As we continue to work remotely, the demand for new and innovative apps grows to help us stay fit, healthy, and productive.
Little surprise “how to create a fitness app” is one of the most popular
Google
queries these past many months.
The demand for digital products and services has skyrocketed. Those health
and
fitness businesses who pivoted—pivoted to success.
That is why Peloton is doing so well. For safety reasons, it had to close its
New York and London fitness studios, but quickly pivoted and delivered
live
content to its avid followers.
So, it makes sense that as remote and hybrid work becomes the new normal,
remote
training follows suit. Market research anticipates users will continue to use
fitness apps. Working remotely means working out from anywhere to stay healthy.
What about you? Are you ready to pivot quickly and grab one of the many
opportunities? Do you want to meet the needs and demands of people all over the
world?
Isn’t it time for you to create a fitness app and achieve financial success?
Check out our mobile
app development roadmap, so
you get started
and get
launched.
What are key fitness app market statistics?
2020 was a year of immense opportunities for those who wanted to develop a
fitness app.
In March 2020, we were told to shelter at home (SAH). Sheltering at home meant
we needed to stay fit and healthy. We started searching for an app to help us.
Any high-quality app that helped keep our bodies and minds healthy within the
confines of our home was a clear winner.
The number of fitness app users across the USA grew by 27%—from 68.7 million in
2019 to 87.4 million in 2020. This statistic includes all smartphone users who
opened a fitness app at least once a month.
Number of health and fitness app users in the
United States
from 2018 to 2022
Projected numbers are forecast to drop in 2021 when safety restrictions are
removed. But newly acquired habits will remain. The number of expected users
will grow again to 84 million in 2022, which is still 22% higher than in 2019.
Tracking devices are gaining popularity. Sales are growing and are expected to
grow in the future. Probably, not at a bursting rate but no sign of decline is
seen either.
Fitness tracker device sales revenue worldwide from 2016 to
2022
Workout and weight loss apps were among the
most popular fitness
apps in 2020.
We all know why….#COVID 19-20.
According to SensorTowner, iPhone and Android top 10 fitness apps in June 2021
look like this:
Average
app revenue per user made $4.30 in 2020, increasing from $4.17 in 2019.
Gen X and Millennials used fitness apps the most—41% and 35% respectively.
Revenue from wearables increased from $41.47 in 2019 to $43 in 2020.
What are the most sought-after fitness app types?
What are the most sought-after fitness app types currently in the market?
Workout fitness apps“Small habits lead to big changes.”
This statement helped drive Seven app’s monumental success. With over 30
million subscribers, Seven is one of the best examples of how to make a
fitness app for workouts. Super motivating and easy to use, it offers a
seven-month workout plan sorted by the level of difficulty. The plan
contains a set of ready workouts. The workouts can be customized based
on user needs.
Gamification makes the 7-month challenge less stressful. Users
have
three “lives” at the beginning of a challenge. They must complete the
set of exercises at least once a day. If they miss, they lose one life.
With three lives lost, the challenge starts anew.
Every exercise has instructions and audio guidance. To maintain
motivation, the application offers a status system (from beginner to
advanced). Users can also go online to share results and motivation.
If the user has a paid subscription, the application offers
recommendations from coaches and a personal training plan.
Personal training fitness appsTammy Fit application is one of the most popular fitness apps in the
personal training category.
Highly rated fitness instructor, Tammy Hembrow, has created her own
fitness app to help people get the body of their dreams.
App users enter information about their desired fitness goals.
Based on
the information, the app determines the current level of activity for
them.
Then it offers a plan:
basic training
post-pregnancy plan
full-body workout sessions
Each plan includes three to five workouts per week.
Nutrition and calorie tracking appsNutrition and calorie tracking apps make it possible to search for
nutritional information using a barcode or a photo scanner. This type of
fitness app helps keep track of consumed calories and see progress on
burning fat.
The app leader by the number of downloads is FatSecret app. It has a
simple design, an intuitive interface, and a set of important functions.
This fitness mobile app provides such features as:
scan codes
autocomplete
recognize products by photo
Users can also keep track of their eating habits by taking photos of
what they eat. This fitness app can create schedules and compare calorie
consumption and nutrients for a week or a month.
The app works in offline mode.
Activity tracking appsThese fitness apps use data from wearable devices.
Users can:
monitor their workouts
measure jogging distances
achieve their fitness goals
count calorie intake
track their progress
control heart rate
and more.
Running by Daily Burn is among the top fitness apps of this type.
This
activity-counting application is rapidly gaining in popularity.
Running by Daily Burn asks users a few questions about their goals.
It
then creates a list of running plans to address those goals. Or, users
can select jogging plans based on various criteria, including pace,
distance, etc. The app also offers a guided running session.
Running by Daily Burn offers a selection of warm-ups and relaxing videos
designed specifically for runners.
Workout music appsFitRadio is a fitness app designed to improve workouts.
When users first launch FitRadio, they register with their email
address
or social network profile. This is all they need to do.
The entire UI has only four tabs:
1. Music Genre – Users find a huge selection of music genres to
match
their preferences.
2. Stations – This contains a list of all popular radio stations that
broadcast cool music for workouts; various genres are available.
3. Favorites – This tab lets users create a favorite playlist.
4. DJs – There is a list of DJs with their bios and the possibility
to join their online broadcasting here. Users can add DJs to their lists
of favorites.
Water intake control appsThe Water intake application is probably the most popular in this
category. Users are asked to specify their gender, age, weight, and
level of physical activity. They also must provide their location. The
app needs it to provide information on the weather forecast. The weather
is an essential parameter when calculating the required amount of water.
It is simple to enter the volume of consumed liquid. Users tap on the
plus sign, select the type of drink, and indicate the amount in
milliliters.
The app reflects liquid intake in percentage on their profile avatar.
The application also offers push notifications about the workouts and
reminders to drink water.
Users can get different badges to show their achievements.
This short fitness app development guide helps future app owners correctly
estimate efforts needed on their side to make a fitness app. It also helps form
clear expectations from the development team.
A fitness application development roadmap includes the following seven steps:
Select an app development provider.
Outline your fitness app ideas and requirements. Discuss them with your
selected fitness app developers. Any concerns about confidentiality? Ask
them to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before discussing your
future fitness app.
Sign off application scope.
After the requirements and feature list are clearly defined, the fitness
application developers estimate timeline, costs, and team composition.
Finalize proposal for fitness app
development.
Both parties clarify the basics for ongoing cooperation. If both parties
agree on the terms, they sign a contract. After signing the contract,
the project is assigned to a project manager. The PM monitors the
development progress and communicates with the client.
Create a fitness app prototype.
A prototype demonstrates how the fitness app will work. This
responsibility lies with the business analyst. The business analyst
works through the app logic and presents the client with the
specifications. The specifications describe app functionality in detail,
transitions between functionalities, business processes, main scenarios,
and methods of data transmission.
Develop and test the first version of the
app.
During this step, the designer and client determine the style of the app,
including sizes of elements, visual effects, and animations.
Based on the specifications, the fitness app developers release the
first version of the fitness app. This is basically an MVP, a minimum
viable product. If necessary, the development team develops a server for
managing a mobile application and an API—a service for transferring
data between the server and the application. A QA team checks the app
for errors using manual and automatic functional testing.
Publish the app on mobile app stores.
The development team publishes the app on Google Play and/or the App
Store. The client needs to pay a one-time $25 registration fee in the
Google Play Market or a $99 annual fee on the App Store.
Choose either standard or extended guarantee
support and maintenance
Guarantees might vary. Get clarification about guaranteed support once
your app is launched.
Standard:
IT Craft provides a one-month guarantee for the application. This is
included in the initial price. If bugs are discovered within a month,
the team will quickly fix them at no extra cost to the client.
Extended:
Expand and maintain the app.
It is possible to sign an additional technical support agreement.
This team helps:
expand fitness app functionality in response to user requests
regularly check the application’s operability
update the application for new devices and OSs
and more.
What are the basics of a fitness app?
Essential fitness app features
The typical list of must-have features of a fitness app includes the following:
My profile
My profile is the main section. This section contains personal
information including gender, age, targets, and achievements. Users can
monitor their performance and edit their goals.
Workouts
Workouts include a list of all workouts available for users. Each workout
normally contains the name and description, list of exercises, number of
repetitions, etc.
Flexibility is essential when creating a fitness app.
Users need to be able to:
edit workouts
add new exercises
combine them into groups
create a workout plan
Users benefit from:
audio and video support
categorization of training by complexity
workout plans with a defined timeline
Activity tracking
This function helps track duration, type, and consistency of sports
activity. This can be an activity meter or calorie counter. This can
also be a robust system for data collection. Your fitness app
synchronizes with all user devices for data aggregation regarding sleep,
calorie intake, and much more. Based on aggregated data, users can see
how their training affects blood pressure, heart rate, and weight.
Sharing on social networks and chat
Every fitness application needs a powerful social component. In fact,
synchronizing the application with social networks allows users to share
their achievements, ask questions, and get information from peers.
Your fitness app features can also include chat. This is important for
personal training apps as chat lets users communicate with their coaches
and with each other.
Gamification
Gamification helps users stay motivated. Gamification features can vary
greatly.
Jogging apps with challenging quests and winning competitions gain more
interest. For example, Zombies, Run! offers a series of interactive
missions. Users hear zombies chasing them through their headphones. They
must speed up in order to escape. At the end of each mission, users
distribute collected bonuses among citizens.
Push notifications
Timely notifications help users stay on track to achieve their goals.
When the right motivating messages are sent at the right time, they tend
to be the most powerful marketing tool.
Technical side of fitness app development
Basically, developers create a fitness app using all three approaches:
native,
hybrid, and cross-platform.
Budget vs. app complexity determines the technical side of the question “how
to
develop a fitness app”:
Native appsDevelopers make a separate app for each platform. Native apps enjoy the
best performance, access to native features, and native design.
However, native apps are expensive; development time is long.
Cross-platformDevelopers maintain one code base for two platforms. They reuse the same
codebase by applying a cross-platform framework such as Flutter, React
Native or Xamarin. Development timeline is shorter.
Still, developers must adjust code for each platform. Access to native
features can be challenging at times.
HybridThe same Web development team can repurpose Web app source code to make
it work on mobile platforms. Hybrid approach works best for simple apps.
They can be launched fast and within budget.
However, hybrid apps are hard to optimize. Access to hardware can also
be limited.
Most important fitness app development trends
Successful fitness and workout app development is hardly possible without knowing
current trends. The market of fitness and health is growing and changing
constantly.
Below are six of the most significant trends to help you create a fitness app the
audience will be waiting for:
Virtual assistant According to forecasts, the market of virtual assistants will
reach $6.27
billion by 2025. Virtual assistants and virtual trainers will be in
demand on sports and fitness apps.
Aaptiv is a pioneer application that offers a virtual personal trainer.
This trainer is available 24/7. It shares ideas and tips for an active,
healthy, and happy lifestyle via a chatbot. The first virtual personal
trainer not only educates users, but it also keeps learning. The virtual
trainer relies on both user data and information from the community when
adjusting to user needs. Interactive elements provide a gamified
learning experience to help users stay motivated.
Augmented RealityAnother trend of fitness app development is Augmented Reality (AR). AR
makes training become more intensive, both indoors and outdoors. AR
makes it possible to completely get into the world where a user
interacts with objects that exist on smartphone screens.
AR suits best for real-time data visualization. Users can be sure they
avoid physical fatigue. Also, users can increase efficiency because they
will know exactly when it is possible to increase or reduce performance
during the workout session.
Live video streamingHow to create a fitness app where every community member will benefit
from face-to-face communication? Start real-time online classes.
Instructors who want to create a fitness app and improve their personal
brand benefit the most. For gym instructors, live streaming helps them
reach their audience, answer questions immediately, and build a better
experience from online lessons.
It helps athletes keep their morale while feeling they are not left
alone. They can adjust their old habits to their new routine.
Educational contentIt is equally important to provide access to a knowledge base. Users
might miss a live training session for various reasons. They might want
to refer to how to do a certain exercise. Or they may want to learn the
basics of a healthy diet.
Educational content increases time people spend on the app. It also
provides added value saving users’ time on finding (and purchasing)
missing information. Thus, educational content can be an additional
reason to decide on a subscription.
Multiple screensChoice of target platform is an important part of the question “how to
develop a fitness app”. Although smartphones accounted for two
thirds of
revenue share in 2020, demand on wearables such as smartwatches
and
fitness trackers continues to grow. They accounted for over a quarter of
revenue. The reason: trackers collect and make sense of user data, send
notification alerts and instructions, and more. Truly seamless
experience is possible.
Include a smart TV app (Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV) as another
benefit. A live session or training instructions can be streamed on a
big screen letting users focus on exercise and freeing up their hands
from holding their smartphones.
Personalized trainingPersonalization remains one of the key trends. It cannot be
underestimated when answering the question “how to create a fitness app
users will love”. People are looking for the training/diet plans that
fit in best for their situation.
On-demand programs and personalized plans will help users set up
objectives and provide workout ideas that fit in with their lifestyle.
Machine learning algorithms will help keep track of daily progress and
correct the plan on its basis.
Typical fitness app development costs
Here is a short outline regarding development timeline and pricing.
Both Android and iOS apps have a similar development effort, as follows: for
both
basic Android and iOS apps with similar scope, the effort would take 450 – 900 hours
(4 – 6 months) for minimum functionality.
Advanced fitness apps support real-time
synchronization,
interactivity, and database
integration. Users enjoy animations and offline mode (e.g., downloading workout
videos). In this case, app development would take 1000+
hours
(6+ months).
In both cases, costs might vary. For example, an elaborate app design
increases
costs by 20%.
Fitness app development costs depend on several parameters. The most
important
include:
Number of screens, controls, and fields – the higher the number of those
items
required, the more expensive the app.
Types of supported devices – the fitness app can run on smart watches,
trackers,
smartphones, or tablets.
Screen Orientation Modes – ability to recognize screen orientation type and
angle.
Security – measures to keep data safe.
Number of supported languages.
Supported OS versions – the app will be available on Google Play and/or App
Store.
Fitness applications usually work on multiple processes. Normally they have
at least
10 screens. Also, fitness apps are integrated with a server and often require
payments. Optionally, they have functionality for reviews and feedback and a
feature.
How much does it all take? Based on an hourly rate of $50 – $55/hour, typical for a Ukrainian development company, estimated costs to build a fitness app vary from $22,500 to $49,500 for the minimum functionality. An advanced app starts from $50,000.
How to create a fitness app
monetization strategy?
App owners should not only make it clear for what
they are going to charge users
but also meet user expectations regarding price
and provided options.
They can provide access to advanced features,
sell goods and services, or
provide an app as added value to the main
product.
Fitness business can rest on one of the following
(or several) revenue
models:
Free app with ads
Users can launch and utilize the app at no cost to them. In return,
businesses will regularly display ads. This can be banners, videos, or
native ads.
This model works best for simple apps with low maintenance costs. Or
it can become a part of the freemium model—users pay for switching off
ads.
An app owner can also encourage users to watch ad videos for bonuses
to maximize income.
Pay attention to interruptions. When forced to watch too many
ads, users will end up looking for better choices.
Freemium
When delivering the app using a freemium model, the app owner provides
basic functionality for free. Users pay for extended features. For
example, a training app can provide one free basic plan. Customized
training plans will be available upon purchase.
Depending on app complexity and value, app owners can try:
Upgrades – unlock the full version and remove ads.
One-time in-app purchases – buy items or in-app currency.
Subscriptions – pay for app usage on a regular basis.
The subscription model continues to gain in popularity because it helps
app owners forecast their income. App owners are motivated to provide
regular content and feature updates.
One-time purchases can be a safe bet for users. App owners can opt for
this model when promoting their MVP.
Data monetization
A rather recent monetization strategy lies in gathering depersonalized
user data and selling it to specialized companies. In most cases, for
marketing and market study purposes.
For some free apps, data monetization can be more profitable than
advertising. Still, app owners should be very cautious about data
monetization. They must require user consent upfront and tell what type
of data they collect, store, and process.
Otherwise, they may ruin their reputation and face legal claims.
Indirectly as part of added value
Big brands can develop a fitness app as a part of a bigger game. For
example, Adidas has launched a fitness app called adidas Training to
reach a wide audience and increase its loyalty.
Another case is when manufacturers of fitness equipment also create a
fitness app. They have needed experience on how to help users make the
most of their devices. For example, a renowned manufacturer of fitness
trackers Fitbit also provides a special app Fitbit: Health & Fitness
which is very popular (#6 in Health & Fitness on App Store).
To add here, branded apps also offer paid premium subscriptions.
Reverse monetization
Counterintuitively, app owners can create a fitness app to actually pay
users for their activities. For example, users get a certain number of
points or in-app coins upon reaching the daily workout goal. If they
keep meeting goals, they will collect a substantial sum of money which
they can exchange for gift cards, certificates, discounts, etc. In some
apps, they can cash in real money.
Alternatively, a fitness application sends money for charities that
users earn for every mile they walk, run, or cycle.
Another feature to increase motivation and competitiveness is betting. A
fitness app works like a betting company. Users make bets using the app
on whether they get to the gym or start training at home. Losing money
if they don’t is their motivation to keep training.
Donations
Because why not? If the app owner is not sure how to create a fitness app
the audience would like, the idea can be tested by starting a
crowdfunding campaign. If users are interested in the app idea, they
will back it up with money.
In return, the app owner can offer lifetime subscription, early access
to premium features, merchandise, and more options. In addition, the app
will get the audience who will be the first adopters and provide
feedback.
So, you’ve decided to develop a fitness app…
Moving from theory to real practice is a big decision which requires a deep
reflection on how to create a fitness app that users will use regularly and pay
for it.
Consider these brief points to increase your success chances when you start
developing a fitness app:
MVPAgain, focus on the core functionality to launch fast and on budget.
Using the MVP approach, you test the waters to see what users are
willing to pay. This is rarely possible on the first try. Develop and
launch, market test and repeat.
Focus on paying audienceThink in advance how to create a fitness app for users who are going to
pay you. Answer the following questions: Are end users ready to pay for
regular subscription or only for a one-time purchase? Will they pay for
content or services? Test different monetization models if you have no
definite answer. Provide trials and discounts to help test at no risk.
Think how you engage users to upgrade to the paid version.
Consider partnershipsProbably, you can monetize your app through affiliate programs. You can
team up with a retail business that provides you gift certificates in
return to promotion. Or collaborate with insurance companies. The latter
can provide better terms for users who maintain a healthy lifestyle.
DesignDesign does require special attention. No matter how great the features
are, if the app looks and feels cheap, users will lose interest. Think
through what users want to see and what they will want to avoid at any
cost.
CompatibilityFitness applications must work well on where users expect them to use.
They must be compatible with as many computing devices as possible: smart
watches, trackers, smartphones, PCs, and TVs.
SecurityData protection is a must-have. When creating a fitness app, enhanced
data security is needed to prevent leaks of sensitive user data.
Also, it’s the law in EU/Schengen countries. Ref. GDPR.
Development teamInvest your time in looking for developers who know how to develop a
fitness app unless you have an experienced in-house team. Find
programmers who can provide your audience with a stellar app.
Do you want more flexibility in determining feature list of a future
fitness app?
Mobile apps for fitness show the highest retention rates among all app
categories. 96% of users use only one health and fitness app. Unlike other
industries, fitness applications remain on users' smartphones for a long time.
The forecast for the number of people using fitness applications is >353 million
by 2022.
However, fitness app users are becoming increasingly discerning. This means
creating and launching a new mobile fitness app becomes more challenging for
business owners. This is where business owners must unleash their creativity and
follow best practices.
Product owners’ need for creation of a new fitness app:
a lot of work
a clear vision of audience’s expectations
a well-built survival strategy
a team capable to turn a set of requirements into a polished app
Are you curious to know how much your fitness app can cost you at IT Craft?
Contact us today and get a free roadmap with costs, technologies, and timeline.
Basic fitness app functionality requires 450 – 900 working hours. Hence, a basic fitness app will cost its owner between $22,500 to $49,500 when applying an average Eastern European hourly rate ($50 – $55).
An advanced app requires 1000+ working hours. Its costs start at $50,000.
You can use one of the many no-code building platforms to create a
fitness app. No-code app builders provide drag-and-drop interface
and templates for specific app types. App owners can use app
builders to prepare apps and submit them to app stores. The most
popular no-code platforms include:
Appy Pie
Adalo
Thunkable
AppBuildy
Dropsource
Shoutem
Caution! No-code platforms have multiple limitations. Use at your
own response.
A detailed feature list depends on the app type and aims of a
project.
Many fitness apps include the following features:
Basic functionality
Profile management
Workout/Nutrition plans
Activity tracking and analytics
Targets and achievements
Notifications
Help center
Advanced functionality
Gamification
Social media integration
Live streaming
Virtual assistant
Personalized training
Integrations with multiple devices
You can use one of the following (or combine several) monetization
strategies:
Advertising
Subscriptions
One-time, in-app purchases
Data monetization
Consider a fitness app as added value
Partnerships and affiliations
Reverse monetization
Donations
Fitness app market will continue to grow. People will benefit from
habits they have already acquired during the pandemic. There is no
sign of decline or lost interest.
Are you curious to know how much your fitness app can cost you at IT
Craft?
Contact us today and get a free roadmap with costs, technologies, and
timeline.