Headspace Outruns Planet Fitness in October Rankings

Fitness, it turns out, is an inside job when it comes to the PYMNTS App provider rankings for the category. Because it wasn’t the usual suspects that made the biggest jumps for the month of October. It was a meditation app.

More specifically, it was Headspace. It posted a six point gain to add to its excellent total score of 76. The PYMNTS.com Fitness Apps page offers a monthly ranking of smartphone Fitness Apps, assessing them based on publicly-available information and exclusive app usage data, helping users identify the top performers in the market. The ranking aims to provide precise insights into app performance, aiding stakeholders in making informed decisions.

For Headspace, the reason for its October jump could be its dramatic move at the end of September to add new free mental-health resources in response to what it calls an escalating global stress crisis, supported by findings from its Global State of Stress & Anxiety Report covering more than 10,000 adults in the U.S. and U.K. The survey found that two-thirds of respondents experience stress or anxiety weekly and that most rely on passive coping habits like TV or social media rather than active mental-health routines. To address this, Headspace introduced the “TIPP Toolkit” — short, science-backed exercises based on dialectical behavior therapy techniques that help users regulate emotions in under five minutes — available for free within its app and on YouTube. The company also launched a “Who Needs Headspace?” social campaign inviting users to nominate creators struggling with stress to highlight how mindfulness practices can fit into daily life.

Next up was a more predictable app: Planet Fitness. It also posted a six point gain, bringing its total to 78. The reason could have been its new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Planet Fitness launched its annual October fundraising campaign celebrating a decade-long partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, marking ten years of collaboration through its “Judgement Free Generation” initiative. The month-long drive invites members across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada to donate in clubs or online, with all proceeds funding youth wellbeing programs.

Since 2016, Planet Fitness has contributed more than $10.7 million, supporting 50 mini-Judgement Free Zone fitness spaces, $1.65 million in scholarships for 330 teens, and training programs that have reached more than 500,000 young people annually. The effort reflects a shared mission to create inclusive, non-judgmental environments that foster physical, emotional and social growth. CEO Colleen Keating called the milestone “a significant step in empowering young people and enhancing community health,” while Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Jim Clark credited the partnership for providing safe spaces where kids can “stay active, achieve in school, and believe they belong.”

Rounding out the top three for the fitness category was Home Workout: No Equipment, with a two point gain. As one of the Leap Fitness Group apps, it provides daily workout routines for all main muscle groups. Its value prop? “In just a few minutes a day, you can build muscles and keep fitness at home without having to go to the gym. No equipment or coach needed, all exercises can be performed with just your body weight.”

There was no event or promotion directly tied to the increase in our rankings, although at-home workouts are having a bit of a post-pandemic renaissance. An industry newsletter article states that many consumers who had never considered exercising at home before the pandemic now have dedicated spaces and equipment for home workouts and routines that work for them.

“Volatility isn’t surprising — our lives have changed a lot since the start of the pandemic,” states Health and Fitness. “The continuing ups and downs in exercise suggest that Americans are still experimenting with fitness habits and trying to find what works best for their lives now. However, when it comes to gyms, studios and health clubs, consumer experimentation creates more unpredictability for memberships and gym usage.”