There had been tremendous increase in the use of health and fitness app during the last 2 – 3 years. The results of various studies conducted regarding the use of health and fitness apps reveal that during recent years the use of these apps increased by more than 300%. The researchers also reported that more than 25% of the users of these apps use them not less than 10 times a week and the remaining users use them minimum twice a week. Though many people make plans to go to the gym daily or at least 2 – 3 days a week, they are unable to implement the same due to lack of time.
In between their hectic activities from dawn to desk they find it extremely difficult to spend some time in the gym and make them healthier. However, they found the health and fitness app as the best substitute to the physical instructor of the gym. Since they are with their Smartphones most of the time, they find the mobile app for health and fitness very convenient and useful. The latest advancements in the field of mobile app development offer them the best solution to the problem of lack of time to go to the gym regularly.
Those who are struggling to find some time to go for the jogging session early in the morning are sure to find the health and fitness app a great relief for them. Today every man and woman want to be healthy and active physically and apart from following a healthy diet today people are ready to adopt any method to avoid getting overweight. Today everyone is very particular about maintaining his or her health as well as physical fitness.
From the above facts it is quite obvious that there is huge potential in the market for those who develop apps for health and fitness. In coming years the fitness app developers will be reaping business. It is estimated that by the year 2020 the physical fitness app market will be worth $30 billion, which at present is worth about $10 billion.
Realizing the very huge potential in this market, the giants – Google an Apple – launched their fitness apps, the Google Fit and the Apple Health App. During the last 3 years, the mobile app market witnessed phenomenal increase in the number of new health and fitness apps that were introduced in the market. The increase in the popularity of the fitness apps was also facilitated by devices like the Smartwatches and various other gadgets.
As a health monitoring device Smartwatch is as efficient as Smartphone. Many professional mobile app developers are very serious about developing their own fitness app which will be a perfect match to the famous Fitbit.
Basically there are four different types of health and fitness apps:
- Apps for tracking
- Apps for physical exercises
- Apps for diet and nutrition
- Apps for Yoga and Meditation
This app enables the user to rearrange and reorganize his activities by providing relevant data. When the user of the app gets into various physical activities like jogging, running, swimming, etc. this app will track them and provides exact data regarding the distance walked or jogged or cycled by the user, the time taken for the activity, total number of steps ascended and the calories burnt as a result of the activity.
The App for Physical Exercises
Those who want to perform their regular workouts under the supervision of an instructor can use this app as a substitute of the instructor. This app is very useful for those who have no time to go to the gym and do the workouts under the gym instructor. This fitness app is customized for the user and is very useful to those who want to reduce their weight. The app will help the user to chalk out a proper weight loss program and also the app provides instructions to perform a particular workout in the proper way.
Balanced diet and proper nutrition are vital for good health and physical fitness. Sticking to a healthy diet and regular monitoring of blood sugar and cholesterol levels are very important. The app for diet and nutrition will function as dietician of the user and will periodically monitor the blood sugar level, cholesterol level and water intake of the user. The app helps the user to strictly follow the diet schedule and will also detect shortfalls in nutrition.
The App for Yoga and Meditation
Regular practice of yoga and meditation has a prominent role in maintaining good health and physical fitness. Meditation boosts mental health and provides complete relaxation to body and mind. The app for yoga and meditation will also give demonstrations for performing the asanas and various yoga exercises.
Those who are planning to develop the Health and Fitness App may ensure that the newly developed app has the following features:
User Registration
The user of the fitness app has to create his account. The user is required to enter his name, email id and mobile number and in return he will be receiving a verification code.
User Profile
In the User Profile page the user is required to provide personal information such as age, height, weight, gender, details of his/her medical problems, allergy, etc.
Option to log in through social media
In case the user prefers to log in through social media instead of providing his email id he/she can do so through any one of the social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Google+. The user, whose account with the fitness app is linked with a social media website, can publish in the same his feedback on using the fitness app. Also, he can search the social media website for more information about the app.
Connection to wearable devices
Developing the mobile app for physical fitness is only a part of the task of the app developer. It is equally important to connect the app externally with the wearable devices of the app user. This will enable the app user to track his various physical activities including the regular workouts.
Recording the activities
The main purpose of the fitness app is to assist the user to perform his regular physical activities. In case the user goes daily for jogging, running or cycling, the app will maintain a record of all such activities in order to provide useful data like distance travelled, time taken, total calories burnt, number of pounds shed by the user, increase in the height of the user and his/progress in performing the activity, etc.
All such data get collected in the cloud base and subsequently transferred to the fitness stores. This fitness app will also help the user to create a proper diet schedule based on the weight of his/her body and the nutrition requirements. The user is at liberty to prepare a customized diet schedule and also he can plan the daily workouts as per his convenience and preferences.
GPS
Today for any mobile app, geo-location is one of its prominent features. Those who develop the health and fitness app may ensure to include this feature also in the app. The geo-location feature enables the fitness app to effectively monitor the movement of the app user when he/she goes for running, walking or cycling. The user can know his/her exact location from the app.
Push Notification
Since the fitness app acts as a substitute of the physical instructor it should keep on motivating the app user to achieve his/her weight loss or other health related goals. The Push Notification feature enables the fitness app to issue reminders to the user about his/her workouts and other physical activities. Timely reminders from the app prevent the user from missing his/her exercise schedule or skipping his/her meals. The app will also remind the user of the new additions, if any.
Video Tutorials live
The fitness app will be more interesting as well as easier to use if it is comprised of live video tutorials. Through the live streaming videos the app developer can provide the users various tips to perform the workouts, to provide exercise to specific parts of the body, to perform the exercises with perfection and to follow a balanced diet program. Live video tutorials will be of great advantage to the app users. While the app users get the benefits of the videos the app developer can make use of the video to promote the app also.
Supply of health drinks, dietary supplements and gym equipments
The app developer can provide the store facility also in his app. When the necessary gym equipments, health drinks and dietary supplements are offered to the users through the app they need not visit some other apps or go to the marketplace to purchase the same. While the users can save considerable amount of time, the app store will be an additional source of income for the app developer.
Variety of options to make payments
Though the fitness app provides most of the services free of charges, a few services like the app store are chargeable. Hence the app developer should ensure to include the payment option feature in the newly developed app. The payment process must be easy, fast and convenient and the app developer must provide different options to make payments like payment through bank, wallet transfers and card payments
Special Features/Facilities
The app developer can make his fitness app more attractive as well as useful by providing added features and benefits. The developer can provide the users the facility to chat with a gym instructor or a fitness specialist to clear their doubts and to learn more about health and fitness. This facility will keep the app users motivated. The workout sessions can be made livelier as well as interesting by playing music through the app
For building up a new fitness app, creation of the Admin Panel is as important as adding the various features to the app. The following aspects of the admin panel are very significant and the app developer should take maximum care while developing the various parts of the admin panel.
Dashboard
The Dashboard of the fitness app has two purposes – keeping the records of the app user and keeping track of all live sessions.
Loyalty Rewards and Programs
This feature of the admin panel is an effective marketing and promotion tool of the fitness app. The app developer should ensure that those who already use the fitness app should continue using the same and also the developer has to attract more new users. The app developer should announce various loyalty programs meant for the existing users and should reward them for using the app. The developer can also announce special offers and bonuses to the new users.
Payment ledger
The admin panel of the fitness app should maintain a ledger which will show details of all the payments that were received and also details of payments to be made to gym instructors and various suppliers.
Developing the Backend
A powerful Backend is vital for any mobile app and the fitness app cannot be an exception to this. The powerful and perfect Backend ensures seamless, hassle-free navigation. The app developer should ensure that newly developed fitness app is compatible with all kinds of devices. In case of cloud storage the app developer should go for a powerful server. The app developer can use either his own server or others’ server.
Ensuring the Best UI/UX
Developing the User Interface as well as User Experience is a crucial part of the app development project. The developer should ensure that UI of the app is simple, intuitive and easy to use. The developer must be very careful and choosy while designing the UI and selecting the colors.
The app should provide the user clear and precise information. The app developer should arrange delivery of fresh, informative, interesting and useful content in order to ensure the best User Experience.
The Development Team
The structure and composition of the development team will be the same for almost all types of apps. The Project Manager should be the team leader and he will monitor the activities of the entire team. Depending on the selection of platform there must be app developers in the team for Android or for iOS or for both. The other members of the development team include the backend and frontend developers and the designers of UI and UX. The app testers will join the team in the final stage to test the newly developed
It may not be possible to estimate the exact time that is required to develop the fitness app. It will vary according to the platform selected, the method followed by the developers and the skills as well as expertise of the members of the development team. However, it is generally estimated that it will take 1200 to 1500 hours to complete the development procedures of the health and fitness app. The documentation process will be over in about 40-50 hours and the designing of the app will be over within the next 70 – 80 hours. 200-220 hours each will be required to develop Frontend and Backend and testing of the app will take 100-110 hours.
Cost of developing the Health and Fitness App
The professional app development company can provide the correct estimate for developing the fitness app. Approximately the health and fitness app may cost in the range $35000 – $40000. The development cost may vary with the developing company. Hence it is very difficult to work out an accurate estimate to develop the health and fitness app.
The Final Word
There is growing demand for the health and fitness app. Though everyone is cautious about his/her health and physical fitness, most of the people today find it very difficult to go to the gym regularly due to lack of time. Hence every year more number of people will opt for the health and fitness app in order to keep them healthy and active. Hence the developers of health and fitness app are assured of huge potential.
The developers must be very careful while adding the various features to the app and they have to ensure 100% perfection.
While one has to make all efforts to attract new customers in a highly competitive market, customer retention will be possible only by ensuring seamless navigation and the best User Experience. Developing the health and fitness app is a highly challenging task for the professional app developers.
Those who plan to launch a new health and fitness app may first of all contact the trusted and reliable mobile app development company.
