✦ Marketing honesty?
Only on What AI Would BuyAbove the category average — #4 of 24 brands we’ve fact-checked in Fashion & Footwear (category avg 71).
How this score is computed
We lift On's headline marketing claims off its product pages and check each one against what owners and expert reviewers report — every claim scores 100 if it holds up, 50 if the picture is mixed, 0 if it's overstated. On's 79 is the average across 3 checked products.
Of the 10 claims we could check, 7 hold up, 3 are mixed — most of its marketing claims hold up to what owners and reviewers report. That puts On #4 of 24 brands we've checked in Fashion & Footwear, where the median score is 71.
as of Aug 13 products · 10 claimsrecomputed weekly
Fashion & Footwear
its home category
What the AIs say
#17 best · 6 of 6 agree“Gemini ranks On highest (avg #14.8 over 19 mentions); Claude is the most sceptical (#22.0).”
synthesised · the AI panel
About
Who they are.
On designs footwear and apparel for running, everyday wear, and outdoor use, spanning shoes, activewear, and weatherproof outerwear. Its footwear lines, including Cloud, Cloudmonster, and Cloudrock, apply cushioning and stability-oriented construction aimed at responsive, lightweight movement, while apparel pieces such as the Performance Bra Zero G and Weather Jacket extend the same emphasis on comfort into training and outdoor conditions.
The brand's catalog spans running shoes, everyday shoes, hiking shoes, and activewear, reflecting a broad approach to performance-oriented dress rather than a single category focus. Across these lines, the recurring identity centers on cushioned comfort paired with structural stability, positioning On within the performance footwear and apparel space.
Act one
What the machines think.
Several AI models read the whole category and rank On's products — model by model, list by list, over time.
Model by model?
How each AI sees it.
Gemini ranks On highest (avg #14.8 over 19 mentions); Claude is the most sceptical (#22.0).
Gemini
#14.8
avg over 19 mentions · best #3
Perplexity
#15.0
avg over 23 mentions · best #4
Grok
#15.3
avg over 7 mentions · best #8
AI Mode
#16.0
avg over 1 mention · best #16
ChatGPT
#19.4
avg over 10 mentions · best #5
Claude
#22.0
avg over 6 mentions · best #14
The words the panel uses
AI most often praises On for being "lightweight" (24 mentions) and "cushioned" (13).
- lightweight24
- cushioned13
- cushioning13
- modern8
- comfort6
- comfortable6
- support5
- sleek4
- supportive4
- smooth4
- stylish3
- agile3
Wins & misses?
Where it leads, where it lags.
8 top-10 wins versus 1 lag spot where On finishes below #20.
Top wins
Where it lags
Rank trajectory?
Weeks of movement.
Across 15 weeks of tracking: 0 intents steady, 5 climbed, 1 slipped. Biggest move: climbed 18 ranks in Best Running Shoes for Beginners (now #9).
Act two · ★ new
What the people say.
The same lineup, judged by the buyers who rated it.
Act three
The lineup, ranked.
Every On product with its AI rank — reviewer verdicts join the board as coverage lands.
The lineup, reconciled?
Every product — both verdicts.
Cloudrunner 2 is On's most-recommended product, ranking across 6 buyer questions, with Cloudmonster 3 close behind.
Rivals?
Who it competes against.
Adidas has the edge over On — winning more of the 16 shared questions the AI panel ranks them both in.
- AdidasFashion & FootwearAdidas leads 13–3 · 16 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- Under ArmourFashion & FootwearOn leads 10–5 · 15 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- NikeFashion & FootwearNike leads 12–3 · 15 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- PumaFashion & FootwearOn leads 12–1 · 14 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- SauconyFashion & FootwearSaucony leads 7–6 · 13 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- BrooksFashion & FootwearBrooks leads 10–3 · 13 shared · 5 categoriesCompare
- HokaFashion & FootwearHoka leads 11–2 · 13 shared · 4 categoriesCompare
The recap
Where it stands today.
- FootprintStrongest in Fashion & Footwear (best single-question rank #3), across 17 buying intents.
- AI verdictGemini ranks On highest (avg #14.8); Claude most sceptical (#22.0).
- TraitsMost often associated with “lightweight” (24 mentions) and “cushioned” (13).
- Top productCloudrunner 2 is the most-mentioned On product this snapshot.
- Closest rivalAdidas (3–13 across 16 shared intents).
browse On in these categories