ABC Fitness Data Reveals Retention and Community Defined Fitness in 2025
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
As 2025 comes to a close, the fitness industry is not grappling with a lack of interest. It is grappling with a shift in behavior. That is the picture that emerges from ABC Fitness’ Wellness Watch Q4 2025, which analyzes real world behavior from more than 40 million members across 30,000 gyms, health clubs, and studios, paired with consumer research to understand how people are moving, paying, and engaging with fitness.
The past year did not deliver a dramatic rebound or a sharp downturn. Instead, it delivered something more revealing. Growth slowed, pressure moved downstream to retention, and engagement became the clearest dividing line between businesses that held steady and those that struggled.
Across gyms, ABC Fitness reports approximately 7.2 million new joins in 2025, representing about 1 percent year over year growth. That modest increase signals that acquisition momentum has cooled compared to earlier post pandemic years. At the same time, gyms recorded roughly 600 million check ins, also up 1 percent year over year, indicating that members who remained active continued to use their memberships regularly.
Cancellations tell the more challenging part of the story. Gym cancellations increased by 8 percent year over year, reinforcing that retention pressure intensified in 2025. What stands out in the data, however, is that churn is not evenly distributed. ABC Fitness’ findings suggest a growing gap between highly engaged members who show up consistently and those who never fully embed fitness into their routine.
Studios followed a slightly different trajectory. New joins declined by roughly 3 percent year over year, but check ins increased by about 1 percent. Retention improved even as acquisition softened, suggesting that studios benefited from stronger community ties, clearer value perception, and more targeted retention strategies. The studio segment showed that when members feel connected to the experience, usage and commitment can remain resilient even in a slower growth environment.
That theme of connection runs throughout the report. ABC Fitness’ consumer research shows that community is now a primary reason members stay, not a secondary benefit. Nearly half of Gen Z respondents say community is why they stick with fitness, while one third of members engage with fitness communities daily. More broadly, 73 percent of consumers agree that being part of a fitness community helps them stay motivated. The data points to belonging as a core driver of retention across age groups, not just a cultural add on.
Member expectations around payments and digital experiences reinforce the same shift. Subscriptions are now the default model, with 92 percent of Americans holding at least one subscription. Digital wallets and online payments continue to expand, with 18 percent of Americans preferring to pay by digital wallet. For Gen Z in particular, neobanks are becoming a meaningful part of the financial ecosystem, accounting for a notable share of gym purchases, returns, and new joins. How members pay has become part of how they experience a brand, not just a back office function.
Technology adoption accelerated in 2025, but trust has not kept pace evenly. ABC Fitness’ data shows that 26 percent of active consumers are very familiar with AI powered fitness tools, with usage highest among Gen Z and Millennials. At the same time, only a minority fully trust AI for wellness decisions. Just 33 percent of Gen Z, 43 percent of Millennials, and 17 percent of Boomers report trusting AI apps for their wellness needs. The implication is clear. AI is gaining traction as a tool for personalization, alerts, and churn prediction, but it works best when positioned as support for human guidance rather than a replacement.
One of the clearest examples of engagement outperforming acquisition appears in Pilates. While new Pilates joins declined by 6.1 percent year over year, check ins increased by 4.3 percent and cancellations fell by 8.8 percent. ABC Fitness notes that Pilates continues to function as a high engagement niche, with fewer new members but higher consistency and retention among those already enrolled. It is a clear case study in how depth of engagement can offset slower top line growth.
Taken together, the Wellness Watch Q4 2025 findings point to a defining shift for the industry. 2025 was not a breakout year or a pullback year. It was a sorting year. Operators who invested in community, reduced friction in digital experiences, and focused on engagement quality saw steadier usage and stronger retention. Those who relied primarily on acquisition felt the pressure.
Looking ahead to 2026, ABC Fitness’ data suggests the next phase of competition will be won less by who signs the most members and more by who keeps them showing up. Engagement is no longer a secondary metric. It is the foundation holding the business together.
