Consumers subscribe to health and wellness in 2024
71% of consumers use subscriptions to manage health and wellness goals
Just in time for New Year’s resolutions, Recurly releases new consumer research showing the impact of subscriptions on the health and wellness journey of American consumers.
In fact, 71% of consumers rely on subscriptions to help hit their health and wellness goals. The subscriptions people are using range from prescription subscriptions to stress management to biometric tracking. 2024’s top resolutions and subscriptions to support these resolutions are below.
We worked with the third-party survey platform Pollfish in December 2023 to survey 1,000 U.S. adults, exploring what they’re prioritizing for their 2024 New Year’s resolutions and goals, as well as the types of subscription services that supported their optimal well-being in 2023. Here are the results of the Recurly: Consumers Subscribe to Health in 2024.
Key findings
Recent societal stressors have led to dramatic changes over the past several years. From massive migration during the pandemic to the Great Resignation to Quiet Quitting, individuals are realizing the importance of a more balanced life and are taking radical steps to achieve their vision of wellness. According to Recurly’s research, 2024 will bring a greater focus on health and wellness–a Great Rejuvenation–with individuals deploying a multi-layered strategy for wellness with the use of technology and subscription services to achieve a more holistic lifestyle in 2024.
Key findings from the survey include:
Physical and mental health rank highest in 2024 health and wellness-related New Year’s resolutions, signaling the desire for a balanced approach to wellness.
Gen Z, especially Gen Z women, is leading the mental health movement with a strong focus on mental health-related goals and the use of psychiatric medicine to support their pursuit of goals.
Wellness subscription products were vital for achieving goals in 2023, with gym memberships used most frequently in 2023, followed by fitness trackers and workout apps. Baby boomers were less interested in tech-related apps but gravitated toward nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements.
In 2024, workout apps inched past gym memberships in popularity, with stress management apps rapidly emerging.
Although the majority of consumers plan to keep their health and wellness subscription spending under $50 per month in 2024, a surprising number of Gen Z and millennials plan to spend $101+ per month on services to support their pursuit of goals.
Physical and mental health rank highest in 2024 health and wellness-related New Year’s resolutions, signaling the desire for a balanced approach to wellness.
Individuals are ready for a fresh start in 2024. When asked about health or wellness-related goals, an overwhelming majority of respondents had already set their goals and intentions for the coming year, with only 16% saying they hadn’t set or thought about any resolutions.
Although it’s hardly a surprise that many hope to lose a few pounds in the coming year, the most popular health and wellness-related resolutions for 2024 indicate less of a focus on weight and a stronger focus on overall well-being. The highest-ranking goals were improving physical health (52%) and improving mental health (44%), with losing weight coming in third (39%). Among those planning to lose weight in 2024, 24% are considering weight management prescriptions and medications to help achieve their goals.
The desire for balance extends beyond health; nearly three-quarters (74%) of respondents said they have resolutions or goals related to personal development. 38% said they’re focusing on financial wellness, 32% want to learn a new hobby, 32% want to increase travel and adventure, and 26% want to take classes of interest.
Gen Z women and millennial moms are leading the mental health revolution.
Gen Z plays a big role in leading the mental health revolution, with 56% of Gen Z respondents planning to improve their mental health in 2024–contrasted with 51% of millennials, 41% of Gen X, and 25% of baby boomers. The emphasis is even greater among Gen Z women, with 71% having this as a goal. When asked about products and services to help reach their goals in 2024, 36% of Gen Z women are considering stress management apps, 33% are considering counseling services, and 23% are considering psychiatric medications.
This was also pronounced with millennial women with children–a demographic that shouldered an enormous level of stress during the pandemic-related school closures of 2020. 58% want to improve their mental health and 48% want to effectively manage stress in 2024. 36% are considering using stress management apps, 31% are considering counseling services, and 22% are considering psychiatric medications.
Among millennial women without children, 52% have a goal for improving their mental health, and only 36% have a goal to effectively manage stress in 2024. Although 33% are considering stress management apps and counseling services also came in at 33%, only 17% are considering psychiatric medications.
Wellness subscription products and services were vital for achieving goals in 2023, outlining the recipe for success in 2024.
Subscription apps, products, and services could mean the difference between reaching or falling behind in your health and wellness goals throughout the year. When asked about the impact on health and wellness from using subscription services in 2023, nearly three-quarters of respondents (71%) said they saw improvement, with 22% saying it led to significant improvement.
When asked about the health and wellness-related products and services that helped support their goals in 2023, gym memberships emerged as the most popular service (23%), reflecting the continued value of a traditional fitness routine. Gym memberships ranked highest among Gen Z (32%), followed by workout apps (29%), fitness classes (25%) and psychiatric medicine (22%). Interestingly, half of Baby Boomers said they didn’t use any products or services to support their goals in 2023, followed by nutraceuticals/nutritional supplements at 16% and fitness trackers at 15%.
For 2024, 33% of respondents are considering workout apps to help achieve their goals, followed closely by gym memberships (32%) and fitness trackers (30%). Stress management apps are emerging in popularity, with 83% more individuals incorporating them into their 2024 plans compared to those who used them in 2023. Prescription subscriptions saw 22% year-over-year growth.
.Slight generational differences continued throughout 2024 planning. For Gen Z and millennials, gym memberships and workout apps ranked highest among services they’re considering to support their 2024 goals. Among Gen X and baby boomers, fitness trackers came in first, followed by workout apps and gym memberships.
Gen Z and millennials prioritize health and wellness with their dollars.
When asked about spending plans in 2024, 58% of all respondents said they plan to spend under $50 per month, followed by 19% planning on $51-100 per month and 23% planning on $101+ per month.
Generational differences varied more significantly at the $101+ per month level. 26% of both Gen Z and millennials plan to spend that amount or more each month in 2024, but only 15% of Gen X and 12% of baby boomers plan to do the same.
Conclusion
The Great Rejuvenation is underway, fueled by a blend of traditional tactics and subscription apps and services. With 2023 coming to a close and the world collectively pausing before the beginning of the new year, now is the time for subscription businesses to map out a strategy for joining the movement and achieving greater balance in 2024.
