with limited cell coverage, and gym-goers who prefer not to rely on facility WiFi.
User Experience and Reception
User feedback across app stores and review platforms reflects generally positive experiences with the WithU platform. Reviews on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store typically range between 4.4 and 4.8 stars, with particular praise for audio coaching quality, workout variety, and trainer engagement.
Reviewers frequently highlight the app's suitability for busy schedules, appreciating the flexibility to exercise without screen dependence. The coaching quality receives consistent commendation, with users describing the experience as comparable to having a personal trainer present. The challenge system, streak tracking, and achievement rewards contribute to sustained motivation and habit formation.
Criticism centers on several areas common to fitness applications. Some users desire more detailed video demonstrations to accompany audio instructions, particularly for complex movements. Wearable device synchronization occasionally produces technical issues. Community features are perceived as less developed compared to platforms like Strava and Peloton. Music integration preferences vary among users, with some seeking greater control over workout soundtracks.
The platform has also received feedback about inclusivity for users at different starting points, with some overweight individuals noting that entry-level programming could better accommodate those beginning from lower baseline fitness levels. The company has responded by stating that AI personalization continues to improve and by offering direct support channels to help users find appropriate workout progressions.
Market Position and Competitive Landscape
The digital fitness market is projected to reach £13.9 billion globally by 2030, driven by increasing consumer comfort with at-home and on-demand exercise solutions. Within this expanding market, WithU occupies a distinctive niche through its audio-first positioning, differentiating from video-centric competitors while building a diverse content library that rivals larger platforms.
The company's recognition in the Financial Times FT 1000 list validates its growth trajectory relative to European peers. Strategic partnerships with global brands—Sky, Visa, Samsung, Vodafone, McDonald's, and John Lewis—provide distribution reach that would be difficult to achieve through direct consumer acquisition alone.
WithU's expansion from a mobile audio fitness app into TV-based fitness (Mvmnt), corporate wellness (John Lewis partnership), and travel wellness (TrvlWell) suggests a strategic vision extending beyond the core product. This diversification creates multiple revenue streams while leveraging the underlying coaching methodology and content production capabilities across platforms.
Future Outlook
WithU's near-term roadmap centers on global expansion of the Mvmnt product, targeting Smart TV distributors and Pay TV operators in EMEA, Americas, and APAC regions. The company aims to replicate its UK success with Sky across new broadcast partnerships, capitalizing on the smart TV market's projected growth to 2.1 billion units by 2030.
Continued AI enhancement will likely deepen personalization capabilities, potentially incorporating more sophisticated biometric data from wearables to optimize training recommendations. The company's investment in computer vision technology through Mvmnt's body-tracking features positions it to integrate visual feedback into mobile applications as smartphone camera capabilities advance.
The TrvlWell venture signals interest in wellness contexts beyond traditional exercise, suggesting potential expansion into sleep, nutrition, stress management, and other lifestyle dimensions. Priority Pass's global reach provides immediate distribution for this travel-focused wellness offering.
Conclusion
WithU represents a significant innovation in digital fitness, demonstrating that audio-guided workouts can deliver coaching quality, accessibility, and engagement comparable to or exceeding video-based alternatives. The company's rapid growth, strategic partnerships with global brands, and successful technology product launches validate this differentiated approach.
For users seeking flexible, screen-free fitness solutions supported by world-class coaching, WithU offers a compelling proposition. Its freemium model lowers barriers to trial, while its extensive workout library and AI-powered personalization support sustained engagement across fitness levels and goals.
As the digital fitness market continues expanding, WithU's combination of audio expertise, technology innovation, and strategic partnerships positions it to capture meaningful market share while maintaining the distinctive identity that has fueled its remarkable growth trajectory. The company's journey from UK startup to Europe's fastest-growing leisure and entertainment company illustrates the potential for focused innovation to disrupt established market assumptions about how fitness technology should function.