15 Must-Have Features for Fitness App in 2023

Introduction

Since the last decade, fitness has become an integral part of peoples’ lives. Moreover, for many, it has become a strict ritual. Additionally, the digital world’s contribution came in the form of a fitness app to meet the high consumer demands. And, with the COVID crisis looming over everyone, people started relying on many such healthcare apps, nutrition apps, fitness tracker, etc. 

This blog is for you if you plan to develop a fitness app. Although you might already have a plan in mind, there are various features you wouldn’t want your fitness app to lack. So, this blog will walk you through the 15 essential features of a fitness app. However, before we dive into that, let’s look at the different types of fitness apps. Why? Because you need to know what kind of fitness app you want to build. Also, depending on that particular fitness tracker app, you can plan and add extra features. 

Types of Fitness Apps

There are 6 main types of fitness apps. These are the most in-demand applications.

Gym Equipment Management

Thanks to technology, gym equipment such as treadmills can now be synched with users’ preferences using IoT. As a result, you can get a workout or activity tailored to your fitness needs. Such software helps gym-goers get the most out of their workouts. Moreover, it allows them to refine their movements. The app collects and sends the user’s statistical data to a server. All this happens when the person is performing an activity or working out. It immediately syncs the user’s data with the settings of the gym equipment.

Home Workout Apps

Various people prefer working out from the comfort of their homes. So, a home workout app works like a guide for them. Moreover, it provides instructions on how to perform the exercises they intend to perform. In addition, this fitness tracker instructs its users on the proper workout technique. Moreover, some of the most popular features of a fitness tracker include personal trainers, logbooks, and device-pair fitness options. 

Personal Trainers Apps

Now, some apps act as your trainers. So, instead of going to a physical fitness personal trainer, you can now use personal trainer apps. Just like a proper trainer, these apps customize workouts for you. Also, you can select the amount of difficulty and the kind of exercises you want to perform. One of the best examples of a personal trainer app is ‘MyFitnessApp.’ What’s best is that it operates like a virtual gym trainer. In addition, you can access more content via online live sessions, video lessons, 3D models, exercise graphics, etc. 

Nutrition Apps

Next on the list are nutrition apps. These help people maintain a balanced diet. Also, these applications use a variety of health indicators, including:

• Height
• Weight 
• Kcal
• Water Balance, etc. 

Moreover, nutrition apps have light sensors that track daily caffeine intake and fat content. Also, these apps jot down a grocery list for you and create healthy meal plans. That’s why these are often called healthcare apps too. 

Activity Tracking Apps

Sports persons and athletes mostly use activity-tracking apps. These fitness trackers use numerous optical sensors to determine the number of daily steps you take. Moreover, it also records the number of calories you burn while working out. 

What’s more, you can track your sleep patterns. They also have an inbuilt alarm that can wake you up according to your sleep cycle. It automatically adjusts the time to the hours of sleep you had. 

Yoga and Meditation Apps

Yoga has become a discipline in many people’s life. More than that, it has become the way of living for many. In that case, yoga and meditation apps guide them on how to perform various asanas. Also, one of the best examples of a yoga app is the ‘Yoga Studio.’ It also includes live yoga sessions with real practitioners. 

15 Must-Have Features for a Fitness App

Now that you know the types of fitness apps you can build, let’s look at the essential features a fitness app or a fitness tracker must have. 

1. A Personalized Experience

When tracking the user’s daily activity and evaluating their fitness, the application needs to offer a personal experience. The user must feel that everything is tailored to them. Therefore, it can include the user’s personal information like height, age, gender, and weight. These will help the application ascertain accurate details.

Moreover, these allow users to customize the application as per their needs. You may include essential features like:

• Allow them to create their user profile
• Plan personalized exercise routines for them
• Save regular statistics
• Setting daily, weekly and monthly goals
• Comparing the performance
• Keeping track of the progress

2. Registration and SignUp/Login

Although this may seem like a general feature to you, it’s important. You need to keep the sign-up and login process simple and short. Many applications ask for too many details when signing up, including name, age, height, etc. But that is not the right thing to do. If you ask for too many details at the time of sign up that might annoy the user and lead them to drop out. 

3. User Profile

You must encourage the users to add details like their picture, bio, and other personal information. It could include their food preferences, work profile, and daily routine. Moreover, you could also provide the feature to make changes in their goals set in the beginning when they sign up. Also, it’s best to add functionality that allows them to modify their password. 

A feature encouraging them to add their health issues will help them keep track of their appointments and medication. Also, providing them options when asking for info is a good idea. That way, they take action without having to overthink. Also, if it’s just in the form of a checklist, they will eventually add info. They won’t have to put in too much effort to type things out.

4. Goal Setting

Fitness apps help users get measurable results from their daily workouts. So, it is best if they set their desired goals themselves. For that reason, you must keep the process of plan putting straightforward. Besides, a fitness tracker also emphasizes sports activities. Moreover, it allows you to set nutritional goals. To help the user utilize a fitness application effectively, encourage users to:

• Select a daily task
• Input goal value
• Decide a specific date to achieve the goal

5. Tracking metrics

You cannot expect to achieve your fitness goals properly unless you keep track of your progress. Therefore, users need to record everything from the number of repetitions to sets, calories to hours, kilometers to kilograms, and pounds of weight. The app can help record their progress in measurable units. Consequently, the information will motivate them to use the app to achieve more.

Moreover, one thing that you must be aware of is that fitness apps do not track unnecessary data. This helps avoid overload. So, app developers can provide a graphical overview of the metrics that inform the entire fitness routine summary to the user.

6. Customized Diet Plans

A diet plan tailored to the users’ needs is devised. So, the application can prepare a diet regimen tailored to the users’ particular energy needs. Why? Because if the diet plan includes the foods the user enjoys, the chances of them sticking to the diet plan increase. Also, users will avoid random shopping for a diet if they have a clear direction and diet program.

7. Gamification

So, what if you were rewarded every time you achieved a fitness goal? Sounds exciting and motivating, right? This is called gamification. A fitness tracker app can have a gamification feature where you get exciting rewards every time you complete a task. As a result, this will push you to achieve more. Also, failing to meet or accomplish any goals would lead to penalties. These penalties could be exercises like 250 burpees or 4000 steps. 

8. Activity Log

A fitness tracker must have a feature to log in to activities manually and automatically. This could include recording your sleep patterns, daily steps, water intake, period log (for females), etc. Also, this feature helps users to make practical and easy-to-follow plans. Consequently, they can keep up with productive workout activities. Also, it will keep them from monotonously repeating fitness activities without order.

9. Social Media Integration

These are digital times. Almost everyone likes to share their achievements and whereabouts on social media. Therefore, fitness apps that don’t have social media integration cannot survive in the era of social media platforms. Sharing their progress, transformation journey, and success on social media motivates them to work out more. Therefore, fitness apps must enable individuals to share their daily fitness progress. Besides, fitness apps with social media integration make content creation and sharing smoother.

10. Integration with Wearable and Non-Wearable Devices

Now is the time of interconnectivity. Every device you have today has the easy sync feature. You can connect your smartwatch to your phone, TV, laptop, etc. Therefore, no fitness tracking app is complete without the ability to communicate with wearable technology. For that reason, app developers need to integrate various wearable and non-wearable technologies into fitness app development. It may include: 

• Smartwatches
• Smart TVs
• Gadgets like Amazon Echo and Google Home

Wearable gadgets make fitness tracking pretty easy anytime, anywhere. Moreover, it enhances the app’s usability. 

11. Geolocation Facility

The geolocation feature enables the user to track his walking routes. Besides, using the geolocation feature, the user can see the way, traffic, and time required to complete the course. Also, this feature can help see how many calories the user has burned. The user can quickly compute and check the insights gathered by GPS data.

12. Push Notifications

Anyone who works out regularly would never want to miss a vital workout session. But, keeping up with such events can be challenging. Often, it does slip out of users’ minds. In that case, push notifications from the app can be very useful. They remind the user about the upcoming workout sessions. Not only this, suppose the user burns a few extra calories without realizing it. In that case, the app records it and sends a notification. This helps the user stop right there, preventing them from overperforming. 

13. Barcode Scanner

In today’s time, this is an exciting feature for users. This feature is especially helpful in nutrition and food-tracking apps. How? The users can scan the barcode on packaged foods with their smartphones. Once they do, they can check out their food’s nutritional value. That way, the users can check each food’s calorie intake before purchasing it. 

14. Virtual Coaches

Hiring personal coaches is expensive, for real. So, a fitness app that offers personalized virtual coaching can be a superb feature. This can be very informative for the users. Furthermore, the coaches can provide special diets and workouts.

15. Video & Live Streaming

Undoubtedly, people find videos more informative, gripping, and engaging. Therefore, workout videos do exceptionally well for workouts, yoga, and meditation. Also, live streaming gives you a community feeling. Not for free, but you could offer video sessions on a subscription or pay per session.

Best Fitness Apps

Now that we’ve covered all the essential information about fitness app development let’s look at some of the best fitness apps or trackers. 

My Fitness Pal

My Fitness Pal has been on the top of the charts since its release. The app is one of the best fitness tracker apps. In addition, it is a perfect calorie counter. Also, it easily syncs with your favorite sports apps. That way, you can track your activity and burn calories. 

The 7-Minute Workout

The 7-Minute Workout Tracker app helps people with a busy schedule find time to work out in their calendars. This fitness app has a simple UI. Besides, it has three workout types: a basic workout, an abs-focused session, or a seven-minute high-intensity workout. Moreover, it is popular among people for its ability to micro-manage the workouts’ time limits.

Conclusion

We’re optimistic that after reading this blog, you’re equipped with all the information regarding essential fitness app features. If you include these features in your application, the users will appreciate it. However, if you’re still confused or unsure about anything, you can connect with Code Theorem. Code theorem is an app development company specializing in developing software and applications. Our experts can not only guide you but also select the best tech stack and build a fitness app for you in a few days.