How to Create a Fitness App: Types, Features, Steps & Cost

In this digital era, health and fitness have always been at the top of everyone’s priorities. Moreover, people have become more health conscious after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the last few years, things have become a lot better due to fitness app development. Nowadays, we get a variety of fitness-related applications from the Play Store & App Store.

Health & fitness apps assist people in managing their eating habits, keeping track of their physical activity, and enhancing their health by encouraging them to adopt healthier habits.

Moreover, the demand for fitness apps is increasing year on year. Hence, if you want to enter the fitness industry, it is the right time.

Do you also want to create a fitness app and generate revenue? Then you have reached the right place to achieve your goals. Here we will explain the types of fitness apps, how to create a fitness app, and its cost.

Before we look at these things, we will look at the current state of the fitness industry.

What is the Estimated Market Size of Fitness Apps?

There are numerous sorts of fitness apps available. Take a look at the list of the major ones mentioned below.

The global fitness app market size was about $1.1 billion in 2021. It is anticipated to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 17.6% between 2022 to 2030.
According to Statista, the fitness apps segment revenue is estimated to reach $19.33 billion at the end of 2023.

Graph Showing Yearly Revenue Earned by Fitness Apps

As per the latest RunRepeat Statistics, the fitness app users were 62.7 million in 2018 and reached 84 million after the pandemic in 2021. Moreover, the number is estimated to reach 20.76 million by the end of 2028.

These statistics prove that the demand for fitness apps grows every year.

If you have decided to create a fitness app, you need to know about the different types of fitness apps. Now, we will walk you through the same.

What are the Different Types of Fitness Apps?

There are numerous sorts of fitness apps available in the market. Take a look at the list of the major ones mentioned below.

Workout Apps

Workout apps offer a wide range of workout videos or audio instructions for users. These types of apps usually target a particular exercise, such as Cardio, HIIT, or Pilates. Besides this, several workout apps offer all types of workouts like yoga, dance, etc.

Most workout apps provide subscription plans and upload new content weekly. Also, several workout apps enable users to do live workouts with fitness trainers. These workout apps also allow users to set goals and track their progress. An example of a workout app can be Sworkit.

Activity Tracker Apps

These apps keep track of the many activities or workouts the user chooses to participate in. For example, activity tracking apps record users’ information. It includes the number of steps walked, the number of stairs climbed, the distance covered, and the number of calories burned.

Generally, activity trackers would be different for different purposes, such as cycling, running, etc.

Running & cycling trackers rely on the GPS to track distance, speed, etc. These tracking apps also connect with smartphones and other devices to track progress.

These activity tracking apps showcase information with the help of graphs, routes on maps, progress, etc. An example of an activity tracking app can be Map My Run.

Diet & Nutrition Apps

Diet and nutrition apps can track a user’s eating patterns, measure calories consumed/burned, and manage water balance and body weight, among other things. These apps allow users to set personal goals, make food lists, and even collect recipes.

The recipes on a diet & nutrition app can be company-submitted or user submitted. This kind of app can also have a community of users to connect and support each other. An example of a diet & nutrition app could be LifeSum.

Yoga Apps

Just like workout apps, a yoga app also offers a wide range of videos that users can watch to practice yoga from anywhere. The app provides yoga practices for beginner to advanced levels.

The core purpose of this app is to help users do yoga to relax their minds and align their bodies well. An example of this type of app could be Daily Yoga.

Meditation Apps

Meditation apps are yet another popular type of fitness app. These enable users to relax their minds without doing any physical movement.

With a medication app, users can learn meditation practices to remain in the present moment. Moreover, these apps also offer meditations according to the mood, time of the day, etc.

Unable to decide what type of fitness application you want to develop? Get in touch with us. Our experts will analyze your requirements and suggest the most suitable solution.

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What are the Key Features of Fitness Apps?

Sign In/Sign Up

Registration is a crucial part of a wide variety of apps. But in the case of a fitness app, you should ask users to set up their goals. It could be something like increasing or decreasing weight, reducing stress, and more.

Users should have an option to register via email and third-party services like Google & Facebook. Besides this, there should be an option to reset the password.

User Profile

Using this feature, users can store their personal physical information. It could be things like weight, height, age, etc. Moreover, users can also update the goal that they have set during the registration.

Apart from this, you can also provide interactive badgers to users whenever they achieve a milestone. All of these badges are visible on their profile.

You can also provide paid subscription options to the users to generate money. Allow users to manage their subscriptions from their accounts.

In the end, you can utilize users’ information to provide them with a personalized experience.

Social Integration

The majority of the users are accessing popular social media apps. As discussed earlier, you should allow users to sign up using popular social platforms.

You can take your workout app one step ahead of the competitors by doing two things. Firstly, allowing users to create a social media post that mentions their progress in the app.

Secondly, you should enable users to post on the relevant social media app from your workout app.

Device Connectivity

If the primary purpose of your app is to provide precise insights into users’ physical activity, you should integrate this feature.

Fitness app developers will connect your workout app with different wearable devices to fetch this information. They will also utilize the necessary APIs like Google FIT and HealthKit available for Android & iOS respectively.

Push Notifications

Like any other mobile app, push notifications are essential in a workout app. The majority of users start the workout with great enthusiasm. However, they leave in the middle because of laziness, weather, etc. With push notification, you can notify users about the daily workout.

Apart from workout notifications, you can also use push notifications to remind users regarding any app update, promotional offers, etc.

Moreover, push notifications help in improving engagement & retention. However, you should never send a lot of push notifications.

Here are several tips for implementing push notifications in a fitness app.

Taking users to relevant sections from the notification.
Having a log of all the push notifications. Further, allowing users to check these notifications anytime.
Enabling users to configure the type of notifications they want and their frequency.

Educational Content

All the users inclined towards these apps would love to know about exercise, healthy diet, workouts, etc. You can increase user retention by sharing valuable information that interests them. It includes various things like workouts, fitness products, home workout essentials, etc.

Live Streaming or Video-on-Demand

To understand a workout properly, a user needs to watch a video. Here, you have two options.

Firstly, you can integrate a live-streaming feature into your workout app. A group of people will join a live streaming fitness class and learn from a coach. The main drawback of this approach is that users need to gather at a specific time. And it might not be possible for some users.

Secondly, you can consider offering video-on-demand content when you create a workout app. With this, users can watch videos as per their desired time.

It is not necessary to integrate this feature into a workout app. However, you can consider this feature while building a full-fledged workout app.

Activity Tracking

It is one of the crucial features of the fitness mobile application. You can collect accurate information about the user’s physical activity using wearables. But, you can also get information using different sensors available on the user’s smartphone, such as gyroscope, accelerometer, GPS, etc.

When you include an activity tracking feature, you allow users to track the total number of steps, calories burned, etc.

After looking at the features of the fitness application, you might be able to decide on suitable features for your fitness application.

Want to integrate new & trending features into your fitness application? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our experts analyze your fitness app and integrate the best features as per your requirements.

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Now, we are moving towards the most essential part of this blog, i.e., How to create a fitness app.

7 Steps to Develop a Fitness App

1. Research Market

We assume that now you have decided the type of fitness app you would like to develop. But, before you start developing a fitness app, it is crucial to conduct market research.

For market research, you should be first familiar with similar fitness apps. Furthermore, you should be aware of the features and functionality of these apps. You should also be aware of all the good and bad things in these fitness apps.

After doing competitor research, you need to also decide on the platform on which you want to develop the app. Here, you can either go with Android or iOS or both.

To decide on which platform you want to develop an app, you need to determine where your audience is present.

After deciding on the platform, you also need to decide on the development approach. You can either develop a native app for a single platform or two platforms. Or else, you can create a cross-platform app that works on both Android & iOS.

2. Create Technical Documentation

Any document detailing the use, functionality, creation, or architecture is considered technical documentation. For example, a technical writer creates the product’s technical specifications based on the client’s requirements.

It contains use cases, platforms, and other information needed to develop the fitness application. When it comes to technical documentation, it is not just about recording data. It’s all about presenting documentation in a way that is easy to read and understand.

3. Decide a Monetization Model for Your Fitness App

After making technical documentation, you need to decide on the monetization model for your fitness app. Here, you have got many options.

First, you should ensure that the fitness app you develop reaches a broader audience. When it reaches a wider audience, you will be able to make money with your app in some ways.

To earn money from your fitness app, you can integrate some popular monetization models as given below:

Freemium Apps

In this method, publishers allow mobile users to download apps for free and use them with limited features. And bill them for premium features, extra content, or digital products through in-app sales.

This model is desktop software’s direct equivalent of a free trial model. It gives a free option for customers to test out the basic capabilities of the app. It also offers the app developer a growing user base to monetize the app through in-app purchases or advertising.

Paid Apps

In this model, users must first pay for your app to take advantage of its features. Here, you have the option to provide a paid app with a one-time payment or offer subscriptions.

The price will vary depending on the features, complexity, and type of application. You can implement this monetization model in a fitness app having unique features.

In-App Purchases

If you intend to release a free fitness app, you may still make money by persuading your users to pay a fee to unlock the app’s advanced features. Premium material, such as video tutorials and healthy recipes, might be included in these functionalities.

There are mainly three categories of in-app purchases:

Consumable
In this category, you can allow users to buy some item within the app and use it within a specific time. Anytime a user removes the app, then the item gets removed.

Non-Consumable
In this method, you can charge a one-time fee from users and offer lifetime access to the app. Moreover, whenever users change their device, they can transfer their ID.

Subscription
In this method, you can offer extra features and content for a specific time (monthly, quarterly, or yearly).

4. Create a Prototype of Your Fitness App

After creating technical documentation and choosing a suitable monetization method, the next phase is to create a working prototype that will allow you to evaluate your app’s long-term viability and performance.

It is the time when a skilled development team applies their technical knowledge to create a UI/UX-friendly application. The prototype development process begins with a lower level of reliability. Finally, the development team tests and iterates with your test clients to confirm that the solution works as expected and generates good feedback.

5. Choose the Technology Stack

After the prototype has been tested and approved, it is time to choose the appropriate tech stack to get the most out of your app for the least amount of money.

Why is it important to choose the right technology stack for your project? There are several reasons to consider:

A tech stack may restrict your mobile app possibilities.
It helps you determine the overall strengths and weaknesses of your mobile app.
Your decision will impact the cost of developing a unique health and fitness app.

The two operating systems, Android and iOS, are architecturally distinct. They require their technology stacks as a result of this nuance.

Native Apps
For building an iOS app, developers utilize Swift and Objective C programming languages. Developers use two essential tools, Xcode & App Code, to develop iOS apps. In addition, developers frequently utilize UIKit and SwiftUI to create user interfaces.

Java and Kotlin are essentially the most significant languages for developing android devices. In addition, the Android Studio and Android Developer Tools (ADT) are excellent tools for creating Android applications.

Android comes with pre-installed Android UI software. Hence, programmers can create user interfaces efficiently.

Jetpack Compose is another current UI tool for creating a native Android user interface.

Cross-Platform Apps
If you want to develop an app for Android and iOS, cross-platform app development is the most relevant option.

In a cross-platform application, the interfaces and user experiences of the two primary operating systems are identical.

There are various cross-platform frameworks available in the market that you can utilize for making hybrid apps. Out of which, Flutter & React Native are the most appropriate frameworks commonly used.

6. Develop Your Fitness Mobile App

After deciding on the technological stack, you need to consider fitness mobile app development.

Here, you should reach out to a mobile app development company. Why?

Firstly, a single person can not lead a mobile fitness app; you require a team of professionals. An app development company possesses developers, designers, QA engineers, and more.

Secondly, they have prior experience developing such applications for clients worldwide. Hence, they can understand your fitness app idea and provide an adequate solution at the best price.

7. Launch & Maintain

Lastly, it is time to launch your app on the relevant platforms.

If you have created an iOS app, you have to release it on the App Store.

If you have created an Android app, you have to launch it on the Google Play Store. Moreover, you have to pay a fee for launching an app on a specific platform.

Now, you think the work is finished, but it is not. The most important thing after this is to maintain your fitness application.

Here are some of the things you can consider to maintain your fitness application:

Consider adding a built-in analytics tool to monitor app usage, such as Google Analytics or Flurry.
You should continue to improve the app by adding new features and adjusting existing ones depending on customer reviews.
Maintaining a constant awareness of your consumers’ shifting styles, trends, and usage habits is critical to your app’s long-term success.
It is good to schedule routine system maintenance to avoid losing out on issues or bugs. It also ensures that your app is always up-to-date and functions well over time.

In order to maintain your app, you can also reach out to a mobile app maintenance company like us. We have years of experience in maintaining different mobile applications. Hence, we can analyze your fitness app requirements and maintain it effectively.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Fitness App?

The estimated cost to develop a fitness app with minimum features is around $5,000 to $10,000. However, the development cost of a medium-scale fitness app is around $10,000 to $40,000. Lastly, the development cost of a large-scale fitness app is around $40,000 to $80,000.

This estimated cost depends on many factors such as complexity, the number of platforms, the hiring team, time, and more. To know the process behind calculating the estimated cost of an app, check our app development cost guide.

Conclusion

We hope that now you are now familiar with how to make a fitness app. Proper research and planning are essential for successful fitness app development.

In addition, understanding your market, carefully consider your goals, and hiring the right team will dramatically increase your chances of building a successful fitness app.

Here are some considerations to make while developing a fitness app:

Personal accounts, goal-setting, actual activity tracking, and social elements should all be included in your app.
Collaboration with as many wearable manufacturers as possible is an excellent concept.

If you want to develop a fitness application, you can contact us. Guru TechnoLabs is an award-winning mobile app development company. We also offer you a free consultation for your fitness application. We can develop a fitness app as per your exact requirement and some amazing add-ons.

FAQs on Fitness App Development

Are fitness apps profitable?

According to VerifiedMarketResearch, the fitness app market size was $5.7 Billion in 2020. The market size will grow at a CAGR of 20.15% between 2021-2028 and reach 25.2 Billion in 2028.

How do I create a fitness app?

For creating a fitness app, it is essential to decide the type of fitness app and how it will be beneficial to users. After this, you need to decide the features & functionalities, platform, app development approach, and monetization model. Then, you should reach out to a mobile app development company, and they will create a reliable fitness app for you.

How long does it take to create a fitness app?

The time required to create a fitness app is around three to five months. Further, the estimated time varies based on the platform, development approach, type of fitness app, monetization model, etc.

How do fitness app make money?

Here are some of the most common ways fitness apps make money.

Paid apps
In-app purchases
Advertisements
In-app ads
Sponsored Content

What makes a fitness app stand out?

Modern features like gamification, leaderboard, personal achievements, badges, and in-app currency can make a fitness app stand out from the rest. It also helps users follow workout regimes and improve their fitness.