The Underbelly

What it does

The Underbelly is a digital yoga and wellness platform that provides users with a wide variety of video-based classes and daily affirmations. It focuses on inclusive and accessible content for all body types and experience levels. Users can browse collections, follow daily calendars, and find practices tailored to specific needs like stress relief or physical aches.

Where it shines

The app excels in its content organization and user control. The home screen at 00:55 immediately presents a rich variety of content through well-organized carousels, from daily practice calendars to thematic collections. The video player at 01:13 is clean and provides more than just basic controls, offering options for background audio and playback speed. The powerful filtering system, visible at 03:48, is a standout feature that allows users to precisely narrow down the extensive library to find the perfect session for their available time and skill level.

UX highlights

The content-rich dashboard uses a clear, card-based UI that makes browsing inviting and easy.
A comprehensive video player includes useful settings like background audio and playback speed control (01:28).
Content management is straightforward with familiar 'My List' and 'Downloads' features for saving and offline viewing (04:57).
The search functionality includes granular filters for duration, difficulty, and modifications, empowering users (03:48).
Full support for dark mode is available in the app settings, catering to user preferences (05:34).
The user profile section is well-structured, providing easy access to account management, settings, and support (05:24).

Monetization & growth

The Underbelly employs a direct monetization strategy with a hard paywall. New users are prompted to subscribe immediately after launching the app (00:03). The paywall at 00:06 clearly presents two auto-renewing subscription plans, both including a 7-day free trial to lower the barrier to entry. This approach filters for high-intent users and ensures everyone who enters the main app is on a trial, maximizing potential conversions.

Who it’s for

This app is for individuals seeking guided yoga, meditation, and wellness content they can access from anywhere. The inclusive imagery and wide range of classes, from 'Beginner Yoga' to more advanced flows, suggest it targets a broad audience, not just seasoned practitioners. It's ideal for those who value flexibility and want to find practices that fit their specific mood, schedule, and physical needs.

Notes & opportunities

While the paywall-first strategy is confident, it might deter potential users who prefer to sample a few free videos before committing. The in-app community features are minimal; the comment section seen at 02:26 is basic and could be enhanced with replies and reactions to foster more engagement. Finally, the home screen could benefit from more dynamic content curation, such as highlighting new releases or trending classes more explicitly to improve content discovery.