Fitness app development is getting into the mainstream of development trends. There are many fitness app development companies that have started out in the market with a fitness-based application and they are doing great.

These applications are of different types, from step counting applications to fitness and diet trainers, there are a lot of them. They started out very simple but now, they are doing great.

Innovation is something that can make the game, using the same recipe for the cost of building a fitness application might not give a fruitful result. This will increase the redundancy in the application store and the chances of being successful will decrease.

In this article, readers will get to know everything about developing a fitness application in 2020. This is the year when the world witnessed the biggest pandemic and during this time, the value of fitness has increased like never before.

There are a lot of healthcare applications already but the scope for innovation keeps the doors open for new ones. The target audience has increased to a great extent and that is great news for mobile app development companies. Let’s first understand the type of fitness applications that are there in the market.

Types Of Fitness Apps

There are millions of fitness apps on app stores and different fitness app development companies, yet, not all of them are popular. If you plan to create a fitness app, let’s consider the apps that customers love and use the most according to their types:

1. High-Intensity Interval Training
2. Diet And Nutrition App
3. Activity Tracking App
4. A Personal Trainer Or Studio App
5. Meditation App

1. High-Intensity Interval Training

These are the applications that are designed for high-intensity training. They are designed to help people either with weight loss or gaining muscles.

They have different levels and accordingly, users have to complete tasks in a given time interval. There are many applications designed for this purpose and most of them are working well for their target audience. These applications don’t have too many features as they target specific problems and a specific audience.

This is a good way, as there is a certain group that they know they can find. Because the application is made on a specific topic, the development process becomes easy and the quality of the app can be enhanced.

These applications are of the best quality so their users never switch to another similar application. Though, there are some things that need improvement and changes.

This kind of application needs to have some extra features or a social community of users to allow them to work out together, like a team. This can be a motivating factor for people to work out and will increase the number of times a person uses the application developed by a mobile application development company.

2. Diet And Nutrition App

The application provides its users with a diet and nutrition plan according to their requirements. Some people want to gain weight, some want to gain strength, some want to lose weight, etc.

These applications provide pre-defined plans and customized plans for all kinds of needs from their own nutritionists and dieticians. There are many things that can be added to these applications.

An option to fix a virtual or on-call meeting with a nutritionist or dietician can be added. This can also be made monetary to earn revenue and also pay the nutritionist.

This is a business model that can also be used to sell products related to this category. A great amount of profit can be gained from such applications if they are developed and promoted in the right way. Gyms, health clubs, and hospitals can be their major clients and individual users too.

3. Activity Tracking App

Activity tracking applications are the ones that calculate steps taken, pulse rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and various other parameters of the human body.

These applications might need a wearable device to be connected to the bodies. This allows companies to produce both so that they can increase their profit.

There is an option to enter the food that users eat and they can get the total consumed calorie count. Many other things can be done with these applications.

4. A Personal Trainer Or Studio App

People in 2020 wish to get a fitness trainer on their smartphone. The trainer can be an AI trainer who can train users according to their fitness goals.

There can also be an option to opt for a real trainer that they can get with a subscription plan. This will turn the application into a revenue-earning model that will work well if the training plans are affordable and properly planned.

The application should also be made according to a plan. Nowadays, this kind of app is trending among the top Fitness app development companies. This type of fitness application is beneficial for gyms and fitness trainer apps.

5. Meditation App

Meditation was earlier done with any music application. There are meditation playlists on most audio streaming applications hence people didn’t use many of those apps.

Now, those applications have evolved and they are like virtual meditation camps. There are various activities and things that help users to relax, sleep, and reduce their anxiety.

These are the things that have made meditation very popular and this is even true for the ones that are paid. To attract a new audience there are still many things that can be done within these applications.

Basic Fitness App Features

A fitness App must have some basic Features That Could Make Your Fitness App Popular Like Fitbit. The significant features are mentioned below.

1. Log In
2. Social Integration
3. Personal Account
4. Device Connectivity
5. User Activity Tracking
6. Geolocation
7. Notification
8. Target Settings
9. Workouts
10. Settings

1. Log In

Having a feature that asks users to sign up or log in to an application is important. This will help users to personalize the application according to their preferences.

Users’ progress can also be saved on the application using this feature. This feature also allows users to simultaneously continue their process on other applications.

2. Social Integration

This is something that many fitness application development companies don’t look into. Making a fitness application is not just about one individual user, it is about a group – a target group.

There are still some applications that use the social integration feature and they are seeing the benefits. This will help users to share their progress on their social media accounts. This will be a great way of word-of-mouth promotions. Leaving this feature out will not be good for any development company.

3. Personal Account

A personal account is one where people can enter all their information that will create their distinct identity on the application. This will be really helpful in the applications where a user can fix an appointment with a trainer or a nutritionist.

It will allow the professional to get the details of the individual who wants help from them. Users will also be able to monitor their health and fitness status.

4. Device Connectivity

The application should have connectivity features for wearable devices to calculate steps and calories burnt. There are many applications that avoid this and then end up losing efficiency and quality.

This is the reason why people switch from such applications. Connectivity with other devices allows users to use more functions in the application, it can track the speed, the steps, and the heart and pulse rates.

5. User Activity Tracking

This feature is about tracking the activities of a user with the help of a smartphone. This feature can track walking, running, and intense workout. This is to monitor the fitness changes and tell the user how much more they need to do.

If the user is doing just fine then the app can have the feature that congratulates them as well. This is one of the most important features incorporated by fitness app developers that especially fitness training applications should have.

6. Geolocation

Geolocation allows the application to know the area in which the user is. This allows them to get an idea about where their application is working well and where they need to improve.

This can help them personalize users’ experiences and also create a customized marketing strategy. Geolocation is also important for fitness companies that deliver fitness-related products and supplements.

7. Notification

Notifications are important for all types of applications, especially fitness ones. People need to follow a schedule with meditation or training applications and hence they should get proper notification about the same.

There can be notifications related to their upcoming workout session or when they have to take supplements or go for a walk. This is important to keep users connected to the applications. Notifications are important for applications that sell fitness equipment and supplements to notify the users about their offers.

8. Target Settings

Every user has a fitness goal and they should be allowed to set that as soon as they log in to the application. This can be added to meditation, training, and activity tracking applications.

This feature can help the notification feature as well. Target settings allow the application to make a customized fitness plan for the user.

9. Workouts

The workouts feature should be there either in the form of training or tracking. There can be videos or animated tutorials for users and then their workouts can be monitored by giving them a timer to set the time in which they have to complete them.

There is still no feature that can help the application to know if the users are really working out or not but it can be made. AI technology can be integrated into wearable fitness devices and allow them to capture the movements of the body. This will enhance the application’s features and usability.

10. Settings

Settings can help users fix the interface, the model, and the level of intensity of a workout. There can be features that users can customize according to their preferences and personalize the application experience.

This creates a connection between the application and its users. There have been very few applications that don’t allow users to customize the apps by going to the settings feature.

Fitness app trends or how to make your app better

1. Gamification Or Motivation
2. Social Media
3. Virtual Reality

1. Gamification Or Motivation

Gamification means making an application that looks like a game. There can be some tasks that a user can complete and then they can be rewarded for it.

This has been a great trend in the fitness application industry. There are many applications that reward their users with coins that they can redeem to avail of offers to products from the application.

This is a great way to motivate users to stay fit and in a way use their application more. Gamification and motivation are smart moves by application developers.

2. Social Media

Integrating the application with social media is one aspect and creating a fitness application with a social media space is another. Here, the trend is the latter type of social media. There are many fitness applications that have their own social media spaces and that has made them unique.

These applications allow their users to post their photos, videos, and achievements that they complete on the application. There are many people who have been attracted to these new fitness social media apps.

3. Virtual Reality

Smartphone screens can never feel like a fitness club or a gym. Because of this reason, there are applications that have allowed people to take their sessions in VR mode This means that even though a user is in their room, they will feel like they are in an actual studio or a gym.

The instructor will also be visible in the VR zone and will be able to instruct through it. This is something new and is still in the development phase. The idea has already made this industry excited and in the coming future when this will is fully developed, this will create a boom.

Steps To Create a Fitness App

• Step 1 – Choose a type of fitness app you want to create.
• Step 2 – Make an analysis of the fitness app market.
• Step 3 – Write a competitive analysis.
• Step 4 – Pick the features for MVP to create a fitness app.
• Step 5 – Make sure your app’s functionality allows it to stand out.
• Step 6 – Find a reliable developer or software development company for your project.
• Step 7 – Get a rough and then detailed estimate of your fitness app.
• Step 8 – Set a budget.
• Step 9 – Take part in the planning stage of your fitness app development.
• Step 10 – Check the app’s readiness by testing its demo at the end of every sprint.
• Step 11 – Let your developers publish the app to the app store(s).
• Step 12 – Get the source code of your application.
• Step 13 – Keep track of metrics and create a promotion strategy.
• Step 14 – Update it on a regular basis and add new features.

1. Choose A Type Of Fitness App That You Want To Develop – This is the base on which all plans are based. Developing a fitness app will be really tough without deciding the type of application to be developed.
2. Perform An Analysis Of The Fitness App Market – Analyze the market before creating the blueprint for the application. There are many things that companies can figure out from this. They will get to know the risks that are there, the strong areas, and what people want.

3. Write A Competitive Analysis – Analyze the competitors and know what they are doing right and what they are not. This will give you an idea of what to include in the app and what not to. A custom ios app development company needs to know everything that is happening with the competitors in the market.

4. Find The Correct Balance Of Features For MVP To Create A Fitness App – Knowing what features to add and what to leave off is important. Extra features will make the app heavy and distract users from the main motive of the app.

5. Make Sure Your App’s Functionality Allows It To Stand Out – The functions and the things that will be added to the application should be unique. Making an application that is ordinary will never make it stand out on its own.

6. Find A Reliable Developer Or Software Development Company For Your Project – Fitness app development is something that needs to be done by a dedicated development company. Also, make sure that the company has experience in developing similar types of applications.

7. Get A Rough And Then Detailed Estimate Of Your Fitness App – It is important to have a rough prototype of the application and then in the future a detailed prototype. This can be the base on which the app will be developed.

8. Set A Budget – Make sure that everything happens on a fixed budget. Developing an application without deciding on a budget will make the cost go out of hand.

9. Be Part Of The Planning Phase With The Development Company – Make sure to stay involved in the planning stage so that the application is developed according to your requirements.

10. Check The App’s Readiness By Testing Its Demo At The End Of Every Sprint – Testing should happen in each stage. A mobile application development company needs to test all of its applications at every stage so they are ready to deploy in the perfect state.

11. Let Your Developers Publish The App On App Store(s) – The development company should be allowed to publish the application on app stores. This will allow more users to access the application.

12. Get The Source Code Of Your Application – Make sure to get the source code of the application from fitness application developers. This will help if any changes are needed to be made in the future.

13. Make A Promotional Strategy Based On Research And The Preferences Of The Target User Group – Promoting the application in the right way is really important. Even the greatest of applications cannot become successful without a good plan.

14. Update It On A Regular Basis And Add New Features – Maintaining the application and updating it with important features is the last but ongoing step. This is done until the company wants the application to run.

Stages of Fitness App Development 

There are multiple Fitness Applications and every application development undergoes multiple stages. By following these stages/ Steps you can build an app like MyFitnessPal.

1. Rough Estimation: This is the rough estimation of both the budget and everything that is to be included in the application. Features, functionality, and technology stacks can be decided in this stage.
2. Planning Stage: A mobile app development company needs to properly plan the application on the collected rough estimate.
3. Development And Testing: An iPhone or Android app development company needs to properly develop and test the application after the planning stage.
4. Release And Post-Release Support: Fitness application development companies will release the application on different application stores so that it can reach the target users.

What Is The Actual Cost Of Fitness App Development?

The cost of application development depends on the scope and the stack that is used to develop the application. It also depends on the type of fitness app developers or development companies hired for the development purpose.

There are various fitness apps that are present in the market like Runtastic, Fitbit, and Google Fit and there are various app development companies that charge anywhere between $5,000 to $10,500 per platform for developing fitness apps like them.

The total cost depends on the features you want in your app. Top mobile app development companies in the US would normally charge about $100 per hour for developing an app.

Building a fitness app costs between a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. But that will be a really vague answer so let’s break it down for you.