How to Build a Fitness App?

Interested in knowing how to build a fitness app?

It is a massive market that offers huge rewards to those who do it correctly.

As per Vantage Market Research, “The global fitness app market size is expected to reach USD 15.2 billion by 2028, as stated in a new report by Globe News Wire, registering a CAGR of 17.6% over the forecast period”.

The fitness industry is constantly evolving and innovating. offers more than just the opportunity to earn huge profits, but also an opportunity to improve the health of people. Let’s find out how you can do this by creating an application that’s feature-rich and mobile. We’ll first go over some of the most important characteristics of a fitness app.

The features you want in fitness apps

You’re looking to develop an app for fitness that can rival the top fitness apps on the market so your app must have a lot of features. You should consider including the following features:

• Plans for diets: Your app must permit users to design custom diet plans. A fitness regimen is inextricably linked to diet, but the users are in charge of their budget. A universal solution doesn’t usually work. Your users will be required to modify their preferences to meet their needs Therefore, your application should be able to accommodate that.
• Exercise programs: Different people generally have different stages on their fitness path. Therefore, the app must offer different exercises suitable for their fitness levels. Videos are crucial to this.
• Journal The fitness industry is all about habits, so users must keep track of their daily activities. The app should permit an account of calories consumed and calories burned. Find out more about how important it is to keep a diary In “5 Reasons Why You Should Keep a Fitness Journal?”.
• The tracking of steps: Other than exercising, people who are active take a lot of steps. This is a vital activity, therefore the app must be able to track it.
• A user interface that is engaging (UI) The user interface must be simple and easy to use. The app developer must be aware that using the app isn’t the primary goal. It’s about becoming healthier so a user-friendly interface is crucial.
• Social engagement: A lot of users feel that exercising on their own is boring. They require a vibrant community to help their exercise, so your app must allow users to create communities. Social engagement is essential for fitness apps.

Learn more about the features you want in fitness apps, within “7 Features of The Most Popular Functional Fitness App”.

Let’s take a look at some popular fitness applications.

Examples of top fitness apps

Get excellent ideas for fitness app development by looking over the top fitness apps. Look over the top apps for fitness:

• Fitbit: Users can use the renowned app on their smartphone in addition, it integrates with the wearable fitness tracker Fitbit. Users can track their steps, pace, or running distance, the distance they travel, and calories burned. The user can set their targets, and when connected to the wearable device, it will collect data such as heart rate and the quality of sleep. It’s compatible with Android as well as iOS.
• The Couch To 5k app program is available for both Android and iOS and is specifically designed to help beginners train. It’s part of “The Couch to 5k in 9 weeks running program” that allows runners to progress to a level where they can run 5 kilometers in just 9 weeks. The app comes with virtual coaches and can plan your route by using its GPS. Hence the cost of US $2.99 2.99 isn’t too much.
• MapMyRun: This renowned app is accessible on both Android and iOS. It’s a virtual guide to help one begin running as well as providing suggestions to improve one’s performance if an experienced athlete. Users can set their own goals, in addition, they can monitor their progress. The app is free but some alternatives allow in-app purchases.
• Fitness Buddy: This is a different free app, and it’s available on Android, iOS, and Windows phones. The app provides 75 workout routines in addition, and the routines are categorized into various muscle groups. It can function as a virtual trainer because it has precise videos and instructions. Users can set goals and track their improvement.

I’m sure you’re full of design ideas So let’s jump right into it! I’ll now outline a few ways of developing a fitness application.

Approach #1: How to build an app for fitness using the iBuildApp app-builder

If you’re an entrepreneur on the go This is a great option for you. “iBuildApp” provides an app-builder with a variety of templates ready to help you build an app for fitness quickly.

There is no need to employ fitness app developers. In addition, you do not need to find an app development company for fitness. Your ‘Time-to-Market’ is quick.

iBuildApp fitness app template features

The fitness app templates of their website offer beneficial options, e.g., online booking, exercises, and membership. They offer a variety of templates in this area, e.g., ‘Yoga Trainer”, “Fitness Club”, etc.

The features differ slightly depending on the template used as the template ‘Yoga Trainer’ also includes an “Ask Coach feature. However, the majority of essential features are present in every template. Explore their templates collection on their beauty and fitness page.

Advantages of iBuildApp app-builder

Utilizing the iBuildApp app-builder to create an app for fitness is simple, thanks to its drag-and-drop software. You can choose the template incorporate features using the library and build your mobile app within a matter of minutes.

It is also possible to include your text, videos, and photos. These templates are already designed and features, therefore, the time to test is saved. If you want to publish your app on Google Play it is necessary to go through the “Launch checklist”. In addition, to make it available in the Apple App Store you must read your Apple “App Store Review Guidelines”.

Fitness app development costs by using iBuildApp app-builder

With this method there is no fitness app development cost and, in addition, cloud hosting is included in the pricing plans of iBuildApp. It offers pricing plans for Professional business, ‘Professional’, and “Company” categories.

They come with a great analytics suite, which means that you can track the level of engagement of users. The higher priced plans come with dedicated customer support, and the ‘Company’ option includes features such as training, administration user management, backup, and restore. You can check out the plans available on their price page.

Approach #2: How to build an app for fitness using Appy Pie, the Appy Pie app-builder

For startups that do not have access to experienced developers, This is a different approach to creating your fitness or workout program app swiftly. If you choose this method, you can build your app using an app creator that is provided through Appy Pie. There is no need to employ anyone to develop fitness apps.

Features that are supported by the Appy Pie fitness app builder

When you create your fitness application using Appy Pie’s Appy Pie app builder, it is possible to add the following options:

• Create a feed of news for fitness and health within your application.
• Your app will have exercise routines.
• The app can provide instruction via streaming audio or instructions in video.
• Users can view their body statistics since the app tracks the users.
• Text messages, emails, and push notifications can boost the engagement of users.
• It is possible to create a fitness application to run on Android and iPhone.

How do you develop a fitness app with Appy Pie, the Appy Pie app-builder

Sign up to Appy Pie initially. After that, you go through several easy steps following their directions. It is essential to give your name as well as other pertinent information about your business and then you have to select one of their templates.

Following this use the drag-and-drop application builder, and you can add features one by one. The whole process is simple and, in addition, it’s appropriate for users who aren’t technical.

The cost of building an app for fitness using Appy Pie is Appy Pie app-builder

There is no development fee Furthermore, Appy Pie pricing plans include cloud hosting. Appy Pie provides various options. The more you pay for the more you pay, and the amount of platforms that are supported is greater. In addition, the price you pay for bandwidth, disk space, and push notifications increases when you sign up for premium plans.

Be aware that only their Platinum plan lets you create a white-label’ application, i.e., you can create your brand. The plan also comes with high-end technical support, e.g., help to submit your app in Google Play and the ‘Apple App Store’. Explore the plans available on the pricing page.

Approach #3: App development for fitness apps with the Google Fit platform

The best fitness and sports apps could be unique so you may require a customized fitness application. You’ll need to develop it by yourself. In these cases, the app builder might not be your best choice. In this case, I will show you how to build an app for fitness with the Google Fit platform.

As Google declares, this is an open platform on which developers can create fitness applications. Data of users are stored in a centralized repository. It is necessary to install their software development kit (SDK) and “application programming interfaces” (APIs) to create the application.

Build your development team

This is a full-fledged developmental project, therefore, it is essential to establish an initial team. You should plan to introduce the following competencies:

• 2 UI/UX designers: one with UI design expertise for Android and the second who has iOS UI design expertise.
• 2 Android developers.
• 2 iOS developers.
• 2 testers.
• 1 PM.

I’m assuming you’ll use a ‘Mobile Backend as a Service provider to reduce your backend development time and manage. You can choose to use Google Firebase, or you could read our guide “How to Choose the Best Mobile Backend as A Service (MBaaS )?”.

The PM must possess the necessary project management skills with a thorough understanding of the most recent methods of project management. Check out our guide “Top 7 Project Management Methodologies” for more details.

“Google Fit” features

With the Google Fit SDK, you can build the following features for your fitness application:

• Sensors can gather user health information.
• The devices can be connected to the Google Fit platform to gather data about your activity. Users do not need to download Google Fit from Google Play for this. They can simply utilize the app.
• Users can track their health and progress using the API ‘History.

Google Fit is set to grow and will include additional features. Google is working with a variety of partners to add new options, e.g., Adidas, Endomondo, Intel, and Nike.

How do you use the ‘Google Fit platform

Read the Google Fit terms and conditions before you use it. There are also essential guidelines for branding your app. Hence it is recommended to read “Google Fit Branding in Your App”.

The platform is comprised of the following elements:

• The fitness store is a cloud-based service that acts as the central repository for storing information from apps and devices.
• The sensor framework is designed to help you understand the information in the Fitness Store. Google Fit APIs allow users to connect to this.
• Permissions and User Control The authorization system allows the app to interact with users’ information. Users must agree that the app can utilize their information.
• Google Fit APIs There are Android APIs, and there are RESTful APIs. The application you develop uses these APIs, so they work on different platforms, including Android or iOS.

Find the documents to learn more about Android as well as the REST APIs in this and this.

Your development project phases

I suggest that you employ the Scrum technique from the Agile method to oversee your development projects. In the end, it is necessary to follow these things:

• Create a backlog of your products for your “Sprint”.
• Complete a thorough “Sprint planning’.
• Be sure to schedule regular stand-up meetings. These will allow you to efficiently control the “Sprint”.
• After the ‘Sprint,’ you will conduct an ‘Sprint review’.
• The team must work on development and take what they can from the “Sprint” so, it is important to organize a ‘Sprint retrospective following the ‘Sprint’ event.

We have a tutorial “How to Build a Scrum Development Team?” to learn more about this methodology. It’s also important to develop the minimum viable product (MVP) which is a crucial element of an agile development method.

The development of fitness apps costs money using the ‘Google Fit platform

This is a fully-fledged development project, so you will need to form a development team. It is also necessary to obtain an MBaaS account. All MBaaS companies list their costs on their websites. However, the cost for development staff will vary based on the application’s degree of complexity.

Your local labor market could impact your cost of manpower in addition, certain capabilities may be considered to be niche. In general, the time to hire is longer for skills that are niche so, it is recommended to seek professional assistance.

If you’re looking to work with an enterprise that develops software to build your workout application then you should read our article “How to Find The Best Fitness App Development Company?”.

The fitness market is large and the market offers a variety of apps that are available for mobile platforms such as apps for diet and nutrition apps for tracking physical activity and more.

Do you have a fantastic fitness and health app concept and you are looking for experienced and skilled application developers on mobile to create an app for your fitness? Get in touch with Artoon Solutions by filling out this short specification form for your product.

Our account manager will contact you to facilitate a partnership with our expert field team and certified community of developers of fitness or health apps.