7 Steps To Create A Health and Fitness App: A Complete Guide

Summary: Want to build a fitness app for your startup or small business? Explore the steps for fitness app development along with the features, cost, and UI/UX guidelines to build a successful app.

As the fitness industry continues to boom, driven by a growing awareness of health and wellness, there has never been a better time to build a fitness app. With the rising health awareness, a number of health and fitness apps like MyFitnessPal and Headspace have already grabbed the audience’s attention.

If you are a startup or a small business thinking about creating a fitness app, there are a number of things that you must consider. It’s essential to look at the features, development cost, design, and much more.

Whether you are looking to address multiple user pain points or provide a niche solution, this comprehensive guide will take you through the entire process of fitness app development.

Numbers Show Why Building a Fitness App is a Great Idea

Several reports have shown that the demand for developing a fitness app is moving upwards.

Fitness app downloads amounted to 858 million in 2023. Though there was a decline compared to 2022, the demand is on a constant rise.

The fitness app revenue has grown continuously since 2016. As of 2023, it amounted to $3,58 billion.

Whether we look at the number of users or the growing revenue, making a fitness app at the moment is a great startup idea.

What is the Cost of Building a Fitness App?

When developing a fitness app, cost is one of the major considerations. As a startup or a small business, you would of course need clarity on the fitness app development cost. The cost for developing a fitness app ranges from $25,000 to $50,000.

This cost can further vary based on the app design, features, functionalities, and technologies involved in the app development.

Now that you know the demand for fitness apps and the development cost, discover the steps to build a fitness app.

How to Develop a Fitness App – 7 Steps to Follow

How to develop a fitness app that engages the audience and retains them for a longer period? Follow the steps below for a successful fitness app development process.

1. Explore the Fitness App Market

The first step in the fitness app development is understanding the market in-depth. It includes looking at the market trends and user needs in the fitness industry. Exploring the fitness app market also means looking at the user demographics, market size and growth, and conducting a competitive analysis to identify key players.

2. Choose the Fitness App Type

Once you have studied the market, the next step in developing a fitness app is choosing the right type of fitness app that you want to build for your business. There are several types of fitness apps, and based on your business goals, you can pick the best one that meets your needs.

Different types of fitness apps include:

a) Diet and Nutrition App

Diet and nutrition apps are the perfect solutions for your business if the majority of your target audience is looking for diet solutions online. The application will allow them to track their nutrition intake and manage their diet. Further, it will also track their water consumption, making it even more helpful.

b) Workout App

The workout app will help your users to get in shape and enhance their fitness levels. Your workout app can provide workout routines, fitness tracking, and motivational videos to keep your users engaged. Also, these can be designed for specific workouts like Pilates.

c) Activity Tracking App

This type of fitness app is best for users who want to track and monitor their activities throughout the day. The features in the app allow users to follow physical activity and steps taken. It will help them accurately calculate the calories they have burnt with the exercise.

d) Meal Planning App

A meal planning application is one of the best fitness app ideas. It is perfect for users who want to consume calories after careful consideration, as it allows them to track calories once the relevant data has been added to it. Some apps also help provide suggestions for the type of food to be consumed in order to maintain the calorie count.

e) Yoga App

Yoga apps have helped people to stay fit with the top yoga videos and online sessions. If your target market is searching for online solutions to keep fit and is particularly interested in yoga, this application can be great. The app will further allow them to track their progress.

3) Pick a Monetization Model

Once you have decided the type of fitness app you want to build for your target audience, the third step in creating a fitness app is strategizing the ways to earn money. Some of the best ways to do this are:

a) In-App Purchase

In-app purchase is one of the most used monetization methods in the online fitness industry. For example, if you have developed a diet app, you can provide healthy recipes at a cost. Further, you can also enable the purchase of physical items like food or sports equipment via the app.

b) Freemium Model

The Freemium model allows users to try the services before they purchase them. They can download the free version of the application and get access to its basic features. The freemium model will help the users explore your fitness app and purchase the most suitable plan for their fitness needs. It is one of the most popular methods to bring in customers.

c) Subscription Model

A subscription model works by providing different plans to the users. Each plan will have its own features and additional benefits. For example, the basic plan can be free of cost, whereas users will be required to pay monthly or annually to access the premium plan. The availability of the features can be set as per each plan.

d) In-App Advertising Model

Ad-based models are another great way to make money with the fitness app. You can allow the brands related to your services to run their advertisements on your application in return for money. Remember that irrelevant or too many ads will make your users lose interest.

4. Customize the Look and Feel of the App

One of the biggest aspects of developing a fitness app is ensuring that the app’s look and feel match the users’ needs. The mobile UX will decide the customer journey while using the application.

Some design guidelines you can follow for your fitness app are:

• Simple yet engaging design
• Intuitive user interface
• Clear workout instructions
• Progress tracking dashboard
• Personalized onboarding

5. Add the Right Features

The next step in developing a health and fitness app is choosing the right features and functionalities. These are the services that users will be able to avail themselves of. Below, we have provided a list of features that you must add when developing a fitness app.

Basic Features

• Registration and Signup/Login: Users should be able to sign up using their social media credentials or create a new account to get started.
• User Profile: Users should be able to create a profile with their bio, picture, and other personal information, including food preferences, daily routine, work profile, and facility to make changes in their goals/information set in the beginning.
• App-Specific Menu & Dashboard: The app should have a menu to browse through the offerings and a dashboard that includes statistics, goal statements, achievements, and a slot to make a schedule.
• Activity Log: Users should be able to log their activities, including workouts, diet, and other health-related activities.
• Notifications: The app should have a notification system that reminds users of their workouts, diet, and other health-related activities.
• Social Media Integration: Users should be able to integrate their social media accounts to share their progress and compete with friends and family.

Advanced Features

In order to engage higher app users, you must add some advanced features when building a fitness app. Here are some advanced features to add:

• Customized Diet Plans: The app should offer customized diet plans based on users’ body type, daily activities, and preferences.
• Personal Coach and Mentor: The app should have a personal coach or mentor that provides users with workout plans and diet advice based on their goals and preferences.
• Progress Analytics: The app should provide users with detailed analytics of their progress, including charts, tables, and graphs to track their weight, frequency of workouts, and other health metrics.
• Online Consultations: The app should offer online consultations with trainers or nutritionists for personalized advice and guidance.
• Social Sharing: The app should allow users to share their progress on social media and compete with friends and family.
• Integration with Wearable Devices: The app should be able to integrate with wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers to track users’ activities and health metrics.
• Real-Time Activity Tracking: The app should be able to track users’ activities in real-time, including steps taken, calories burned, and other health metrics.

6. Develop the App

Once you have decided the design, type, and features for the app, you then need to choose the right fitness app development company. At ValueAppz, our fitness app developers work with the latest tech stack to develop the app. We also provide pre-integration services like payment gateways and real-time tracking to enhance the app’s performance.

Our team will guide you right from the beginning for a smooth health and fitness app development process. Whatever your app requirements might be, we are here to guide you.

7. Preview, Test, and Publish

After the fitness app development, the application will go through a testing phase to ensure that it is free of any errors and bugs. Once the app goes through rigorous testing, the team then works on launching it on the preferred platforms.

The final step includes marketing the app on various platforms to grab the attention of the target audience. You can do this through several social media platforms and other marketing strategies.

 

Key Takeaways

• The demand for fitness apps is on the rise, and their downloads amounted to 858 million in 2023.
• The average cost for fitness app development ranges between $25,000 to $50,000.
• As a startup, you can choose between different types of fitness apps, such as yoga apps, workout apps, diet and nutrition apps, workout apps, and meal-planning apps.
• Some essential features to add to the fitness app include personalized training, in-app purchases, integration with wearable devices, and progress analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do I build my own Fitness App?

The steps to develop a fitness app include:

• Understand the market needs
• Choose the type of fitness app
• Pick a monetization model
• Design the app UI/UX
• Select the fitness app features
• Develop the app
• Preview, test & publish the application

Q2. How much does it cost to create a Fitness App?

The cost of building a fitness app ranges between $25,000 to $50,000.

Q3. How long does it take to develop a Fitness App?

The fitness app development process can take between 10-12 weeks.

Q4. What are the basic features needed for a Fitness App?

Some basic features to add to the fitness app include a user profile, geolocation, third-party app integration, push notifications, and social sharing.

Q5. What are the trends in Fitness Apps?

Some latest trends in the fitness apps are AI and ML integration, voice search, personalized coaching, and social sharing.

💡 Editor’s Note: This blog entry was originally published on April 11, 2023, and is updated on June 11, 2024.