ASICS Outruns Rivals With Summer Fitness App Surge

Now that summer’s officially over we thought it would be a good time to check the fitness app rankings to see what companies did well while consumers were getting beach ready or looking to lose the extra five pounds from vacation.

Turns out it was a good summer for fitness brand ASICS.

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. With a six-point jump in the rankings for a total score of 61, ASICS more than doubled the closest competitors, MyFitnessPal and LazyFit.

ASICS has built a strong following around its Runkeeper app, a GPS-enabled fitness tracker designed for both casual joggers and competitive runners. The app allows users to map runs, set training goals, follow guided plans for races from 5K to marathon, and join virtual challenges that create a sense of community.

A premium version, Runkeeper Go, offers advanced performance insights, live tracking and personalized coaching. The app also ties into the broader ASICS ecosystem through its OneASICS membership program and related fitness offerings, including on-demand workouts via ASICS Studio.

The app’s surge in usage this summer likely reflects a combination of seasonal and strategic factors. Longer days and warmer weather typically drive more outdoor running and fitness activity, boosting demand for digital training tools. ASICS also leaned into event-based engagement, hosting community challenges such as its Pride Run & Walk series that encourage sign-ups and repeat use.

Promotions tied to its OneASICS membership provided temporary access to premium features, while new integrations such as an AI-powered “Run Concierge” to help with race preparation made the app more useful for serious runners. Together, these efforts appear to have given ASICS a lift in the app rankings during the summer months.

Posting a respectable three-point gain was MyFitnessPal reaching a total of 79. Its success was undoubtedly influenced by sharpening its focus on personalized nutrition with the launch of its 2025 Summer Release, a set of new features aimed at making food logging easier and habit-building more rewarding.

The app has streamlined its tracking tools, combining scan, voice and text search into one interface for all members, while Premium subscribers gain an upgraded “Meal Scan” powered by smarter AI. Its new Meal Planner tool, available to Premium+ members, generates customized meal plans tailored to dietary preferences, goals, household size and budget, complete with grocery lists and integrated ingredient delivery. Actress and entrepreneur Sarah Michelle Gellar has been tapped to showcase the feature’s convenience in managing her family’s meals and protein-focused diet.

The update also leans into motivation and behavioral reinforcement. New streak celebrations recognize consistency at shorter intervals, while first-food-logged badges and tailored reminders encourage early engagement and daily use.

Tim Holley, the company’s chief product officer, said the changes reflect MyFitnessPal’s belief that “nutrition looks different for everyone,” emphasizing flexibility over one-size-fits-all diets. By pairing one of the world’s largest food databases with over 1,500 recipes and more than 35 connected fitness partners, the company is positioning the app as not just a calorie counter but a comprehensive nutrition companion for its 280 million-strong global community.

LazyFit also posted a three-point gain for a total of 52. LazyFit is a home workout app that uses AI-driven personalization to deliver fitness plans tailored to users’ current fitness level, physical constraints preferences (no equipment, short sessions, chair or bed‐workouts), and goals. It offers a freemium model: basic content is free, while more curated programs (for example, its “28-Day Challenge,” full access to its exercise library, personalized plans) require a paid subscription.

The company markets broadly via app stores and uses paid acquisition in addition to organic growth to drive downloads, and emphasizes ease of use, low barrier to entry, and variety. Its recent success appears tied to growing demand for at-home, low-effort fitness options (accelerated by wellness trends and people still wanting exercise without gyms), strong user reviews and ratings (4.5-4.7 stars, tens of thousands of users) boosting trust, and effective marketing especially in markets seeking minimal-equipment workouts.