Mobile Wellness Report: Top U.S. Telehealth App Installs Climbed 33% Year-Over-Year in Q1 2021

Mobile apps focusing on wellness had a record-breaking 2020, and the category is forecasted to surpass 1 billion installs this year. However, just as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic affected consumer behavior, so might the mobile landscape shift in response to the reopening of in-person spaces such as gyms. Sensor Tower's State of Wellness Apps 2021 report, available now, is a deep dive into the mobile wellness trends during the ongoing pandemic as well as the performance of subcategories such as meditation and workout apps in Q1 2021.

Telehealth Downloads Climbed 33 Percent Y/Y in Q1 2021

While COVID-19 supercharged a number of wellness subcategories in the United States, some such as running and cycling apps have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Telehealth, on the other hand, has experienced steady growth. This continued success seems to indicate that telehealth might not be easily supplanted even as in-person doctor visits become possible.

The top 10 telehealth apps in the U.S. saw their first-time installs climb 33 percent Y/Y to 7 million in Q1 2021. MyChart led the subcategory, reaching a record 1.1 million downloads in January.

MAU Growth of Top U.S. Wellness Apps Peaked at 44 Percent Year-Over-Year

The top wellness apps in the U.S. saw a surge in adoption in April 2020 as most of the country enacted shelter-in-place orders. This led to a 44 percent year-over-year increase in monthly active users for these top apps in April.

Monthly usage of these apps remains elevated, though not as sharply as before. In January 2021, monthly active users of these apps were up 26 percent Y/Y. Although this growth seemed to constrict in March, this is likely due to the outsized growth seen during the onset of the pandemic. The top apps' MAUs in March still grew 16 percent Y/Y.

Wellness Apps Are Experiencing Continued Lift in Europe

European consumers spent a record $544 million in mobile health and fitness apps during 2020—and in Q1 2021, the wellness category on the whole has experienced a continued lift. In January 2021, the 100 top earning wellness apps in Europe exceeded $45 million in consumer spending, up 134 percent Y/Y.

Much of this growth was driven by in-app subscriptions, as 96 out of the top 100 earning wellness apps now include the option for recurring payments. Worldwide consumer spending in the top subscription apps has grown each year, and the wellness category appears to be benefiting considerably from this model.

For more analysis from the Sensor Tower Store Intelligence platform, including key insights on how the performance of wellness apps on the U.S. and European markets, download the complete report in PDF form below: