Waking Up: Meditation & Wisdom

What it does

Waking Up is a mindfulness app that combines guided meditation with deep dives into philosophy, neuroscience, and ethics. It offers structured courses, standalone sessions, and conversations with leading thinkers to help users explore the nature of their minds. The app serves as both a practical tool for meditation and an educational platform for intellectual inquiry.

Where it shines

The app excels in its depth and quality of content. The 28-day Introductory Course (visible at 01:01) provides a structured path for beginners, effectively blending theory and practice. The audio player (01:24) is clean and functional, with thoughtful features like background sound options. Its most unique aspect is its ethical approach to monetization, explicitly offering free access to those in need (00:43), which builds significant brand trust.

UX highlights

The home screen is a rich, browsable feed that surfaces diverse content types, from courses to new talks (01:09).
Content is clearly categorized into sections like "Theory" and "Practice," helping users find what they need (01:11).
Audio session detail screens provide comprehensive summaries and teacher bios before a user commits to listening (02:05).
The dedicated Meditation Timer is a simple but essential utility for unguided practice, featuring a clean setup UI (03:23).
Search is well-organized with "Top Searches" to guide discovery (04:08), reducing the cognitive load for users.
The visual design is dark, minimalist, and uses abstract art, creating a calm and contemplative atmosphere throughout the app.

Monetization & growth

The app uses a soft paywall with a free trial presented early in the onboarding process (00:42). It offers two subscription tiers, Annual and Monthly, with the annual plan marked as "Best Value." A key growth lever is the "Share Waking Up" feature (01:18), which allows members to gift free access, encouraging word-of-mouth. The most distinctive element is the message on the paywall offering free access to users who can't afford it, a powerful mission-driven stance that fosters community and trust.

Who it’s for

Waking Up is for individuals seeking more than just a simple meditation timer. Its target audience is intellectually curious people interested in the "why" behind mindfulness practices, including topics in philosophy and science. It caters to both beginners looking for a structured introduction and experienced practitioners wanting deeper theoretical content.

Notes & opportunities

The onboarding is very direct, pushing for sign-up and subscription almost immediately. While this likely filters for serious users, it might deter those wanting to browse content first. The sheer volume of content, while a strength, could be overwhelming for new users. Continued improvements in personalization and content curation will be key to helping users navigate the extensive library effectively.