Which Features to Include in Your Fitness App to Make It a Great One
Tags: mobile, ux, design
Published: 2021-06-29 14:33:38

Let’s agree, before developing an app, it’s best to have a clear picture of its purpose in mind. Sure, you might not have all the functionality decisions laid out in advance — that’s the design and development team’s task, but making a shot in the dark might not be the best idea. 

An understanding of why your potential users would need this app is paramount to its success. What is more, figuring out which features are to be the basis of your application helps target the right audience and find a unique niche. It also forms the timeline and development price (you can read more on how much does it cost to make a fitness app [here](https://perpet.io/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-fitness-app-in-2021/)).

So, which elements should any fitness app have?

## The features you will need for sure

First of all, there is a set of basic functions that you will likely need in any case, whether it is a workout application or an activity tracking solution. 

These include:
1. Registration and sign-in
2. User profile
3. Payment gateways
4. Push notifications
5. Settings
6. Onboarding
7. Customer support

You can notice that such features are not exclusive to fitness apps — you can find them in virtually any application out there.

## Choosing your functionality wisely 

Now, when we figured out which features you would need given any scenario, what about those that make your app unique and are there to help your users achieve their aims, be it losing weight or meditating regularly? 

To choose the best and most suitable functionality, you have to understand what kind of fitness app you are willing to create. Is it an activity tracking solution? Then you have to add progress bars, wearables integration, GPS tracking, and so on. Given your app is all about healthy eating, a proper database with recipes and a calorie counter are a must.

If you choose to start with an MVP (minimum viable product), it is most reasonable to prioritize just a few essential features that form the value of the application. There might be no need to make an all-purpose solution right away and target as many potential users as possible, from those looking for a workout to running enthusiasts.

## Something to help you stand out 

Suppose, you now chose the functionality that suits your potential users’ needs best: nothing redundant, just the essentials. Great! The thing is that there might be several other apps on the market that offer the solution to the very same pain point. So how can you stand out?

It is needless to say that your app should be useful: smooth navigation and attractive design just have to be there by default. What can make your app different is an unusual feature.

What do we mean by that? Let’s see an example. Suppose you are going to make a running app to help people log and analyze their runs. To make users prefer this app over the competitors, you would want to utilize some exceptional motivation tools. For instance, this can be gamification: you can encourage the users to take part in the challenge or create a fun mascot to share some tips and tricks with them. Make it fun!

One more way to approach this problem is to combine several features that have not been utilized together before. What about a running app that features meditations or audiobooks in the form of guided runs? Instead of switching between two apps, your users can have everything in one place — convenient!

## What’s next?

Choosing the best features for your app is not an easy task, but believe us: the efforts spent on the careful audience and market research and all the brainstorms are really worth it. You don’t want to invest all that time in the app that no one will even notice, is that right?

Of course, determining the functionality is only one of the questions that arise when you decide to get a fitness app developed. Choosing the right team, monetization strategies, and the fitness app cost are important aspects to take care of too. You can read [this article](https://perpet.io/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-fitness-app-in-2021/) to wrap your head around these more easily and get one step closer towards your goal!