How to Create a Personal Training App Step-by-Step
Published: May 31, 2024
23 min read
In this article, you'll learn:
1
🧐 Reasons to Develop Personal Trainer Apps
2
📱 Types of Personal Training Apps
3
👍 Benefits of Building Custom Personal Trainer App
4
🧑💻 Steps to Creating a Personal Trainer App From Scratch
5
💰 How Much Does it Cost to Build a Personal Training App?
6
⚙ Tech Stack to Develop Personal Training App
7
❓ How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer App Development Partner
8
🙋♂️ Personal Trainer App Development Examples from Stormotion
9
💸 How to Monetize Your Own Personal Training App?
10
🤓 How to Develop a Personal Training Application With the Help of Stormotion
11
👂 Takeaways
Today’s society has become very dynamic, and individuals engage in work, leisure, family, and business all at once. In this turmoil, it is often difficult to find time for the gym, especially if it is situated quite far from home. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel since a personal training app is available to save the day.
Such an application functions as an actual personal trainer, assisting users with training and getting fit. The only difference is that all the advice and instructions come from the screen of the smartphone or tablet you use. This is very useful as it enables you to exercise in the comfort of your home in the most effective and secure manner.
In this article we will tell you how to build a personal training app from scratch. Let's start!
🧐 Reasons to Develop Personal Trainer Apps
Market Demand and Trends
The fitness industry is rapidly growing and evolving due to the constant demand for digital offerings in the context of convenience and personalization. This is confirmed by many studies of this market:
- According to Grand View Research the fitness app market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.6% from 2021 to 2028.
- Gartner forecasts wearables are expected to fuel growth, with sales predicted to reach 240 million units by 2025.
- The Statista study states that еhe revenue for fitness apps is expected to reach $15.7 billion by 2026.
The population is gradually coming to understand the need for a healthy and fit body, leading to the search for more effective and accessible ways to achieve this goal. Personal trainer apps are also in high demand in the market, as they provide many benefits that suit modern active people.
Availability and Convenience
Personal trainer apps are useful for customers as they can use workouts and training plans at their discretion. This concept eliminates the need to set aside time for sports, find a personal trainer, and makes fitness easily accessible to everyone.
More people have opted to use personal training apps for exercising at home.
(image by Ofspace UX/UI)
Moreover, with a personal training app, exercising at home can be just as effective and safe as under the supervision of a trainer. These apps always provide detailed guides and instructions from trainers.
Personalization and Customization
A personal training app, a key result of wellness app development, creates individualized workout plans based on users' fitness levels, health conditions, and personal goals. Additionally, users can track their progress and make adjustments to their workouts.
Such a personalized approach helps users stay motivated and achieve their fitness goals. Adding insights into how to build a mental health app could introduce features like mood tracking or mental well-being assessments for a holistic experience.
Cost-Effectiveness
A personal training app is typically much more affordable than the cost of a gym membership and personal training sessions. This makes fitness accessible to a broader audience by removing financial barriers.
Users can choose a subscription plan that suits their budget while still having access to quality content.
Variety and Flexibility
A personal training app can include a wide range of sports and workout types, meaning every user can find something they enjoy and stay satisfied.
Personal training apps can be enriched by incorporating additional features such as yoga classes and nutrition digests.
(image by Diana Mykhailova)
Data and Analytics
Personal training apps can collect and analyze user performance data, providing valuable insights into their progress. This data-driven approach helps users optimize their workouts and achieve better results.
Another advantage is the ability to integrate with other apps and wearable devices, such as smartwatches, further enhancing opportunities for wearable devices app development.
Expertise and Resources
Many apps offer up-to-date educational resources, including articles and videos, to help users learn more about fitness, nutrition, and health. This additional information helps users maintain trust in the app and stay engaged.
Considering all the above reasons, creating a personal training app can provide significant value to users while creating profitable opportunities for your business in a rapidly growing market. By meeting the needs and preferences of modern fitness enthusiasts, such an app can help people achieve their health and fitness goals more effectively and conveniently than ever before.
📱 Types of Personal Training Apps
Well, after thoroughly understanding and analyzing all the reasons and benefits of personal trainer mobile app development, let's move on to another interesting topic: what types of personal training apps are there?
In general, we can distinguish 4 main types of personal training apps:
Illustration-Based Training Apps
In this type of app, visual illustrations are the basis for conveying useful information to users. These illustrations provide clear visual instructions for each exercise.
These apps use visual aids, such as illustrations, animations, and step-by-step guides, to help users understand and perform exercises correctly.
(image by Israj khan)
Examples on the market: Seven-7 Minute Workout, Yazio Calorie Counter.
Video-Based Training Apps
The next type of personal training apps uses video content as the primary visual component. These are usually video guides from trainers who show how to perform exercises correctly and provide other useful information during workouts.
Video-based training apps provide a dynamic and engaging way for users to work out, offering the benefits of professional instruction, visual guidance, and interactive features that enhance the overall fitness experience.
(image by Rizal)
Examples on the market: FitOn, FitStar Personal Trainer.
3D Model-Based Training Apps
There is another type of personal training app that features 3D models, which visually display and explain the correct form and technique for exercises.
Examples on the market: JEFIT, iMuscle 2.
Text-Based Training Apps
Some personal training apps operate based on detailed text instructions for workouts or just useful information about health and fitness.
Examples on the market: StrongLifts 5x5.
In addition to focusing mainly on physical exercises, the types of personal training apps can also include:
- Diet and Nutrition Apps
- Activity Tracking Apps
- Virtual Trainer Apps
- Community-Driven Fitness Apps
- Wearable Device Integration Apps
- Mindfulness and Yoga Apps (developed through meditation mobile app development services)
A yoga app can also function effectively as a personal trainer app by offering personalized yoga routines, guided sessions, and comprehensive wellness features.
(image by Bogdan Falin)
All these apps share a common goal - to guide the user in achieving their fitness and health goals, much like a personal trainer or health expert would.
At Stormotion, we have significant expertise in creating health and fitness apps and can answer many of your questions:
- How to build a fitness application?
- How to develop an app for women's health?
- How to create a diet app?
- How to create a yoga app?
👍 Benefits of Building Custom Personal Trainer App
Personal trainer application development can bring numerous benefits to your business or become a successful startup with a large user base. Let's take a closer look at all the advantages:
User Retention Rate
Personal training apps interact effectively with their users. Features such as personalized training plans, a variety of workouts, constant content updates, progress tracking, and social features ensure that your users remain motivated in their activities and satisfied with the app.
By offering a personalized experience and interactive features, companies can significantly increase customer retention, and consequently, revenue.
Diverse Monetization Opportunities
The owning company can offer subscription models, premium in-app content purchases, and virtual training sessions. Additionally, apps can integrate e-commerce features, allowing companies to sell fitness-related products and services directly through the app.
We'll discuss monetization methods in more detail in this section.
Scalability
An online personal training app is a great opportunity to reach an audience not only in your country but worldwide. Users can access workouts, training plans, and nutritional advice from anywhere on the planet, making it easier for companies to expand their market reach.
The app should maintain fast load times and smooth operation even as the user base grows.
(Image by Asal Design)
Enhancing Your Brand's Reputation
Creating a personal training app will make your business stand out among competitors. By offering a unique branded experience, companies can strengthen their brand identity and create customer loyalty.
For example, the American company Nike has its own app, the Nike Training Club, which provides access to over 200 free workouts and targeted training programs (from yoga courses to equipment-free and bodyweight workouts).
Follow the links to learn more about our yoga app development services and medical app development services. Contact us, and we will help you bring your idea to life!
Convenience and Flexibility for Clients
Personal training apps provide users with access (anytime, anywhere) to training programs and progress tracking on their own schedule. This flexibility is especially appealing to busy professionals or people with irregular schedules, making it easier for them to stay committed to their fitness programs.
Provide the option to download workouts for offline use, so users can exercise without needing an internet connection.
(image by Boris Loboda)
Community Building
Integrating social features such as forums, challenges, and sharing options fosters a sense of community among users. This social aspect can motivate customers, promote friendly competition, and create a supportive environment.
A strong community can increase customer loyalty and create a positive brand image.
Cost-Effective Marketing
The app can also become a powerful marketing tool. Push notifications, in-app promotions, and social media integration allow companies to reach their clients with targeted messages and offers.
In conclusion, creating a personal training app can provide significant benefits to your business: from reaching, engaging, and retaining your target audience to creating new revenue streams and enhancing your brand's authority in the market.
🧑💻 Steps to Creating a Personal Trainer App From Scratch
Building a personal training app from scratch is quite a complex and resource-intensive process. We have created a mini-guide with all the important steps from fitness application ideas to implementation and want to share it with you.
By following these 7 steps, your app development process will be somewhat simplified, and the time and resources invested can be significantly reduced. Let's get started.
Step 1: Define Your Goals and Target Audience
Clearly articulate the main goals of your app. It may seem that this step is not so important, but this is the time to think about the purpose of your app and what user problems you can solve with it. Are you focusing on tracking workouts, providing nutrition advice, virtual coaching, or a combination of these?
This foundational step sets the stage for the design, development, and marketing strategies that will follow.
(image by The Herons)
Once you have a clear understanding of your app's purpose, you can move on to defining your target audience. Are they fitness beginners or experienced athletes? Understanding your audience will help you determine the main and secondary features of the app and its overall design.
Wondering how to make a fitness tracking app? Get all the details in our expert guide.
Step 2: Market Research
There are already personal training apps on the market, and your task is to conduct a competitive analysis, study your competitors' apps to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and identify gaps in the market that your app can fill.
It is also a good idea to conduct a focus group survey to gather data on what users need in a new personal training app.
Step 3: Conceptualization and Feature Definition
Based on your research in the previous two steps, decide on the list of features you want to implement in your app. Among the main features, you can often find:
- User Profile
- Workout Library with Varied Exercises
- Personalized Workout Plans
- Progress Tracking and Analytics
- Nutrition Tracking and Guidance
- Video Demonstrations
- Real-time Feedback and Virtual Coaching
- Community and Social Integration
- Gamification Elements
Adding extra features can significantly increase user interest in your app. For example, connecting wearable devices (such as a smartwatch) to track and analyze metrics during workouts (steps, heart rate, pressure) in real-time.
You can also add a timer to your app and the ability to customize music before the workout.
(image by Ghazaleh.uiux)
💡 In developing a wellness app, incorporating AI into app design can enhance personalization and user engagement.
Step 4: Design UI/UX
Developing the user interface (UI) and ensuring a positive user experience (UX) are critical for the success of your personal trainer app. In the initial stages of how to make a personal trainer app, you can create wireframes and prototypes in Figma that simply outline the layout of your future app, and the next step is to add visuals. Remember, it's important to make an intuitive design. Users should find it easy to navigate your app thanks to a clean and convenient interface.
In the design, we advise sticking to a single color scheme and style. Also, make sure the design aligns with your brand identity. An intuitive design means ensuring that the app is easy to navigate with a clean and convenient interface.
Step 5: Development
The development stage is probably the most crucial, as your subsequent decisions will affect the performance and operation of your app. You can use Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android, or prefer cross-platform development with React Native. The latter option allows you to develop a personal trainer app simultaneously for iOS and Android, which can significantly save time and costs.
*By the way, in the next section, we will delve deeper into how to choose the right technical partner for developing a personal training app, including insights on how to develop a personal trainer app. *
Use an iterative development process to gradually create and improve the app. Also, pay special attention to security measures to protect user data, especially when dealing with confidential health information.
Step 6: Testing
Ensure that the app works seamlessly on different devices and screen sizes. Test the app's performance under various conditions to make sure it handles high traffic and data loads. Identify and fix any bugs or issues that may arise during testing. This step is crucial to providing users with a flawless and reliable app.
Step 7: Launch and Marketing
Once the app is considered fully ready, it's time to show it to the world. For this, you need to:
- Create a marketing strategy to promote your app, such as social media advertising, email marketing, and partnerships with influencers.
- Plan a strategic launch that includes promotions, special offers, and demonstrations to attract users.
After a successful launch, monitor user feedback and regularly update the app with new features and improvements.
💰 How Much Does it Cost to Build a Personal Training App?
The cost of creating a personal trainer app can vary significantly. Many factors influence the app's price, starting from the development cost from your tech partner, the number of features and the complexity of their implementation, and ending with associated expenses for databases, cloud storage, and other services.
In general, to get an approximate understanding of the minimum and maximum cost, you can refer to the following table:
Cost of Developing a Personal Training App
Using React Native
⚙️ Development Stage & Features | ⏳ Min Hours | ⏱ Max Hours |
|---|---|---|
🌍 Project Discovery | 50 | 90 |
🎨 UX/UI design | 40 | 65 |
🔐 Sign Up & Profiles | 18 | 28 |
📝 Workout Library with Varied Exercises | 50 | 80 |
🧠 Educational Content | 30 | 50 |
📲 Personalized Workout Plans | 60 | 90 |
📊 Progress Tracking and Analytics | 50 | 70 |
🏋️ Nutrition Tracking and Guidance | 60 | 80 |
🤖 Real-Time Feedback and Virtual Coaching | 60 | 90 |
🕹️ Gamification | 40 | 60 |
📶 Offline Access | 30 | 50 |
💬 Chat Tools | 40 | 60 |
💳 Payment and Subscription Management | 40 | 60 |
🤖 AI Assistant | 70 | 110 |
🔔 Push Notifications | 40 | 80 |
🤖 3rd-Party Integrations | 60 | 80 |
🌐 Social Networking Elements | 20 | 50 |
📝 CMS (Content Management System) Development | 120 | 150 |
🤓 QA and Testing | 70 | 100 |
📱 Release | 12 | 18 |
TOTAL | 950 | 1450 |
💵 Approximate costs | $47,500 | $72,500 |
To make a personal trainer app, you can expect the cost to range between $47,500 and $72,500, based on an average development rate of $50 per hour.
We want to emphasize again that this cost is very approximate, but we can provide you with more detailed information. Write to us and tell us more about your project!
⚙ Tech Stack to Develop Personal Training App
We provide you with some knowledgeable in technology advice that will enable you to cut expenses and produce a practically flawless fitness application. Here they are:
- Use the APIs and SDKs of Fitbit, Misfit, Jawbone UP, Garmin or others (depending on the manufacturer you pick) to enable wearable integration.
- Users' actions and health metrics (sleep, diet, weight, completed strength training, and other activities) can be monitored over time using the HealthGraph API.
- If you choose to implement the running functionality, Tomtom can be of assistance to you. It will provide you access to real-time navigation and maps, which will greatly enhance the user experience.
- Facebook Mobile SDKs are useful in a variety of ways, including quick sign-up times, analytics, revenue generation, and Messenger-based customer care.
- The best solutions for developing a personal training app with in-app purchases are undoubtedly the Stripe or Braintree SDKs.
- There are several uses for the Firebase SDK. You could, for instance, add a Push Notifications functionality. Additionally, you may forego creating a separate Dashboard in the beginning by using the Firebase Console.
❓ How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer App Development Partner
Choosing the right partner to make a personal trainer app from scratch is a crucial decision that will significantly impact the success of your project. Here are some important considerations and steps to help you make the right choice:
Knowledge and Experience
Look for a development partner with a proven fitness and health app development track record to make your own personal trainer app. Review their portfolio to see if they have experience creating similar apps. Experience in integrating features such as workout tracking, meal planning, progress monitoring, and synchronization with wearable devices is essential.
Stormotion has extensive experience in developing fitness and health apps. You can learn more about our projects in our portfolio:
We offer high-quality fitness app development services to help you create a quality fitness app. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!
Technical Qualifications
Ensure that the development partner has strong technical skills in the latest technologies and development methods. This includes knowledge of mobile app development frameworks, programming languages, and a clear understanding of UI/UX design principles. Discussing the cost to develop a fitness app with your partner can ensure alignment on the project budget and timeline.
Key technologies to consider when choosing a partner:
- Native development for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin)
- Cross-platform development using Flutter or React Native
- Server technologies such as Node.js, Django, or Ruby on Rails
Design Capabilities
An intuitive and attractive user interface is very important for fitness apps. The design should be user-friendly, visually appealing, and align with your brand’s identity. Evaluate your partner's design portfolio and ensure that they prioritize ease of use.
Well-designed apps not only attract users but also ensure they remain motivated and satisfied with their fitness journey.
(image by Nure Alam Jabin)
Communication During Collaboration
Effective communication and collaboration are vital for the success of your project. Choose a partner who values transparency, provides regular updates, and responds promptly to your feedback.
Check if the potential partner uses project management tools like Jira or Trello and communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Approach to Data Security
Any app must ensure user data security, especially health apps. Make sure your partner follows standards like HIPAA (for health data), adheres to advanced data encryption methods, secure authentication, and privacy protection.
Client Reviews
Positive reviews from other clients about your partner’s work on past projects will help you understand the partner's reliability, work quality, and ability to meet deadlines.
Cost and Budget
Discuss the budget in advance and ensure there are no hidden costs. A detailed proposal outlining the scope, timeline, and costs can help avoid misunderstandings later.
When calculating the total cost, consider discussing the following:
- Initial development costs;
- Regular maintenance and support fees;
- Additional costs for feature updates or scaling.
Post-Launch Support
After launching the app, you will need ongoing support for maintenance, bug fixes, updates, feature improvements, scaling, and performance monitoring and optimization. Ensure that the partner offers reliable post-launch support and has a plan for future enhancements.
🙋♂️ Personal Trainer App Development Examples from Stormotion
Also in our portfolio is a case of developing a personal training app, and in this section, we would like to share more about this experience with you!
Stormotion developed an app for ForceUSA, a company that has innovative sports equipment (All-in-One Trainers). The company's range includes universal trainers, power racks, barbells, strength benches, and compact leg press machines that can be installed at home for exercising.
(image by Stormotion)
Our team of developers created an app that guides, teaches, and shows how to use each piece of equipment. The main goal of the app is to increase productivity, improve users' health, and enhance physical fitness.
Among the main features we managed to implement are:
- Individual training plans;
- Motivation and progress tracking;
- A library of over 300+ movement ideas and tutorials to keep workouts fresh;
- Workout data tracking;
- Comprehensive exercise guides;
- Recommendations from experienced trainers.
(image by Stormotion)
You can read more about the features of our work in our portfolio.
💸 How to Monetize Your Own Personal Training App?
What are the ways to monetize a personal training app? We have prepared several options for you to consider and implement in your own app:
- Subscription Model
Premium Subscription: Users can pay a monthly or annual fee for access to premium features such as personalized workout plans, exclusive content, advanced analytics, and live training sessions.
Tiered Plans: Users can choose different types of subscriptions with varying levels of access. For example, they can choose a basic plan with limited features, a standard plan with additional options, or a premium plan with full access to all features.
- Freemium Model
Using this model will allow users to use the app with limited features and basic functionality for free. This can attract a large number of users.
Special content and advanced features are available for users who purchase a premium package.
- In-App Purchases
Workout Plans and Programs: Create custom workout plans, specialized training programs, or guides for rehabilitation and recovery as in-app purchases to develop a physiotherapy app that provides targeted therapeutic interventions. Users can buy these plans to get specific recommendations tailored to their fitness goals.
Fitness Equipment and Products: You can also offer fitness-related products in your app, such as workout equipment, clothing, or dietary supplements.
This can be implemented through partnerships with fitness brands or through your own products.
- Advertising Revenue
With advertising, you can have two main sources of income:
In-App Advertising | Ad-Free Version |
Through partnerships with other brands, you can sell advertising in your personal training app. | Offer users the option to disable ads in the app. This can be a one-time fee or one of the benefits of a premium subscription. |
- Corporate Wellness Programs
Many corporations and large companies use apps for corporate fitness challenges. You can offer your app as part of their employee wellness programs and generate additional income this way.
Stormotion also has experience in creating an app for a corporate fitness challenge. Learn about the features and benefits of such an application by following the link!
🤓 How to Develop a Personal Training Application With the Help of Stormotion
To properly explain our approach to working with clients and how Stormotion can help you build your own personal training app, we decided to turn to our project manager, Sergey Ninoshvili.
So, how to create an app for personal trainers with the help of Stormotion?
Everyone has something they bought, perhaps even recently, that is now sitting around unused. You guessed that you needed it, you spent money on it, but now it seems you were wrong. We are always guessing. Some guesses are more straightforward, and some are abstract and complex. Even if we have a pool of target audience to ask directly - there's still no guarantee that their guess is the one.
That's the main thing to keep in mind during development. No matter how good and thorough was the discovery - it's still a guess. Our aim is to validate guesses as soon as possible and make early adjustments.
First validations will be done in design:
- structure of the app, where and what to find
- then, schematic design for user flow (wireframes) - it'll help to review the User Experience part - what functionality should be present at the particular step in the flow
- next step will be a low-effort prototype - Figma helps to create an interactive flow which then can be run on a mobile phone to walk through the screens without any features under the hood
- finally, we proceed with the visual part - User Interface design. And after all the previous validations - it is still a guess.
Now we are ready to select a part of the app we want to begin with, ready to develop and validate that guess through a real-life experience. For instance, it may be a training session flow we want to start from. We'll develop only what's necessary for it to work without disruptive bugs in it, skipping auth steps, app settings, etc. Once implemented - we provide defined group of testers with the dev version of the app, and continue working on the other straightforward common parts, like auth logic, till we get all the feedback for the previously implemented part. Then, if adjustments are needed - we proceed with them and collect feedback on the new iteration of the core flow, maybe with some new stuff we managed to add during the previous feedback gathering part.
This way we will move forward with iterations and increments, validating guesses as early as possible and decreasing the risk of late changes. As we reaching MVP stage - more testing rounds will take place. New features will be added as the app evolves. Some polishing will be needed, but this approach will allow us to test the idea, which was recently just a vision, in reality as soon as possible.
👂 Takeaways
The increasing growth of the fitness industry has led to a rising demand for health and sports apps, including personal training apps. If you're wondering how to build a personal trainer application, you're not alone in recognizing this trend. So, let's draw some conclusions:
- Personal trainer app development can be an economically beneficial solution.
- There are several types of personal training apps: text-based, illustrated, video-based, or 3D models.
- Market research and the integration of unique features will help you become competitive.
- When choosing a tech partner, pay attention to their experience in the fitness industry and their experience working with different platforms and tools.
- Choose several ways to monetize the app to create multiple revenue streams.
If you have any questions about how to create a personal training app or have an idea and need help with implementation and development, write to us! Our developers with extensive experience in the fitness industry will help you bring your business plans to life!
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Questions you may have
Take a look at how we solve challenges to meet project requirements
What are the essential features every personal trainer app should have?
Workout tracking, personalized workout plans, client management, nutrition tracking, progress analytics, and communication tools.
What technology stack is recommended for developing a personal trainer app?
Common technology stacks include React Native or Flutter for cross-platform development, Node.js for backend, and MongoDB or Firebase for database management.
How can developers ensure the app runs smoothly on both iOS and Android platforms?
Using cross-platform development frameworks like React Native or Flutter ensures compatibility and reduces development time.
What are the potential revenue streams for a personal trainer app?
Subscriptions, in-app purchases, advertisements, affiliate marketing, live classes, virtual personal training sessions, and branded merchandise.
What are the emerging trends in personal trainer app development?
Integration with wearable devices, use of AI for personalized training plans, AR/VR for immersive workouts, and community-driven features.
How can apps adapt to the growing trend of at-home workouts?
By offering on-demand workout videos, live streaming classes, personalized workout plans, and real-time feedback features, apps can cater to the at-home fitness market effectively.
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