100+ Fitness App Statistics 2021/2022 [Research Review]

With home fitness being one of the fastest growing fitness trends of 2021, it opened the way for massive growth of the fitness industry and along with it, fitness apps as a whole. Helping people enjoy the benefits of being physically active with an endless array of options to chose from. 

To better understand fitness apps, the industry, the market, and where it is trending, we research, analysed, and compiled over 100 fitness app statistics. 

Top statistics on fitness apps and fitness app industry

 Revenue and growth

•  The global fitness app market is expected to reach $20.76 billion by 2028. It is expected to grow at an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.4% from 2021 to 2028, driven by increasing demand for fitness trackers and wearable devices.
• The fitness app industry is worth  $4.74 billion in 2021, up 65.17% from it's pre-pandemic levels of $2.87 billion in 2019
• Continuing its growth off of the pandemic, the workout and fitness app industry is going to be worth approximately $5.85 billion in 2022
• The industry is expected to be worth $20.76 billion by 2028, growing at a rate of 23.5% each year

Fitness app users and downloads

• There are 84 million fitness app users in 2021, up 22.27% from pre-pandemic count of 62.7 million users in 2018
• By the end of 2022, it is expected that the number of users will climb another 2.73% to 86.3 million
• Daily active users of fitness apps around the world grew by 24% in the first half of 2021
• There are expected to be a total of 656 million fitness app downloads by the start of 2021
• Downloads of the most popular 35 fitness and workout apps the January of each year has grown 504.45% - going from 2.68 million downloads in 2017 to 16.2 million downloads in 2021

Pandemics impact on the fitness app industry 

Fitness app usage during the pandemic

• 74% of Americans have used one or more fitness apps during the pandemic
• 60% of Americans are so satisfied with their home workouts that they will cancel their memberships for good
• Consumer's spending on connected fitness equipment (equipment that connects to an app) increased 5% and spending for paid apps increased 10% in 2021
• 75% of these consumers said their fitness app helped them reach their goals, up ~50% in comparison to pre-pandemic levels
• Nearly 40% of smartphone subscribers reported using their phone for a fitness or nutrition goal during the pandemic

Increase in users and downloads during the pandemic

• Daily active users of fitness apps around the world grew by 24% in the first half of 2021. The number of active users grew in the following regions by:
• India - 84%
• Middle East and North Africa - 28%
• Asia-Pacific - 24%
• Europe - 11%
• Americas - 8%

• Downloads of fitness apps grew 46% during the first half of 2020 globally. Downloads grew in the following regions by:
• India - 157% (58 million new active users)
• Middle East and North Africa - 55%
• Asia-Pacific - 47%
• Europe - 25%
• Americas - 21%
• Rest of the world - 43%

Company growth statistics during the pandemic

• MyFitnessPal grossed $6.5 million in June of 2020 alone
• During the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, Nike Training Club app hit a 100% increase in active weekly users.
• Strava has benefitted from the most growth in downloads; with installs growing 179.2 percent from January to May.

Fitness app usage statistics

• 71% of of users abandon their apps by month 3
• Average return rates to apps increased with active users returning to their apps 11 times more in 2021 than they did in 2020
• 26% of fitness app users use their apps 10+ times/week
• 10 PM is the most active time on fitness apps, when users are finishing up a night-time workout, planning their routines for the following day, updating progress, and getting clear on their goals.
• Workout and weight-loss apps account for 73 percent of all health and fitness app sessions
• One-third of all health and fitness mobile apps weren’t updated within the past year - out of two thousand top apps, nearly 700 were not updated in 2019.
• Millennials are the most active users of fitness apps 
• 12.4% of MyFitnessPal users do family workouts to be a good role model for their kids

Months with the highest growth for fitness apps (New years + August)

• Fitness app downloads grew 61.9% in January of 2021
• Despite the "new years fitness app rush", August is the most active month with usage levels 23 percent higher usage than the yearly average

 Leading fitness apps by revenue (April of 2021):

• MyFitnessPal - $7.57 million
• Weight Watchers - $4.23 million
• Fitbit - $4.18 million
• Strava - $4.18 million
• Peloton - $3.40 million
• Sweat - $2.57 million
• Workout Planner - $2.07 million
• Zwift - $1.82 million
• YAZIO - $1.76 million
• Freeletics Training Coach - $1.67 million

Most commonly used fitness apps by fitness app users

One way to assess popularity is by looking at what apps do fitness app users use. The following is a breakdown of the most popular fitness companies by how many users owned it:

• MyFitnessPal - 73.48%
• Strava - 16.58%
• Peloton - 8.63%
• AllTrails - 7.84%
• Fit - 6.36%
• Connect - 6.31%
• Nike Training - 5.49%
• MapMyRun - 4.75%
• MapMyWalk - 4.61%
• Headspace - 4.51%
• Carb Manager - 3.28%
• FitOn - 3.43%
• Lose It! - 3.09%

 Fitness app usage frequency in the US

• How often do people use fitness apps in the US? [2016]
  • Daily - 35%
  • Several times a week - 40%
  • Once a week - 13%
  • 2 to 3 times a week - 4%
  • Once a month - 2%
  • More rarely - 4%
  • Never - 2%

Top-ranked fitness apps 

Top free fitness apps in the United States (App Store) for 2021

1.  Planet fitness workouts
2. MyFitnessPal
3. Fitbit
4. AllTrails
5. Nike Run Club
6. Fitness Coach: Home Workout
7. Sweatcoin
8. Fastic
9. Strava
10. Noom
11. Pulse Plus
12. Lose It!
13. Fitness for muscles | Fitcher
14. FitOn Workouts & Fitness Plans
15. Workouts For Men: Gym & Home
16. Home Workout - No equipments
17. Map My Run
18. LA FItness Mobile
19. Fitbod Workout & Fitness Plans
20. Mindbody Online

Top grossing fitness apps in the US (App Store)

1. MyFitnessPal
2. Weight Watchers
3. Noom
4. Fitbit
5. Peloton
6. Lose IT!
7. Strava
8. AllTrails
9. Sweat
10. Fitbod Workout & Fitness Plans
11. Workouts by Muscle Booster
12. BetterMe: Health Coaching
13. Fitness Coach: Home Workout
14. Pulse Plus
15. Beachbody On Demand
16. WalkFit Walking Cardio Fitness
17. 30 Day Fitness
18. FitOn Workouts & Fitness Plans
19. Personal Trainer - FitnessAI
20. Fitness for muscles | Fitcher

Top paid fitness apps in the US (App Store) 2021

1. 75 Hard
2. The Wonder Weeks
3. My Macros+
4. Streaks
5. Cough to 5k
6. Heart Rate Pro-Health Monitor
7. Full Fitness: Exercise Workout Trainer
8. iMuscle 2
9. Seconds Pro Interval Timer
10. HRV4Training
11. Activity+
12. Pocket Yoga
13. Easy 5k with Jeff Galloway
14. Workout calendar
15. C25K 5K Trainer Pro
16. YaoYao - Jump Rope
17. Streaks Workout
18. Run Tempo - Runners Metronome

Top free fitness apps in the UK 2021

1. NHS Weight Loss Plan
2. MyFitnessPal
3. PureGym
4. Strava
5. Sweatcoin
6. FitBit: Health & Fitness
7. StepsApp Pedometer
8. Better UK
9. NHS Couch to 5k
10. The Gym
11. JD Gyms
12. Everyone Active
13. Workouts For Men: Gym & Home
14. Running Coach - Run & Walk
15. Fitingo Fitness: Home Workout
16. AllTrails
17. Nike Run Club
18. FitOn Workouts & Fitness Plans
19. Garmin Connect
20. Verv: Home Fitness Workout

Top grossing fitness apps in the UK 2021

1. Strava
2. MyFitnessPal
3. Courtney Black Fitness
4. Fitbit
5. The Body Coach
6. Zwift
7. Weight Watchers
8. Sweat
9. Tone & Sculpt
10. Sweatcoin
11. Peloton
12. Noom
13. 30 Day Fitness
14. Give Me Strength
15. AllTrails
16. Workouts by Muscle Booster
17. Komoot
18. Fitness Coach: Home Workout
19. 5K Runner: Couch to 5K Trainer
20. WalkFit Walking Cardio Fitness

How do people find their fitness apps?

• 25% of users found their app of choice through google or app store searches
• Many other's come through recommendations from friends, family, or social

References