Wasted $60 on a celebrity-backed meditation app that was just white noise and ads

I signed up for that app from the famous actress who talks about mindfulness everywhere. First week was fine, just some breathing exercises and sleep stories. But by week two, they started pushing a $40 "premium" tier for basic features like tracking streaks. Then came the pop-up ads for her own merchandise line during guided sessions. I tried to cancel but the button was hidden three menus deep in settings. Took me 15 minutes to finally unsubscribe and even then they kept emailing me for 5 more days. Has anyone else dealt with these influencer apps that promise wellness but just want your credit card info?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_martin8d ago

Oh man, that SUCKS. I absolutely feel you on this. I tried one of those "celebrity wellness" apps last year and it was the same exact bait and switch. The first week was actually kinda nice and then BAM, here's a popup for some overpriced face oil while Emily in a candlelit room is telling me to breathe. And the cancellation nightmare is just insult to injury. I swear these companies hire people whose whole job is making the unsubscribe button as invisible as possible. It's honestly predatory how they target people looking for genuine stress relief and then hit them with all this commercial nonsense. You're not alone in this, that whole industry feels super scammy to me now.

wesleyflores8d ago

Actually, I think the Calm app is a solid counterexample here. I signed up for their yearly plan back in 2020 and it never once tried to upsell me on anything beyond what I already paid for. The breathing exercises and sleep stories are genuinely helpful without any weird popups or extra fees. Ngl, I get why people feel burned by the celebrity stuff, but not every wellness app is built like a trap. The cancellation process for Calm took me like two clicks when I had to pause my subscription last year. Honestly, maybe the problem is more about who you're buying from rather than the whole idea of wellness apps.

wesleyflores6d ago

Ngl, I think the real issue here is that these apps are basically just marketing funnels disguised as wellness products. Like, the whole point isn't to help you sleep better or reduce anxiety, it's to get you hooked on the free trial so they can start pitching you things you don't need. Honestly, I looked into the business model of one of those apps and it turns out they make most of their money from selling your data to supplement companies and lifestyle brands, not from subscription fees. So the meditation is just the bait, the real product is your attention and your wallet. Tbh, I think the smartest move is to just stick with free breathing videos on YouTube or the basic timer on your phone. You're not missing out on anything real by skipping the celebrity endorsements.