The astrology business: young women driving a $3 billion market

The astrology business: why women are the main target of a billion-dollar market

While the economy wobbles and inflation bites, one sector keeps growing: astrology. And it has a very specific audience. The global astrology services market – horoscopes, apps, consultations – is approaching $3 billion, with annual growth above 5%. Who is behind that spending? According to consumer analyses, overwhelmingly women aged 25 to 45.

The astrology customer profile

The consultancy IBISWorld places astrology within the "spiritual and wellness services" category, where 70% of buyers are women. It is no coincidence: on social media and platforms like Discord, themed groups have proliferated where people share birth charts, transits and retrogrades. It is in these spaces that community is built and, above all, consumption. Apps like Co-Star or The Pattern have attracted millions of users willing to pay premium subscriptions to learn about their "planetary alignments."

The dark side of the business

But the economic appeal has its flip side. Not a few analysts point out that the industry exploits emotional vulnerability. Astrology groups, rather than astronomy ones, are full of debates about squares and sens that often lead to anxiety and dependence. The paradox is that a sector promising well-being may be producing the opposite. Critics argue that the messages are deliberately vague so users always feel personally addressed, a technique reminiscent of the cold readings performed by mentalists.

The question remains open: is astrology a tool for self-knowledge or a bubble of emotional consumption? As long as the market keeps growing, the answer is probably both.