How Much Does it Cost to Make a Fitness App [Tips to Reduce Cost]

It becomes not only useful but trendy to track your health, set fitness goals, plan meals, work on your posture, you name it. And technology isn’t sleeping on this niche as well, meeting the demands of consumers and making their fitness journeys more convenient and delightful.

These platforms, capable of monitoring a range of physical activities like walking, running, swimming, and cycling, not only inspire us to stay active but also provide useful advice. So it’s not a surprise that many businesses want to board the train.

But how much does it cost to build a fitness app? What does the final pricing consist of? And are there ways to cut that number? We at ProCoders took our vast experience in the Sports and Health & Wellness sectors and decided to break down the financial side of such apps to help you optimize the bill and not overpay for your solution.

Overview: Is it Profitable to Invest in Fitness Apps?

The key points to our answer are:

• The growth of the niche
• The future revenue
• Businesses investing in new and existing fitness apps
• ProCoders experience

The fitness app industry has seen significant growth in recent years due to the increasing awareness of health and fitness. With the emergence of new technologies such as wearables, fitness tracking, and personalized coaching, the niche is expected to continue to grow.

According to the Statista report, revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 14.34%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$33.04bn by 2027.

Businesses are investing in existing apps and creating partnerships with established players in the industry. These investments have enabled companies to tap into a larger customer base and expand their reach. 

Besides, the increasing popularity of fitness apps has also led to the rise of new businesses. For example, many entrepreneurs are launching their own fitness-related apps, ranging from simple calorie counters to complex apps where you can register to participate in unique workouts worldwide (guess which one we were working on). 

ProCoders has created several unique applications for our partners in recent years, and we’re still supporting, updating, and expanding those projects now. So it’s safe to say that yes, it’s definitely profitable to invest in the sector. 

The 5 Factors Affecting Fitness App Development Costs

While researching the market you may have already found out the average fitness app cost. But you don’t want an average app, right?

In order to make an informed decision about the budget, an understanding of the factors that contribute to the price tag of the product is essential. 

Factor 1. App features 

The complexity and number of features required in the app can significantly influence development costs. For example, if you plan to include wearable device integration and customized workout plans, expect to turn to your investors for more financing.

Factor 2. Design complexity

The app’s user interface and experience can also impact the check. For instance, back in 2019, we worked on an app called Dryft. The idea was very ambitious, and so were the feature requirements. The app needed:

• Various user roles
• Instant instructor royalty payments
• User calendars to download the classes 
• A space for video materials to promote upcoming events
• A portal for trainers to upload their content, etc.

Such functionality scale, obviously, costs more than an app with a simple product database with specified macronutrients and calories and a search function.

Factor 3. App platform

Choosing the right platform – iOS, Android, or web – significantly impacts fitness app costs. In ProCoders, experience, cross-platform development, using tools like React Native and Flutter, allows you to create one app that will work on multiple platforms, reducing costs. 

In some cases, this might trade off performance or user experience against native development. So, we recommend that you study your idea first. Cross-platform has proven effective for many mobile apps we created. However, if you plan a very specific and special project or maybe want to target one platform, native will work out great but at a higher cost.

Factor 4. Development team

The composition and proficiency of your development team directly influence the overall pricing of fitness app creation. Seasoned, skilled, might we say pro coders (pun intended), often charge more than less-experienced ones. 

Besides, the location plays a role, with a mobile app developer for hire in one country charging almost x2 the rate of another expert on the other continent. With that in mind, we at ProCoders hire professionals from regions with a lower cost of living such as Albania, Croatia, and Estonia, so that developing a fitness app costs less for you.

Factor 5. Testing and maintenance

Ongoing testing and maintenance of the app are necessary to ensure its quality and usability. This will add more money to the bill but many businesses that save on testing end up with longer time-to-market and even larger expenses on developer labor. 

Example: If a fitness app requires a customized diet plan feature that involves a backend database creation and integration, its complexity increases, which requires more rigorous testing. Skip this step and the plans the app creates may sound absurd, offering a 5’2” 120 lbs woman a diet plan for Terry Crews.

That’s it on factors concerning the development stage – we haven’t touched the concept creation and marketing parts because we at ProCoders like to focus on the main specialty we major in.

Let’s proceed to the question of building a fitness application along with its cost.

The 5 Stages and Cost of Building a Fitness App

Keep in mind that the cost of these stages may vary depending on the factors we talked about earlier and the current form of your digital project.

Nevertheless, here are the typical stages and costs involved in building a fitness app:

Stage 1: Planning and Specifications

This stage involves determining:

• The app’s goals
• Features
• User interface
• User experience, etc. 

Here, the app’s wireframes or mockups are created, along with the app specifications. 

How much does it cost to start a workout app at this stage?
Ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.

Stage 2: Design and Development 

This stage involves:

• Creating the visual design
• The actual coding
• Integrating the app’s features, along with its database and APIs. 

How much does it cost to develop a fitness app at this stage?
$80,000-$100,000 or more.

Stage 3: Testing and Quality Assurance 

This stage involves:

• Testing the app’s features, functionality, and usability across various devices and platforms
• Checking the app’s compatibility with different devices
• Making necessary fixes 

How much does it cost to create a fitness app at this stage?
Testing and quality assurance can range from $5,000 to $15,000.

Stage 4: Deployment 

This stage involves:

• Submitting the app to app stores 
• Publishing it on a website 

How much does it cost to make a fitness app at this stage?
About $300 to $1,000.

Stage 5: Ongoing Maintenance 

This stage involves:

1. Continually updating the app’s features
2. Fixing bugs and errors
3. Ensuring the app’s compatibility with the latest hardware and software updates. 

The cost?
Ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per year.

“Overall, building a fitness app can be a sizable investment, typically starting at $80,000-$100,000, with some complex systems reaching budgets of one or several million dollars.”

George

There are plenty of types, including gym, medical, meditation, workout streaming, yoga, meal-planning, and others. Besides, there are different scopes of work, from creating a simple content database to programming an advanced solution with several monetization options. 

At ProCoders, we understand that budgeting is a key concern when planning app development. Therefore, we’re committed to helping our clients see the potential development and operational costs of a fitness app and plan a budget that fits their resources while still bringing their vision to life.

Get an Estimate

To save finances, some CEOs tend to cut on creativity and get rid of some important features, settling for trends that may not last. So, let’s discover the must-have functionality, based on ProCoders cases!

Must-Have Features of Your Fitness App

To win the Sports niche competitions among apps, make sure to add these 7 features:

• User profile: Your app should allow users to create a profile that includes personal details such as name, age, weight, height, etc.
  A Sweden-based pickleball tournament booking and social app that we created from scratch for our partners is a great example of integrating the feature. Its profiles include some basic info about you, an avatar, social media links, and your tournament scores to show off!
• Tracking: The ability to track workouts, meals, goals, and their progress is crucial. This adds gamification, which engages the users. For example, you can integrate GPS capabilities to track users’ routes and distances via a mobile device.
• Exercise Library: Your app should include a comprehensive library of exercises that users can choose from to create their customized routines. Sort them by muscle group, type (at-home, gym, outside, etc.), goal (strength, endurance, mobility), timing, potential results, etc.
• Customization: The ability to customize workout programs based on users’ fitness levels, goals, and preferences. Thus, you create one app for several target audiences, as some may want to gain muscle mass or overall weight and others may want to lose some pounds.
• Push Notifications: Send push notifications to users to remind them of their upcoming workout, provide motivational tips, or congratulate them on their progress. Our Dryft case has neat push notifications to remind the users about the workout sessions they have registered for.
• Social Features: Provide your users with features to connect and challenge friends, join those challenges, or share their progress on social media platforms.
  The Swedish project we talked about has this feature. Moreover, when you buy 2+ tickets for any pickleball game or tournament, you can share extra ones with your friends. And you get an automatically calculated discount for such purchases, which is not a social feature but worth mentioning because we’re really proud of it!
• Integration with other apps: Consider integrating with other platforms, such as nutrition and wearable support apps, services like Google Fit and Apple HealthKit. This will improve user experience.

Given proper collaboration, your team can integrate all of these without making the solution clumpy. But what about the cost? Is there a tech stack that can help you get the needed functionality without spending too much?

Sure!

What Cost-Effective Tech Stack to Choose to Create a Fitness App?

When it comes to choosing the tech stack for a fitness app, there are several factors to consider, including cost-effectiveness, scalability, and compatibility with different platforms. ProCoders has a great stack version for you to use.

Front-end

React Native or Flutter for cross-platform development. These frameworks allow developers to write code once and deploy it on both iOS and Android platforms, reducing development costs.

Back-end

Node.js with Express.js or Nest.js for building the server side of the application. Node.js is based on JavaScript and offers a non-blocking I/O model, making it suitable for building scalable and high-performance back-ends.

Database

MongoDB. It’s a NoSQL database that offers high scalability, flexibility, and performance. It’s also cost-effective compared to traditional databases.

Cloud-based storage:

AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Microsoft Azure Storage. These cloud-based solutions are scalable, flexible, and won’t break your budget.

APIs and third-party tools:

• Google Maps API for geolocation features
• Stripe API for in-app purchases and subscriptions
• SendGrid API for sending out email notifications

Pro tip: Keep in mind that the tech stack needs to align with your project requirements, business goals, and development team’s expertise.

What else is there on the topic? Right, the steps people send us a lot of inquiries about – to reduce costs.

Ways to Reduce Fitness Development Cost

Building a fitness app can be a costly endeavor, but there are several ways to reduce the development cost while maintaining quality and functionality. Here are some ways to reduce fitness app development costs:

Step 1. Define your core features

Instead of trying to create a fitness application with all possible features built in from the start, focus on defining and implementing the core features first. This will keep the development scope tight and focused, and allow you to launch the app faster, meaning you can generate revenue and user feedback much earlier. 

Given the right roadmap and future marketing, even the average fitness app cost for customers (between $5 and $40, according to VeryWell Fit statistics) will show significant results if you launch the core functionality first.

Our team at ProCoders can assist in the smart prioritization of features to get your app market-ready swiftly!

Step 2. Choose the right technology

Choosing the right technology is crucial in reducing the cost of developing a fitness app. Usually, it’s well-documented, beginner-friendly tech that’s backed by a large developer community. These often tend to be open-source technologies that don’t require licensing fees. 

You have to consider your goals when picking tech:

• Type of development (web, mobile, desktop)
• Native of cross-platform mobile development
• The scale of development
• Third-party tech integration capabilities.

For web apps, for example, JavaScript and its React, Angular, and Vue.js technologies are popular, as well as Python. For mobile development, Kotlin, Swift, Objective-C, JavaScript, and their frameworks are often the choice. 

At ProCoders, we look at your idea and goals first, choosing optimal tech stack choices that align with their goals and budget, keeping in mind innovation goals.

Step 3. Develop for both iOS and Android platforms simultaneously

Building separate apps for both iOS and Android is much more time-consuming and costly. By building one app and deploying it across multiple platforms, you save significant time, and ultimately reduce costs.

Our expertise in cross-platform development can help you reach the widest audience!

Step 4. Emphasize usability and simplicity

Follow usability and simplicity instead of temporary trends to create a compelling app that the audience will want to use regularly:

• Design around user experience
• Prioritize intuitiveness and customer service
• Adopt a minimalistic approach, focusing on essential features
• Keep content clear, concise, and easy to understand
• Streamline onboarding for new users
• Conduct usability testing and gather feedback
• Continuously improve the app based on user insights

Studies have found that higher customer satisfaction may lead to higher loyalty, which also means a longer customer lifetime value.

Keep in mind that every additional feature adds complexity and cost, so build only what is necessary. Our design experts at ProCoders prioritize user-centric designs that combine functionality with simplicity, ensuring high user retention rates.

Step 5. Outsource or offshore development

Outsourcing or offshoring development is a great way to save money, especially if you choose a team with fresh experience in building fitness apps (like ProCoders). You’ll save quite a lot of money on office space, equipment, insurance, vacations, etc. by choosing a remote team.

Yes, according to studies, only 10% of people remain productive working remotely, but we assure you it’s 100% ProCoders employees. We identify the key factors to consider when hiring remote professionals who can actually bring maximum benefit to your team. So, with our professionals, you don’t have to worry about performance.

Step 6. Use third-party libraries and APIs

Using third-party libraries and APIs avoids you from having to build all the features yourself, which, as you already know from the information in the previous points, reduces the cost to develop a fitness app. 

Our team at ProCoders is adept at integrating third-party resources efficiently, focusing your resources on the app’s core features.

App Development Cost Calculator from ProСoders

ProCoders’ specialists will gladly create an estimate of the budget for your project. Here are the factors we include in the calculations:

• The number of screens – if you already have some mockups, a reference to an app with a similar architecture and functionality, or an idea of the number of screens you need, it’s a great help in determining the final cost of the project.
  If you need a simple one-page app with a feed, expect a minimal investment. You’ll need 1 developer and a couple of months of work. But if you need something more complex design- and function-wise, prepare to invest several hundred thousand dollars.
  
• Additional features – do you need authorization for your app? How complex it has to be? Is it a simple email auth? Or maybe you want to add social logging as well to enhance user experience? How about Google and Apple ID? All these layers come with additional time and labor, which will increase the budget.
  Our partners’ Swedish sports app has login capabilities and a neat yet informative profile, which, along with more complicated features, resulted in at least $200,000 in investments.
  
• Third-party integrations – wearable, third-party app integrations, APIs, etc also increase the final check. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB connectivity – all these details require more time and labor from developers. It involves working with native interfaces, where there’s no one-fits-all solution.
  We have a Healthcare case where our programmers have established a way to gather data from various medical equipment to analyze patients’ well-being. Not exactly the Sports & Fitness industry, but Health & Wellness indeed. So, if you ever need to know how to develop a healthcare app, you know where to go.
  
• Native elements integration – flashlights, geographical location, and compass all need additional time to be connected to the features of your app. The Dryft solution we’ve created uses geo to build routes for the users to get to the iconic California locations where their booked workouts are hosted. So, we know it takes additional time to integrate this feature.

For example, if you subscribe to Team as a Service with ProCoders, where you get a team of professionals who will develop an app of any complexity for you, even if the plan changes along the way.

We’ve worked on a cocktail delivery app once that transformed into a full-on marketplace of household chemicals and other goods. That’s the power of the TaaS method.

However, at the moment, we don’t know what functionality you want, whether you have a ready design mockup (even a basic illustration) or an app you want to use as a reference. The rough estimate starts at $100K and goes beyond $1M. 

Why trust us with your budget plan? 

“ProCoders’ has helped our partner, Dryft, save 50% of costs by using our services as compared to hiring a California-based team for the job.”

George

Conclusion

We hope with our info on the account of “How much does a fitness app cost?” helps you get closer to the optimal number.

Investing in a fitness app can be a profitable venture if done correctly. However, understanding the factors that affect the cost is crucial for a successful project. By keeping in mind the stages of building the cost, must-have features, and ways to reduce expenses, you can create an app that not only achieves your goals but also fits your budget. 

At ProCoders, we can break down page by page the roadmap, budget, timeframe, and other details for your project, ensuring that you get the most out of your investment. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you bring your body improvement app idea to life!