This article provides a guide on how to create a fitness app. It discusses the different types of fitness apps and the features they offer. It also details the steps involved in developing a fitness app, including identifying a target audience and choosing a monetization strategy.

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How to Create a Fitness App: Process, Features, and
Cost
successive.tech/blog/fitness-app-development-guide/
Ultimate Guide to Fitness App Development: Trends, Process, and
Costs
Over the years, fitness app development demand has increased due to digital
transformation in the health and wellness industry. Thanks to fitness apps, people have
the convenience of on-demand health and fitness-related solutions, such as finding a
fitness coach for online or offline consultation and tracking fitness levels like BMI, BMR,
and water retention. At the same time, fitness apps allow them to track nutrition
information of daily food intake, such as carbs, fiber, and protein, and set multiple other
health goals.
Consequently, the demand for feature-rich and customer-centric fitness apps is
increasing. Digital fitness and well-being apps are projected to grow by 12.30% between
2023 – 2028, adding to a market volume of US$25.40bn in 2028.
Hence, health and fitness app development has shown considerable potential to bring
value to people, service providers, and the community. Whether you are an entrepreneur
or an enterprise, developing a fitness app can provide you with lucrative benefits.

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Want to know “how to create a fitness app?” Let’s dive into the world of fitness application
development and understand how to build a fitness app, including its process, features,
cost, and tech stack.
Fitness App Industry Market Overview: What are the Benefits of
Fitness App Development?
In recent years, the global market for health and fitness mobile apps has experienced
significant growth. This growth is fueled by factors such as:
The widespread adoption of smartphones and wearable devices.
An increasing focus on fitness and wellness.
Rising health awareness among the general population.
The market comprises various applications designed to assist users in monitoring
physical activity, maintaining healthy lifestyles, and achieving fitness goals. Prominent
global fitness apps market players include Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, Nike, Under Armour,
Runtastic GmbH, Adidas AG, Asics Corporation, Azumio, Inc., Garmin Ltd., and Google
Fit LLC. These companies continually invest in product development, partnerships, and
acquisitions to expand their target audience and enhance user experience.
Moreover, the fitness apps market is expected to grow and reach $120.37 billion by 2030,
showcasing a CAGR of 24.3% between 2021 and 2030. This growth can be
due to technological advancements, rising consumer health consciousness, and the
increasing popularity of wearable devices.
Therefore, it would be wise to invest in fitness app development. However, when
considering launching a fitness app, it is crucial to identify the target audience, determine
the type of app to create, and define the niche within this vast market.
How to Select the Right Category for Fitness App Development?
Digital fitness and wellness apps often focus on tracking health, working out, managing
stress, and providing various home remedies online. Henceforth, several types of fitness
apps can be developed, such as:
1. Activity Tracking Apps
2. Nutrition And Diet Apps
3. Yoga And Meditation Apps
4. Workout Apps
Let’s understand each of these in detail and help you analyze the scope and impact these
apps have created on people’s daily lives.

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1. Fitness Tracking App Development
A fitness or activity tracking app is a widely adopted fitness application developed for
smartphones and wristwatch devices. These types of apps utilize your smartphone’s or
wearable device’s sensors to monitor and record physical activity.
The app uses accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS technology to gather data. It tracks
metrics such as steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and active minutes
during walking, running, and cycling.
Activity tracking apps are well-suited for fitness enthusiasts and individuals new to fitness,
as they encourage a healthier way of life and assist users in attaining their fitness
objectives. Google Fit is one of the best examples of activity-tracking apps.
2. Nutrition And Diet Apps
Besides exercising and participating in sports or physical activities, a majority of people
have become conscious of their intake of what they eat in a day. Therefore, a nutrition
and diet planner app is one of the most in-demand fitness application development
expertise areas.
These apps provide a range of features, such as meal planning, calorie counting, and
nutrient tracking, which offer valuable insights into users’ eating habits. With
comprehensive food databases, recipe recommendations, and personalized diet plans
tailored to individual needs and goals, these apps significantly raise awareness and
promote healthier eating practices.
Moreover, these apps can offer personalized meal plans, recipe suggestions, or dietitian
support. This helps users make informed choices, achieve their nutritional objectives, and
support overall health and well-being.
3. Yoga And Meditation Apps

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A yoga and meditation app is one of the fastest-growing fitness mobile app development
categories. These apps contribute to the holistic well-being of individuals by offering
mindfulness, relaxation, and flexibility exercises for both the mind and body. With guided
yoga sessions, meditation exercises, and breathing techniques, these apps cater to users
at all experience levels.
Users can personalize their practice according to their preferences with a wide range of
yoga styles, dedicated meditation features, and detailed instructions. Integrating progress
tracking, personalized recommendations, and reminders within these apps promotes
consistency in their mindfulness routines.
Additionally, yoga and meditation apps often include progress tracking and meditation
timers to help users establish a consistent practice and track their progress over time.
Notable examples of popular yoga and meditation apps include Yoga Studio, Headspace,
and Calm.
4. Workout Apps
A workout plan app primarily provides users with a wide range of exercise options beyond
traditional cardio or dance routines. To enhance user engagement, incorporating
gamification features like progress tracking, rewards, and social interaction can be
effective.
Creating a workout app that offers unique experiences, such as VR-based exercises,
outdoor adventures, or story-driven workouts, motivates users and differentiates your app
in the highly competitive fitness market. A dynamic and captivating workout app has the
potential to attract a broad audience and foster fitness success.
Must-have Features For Your Fitness App Development
Fitness app development caters to different purposes and offers unique features to users.
We have compiled a comprehensive list of essential features that every fitness app
should encompass. Incorporating these features can elevate your fitness app’s
functionality, user experience, and overall success.

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1. Onboarding
To acquaint new users with the app’s features and provide instructions, onboarding
proves to be invaluable. Optional for basic fitness mobile app development, onboarding
can involve showcasing a few screens, presenting a brief video tutorial, or employing in-
app prompts.
2. Sign-Up & Login
Grant users the convenience of signing up using their preferred social media accounts,
such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Instagram. Additionally, allowing sign-ups with
personal email addresses ensures a hassle-free user experience.
3. User Profiles
Users should be able to create profiles with relevant personal information such as name,
age, height, weight, gender, and fitness level. This data benefits both app admin and
users alike. Admin can offer tailored workout routines, physical activity trackers, and
customized plans. For users, profiles provide easy access to subscription plans, exercise
history, progress tracking, bonuses, and other pertinent details.
4. Goals
Setting fitness goals is an integral part of any fitness app. Enabling users to establish
objectives and track their progress adds motivation and fosters adherence to their fitness
goals.
5. Synchronization With Wearable Devices

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As the popularity of wearable devices like smartwatches continues to rise, your fitness
app must integrate and synchronize with them. You can leverage APIs such as HealthKit
and GoogleFit to sync fitness tracker data with your app. The synchronization can be
achieved through watchOS and Wear OS operating systems for Apple Watch and
Android smartwatches.
6. Workouts & Exercises
Use various media formats, such as photos, 3D animated models, and video illustrations,
to effectively illustrate exercises and workouts. Users should have the flexibility to create
their own workouts, utilize a predefined set of exercises, or combine both approaches. An
organized and searchable content library is essential to facilitate this feature.
7. Tracking
Your app can capture activity data through smartphone sensors or integration with
wearable trackers. Smartphones provide data on steps taken, climbed stairs, distance
covered, speed, and direction. Notable apps in this domain include Samsung Health.
Integration with third-party APIs is necessary to track additional parameters like heart
rate, sleep quality, or body temperature and synchronize with fitness wearables.
8. Audio/Video Player
Audio and video components enhance various fitness activities, such as exercises,
workouts, running, yoga classes, or meditation. Podcasts featuring trainers’ voices,
soundtracks, or video tutorials can effectively guide users. Additional features should
include providing feedback, bookmarking/liking tracks, and resuming playback within your
fitness app’s player.
9. Product & Recipe Database
A vast database of products and healthy recipes, nutrition analysis, and barcode
scanning capabilities constitute compelling features for nutrition apps. Furthermore,
enabling users to manually add items that are not listed in your app’s database adds
flexibility.
10. Workout Customization
Empower users to customize their workouts, meditations, exercise sets, recipes, or diet
plans within the app. Although this feature requires significant effort, prioritizing customer-
centricity is pivotal in today’s landscape.
11. Push Notifications & Reminders
Well-timed and targeted push notifications can significantly boost an app’s retention rate
by three to tenfold. Remind and motivate your users for daily workouts or provide them
with their healthcare insights via push notifications.

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12. Payment Feature & Method
Incorporating a payment feature is self-explanatory, allowing you to monetize your app.
By integrating a secure payment gateway like PayPal or Visa, users can seamlessly
subscribe to premium features, purchase additional content, or access exclusive services
within your fitness app.
13. Support & Customer Services
Prioritizing user satisfaction, consider implementing a chat feature where trainers or
support staff can provide real-time advice and consultations. Even if live chat options are
unavailable, combining chatbots with pre-programmed responses can provide automated
assistance. Additionally, ensure that contact information is readily accessible within the
app, allowing users to reach out for support and providing a channel for valuable
feedback.
14. Profile Settings
Allow users to personalize their experience by including profile settings. This functionality
enables users to modify passwords and email addresses, adjust notification preferences,
and manage account settings according to their preferences. Granting users control over
their profiles enhances their sense of ownership and empowers them to tailor the app to
their needs.
How to Develop a Fitness App: Step-by-step Guide
Depending on the app category, fitness apps can have 3 user panels: Admin, Fitness
Coach, and End-user. For instance, an activity tracker allows users to track their fitness
levels and optimize their daily health, requiring Admin and End-user panels. On the other
hand, a workout app where a personal trainer provides online yoga or exercise classes
can have 3 user panels: one for customers, one for trainers, and one for admin or owner,
as they will require it for administrative purposes.
Before stepping into the fitness app development process, consider the business model
you want to acquire for your business. Moreover, decide whether to go with progressive
web app development, cross-platform, or native solutions to begin the app development
journey.
Step 1: Conduct Market Research to Define Your App’s Purpose and
Target Audience
Perform thorough market research, analyze the competition, and identify market gaps to
identify the primary goals of your fitness app. Understand your target audience’s needs,
preferences, and motivations to effectively build a fitness app that meets their
requirements.
Step 2: Plan the App’s Features

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Based on your research and target audience, determine the essential features to include
in your fitness apps. The features you choose to integrate into your app should create a
unique value proposition and help your business stand out from the competition.
Step 3: Choose the Right Technology Stack
Select the appropriate technologies, frameworks, and app development tools, considering
cross-platform compatibility, scalability, and maintainability. Decide on the framework,
such as React Native or Flutter, and consider third-party API integrations for health and
fitness app development.
Step 4: Hire the Best Fitness App Developers
Choose the right team of fitness app developers for your project, considering factors like
cost, commitment, availability, and project requirements. You can hire your preferred
developers as per the following options, such as:
1. In-house team for direct communication and control.
2. Hire an offshore fitness app development company for access to skilled
professionals.
3. Freelancers for specialized skills or small-scale development.
Read our comprehensive guide on mobile app development costs to know the cost of
hiring app developers from different regions.
Step 5: Create a User-Friendly UI/UX Design
Design an intuitive, visually appealing, and easy-to-navigate user interface that enhances
the overall user experience. Ensure the app is accessible and inclusive for users of
different fitness levels and abilities.
Step 6: Develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
Create a minimum viable version of your fitness app, focusing on core features and
functionality. The MVP allows you to test the app concept with real users, gather
feedback, and validate its market potential before investing further time and resources
into development.
Step 7: Begin the Fitness Mobile App Development Process
Based on user feedback from the MVP stage, develop a fitness app with more
comprehensive features and functionalities.
Step 8: Test The App
Conduct thorough testing to ensure the app’s functionality, usability, and performance are
working as intended. Use a combination of manual and automated testing, and consider
beta testing with real users to gather valuable feedback and identify any issues or bugs

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that need to be addressed.
Step 9: Launch The App
Release your app on the appropriate app stores, following their guidelines and
requirements. Optimize your app store listing with relevant keywords, compelling
descriptions, and appealing visuals to improve visibility and increase downloads.
Step 10: Monitor Performance And User Feedback
Continuously monitor app usage, user feedback, and app store ratings to identify
improvement areas and growth opportunities. Hire one of the best fitness app
development companies that can update and enhance your app based on user feedback
and market trends to maintain user engagement and satisfaction.
What Technologies to Use For Fitness App Development
You can choose a suitable technology stack for your fitness app development based on
your team’s expertise, project requirements, scalability needs, time-to-market, and
budget. Consider evaluating the pros and cons of technologies regarding development
speed, platform compatibility, performance, community support, and available libraries or
plugins.
Here are some commonly used technologies for health and fitness app development:
Native iOS Development Language: Swift
Framework: SwiftUI or UIKit
Backend: Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Native Android
Development
Language: Kotlin
Framework: Jetpack Compose or Android SDK
Backend: Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Cross-platform
Development
React Native:
Language: JavaScript or TypeScript
Backend: Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Flutter:
Language: Dart
Backend: Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB

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Hybrid App Development Ionic:
Language: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or TypeScript
Backend: Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Xamarin:
Language: C#
Backend: ASP.NET or Node.js
Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB
Backend Development Language: Node.js, Ruby, Python, or Java
Framework: Express.js, Ruby on Rails, Django, or
Spring Boot
Database: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, or
Firebase
Cloud Infrastructure and
Storage
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Google Cloud Platform
Microsoft Azure
How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Fitness App?
The fitness app development cost in its minimum viable product (MVP) version typically
ranges between $30,000 and $50,000. For a fitness app with extensive features,
integration of intelligent technologies like AI, AR/VR, cloud, etc., and extended
development hours, the cost to create a fitness app can incur up to $300,000.
This cost varies based on different factors like project requirements, features, discovery
phase, technology used, post-launch maintenance, and location of the fitness app
development company. You can contact a company with experience building similar apps
to get the exact pricing details for fitness mobile app development.
Cost to Develop a Fitness App Based on App Complexity
App Complexity Development Hours Average Cost
Simple App Complexity 8-14 weeks $15,000 to $45,000
Medium Design Complexity 17-28 weeks $30,000 to $50,000
High App Complexity 32-50 weeks $65,000 to $1,20,000
Read our guide to wellness and healthcare app development costs to get a detailed
explanation of fitness app development costs.
Popular Ways to Monetize Your Fitness App

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As a business owner, you must have a question, “Are fitness apps profitable?” The
answer is Yes! You can combine multiple monetization models to create a unique
monetization strategy that aligns with your target audience and market dynamics.
The choice of the app pricing model depends on factors such as the app’s value
proposition, target market, competitive landscape, and revenue generation potential. Let’s
take a look at the options available for monetization from your developed app.
Freemium
This model offers a free basic version of the app, allowing users to access essential
features and functionality. Additional premium features, such as advanced-level workouts,
personalized coaching, or in-depth analytics, are offered through a subscription or one-
time purchase. The freemium model aims to attract a large user base with the free
version and convert a portion of them into paying customers.
Subscription
In this model, the app requires users to pay a recurring fee (monthly, quarterly, or
annually) to access all features and content. Users typically receive full access to
premium workouts, personalized plans, exclusive content, and enhanced support.
Subscription models provide a steady and predictable revenue stream for the app.
In-App Purchases
Fitness apps may offer in-app purchases for additional features, content, or virtual goods.
For example, users can buy workout programs, additional workout sessions, specialized
meal plans, or fitness-related products. This model allows users to customize their
experience by purchasing specific items or services within the app.
Advertisements
Some fitness apps generate revenue through advertisements. Ads can be displayed
within the app, either as banners, interstitials, or videos. Ad-supported apps often offer a
free version to users and monetize their user base by displaying targeted advertisements.
This model requires a significant user base to attract advertisers and generate substantial
revenue.
Partnerships and Affiliates
Fitness apps can partner with fitness equipment manufacturers, nutrition companies, or
wellness brands. They may recommend or promote partner products or services within
the app, earning a commission for each referral or purchase. This model relies on
collaborations and mutually beneficial relationships with relevant industry partners.
Enterprise Solutions

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Some fitness apps offer enterprise solutions for businesses, gyms, or fitness studios.
These solutions may include employee wellness programs, group subscriptions, or
customized app versions for corporate clients. The app charges businesses a fee for
providing specialized features and services catering to their needs.
Ready to Elevate Your Business With Fitness App Development?
At Successive Digital, we have hands-on experience in providing innovative health and
fitness app development services. Our fitness app solution, ‘SmitFit,’ can be integrated
and synchronized with wearable devices, providing actionable insights for better wellness.
We are an expert fitness and healthcare app development company with expertise in
developing end-to-end healthcare solutions, including complete wellness platforms. We
have an innovation-driven UI/UX team, highly skilled backend developers, and certified
cloud professionals who come together to design and architect a complete roadmap for
your fitness app development requirements.