Issue No. 310 of Fitt Insider delivered the number the industry has been chasing: U.S. fitness memberships hit an all-time high of 72.9M, up 5.8% year over year, per the issue. Then it delivered the catch. Members are checking in less often, with average annual visits below pre-pandemic levels — and among boutiques, half report churn above 30%, per Fitt Insider.
The issue named the winning strategy outright: High-Value, Low-Churn. Sign-ups are no longer the scoreboard. Engagement is. And that is the exact problem Cadoo was built to solve.
Sign-ups are up, but engagement is leaking
The data in the issue paints a clear picture of the squeeze:
- Boutique memberships rose 3.3% and attendance 10%, yet average dues climbed 9% year over year, per Fitt Insider — pressuring the members who already attend least.
- The FTC's new one-click cancellation rule means models built on no-show members will falter, per the issue.
- Half of all members say the gym is core to their identity, per data the issue cites from McKinsey — but only if the habit sticks.
When members can cancel in one click, the only defense is a reason to keep showing up.
Operators are already fighting churn
The issue shows how the biggest names are responding — by deepening engagement, not just discounting:
- Planet Fitness and UK-born PureGym battled to buy Blink Fitness assets out of bankruptcy, per the issue, while budget operators fight for territory.
- EōS, Crunch, and 24 Hour Fitness upgraded facilities with strength equipment, recovery areas, and rec sports, per Fitt Insider.
- Life Time layered on trainers, classes, pickleball, and longevity clinics, while Equinox launched a $40K/yr health-optimization membership, per the issue.
These are industry references, not Cadoo partners — but the direction is unmistakable: the market is racing to make membership sticky.
Cadoo is the engagement engine for High-Value, Low-Churn
Cadoo attacks the exact metric that's slipping: visit frequency. Members bet money with friends on reaching fitness goals, so they keep coming back — not out of willpower, but because friends and stakes are on the line. Recurring challenges fill the dead space between visits, the stretch where habits and memberships quietly die.
It's reliable and measurable, too. Cadoo-verified workouts confirm the effort: the camera counts reps only. Steps and distance come from Apple Health or Google Health Connect, giving operators real engagement data instead of a swipe at the front desk. And every finished challenge can produce a skinned, shareable video — so members market your brand while they build their habit.
Making membership impossible to click-cancel
A member locked into a friendly, money-backed challenge with three friends doesn't reach for the cancel button — they're mid-competition and mid-community. That's how a retention game turns a fragile no-show into a High-Value, Low-Churn member: consistent between visits, socially anchored, and actively promoting your brand.
On our roadmap (not live yet), winnings could convert into credit or perks at your gym, tying wins directly back to your bottom line. See it at cadoo.games/brands or reach the team at Tim@cadoo.io.
Frequently asked questions
How does Cadoo improve visit frequency, not just sign-ups?
Cadoo runs recurring challenges members stake money on with friends, so there's a live reason to move between visits. That sustained activity lifts the exact metric this issue flags as slipping — average visit frequency — which is what separates a retained member from a no-show.
Why do retention games matter now that the FTC requires one-click cancellation?
When cancelling is effortless, revenue built on forgotten memberships evaporates. A member engaged in an ongoing, social, money-backed challenge has a reason to stay active and enrolled, so your retention rests on genuine engagement rather than friction.
How does Cadoo keep challenges honest for a gym's members?
The camera counts reps for supported movements, and steps and distance come from Apple Health or Google Health Connect. That verification gives operators trustworthy engagement data and keeps the friendly competition fair.
Can members redeem their winnings at my gym?
Redeeming winnings for credit or perks at a partner gym is on our roadmap and not live yet. Today, Cadoo's value is higher visit frequency, lower churn, and shareable branded content that members create for you.
