How Much Does It Cost to Create an App Like Fitbit?
Published: September 23, 2024
19 min read
In this article, you'll learn:
1
⌚ The Actual Cost to Develop Fitness App like Fitbit
2
💰 Understanding the Cost Components of Developing Apps like Fitbit
3
⚙️ Factors that Affect Costs of Building Apps like Fitbit
4
📉 4 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Fitbit App Development
5
📈 Estimating Return on Investment (ROI) of Apps like Fitbit
6
🗂️ Why Choose Stormotion to Make a Fitness App like Fitbit?
7
💡 Takeaways
In one of our recent articles, we explored the key reasons behind the success of Peloton and the cost to develop an app like Peloton. Today, we shift our focus to another giant in the fitness app industry — Fitbit — and explore what it takes to create a fitness tracker app with similar features and functionality. With its global popularity and groundbreaking integration of fitness tracking, health monitoring, and user engagement, Fitbit has revolutionized how people approach personal health.
In this article, we’ll answer the question: how much does it cost to develop an app like Fitbit? We’ll also cover the factors that influence its development costs, the ways to reduce these costs, and the expected return on investment (ROI) of such a startup to help you make informed decisions for your business.
Let’s go! 🚀
⌚ The Actual Cost to Develop Fitness App like Fitbit
Given Fitbit's diverse features and extensive infrastructure, developing a similar fitness app requires a significant investment. The cost of developing Fitbit-like app typically ranges between $98,300 to $143,850. What is behind these numbers? Let’s take a look!
Fitbit’s journey is a compelling example of how innovation and timing can lead to extraordinary success in the wearable fitness market. Founded in 2007 in California, Fitbit became a household name by introducing compact, wireless wearable devices that tracked essential health and fitness metrics.
A lot of fitness devices back then were designed for athletes, not for all people. Fitbit was meant to help regular people become more active and healthier. It wasn’t about training for a marathon, but about taking small steps toward better health. That was the core vision that guided the Fitbit app development.
Over the years, Fitbit expanded its product line, offering devices that monitor everything from steps and calories to heart rate and sleep patterns. Its growth was rapid: from generating $5 million in revenue in 2010, Fitbit's revenue skyrocketed to over $2.1 billion by 2015, as noted by Statista.
However, despite selling over 136 million devices worldwide and amassing around 120 million registered users by 2022, Fitbit faced increasing competition from companies like Apple, Xiaomi, and Huawei. According to Statista, its market share has dwindled in recent years. In 2021, Fitbit was acquired by Google in a $2.1 billion deal aimed at reviving its position in the wearables market.
Statista provides valuable insights into the number of Fitbit devices sold worldwide (image by Statista)
In terms of sales, Statista reports that Fitbit saw a decline from 9.2 million units sold in 2022 to just 6.6 million in 2023, reflecting stiff competition and market saturation. Nevertheless, with integrating its technology into Google’s ecosystem, particularly through the Google Pixel Watch, Fitbit remains a key player in the wearables space.
💰 Understanding the Cost Components of Developing Apps like Fitbit
Creating an app for Fitbit-like trackers involves more than just mobile app development services. It requires advanced hardware integration, robust infrastructure, and continuous support. Below is a breakdown of the key components of the Fitbit app development cost.
Software Licensing
Developing a fitness app like Fitbit requires licensing software to enable precise health tracking. Fitbit wearables use proprietary algorithms for heart rate monitoring and sleep analysis, such as their PurePulse heart rate technology. Licensing similar algorithms or developing them in-house adds significant cost. Still, your app needs licenses for advanced tracking features like these to stay competitive.
Implementation and Development Costs
The core of Fitbit’s app is its ability to integrate with sensors to track metrics like steps, heart rate, and sleep. Developing similar functionality involves the ability to integrate BLE fitness devices into the app and process data from wearables.
The Fitbit Inspire 3 shares real-time data with the mobile app via BLE (image by Fitbit)
Fitbit's app also syncs this data across devices, allowing users to set goals, view health trends, and engage in community challenges. Replicating this hardware-software development and integration increases the cost to make a Fitbit-like fitness app.
Infrastructure Costs
Fitbit’s app manages massive amounts of user data, from steps to sleep tracking, all stored securely in the cloud. Cloud infrastructure is essential to handle this data and ensure real-time syncing.
For instance, Fitbit’s Health Metrics Dashboard relies on continuous data storage and processing, which requires a robust cloud service. Developing similar cloud infrastructure is a recurring cost, especially as the user base grows.
Ongoing Maintenance and Support Costs
Fitbit regularly updates its app and firmware to improve performance, release new features, and ensure compatibility with new hardware. For example, Fitbit introduced Sleep Stages through a software update. Regular updates like this are necessary to stay competitive and keep users engaged.
By understanding these core components of the cost to create an app like Fitbit, businesses can better prepare for the complexities of building health and fitness apps for fitness wearables, ensuring they deliver a seamless and engaging experience for users.
⚙️ Factors that Affect Costs of Building Apps like Fitbit
Developing apps like Fitbit for wearables that sync with a mobile app comes with a unique set of challenges and cost factors. Below are the key elements that influence the overall cost of fitness app development like Fitbit, focusing on its ecosystem and its specific needs.
App Type
Fitbit’s original focus was on wearables, not mobile apps. The early Fitbit devices synced directly with desktop software, and only later did they expand to mobile platforms. Initially, the goal was to build a wearable device that tracked fitness metrics without the need for a phone app. However, as smartphones gained popularity, Fitbit developed custom apps for the Google Play Store and Apple App Store to enhance the user experience.
When developing health and fitness apps like Fitbit, the initial focus should be on building an app that integrates seamlessly with wearables. This will be the core of your product, and the cost to build a mobile app like Fitbit should factor in mobile apps as companion tools added later.
Platform (iOS, Android, Cross-Platform)
Fitbit wearables run on their own Fitbit OS, a customized operating system optimized for fitness tracking and seamless data sync. However, developing a proprietary operating system like Fitbit OS significantly increases the cost of developing such an app. Instead, focusing on building a cross-platform app that works across iOS and Android is a cost-effective alternative.
The Fitbit Versa 4 provides accurate real-time results from your workout routine (image by Fitbit)
Cross-platform development allows your app to support both operating systems with a single codebase and a simplified tech stack, significantly reducing development costs. For instance, React Native fitness app development can be used to ensure compatibility with a wide range of devices while still offering robust performance on both mobile and wearable devices.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Platform Choice | $8,340–$11,460 |
Features and Functionality
The feature set of Fitbit wearables is extensive, covering fitness, health, sleep, stress management, and smart functions. Each feature adds complexity to the app, and more features typically result in a higher cost of building Fitbit-like app. Below is an overview of Fitbit’s primary features:
Fitness Features
Fitbit wearables are known for their fitness tracking capabilities, particularly for monitoring physical activities. The app integrates with features like Heart Rate Tracking, Active Zone Minutes, GPS, and more. These features are core to Fitbit’s functionality and should be replicated in any fitness app for wearables. Advanced metrics like Cardio Fitness Score and Daily Readiness Score also offer personalized fitness insights.
The other fitness features that are included in our average Fitbit like app development cost include:
- Heart Rate on Exercise Equipment;
- Exercise Modes;
- Automatic Exercise Tracking;
- Water-Resistant Design;
- Steps, Distance & Calories Tracking;
- Floor Climbed.
Fitbit-like Feature | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Fitness Functionality | $11,370–$15,630 |
Health Features
Health monitoring is at the heart of Fitbit’s offerings. Their devices provide detailed insights into user health, such as SpO2 (blood oxygen) Tracking, ECG for Heart Rhythm Assessment, and even Skin Temperature Variation.
Fitbit trackers also have such key features:
- Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications;
- Resting Heart Rate;
- High & Low Heart Rate Notifications;
- Heart Rate Variability;
- Emergency SOS & Fall Detection;
- Menstrual Health Tracking;
- Breathing Rate;
- Wellness Report.
These health features require advanced sensor integration and secure data handling to meet privacy regulations, further adding to the Fitbit-like app development cost.
Fitbit-like Feature | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Health Functionality | $13,640–$18,750 |
Sleep & Stress Features
Fitbit excels in sleep and stress management, offering users in-depth insights into their nightly rest. Features like Sleep Score, Smart Wake alarm, and Stress Management Tools such as the EDA Scan app are integral. Building an app with similar functionality requires the development of algorithms that process vast amounts of data in real-time.
These vital sleep & stress features are also included in the cost to design an app like Fitbit:
- Sleep Profile;
- Sleep Tracking & Sleep Stages;
- Stress Management Score;
- Relax Breathing Sessions;
- Reflections.
Fitbit-like Feature | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Sleep & Stress Functionality | $8,340–$11,460 |
Smarts & More
Fitbit wearables also include advanced features, such as Bluetooth Calls, Google Maps, and YouTube Music. These features require seamless integration with third-party services and APIs, which adds complexity and cost.
These smart capabilities also offer:
- Fitbit Pay;
- Call, Text, and App Notifications;
- Find My Phone;
- Always-on Display Mode;
- Do not Disturb & Sleep Mode;
- Clock Faces & Accessories.
These advanced features are highly desirable but increase the cost of developing the Fitbit-like app. They can added when you have stable ROI and a significant user base.
Fitbit-like Feature | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Smart Functionality | $12,880-$17,710 |
UI / UX Design
Designing the UI/UX for a Fitbit-like wearable app involves unique challenges. With limited screen space, every design element must be optimized for clarity and ease of use. The app needs to present vital information — such as heart rate or steps — quickly and with minimal interaction.
For instance, Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes and Heart Rate Zones are clearly displayed during workouts, allowing users to track their intensity in real-time. The UX emphasizes immediate feedback through simple visuals like color-coded heart rate zones, keeping users engaged.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
UI/UX Design | $1,220–$1,670 |
Backend Development
The backend of an app like Fitbit must be capable of handling large amounts of real-time data from multiple sensors. This involves cloud infrastructure for data storage, APIs for syncing health data between devices, and robust security measures to protect sensitive health information.
Fitbit’s backend manages user profiles, fitness metrics, and integrates with external services like Google Fit or Apple Health. Investing in a scalable backend solution is crucial for app reliability and should be a key consideration in the overall cost of building a Fitbit-like app.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Backend Development | $18,180–$25,000 |
Third-Party Integrations
Fitbit integrates with several third-party apps to extend its functionality, such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Relax app, and PEAR’s Personal Fitness Coach. These integrations offer additional value to users but also increase cost to make a fitness app. Licensing fees, API integrations, and ensuring smooth data exchange between platforms are necessary expenses to consider.
The Fitbit Charge 6 integrates with third-party apps to provide a seamless workout experience (image by Fitbit)
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Third-Party Integrations | $4,550–$6,250 |
Connectivity with Wearable Devices
One of the challenges in developing a mobile app for Fitbit-like wearable devices is ensuring seamless connectivity. The app must be able to communicate with sensors via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), process real-time data, and sync with mobile platforms. Ensuring low-latency communication and reliable syncing should be included in the cost to build mobile app like Fitbit.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Connectivity with Wearable Devices | $4,550–$6,250 |
Integration with Exercise Equipment
One of the standout features of Fitbit wearables is their ability to sync with exercise equipment, such as Peloton, to enhance workout tracking. Features like Heart Rate on Exercise Equipment allow Fitbit devices to connect with compatible treadmills, stationary bikes, or ellipticals to display heart rate data directly on the machine’s screen.
This connectivity (through Bluetooth, Serial, or ANT+) offers a more immersive and accurate workout experience though it adds to the cost to create an app like Fitbit.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Integration with Exercise Equipment | $14,000–$28,000 |
Testing and Quality Assurance
Given the complexity of features like GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, and third-party integrations, thorough testing and quality assurance (QA) are essential. Fitbit has rigorous testing processes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Your app must undergo similar levels of testing (about 10% of all development time), including compatibility tests across multiple devices, real-time performance checks, and security assessments, to ensure data privacy and compliance.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Testing and QA | $1,220–$1,670 |
Maintenance and Updates
Once the app is launched, ongoing maintenance is required to keep it running smoothly, update features, and patch security vulnerabilities. Fitbit regularly updates both its firmware and app software to introduce new features, fix bugs, and ensure compatibility with the latest hardware.
According to the extensive expertise of our Project Manager, Alexander Korzh, maintenance typically consumes 33% of the initial development budget annually.
Development Cost Factors | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
Maintenance and Updates | ~33% of the initial development budget per year |
In summary, the average Fitbit like app development cost involves several factors, including app type, platform choice, feature complexity, UI/UX design, and backend infrastructure.
Cross-platform development can reduce costs while investing in seamless connectivity, thorough testing, and third-party integrations is essential for quality. Ongoing maintenance also represents a significant ongoing expense.
Understanding these elements will help you effectively plan and budget for creating a competitive fitness app.
📉 4 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Fitbit App Development
When developing an app for Fitbit-like wearables, cost management is key. We told you about the factors affecting the cost to make a Fitbit-like fitness app. Now, we want to share four strategies to help keep expenses under control without sacrificing quality.
Outsource the Development
One of the most effective ways to cut costs is to hire a fitness app development company from regions with lower rates, such as Eastern Europe. These locations offer high-quality expertise in wearable technology at a fraction of the price compared to developers in the US or Western Europe. This approach allows you to access a specialized development team while keeping your budget in check.
Validate Your Idea
Before investing heavily, validate your concept with prototypes or surveys to assess the cost of building Fitbit-like app. You should test whether users find value in features like fitness tracking or health insights to avoid wasting resources on unnecessary features.
Did you know?
When James Park and Eric Friedman first announced Fitbit at TechCrunch, they weren’t sure what to expect. Eric Friedman predicted they’d get five pre-orders, while James Park was more optimistic, estimating maybe 20. By the end of the day, they had over 2,000 pre-orders. This validated their idea, showing that many people believed in their vision before the product was even finished.
Create an MVP
Rather than developing a fully-featured Fitbit-like app right from the start, creating an MVP allows you to focus on essential functionalities. You can start with core features like step counting or basic activity tracking.
Once you’ve gathered user feedback and validated your approach, you can gradually add more advanced functionalities. This minimizes the upfront cost of developing Fitbit-like app by focusing on what’s necessary.
The MVP focuses on delivering essential features that enhance health tracking while gathering valuable feedback for future updates (image by Dmitry Lauretsky)
Did you know?
James Park and Eric Friedman raised $400,000 to launch the company but quickly discovered that they had underestimated the cost of taking Fitbit to market. That initial amount got them to a prototype and some industrial design concepts, but they were soon scrambling to raise more funds. It’s important to understand that bringing hardware to life is far more expensive than developing software.
Use Third-Party Resources
You can utilize third-party APIs to handle data collection and tracking. This minimizes the need for custom development, saving time and reducing costs by leveraging existing tools and services.
In conclusion, the reduction of the cost to create an app like Fitbit for wearables doesn't mean sacrificing quality. By outsourcing development, validating your idea early, starting with an MVP, and leveraging third-party resources, you can efficiently manage expenses while building a high-quality product. These strategies help ensure you're investing wisely in features that matter most to your users.
📈 Estimating Return on Investment (ROI) of Apps like Fitbit
When evaluating the financial viability of developing an app similar to Fitbit, calculating ROI helps provide a clear view of potential profitability. Here’s how you can estimate ROI based on typical costs and expected revenue:
1. Investment Costs
Let’s assume that the Fitbit app development process includes:
- App Development: $98,300;
- Ongoing Maintenance: $32,439 annually;
- Marketing and Distribution: $18,000;
- Operational Costs: $10,000.
Total Investment Costs for the first year are $158,739.
2. Revenue
Assuming the sale of 1,200 Fitbit-like wearables at $150 each, device sales revenue is $180,000. Moreover, Fitbit has revenue from its Premium program. Let’s assume that the subscription costs $5. Then, the subscription revenue is $6,000.
The Total Revenue is $186,000.
3. Net Profit
Subtracting the total investment costs from the total revenue, Net Profit is $27,261.
4. ROI Calculation
To calculate ROI, you should divide the net profit by the total investment costs and then multiply by 100% to get a percentage. Based on these calculations, the estimated ROI for developing an app like Fitbit is approximately 17%. This high ROI reflects a successful investment, indicating substantial potential returns from the invested cost to design an app like Fitbit.
🗂️ Why Choose Stormotion to Make a Fitness App like Fitbit?
At Stormotion, we have extensive experience in building fitness apps that integrate seamlessly with exercise equipment, similar to Fitbit's wearable technology. Through our collaborations with clients like STEPR, Force USA, and SportPlus, we’ve implemented fitness app ideas and developed innovative solutions that bridge the gap between fitness equipment and mobile technology.
Our work with STEPR, a stair-climbing fitness machine company, showcases how we successfully developed an Android-based app to control and monitor exercise equipment in real-time.
STEPR needed a highly responsive system that provided real-time metrics, such as steps per minute, heart rate, and calories burned while enabling users to customize their workouts. We integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to ensure seamless communication between the console and the fitness machine.
(image by Stormotion)
This experience is directly applicable to Fitbit-like apps, where syncing real-time data between wearables and external devices (like exercise machines) is key, especially when considering the cost to design an app like Fitbit.
Our app developers ensured a smooth and user-friendly interface during intense workouts and developed features like Over-the-Air (OTA) updates and custom workout routines, which can also be implemented in an app designed for wearables like Fitbit.
For Force USA, a leader in functional training gear, we built a mobile application that allows users to design personalized training programs and track their fitness progress. This project required quick development and involved integrating a CMS that enabled trainers to update workout content in real-time.
(image by Stormotion)
Although Force USA's app isn't directly for wearables, the way we designed it to handle real-time exercise data and updates is relevant to Fitbit integration. A Fitbit-like app could benefit from similar functionality, where users can sync their wearable data to access personalized workout routines, track progress, and receive customized fitness tips — all features that our team has mastered, which is crucial when evaluating the cost to make a Fitbit-like fitness app.
In our project with SportPlus, we developed a mobile app that connects to multiple exercise machines using BLE. One of the major challenges was ensuring stable communication between the app and machines that used different BLE protocols. We overcame this by creating a generic protocol handler, allowing the app to work seamlessly across all devices.
(image by Stormotion)
This expertise is vital when integrating wearables with fitness apps. For a Fitbit-like app, ensuring stable, real-time synchronization between the wearable device and the app is crucial. Our experience with SportPlus means we are well-equipped to handle BLE connectivity challenges, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience, regardless of the hardware involved.
💡 Takeaways
How much does it cost to make an app like Fitbit? The price typically ranges from $98,300 to $143,850, depending on the features and platforms you choose.
Let’s break down the main cost drivers.
- Key factors affecting the cost of developing fitness tracking apps include platform selection, custom UI/UX design, backend development, API integrations, wearable integration, mobile app development, Quality Assurance, and ongoing maintenance.
- Core features such as heart rate tracking, step counting, cardio fitness scores, and sleep tracking not only increase development costs but also boost user engagement.
- To lower the Fitbit app development cost, consider outsourcing, validating your concept early, building an MVP, and using third-party solutions for non-core features.
- With a solid development and monetization strategy, the ROI on a Fitbit-style app can be quite substantial.
If you're looking to create a powerful fitness app that integrates seamlessly with wearables, Stormotion has the expertise to bring your vision to life. Contact us today to start building your Fitbit-like app and revolutionize the fitness experience for your users!
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Questions you may have
Take a look at how we solve challenges to meet project requirements
What factors influence the cost of developing an app like Fitbit?
The cost is influenced by features such as custom app development, platform choice, advanced features, third-party integrations, and backend infrastructure. Additionally, QA and ongoing maintenance raise costs.
How long does it take to develop a fitness app with features similar to Fitbit?
Development of the Fitbit-like app can take between 6 to 12 months depending on the app's complexity, features, and platform integrations.
What key features should be included in a fitness app like Fitbit?
Key features include fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, social media integration, and GPS functionality for a high-quality user experience.
What is the average budget range for creating a Fitbit-style fitness app?
The average cost of a Fitbit-like fitness app ranges from $98,300 to $143,850, depending on the app's features, platform, and third-party integrations.
How does platform selection (iOS, Android) impact the overall cost of development?
Developing separate native apps for iOS and Android increases costs due to the need for different codebases and specialized development teams. In contrast, using a cross-platform approach, like React Native, allows you to build one app that works on both platforms, reducing development time and average cost.
What technologies are required to build an app with Fitbit's functionality?
Technologies required include Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), cloud infrastructure, and APIs for data syncing. Integrating Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for personalized fitness insights is also crucial.
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