How Much Time Does It Take To Develop A Fitness App?

How long does it take to build a fitness app? A question that every investor has in mind.

In recent times, time well spent is progress gained. So this is somewhere understandable when investors are left wondering how long their project will take.

However, finding accurate estimates for app development time can be a challenge.

This blog aims to provide a clear understanding of the app development stages and time associated with each. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to estimate your app’s development timeline.

Let’s get right into it:

A Simple Breakdown of the Time to Develop a Fitness App

App development time is the most inquired topic followed by app development cost.

So, “How Much Time Does It Take to develop a fitness app?”

On average, the time taken to develop a fitness app ranges from 2 months to 9+ months. But, the question is why we can’t share the true time to develop a fitness app.

Well, similar to cost, there are several factors that affect the fitness app development time including complexity, features, and project type.

For instance:

Before we learn about the specific stages of app development, it’s essential to recognize that the time required can vary significantly based on the type of fitness app you’re building.

Different Types of Fitness Apps and Time Taken To Develop

The market is filled with top fitness apps, each with a unique purpose to serve its customers.

The development time for a mobile fitness app can vary significantly based on its specific type and complexity. Here’s a breakdown of estimated timelines for different app categories:

1. Workout and Exercise Apps

Workout app development is a process to create, build, and optimize apps dedicated to the aim of improving fitness levels. This includes features like workout plans, progress tracking, exercise tutorials, etc to help users achieve their fitness goals.

Such apps can focus on different fitness goals that include strength training, cardio, yoga, or HIIT.

Workout and fitness apps such as Peloton, Nike Training Club, and Freeletics are examples of popular workout apps.

Development time for such apps can range from 8 to 9+ months due to the complexity of the user interface, and the integration of features like heart rate monitoring or progress tracking.

2. Nutrition and Diet Tracking Apps

These apps help users track their calorie intake, macronutrients, and meal plans. They often include features like recipe databases, meal planning tools, and food scanning possibilities.

Some of the top examples include MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, and Cronometer.

Estimated time to develop a fitness app can range from 4 to 8+ months.

To create a successful app like MyFitnessPal, development time depends on the extent of the food database, the complexity of the tracking features, and integration with other health devices.

3. Sleep Tracking and Analysis Apps

These apps monitor sleep patterns, duration, and quality.

Sleep Tracking and Analysis Apps may also differ in features like sleep sounds, alarm settings, and sleep-related insights. Examples include Sleep Cycle, Sleep as Android, and Pillow.

Estimated development time can be somewhere between 2 to 6+ months.

The development time depends on the accuracy of the sleep-tracking technology, the complexity of the analysis features, and the integration with other health devices.

4. Community and Social Fitness Apps

Community and Social Fitness apps create a social community for fitness enthusiasts, allowing users to connect, share progress, and participate in challenges.

They may also include features like group workouts, fitness forums, and gamification elements. Some examples include Strava and Fitbit.

Estimated development time can range from 6 to 8+ months.

The development time to create an app like Strava or any other social fitness app depends on the number of social features, the integration with other devices, and the gamification elements.

5. Yoga and Meditation App

Yoga app development is the process of a digital platform for practicing mindfulness and relaxation. They often include guided sessions, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques.

If the app has huge guided sessions, the complexity of the pose library, and the integration of features like music and timers, the development time can change.

Estimated development time can be between 3 to 6+ months. Some examples include Alo Moves, Asana Rebel, and Glo.

6. Specialized Fitness Apps

These apps cater to specific fitness niches, including rehabilitation, specific sports, or unique workout styles. Specialized Fitness Apps include features tailored to the specific activity such as distance tracking, pace analysis, or scorekeeping.

Examples include Runkeeper, Sworkit, GolfPad, and Zumba.

Estimated development time can be somewhere between 4 to 8+ months.

The development time for a specialized fitness app depends on the complexity of the feature, the integration with specific devices or equipment, and the level of customization.

7. Running and Cycling Apps

Running and Cycling Apps are designed to track and analyze performance metrics for different activities i.e. running.

Such apps offer features such as pace analysis, distance measurement, calorie burn, and heart rate monitoring.

Some apps also offer social features including joining challenges, sharing achievements, and connecting with other users.

Estimated development time 4 to 9+ months. But, the features depend on the complexity of the GPS tracking feature, the integration with heart rate monitors, and the social features.

The amount of time it takes to develop a fitness app completely depends on the type and complexity limits those apps have built-in.

While we have provided general estimates, it’s essential to consult with a professional mobile app development company for a more accurate estimate. This will allow them to assess your individual needs and, the scope of the project and expectantly provide a custom timeline.

What Influences the Time to Build a Fitness App?

Similar to fitness app development cost, there are multiple things that can impact how long it takes to create a fitness app.

These are some factors that will help you to get an idea of how much time your application may develop.

Let’s consider the same down below:

♦ App Complexity and Features

More features and more complex features result in longer development timelines.

Also, more advanced features, like detailed analytics and data sets targeting individual complaints or for integrating with wearable devices can add another layer to an app that will take time investment from developers streaming over the coding process.

Development Time: 2 to 9+ months.

♦ Design & User Experience (UX)

A good UI/UX design is important as it can affect the way people interact with your product. Iterative design processes, such as prototyping and testing, can extend the development timeline.

Development Time: 2-4 months.

♦ Platform Selection

It is always a bit of a hassle to develop an app on both iOS and Android as you have to make two codebases which in the end doubles your development time.

While cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter can simplify the process, they might increase some other complexities.

Development Time: 1-3 months (for each platform)

♦ Backend Development

Backend infrastructure is a crucial piece of ensuring app performance and scalability. Backend complexity can have a big impact on the time it takes to develop.

Development Time: 3-6 months.

♦ Third-Party Service Integration

You may also need to integrate with external services like payment gateways, social networks, or health data providers which can complicate the project and require more time for development/ integration.

Development Time: 1 to 3 months (per integration)

♦ Testing and Quality Assurance

Regardless, you need to test your app so do regular app testing. However, testing is time-consuming — from unit and integration testing to user acceptance testing.

Development Time: 2-4 weeks.

♦ Iterations and Refinements

Refine features, improve performance, and fix bugs based on user feedback/releases to testing environments.

Development Time: — Varies (depending on the number of iterations)

♦ Team Size and Experience

Having a larger, more seasoned development team can expedite the process. Building a team, however, might take longer and raise expenses.

Development Time: Dependent on team size and level of experience

♦ Project Management and Communication

When project management is efficient, meaning all team members are on the same page and work together smoothly and with transparency it has a positive knock-on effect for accomplishing goals faster.

Development Time: This can impact the overall timeline.

♦ Unforeseen Challenges

Unanticipated technical challenges or changes to the requirements, among other things outside our control, can also affect project timelines.

Development Time: This could have a major outcome and affect the plan.

As we said before, there are several factors that affect the overall app development time. Moving on, let’s see what the steps to carry out app development are and how they affect the overall time to develop a fitness app.

Stages of App Development & Time-Taken

Do you know How to Create a Fitness App?

Creating a fitness app involves several key steps, each with its own development timeline. Let’s break down the process and learn about it all:

► Idea Making and Planning (1-2 weeks)

This step includes researching app ideas, and determining a target audience and main features.

A good knowledge of the market and your competitors will be necessary to determine what user needs in this specific industry are.

► Feature Prioritization and MVP Definition (1-2 weeks)

Once you have a viable app concept to run with, the main fitness app development challenge lies in identifying what the main focus of your app product is.

A functional MVP (Minimum Viable Product) helps determine that. The MVP is the barebones version of your app that includes all core functionalities to provide value for users, using minimum development time and resources.

► Design and Prototyping (2–4 weeks)

As a next step, these wireframes are developed into mockups and prototypes in the design phase to see how an app will look with changes in color schemes, etc.

Making sure product design and user flow are refined means iterative designs and user testing.

► Frontend Development (2-3 months)

Here, the UI/UX developers come and then create the front end.

Such as laying out the designs of the app and implementing functions while making sure that it runs on multiple devices & platforms.

► Back-end Development (3 to 5 months)

Backend development is the actual building of the server-side infrastructure and mostly includes things like databases, APIs, and third-party integrations.

This part takes care of the storage, retrieval, and processing side of things for our data.

► Integration and Testing (2-4 weeks)

The front and backend are also developed and integrated with the UI components created alongside it, followed by app testing. Unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance tests to find any bugs or issues.

► Deployment with Launch (4-5 days max)

The app has been fixed and passed the testing phase, so it is ready to be deployed. You need to publish it to the Play Store or Submit it to the App Store and set app settings along with creating promotional materials.

► Maintenance and Updates (After go-live)

After launching the app, you need to maintain and update it periodically for bug fixes, performance tuning, or new features. Continuous updates and user feedback are the keys to long-term success.

Overall Fitness app development timeline:

It varies according to the features you want for your application; it may go from 3 months to 9+ months. You should leave some room in there for unforeseen complications, iterations, and post-launch maintenance.

Moving on, let’s see how you can make a fitness app in a reduced amount of time by partnering with experts.

Meet Your Fitness App Development Deadline with Nimble AppGenie

You have a tight schedule and want to develop a fitness app. Well, here we are.

Nimble AppGenie is the best fitness app development company that can help you meet your tight fitness app development deadlines by offering our expertise and efficient processes.

With a team of skilled developers and a proven track record, we can streamline the development process, optimize resource allocation, and adhere to strict timelines.

Got an idea? Connect with us to expect your fitness app to be delivered on time, meeting your business objectives.

Conclusion

Developing a fitness app involves a complex process with various factors influencing the development timeline. By understanding the key stages, features, and potential challenges, you can better estimate the time required for your project.

The provided timelines are estimates, and the actual development time may vary depending on your specific requirements and the expertise of your development team.

Consulting with a professional app development company like Nimble AppGenie can provide you with a more accurate assessment and help you achieve your fitness app goals within the desired timeframe.

FAQs

Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.