How to Determine Average Fitness App Cost?

What is the cost of a fitness app? The question is a million-dollar one! This is probably one of your first questions when trying to figure out how to start an online fitness business. 

Furthermore, it is pointless to find out the average fitness app cost for development. How come? A fitness app’s final cost will depend on a number of factors when you’re building it. This means we would just be guessing if we tried to put a numerical figure.

The exact value depends on how much time is spent on the backend, iOS and Android development, quality assurance, UI/UX design, and project management. Once the time has been calculated, multiply it by the average hourly rate of the team. Also, there are other factors one cannot afford to miss when calculating fitness app development costs.

This article provides you with some benchmarks on different components that will help you determine the exact cost. Adapt them to fit your goals and context. The article will also teach you what influences app development costs. And you will learn how to create a budget for your fitness application development.

There is a wide variety of fitness apps out there. For example: EOS fitness app & Mega fitness app. Hence, the fitness app type you choose to build also matters.

Now let’s move on from the disclaimer.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Fitness App? 

When estimating the average fitness app cost, you should consider the following key factors.

• Stability

You must dedicate time and resources to ensuring the stability of your fitness app based on its desired performance. It is imperative to keep in mind that the complexity of your code increases as you strive for complete watertightness. To ensure that the app functions properly, you must analyze every flow within the app and code. It takes time and money for developers to do this.

Hence, stability issues can affect your initial estimated budget for fitness app development.

• Availability

Choosing the right platform for your fitness app is vital. Start with a platform that is popular with other application users. But in each case, the cost considerations are different. Every platform requires its own codebase and unique requirements. So, launching on multiple platforms will also significantly raise the cost.

• Performance

Users of fitness apps want them to work smoothly and seamlessly. However, the better the app performs, the more you’ll have to pay. The process of identifying potential bottlenecks and restructuring things for optimal performance in the app takes resources.

• Complexity

You will have to spend more money if you want an app that stands out. A customized experience requires a lot of time and resources on the part of the development team. In contrast, a basic fitness app turns out to be cheaper than one packed with premium features. WHY? It leverages user data to support users’ fitness goals by offering more features.

The complexity of the app significantly impacts fitness app development costs. The more features an app has, the more cost you will pay.  

Other Specifics that Influence Average Fitness App Cost

To tackle the query “how much does it cost to develop a fitness app”, you must consider other specifics too:

• Integrations 

Integration of fitness apps with numerous servers, payment solutions, external data sources, or web services also increases app complexity. It paves the way for additional risks. For instance, when you integrate services that have no API available.  

• Design 

If you can use an existing design template for the user interface, it will certainly save you a lot of bucks. However, spending on app design services is a must if you want something truly unique design that can give your brand an edge.

Another aspect that may come into play is how interactive your app should be and the type of animations you need. Together all these will influence the overall cost of design. In short, the more complex an app design is, the higher the design budget will be.

• Fitness App Types

When it comes to choosing a fitness app type, there are several options for you to choose from. Each type has its own price implications. Generally, founders pick out progressive web apps, native mobile apps, or web-based apps.  

To pick a type, you see where your intended users are and what’s the best way to reach them. For example, if your ideal users are on the Android platform, you can only develop an Android app and save money. Similarly, if your audience prefers iOS devices, there is no harm in creating an iOS or native app alone.

However, if your end users are spread across Android and iOS platforms, consider building a cross-platform app. Meaning a progressive web app is your go-to option if you want to keep the average fitness app cost down. It makes your cost more manageable as it bars you from developing a separate fitness app for each platform. You will have one structure that will be consumed across all devices.

• In-House Development Team or Outsource Fitness App Development 

When creating a fitness app, you have two choices: Develop it in-house by building a team or outsource it by partnering with a tech agency like DFY SaaS.  

Keeping the cost low is a prime objective for most founders, so it’s best to work with an experienced partner. Someone who has successfully delivered similar projects in the past within the preferred timeframes and budget. Else, hiring an internal team is the most viable option.

However, building an internal team often tends to be more expensive and riskier. WHY? because finding and retaining skilled professionals is really challenging. Estimates suggest that employing just one developer can cost approximately $30,000 and 42 days.

And there is always that risk that you have not evaluated their skills and knowledge effectively. You will comprehend this when you put them to the test.

Outsourcing your fitness app development will lower the risk and prove more cost-effective. You will have an expert team by your side that will relentlessly work on your project. In case a developer or designer leaves, you will get a good replacement immediately. 

Moreover, you won’t have to bear the recruitment cost or tackle permanent employees’ expenses. Your agency will manage everything so you can focus on the bigger picture.  The best part is that development agencies offer two different models fixed price and dedicated developer(s). Both remain beneficial for tech companies and startups.