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Fitness App Development Guide – 2023
After Covid19, everything has taken a back seat among the masses except overall fitness and wellness. As a result, there is a growing demand for fitness app development with self-service and self evaluation features to track progress in day-to-day growth.
According to Statista, digital fitness and well-being apps specifically in North America are projected to grow by 10.08% between 2023 – 2027 which will add up to a market volume of US $ 6.55 bn in 2027.
Fitness and digital health apps are still an emerging market with considerable potential to bring greater benefits to people, providers, and to the community. There is a clear demand for these apps all over the world.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or enterprise, let’s dive into the world of fitness app development and understand how an efficient fitness app is developed. In this blog, we will guide you through a fitness app development process, features, cost, and tech stack.
Table of Content
- What Is A Fitness Application?
- Fitness Apps Market Overview
- How Does A Fitness App Work?
- Types Of Fitness Apps
- Must Have Features For Your Fitness App Development
- Steps Of Fitness App Development
- Fitness App Development Technology Stack
- Fitness App Development Security Implications
- Fitness App Development Cost
- Popular Fitness App Development Monetization Strategies
- Our Expertise In Developing Successful Fitness App Development
- Conclusion
What Is A Fitness Application?
Digital fitness and wellness apps refers to applications that are designed and developed to detect, track, analyze, and share vitality and fitness level one wants to achieve. To enable people keep track of their overall wellness and fitness, a health and fitness app development comprises a broad scope of technologies such as mobile health apps, connected wearable devices, telemedicine apps, and IoT apps. Fitness app developers leverage these technologies to build an application that allows users to set fitness goals, track caloric intake, gather workout ideas, personalize workouts schedules, and share progress on social media or within the fitness community such as Runtastic by Adidas.
Fitness Apps Market Overview
In recent years, the global market for health and fitness mobile apps has experienced significant growth. This growth is fueled by factors such as the widespread adoption of smartphones and wearable devices, an increasing focus on fitness and wellness, and rising health awareness among the general population. The market comprises a diverse range of applications designed to assist users in monitoring physical activity, maintaining healthy lifestyles, and achieving fitness goals.
The number of users of fitness tracking apps has also been steadily increasing. According to Statista, the eServices Fitness segment is projected to have 353.2 million users by the end of 2023, up from 306.9 million users in 2021. Given this upward trend, it is no surprise that many companies are venturing into fitness app development.
Market Players
Prominent players in the global fitness apps market include Fitbit, Inc., MyFitnessPal, Inc., Nike, Inc., Under Armour, Inc., Runtastic GmbH, Adidas AG, Asics Corporation, Azumio, Inc., Garmin Ltd., and Google Fit LLC. These companies continually invest in product development, partnerships, and acquisitions to expand their target audience and enhance user experience.
Key Market Trends
At Successive, we understand the importance of staying abreast of trends in a rapidly evolving industry. Let’s delve into the main trends in fitness mobile app development:
- The rise of wearable devices
The growing popularity of smartwatches and fitness bands has increased the demand for fitness apps compatible with these devices. Developers are focusing on creating applications that seamlessly integrate with various wearables to provide real-time feedback and data tracking. For instance, apps can leverage heart rate data from devices like the Apple Watch to develop monitoring applications.
- Gamification and social engagement
Fitness app developers are incorporating game-like elements and social media features to encourage user engagement, make training enjoyable, and foster a sense of community among users.
- Personalized user experience
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are being harnessed to deliver personalized workout plans, nutrition advice, and progress tracking based on individual user preferences and goals. This enables users to have a personalized trainer-like experience accessible anytime, anywhere.
- Virtual fitness classes
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of virtual fitness classes, with many gyms and studios offering online sessions. This trend has led to the development of innovative health and wellness platforms, such as ProCoders’ Dryft, which offers unique fitness classes in scenic locations across major cities.
Henceforth, the fitness apps market is expected to continue its upward trajectory due to technological advancements, growing health consciousness among consumers, and the increasing popularity of wearable devices. However, when considering launching a fitness app, it is crucial to identify the target audience, determine the type of app to create, and define the niche within this vast market.
Also read – Technology Trends in Healthcare Industry
How Does A Fitness App Work?
A fitness app involves various methods and technologies to capture data and ensure accurate and reliable tracking of user activities. This data is then presented to the user to track their progress and modify the fitness plan they need to achieve based on their personal fitness goals. To enable this, a fitness app leverages data from different sources and stores it with advanced methods to provide real-time insights users expect from the app like how many miles they have covered in the morning, calories consumed, and other things of their day to day life. Let’s have a look at what is used to capture and maintain data for fitness apps.
Sensors
Fitness apps utilize the sensors available in smartphones or wearable devices to capture data. Besides this, accelerometers measure movement and steps, gyroscopes detect orientation, GPS tracks location, and heart rate sensors monitor pulse. These sensors provide inputs to fitness apps for activity tracking, distance calculation, calorie estimation, and heart rate monitoring.
User Input
Just like other user apps, in a fitness app a user profile creation is implemented through which a user shares his or her personal details manually such as their weight, height, or specific exercise details that may not be automatically captured by sensors. This allows for more personalized and precise tracking of user needs and behavior patterns towards being fit.
Wearable Device
Since the Apple watch is in the market, people are more inclined towards fitness. As a result of this, we have a number of smartwatches in the market specifically dedicated to fitness and health tracking needs. These days, all fitness apps need to be integrated with wearable devices. Through these devices, a fitness app also captures data using the built-in sensors and syncs it continuously to enable real-time tracking and automatic data transfer to provide seamless user experience on the application.
Cloud Storage
Fitness apps typically use cloud storage to store and manage user data. This allows for secure backup, synchronization across multiple devices, and accessibility from anywhere. Cloud technologies like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), or Microsoft Azure are commonly employed for data storage and management. Deploying the application on cloud also supports efficient data visualization and analytics needs.
Data Privacy and Security
Fitness app developers prioritize user privacy and implement security measures to protect personal health information. This includes encryption of data during transmission and storage, secure authentication mechanisms, compliance with data protection regulations, and regular security updates.
Data Analysis and Visualization
Fitness apps analyze captured data to provide users with meaningful insights, trends, and progress reports. Data visualization techniques, such as charts, graphs, and dashboards, are used to present this information in a user-friendly and visually appealing manner. This allows users to track their performance, set goals, and make informed decisions about their fitness journey.
Since a fitness app is supposed to ensure data accuracy and privacy along with a seamless user experience, the above tools and processes allows the app to be fully functional and useful for the end users.
Types Of Fitness Apps
Digital fitness and wellness apps often focus on tracking health, working out, managing stress, and providing various home remedies through online. Henceforth, there are several types of fitness apps that can be developed such as:
- Activity Tracking Apps
- Nutrition And Diet Apps
- Yoga And Meditation Apps
- Workout Apps
Let’s understand each of these in detail and help you analyze the scope and impact these apps have created on people’s daily lives.
1. Activity Tracking Apps
Activity tracking app is a widely adopted fitness application developed for devices like smartphones and wrist watches. Google Fit is one of the best examples of activity tracking apps. These types of apps utilize the sensors in your smartphone or wearable device to monitor and record physical activity. The app uses accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS technology to gather data.
It tracks metrics such as steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and active minutes during walking, running, and cycling. Activity tracking apps are well-suited for both fitness enthusiasts and individuals new to fitness, as they encourage a healthier way of life and assist users in attaining their individual fitness objectives.
2. Nutrition And Diet Apps
Besides exercising and participating in sports or physical activities, there is a majority of people who have become conscious of their intake of what they eat in a day. These are the people highly conscious of their kid’s health and need support to make faster and better decisions of what to put on the plate of their family.
To help those people, a nutrition app is helpful. Nutrition and diet planner app development is one of the expertise areas of fitness app development services. These apps provide a range of features, such as meal planning, calorie counting, and nutrient tracking, which offer valuable insights into users’ eating habits. With comprehensive food databases, recipe recommendations, and personalized diet plans tailored to individual needs and goals, these apps contribute significantly to raising awareness and promoting healthier eating practices. Some apps may offer personalized meal plans, recipe suggestions, or dietitian support to help users make informed choices and achieve their nutritional objectives and support overall health and well-being.
3. Yoga And Meditation Apps
A yoga and meditation app is one of the fastest growing fitness mobile app development categories. These apps contribute to the holistic well-being of individuals by offering mindfulness, relaxation, and flexibility exercises for both the mind and body. These apps also provide guided yoga sessions, meditation exercises, and breathing techniques, catering to users at all levels of experience.
With a wide range of yoga styles, dedicated meditation features, and detailed instructions, users have the flexibility to personalize their practice according to their preferences. The inclusion of progress tracking, personalized recommendations, and reminders within these apps promotes consistency in their mindfulness routines. Notable examples of popular yoga and meditation apps include Yoga Studio, Headspace, and Calm.
Additionally, yoga and meditation apps often include progress tracking and meditation timers to help users establish a consistent practice and track their progress over time.
4. Workout Apps
A workout plan app primarily focuses on providing users with a wide range of exercise options that go beyond traditional cardio or dance routines. To enhance user engagement, incorporating gamification features like progress tracking, rewards, and social interaction can be effective.
By creating a workout app that offers unique experiences, such as VR-based exercises, outdoor adventures, or story-driven workouts, you can motivate users and differentiate your app in the highly competitive fitness market. A dynamic and captivating workout app has the potential to attract a broad audience and foster fitness success.
When you want to enter into the business realm or expand your business offerings by developing a fitness app, you can choose an app development category from above that naturally fits to your inclination to set up a business and scale.
However, here is an expert tip to develop a winning fitness application. A fitness app can work in both one or two ways. For example, a one way app like activity tracker with tracking capabilities allows users to track their fitness level and optimize their day health accordingly like how many more steps or distance should they increase in a week. On other hand, a workout app works two ways if provided online classes and personal trainer support digitally.
In such a scenario, you may require to develop 3 user panels or apps for your digital fitness product. For customers, one for trainers, and one for yourself as you will require it for administrative purposes. Before stepping into an app development process or outsourcing flutter app development services, always keep in mind the business model you want to acquire for your business.
Must Have Features For Your Fitness App Development
Are you unsure which features to incorporate into your exercise app? Fitness app development caters to different purposes and offers unique features to users. Nevertheless, certain fundamental fitness app features are crucial to creating a user-friendly and accommodating experience on the platform. We have compiled a comprehensive list of essential features that every fitness app should encompass.
1. Onboarding
To acquaint new users with the app’s features and provide instructions, onboarding proves to be invaluable. Although optional for straightforward apps, onboarding can involve showcasing a few screens, presenting a brief video tutorial, or employing in-app prompts. For inspiration, check out examples of onboarding available on platforms like Dribbble.
2. Sign-Up & Login
Grant users the convenience of signing up using their preferred social media accounts such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Instagram. Additionally, allowing sign-up with personal email addresses ensures inclusivity.
3. User Profiles
Users should be able to create profiles, inputting relevant personal information such as name, age, height, weight, gender, and fitness level. This data benefits both app developers and users alike. Developers can tailor workout routines, track physical activity, and offer customized plans. For users, profiles provide easy access to subscription plans, exercise history, progress tracking, bonuses, and other pertinent details.
4. Goals
Setting fitness goals is an integral part of any fitness app. Enabling users to establish objectives and track their progress adds motivation and fosters adherence to their fitness goals.
5. Synchronization With Wearable Devices
As the popularity of smartwatches and wearable devices from brands like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi continues to rise, it is imperative for your fitness app to integrate and synchronize with them. Leveraging APIs such as HealthKit and GoogleFit, you can amalgamate data from fitness trackers with your app. The synchronization can be achieved through watchOS and Wear OS operating systems for Apple Watch and Android smartwatches, respectively.
6. Workouts & Exercises
Utilize various media formats, such as photos, 3D animated models, and video illustrations, to illustrate exercises and workouts effectively. Users should have the flexibility to create their own workouts, utilize a predefined set of exercises, or combine both approaches. An organized and searchable content library is essential to facilitate this feature.
7. Tracking
Your app can capture activity data through smartphone sensors or integration with wearable trackers. Smartphones provide data on steps taken, stairs climbed, distance covered, speed, and direction. Notable apps in this domain include Samsung Health. To track additional parameters like heart rate, sleep quality, or body temperature and synchronize with fitness wearables, integration with third-party APIs becomes necessary. It is also advisable to inquire about the specific parameters users would like to track.
8. Audio/Video Player
The inclusion of audio and video components enhances various fitness activities, such as exercises, workouts, running, yoga classes, or meditation. Audio/video podcasts featuring trainers’ voices, soundtracks, or video tutorials can effectively guide users. Additional features should include the ability to provide feedback, bookmark/like tracks, and resume playback within your fitness app’s player.
9. Product & Recipe Database
A vast database of products and healthy recipes coupled with nutrition analysis and barcode scanning capabilities constitutes compelling features for nutrition apps. Integration with nutrition APIs is necessary to provide users with this functionality. Furthermore, enabling users to manually add items that are not listed in your app’s database adds flexibility.
10. Workouts Customization
Empower users to customize their workouts, meditations, exercise sets, recipes, or diet plans within the app. Although this feature requires significant effort, prioritizing customer-centricity is pivotal in today’s landscape.
11. Push Notifications & Reminders
Well-timed and targeted push notifications can significantly boost an app’s retention rate by three to tenfold. According to Business of Apps, push notifications for fitness apps should contain fewer than 90 characters and be scheduled between
12. Payment Feature & Method
Incorporating a payment feature is self-explanatory as it allows you to monetize your app. By integrating a secure payment gateway like PayPal or Visa, users can seamlessly subscribe to premium features, purchase additional content, or access exclusive services within your fitness app.
13. Support & Customer Services
Prioritizing user satisfaction, consider implementing a chat feature where trainers or support staff can provide real-time advice and consultations. Even if live chat options are unavailable, a combination of chatbots with pre-programmed responses can provide automated assistance. Additionally, ensure that contact information is readily accessible within the app, allowing users to reach out for support and providing a channel for valuable feedback.
14. Profile Settings
Allow users to personalize their experience by including profile settings. This functionality enables users to modify passwords and email addresses, adjust notification preferences, and manage account settings according to their preferences. Granting users control over their profiles enhances their sense of ownership and empowers them to tailor the app to their needs.
By incorporating these features – payment capabilities, robust support and customer services, and flexible profile settings – you can elevate your fitness app’s functionality, user experience, and overall success.
Steps Of Fitness App Development
We hope the above section has helped in putting the foundation for what it requires to build a fitness and wellness app. In this section, we will answer the most demanding question of how to create a fitness app?
To help you out, we are going to outline each and every step you need to follow to develop a successful fitness app that caters to your target audience, stands out in the market, and achieves your desired business objectives.
Step 1. Conduct Market Research to Define Your App’s Purpose and Target Audience
Perform thorough market research to identify the primary goals of your app, whether it’s focused on weight loss, muscle gain, or general fitness. Understand the needs, preferences, and motivations of your target audience to effectively build a fitness app that meets their requirements. Analyze the competition, identify market gaps, and gain insights into popular and successful features in existing fitness apps to create a unique value proposition and differentiate your app.
Step 2. Plan the App’s Features
Based on your research and target audience, determine the essential features to include in your app, such as workout libraries, personalized plans, activity tracking, nutrition tracking, progress analytics, social features, and gamification elements.
Step 3. Choose the Right Technology Stack
Select the appropriate technologies, frameworks, and tools for app development, considering factors like cross-platform compatibility, scalability, and maintainability. Decide on the framework, such as JavaScript-driven React Native or Dart-driven Flutter, and consider integrations with third-party APIs or social media platforms for optimal functionality. Additionally, determine the payment systems required for in-app services and sponsored ads, and select software solutions accordingly.
Step 4. Create a User-Friendly UI/UX Design
Design an intuitive, visually appealing, and easy-to-navigate user interface that enhances the overall user experience. Ensure that the app is accessible and inclusive for users of different fitness levels and abilities.
Step 5. Setup A Team
Choose the right team for your project. Options include an in-house team for direct communication and control, an offshore dedicated development team for cost savings and access to skilled professionals, freelancers for specialized skills, or hiring agencies for finding developers. Consider factors like cost, commitment, availability, and project requirements when making a decision.
Step 6. Develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
Create a simplified version of your fitness app, focusing on core features and functionality. The MVP allows you to test the app concept with real users, gather feedback, and validate its market potential before investing further time and resources into development.
Step 7. Develop The App
Based on user feedback from the MVP stage, proceed with developing a more comprehensive app with all the initially planned features.
Step 8. Test The App
Conduct thorough testing to ensure the app’s functionality, usability, and performance. Use a combination of manual and automated testing, and consider beta testing with real users to gather valuable feedback and identify any issues or bugs that need to be addressed.
Step 9. Launch, Market, And Promote The App
Release your app on the appropriate app stores, following their guidelines and requirements. Optimize your app store listing with relevant keywords, compelling descriptions, and appealing visuals to improve visibility and increase downloads. Develop and execute a marketing strategy utilizing social media, influencer partnerships, content marketing, and app store optimization (ASO) techniques to reach your target audience and drive user acquisition.
Step 10. Monitor Performance And User Feedback
Continuously monitor app usage, user feedback, and app store ratings to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. Update and enhance your app based on user feedback and market trends to maintain user engagement and satisfaction.
Fitness App Development Technology Stack
When developing a fitness app at the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) level, you can consider several popular technology stacks based on your specific requirements and preferences. Here are some commonly used technology stacks for fitness app development:
| Native iOS Development |
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| Native Android Development |
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| Cross-platform Development | React Native:
Flutter:
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| Hybrid Development | Ionic:
Xamarin:
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| Backend Development |
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| Cloud Infrastructure and Storage |
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Depending on factors such as your team’s expertise, project requirements, scalability needs, time-to-market, and budget constraints, you can choose any of the technology stack for your app development. Consider evaluating each technology stack’s pros and cons in terms of development speed, platform compatibility, performance, community support, and available libraries or plugins.
Fitness App Development Security Implications
Your fitness app is going to store the user’s name, address, weight, real-time location data, payment information, and other crucial aspects of their day-to-day activities. These data aspects can be manipulated in numerous ways to exploit user’s privacy and your brand’s image if there is not any rock-solid security built-in.
Henceforth, you must consider several security implications when developing a fitness app to protect user data and ensure the app’s overall security. Here are some key security measures that should be implemented:
Data Encryption
Implement strong encryption techniques, such as SSL/TLS, to encrypt data transmitted between the app and servers. Encrypt sensitive user data, including personal information, health data, and login credentials, when stored on the app’s servers or in local storage.
Secure Authentication
Utilize secure authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to ensure that only authorized users can access the app. Implement strong password policies and encourage users to create unique, complex passwords.
User Privacy
Clearly communicate the app’s privacy policy to users and obtain explicit consent for collecting, storing, and processing their personal data. Minimize the collection of sensitive data to only what is necessary for the app’s functionality.
Secure Backend
Implement robust security measures on the server-side, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and regular security audits to protect against unauthorized access and malicious attacks.
Secure API Integration
If integrating with third-party APIs or services, ensure that proper security measures, such as authentication and access control, are in place to protect user data exchanged with external systems.
Regular Updates and Patching
Stay up to date with security patches and updates for all software components used in the app’s development, including frameworks, libraries, and dependencies. Promptly apply necessary security patches to address any known vulnerabilities.
User Input Validation
Implement strict input validation techniques to prevent common security vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and remote code execution.
Secure Data Storage
Store user data securely using industry-standard encryption and hashing techniques. Avoid storing sensitive information, such as passwords, in plain text, and adhere to best practices for securely storing and managing user data.
Secure Offline Storage
If the app stores data locally on the user’s device, encrypt sensitive data and implement secure storage mechanisms to protect against unauthorized access or data extraction.
User Notification and Consent
Notify users about any changes or updates to the app’s privacy policy and seek their consent before accessing or sharing their data with any third parties.
Regular Security Audits
Conduct periodic security audits and penetration testing to identify and address any vulnerabilities or weaknesses in the app’s security architecture.
Secure Communication
Ensure that all communication channels between the app and servers, including APIs, are secured using encryption protocols like HTTPS.
Implementing these security measures throughout the development lifecycle, fitness app developers can help safeguard user data, protect against security breaches, and build trust with users in the fitness app ecosystem.
Fitness App Development Cost
A healthcare app development company can provide you a rough estimate of how much it cost to build a fitness app. And this ballpark number is often derived from the company’s past experience of delivering similar apps.
However, an accurate estimation is only possible to avail after concept validation and UX strategy development. These phases are iterative processes and each step can be repeated multiple times as necessary to refine and validate the business and software concept to make it a right fit for the target market.
The development cost of a fitness application in its minimum viable product (MVP) version typically ranges between $30,000 and $50,000. For a fitness app with extensive features and functionalities such as AI recommendation, AR and VR integration, and others, the development process may require up to 1,000 hours of work and can incur costs of up to $300,000.
Also read – Healthcare App Development Cost
Popular Fitness App Development Monetization Strategies
Ofcourse, you are developing a fitness app to generate profit or income. Let’s take a look at the options available for monetization from your developed app.
Freemium
This model offers a basic version of the app for free, allowing users to access essential features and functionality. Additional premium features, such as advanced workouts, personalized coaching, or in-depth analytics, are offered through a subscription or one-time purchase. The freemium model aims to attract a large user base with the free version and convert a portion of them into paying customers.
Subscription
In this model, the app requires users to pay a recurring fee (monthly, quarterly, or annually) to access all features and content. Users typically receive full access to premium workouts, personalized plans, exclusive content, and enhanced support. Subscription models provide a steady and predictable revenue stream for the app.
In-App Purchases
Fitness apps may offer in-app purchases for additional features, content, or virtual goods. For example, users can buy workout programs, additional workout sessions, specialized meal plans, or fitness-related products. This model allows users to customize their experience by purchasing specific items or services within the app.
Advertisements
Some fitness apps generate revenue through advertisements. Ads can be displayed within the app, either as banners, interstitials, or videos. Ad-supported apps often offer a free version to users and monetize their user base by displaying targeted advertisements. This model requires a significant user base to attract advertisers and generate substantial revenue.
Partnerships and Affiliates
Fitness apps can form partnerships with fitness equipment manufacturers, nutrition companies, or wellness brands. They may recommend or promote partner products or services within the app, earning a commission for each referral or purchase. This model relies on collaborations and mutually beneficial relationships with relevant industry partners.
Enterprise Solutions
Some fitness apps offer enterprise solutions targeted at businesses, gyms, or fitness studios. These solutions may include employee wellness programs, group subscriptions, or customized app versions for corporate clients. The app charges businesses a fee for providing specialized features and services that cater to their specific needs.
It’s important to note that fitness apps can combine multiple business models or experiment with hybrid models to create a unique offering that aligns with their target audience and market dynamics. The choice of the business model depends on factors such as the app’s value proposition, target market, competitive landscape, and revenue generation potential.
Our Expertise In Developing Successful Fitness App Development
At Successive, we have hands-on experience of developing an innovative fitness app ‘SmitFit’ which focuses on healthy lifestyle & disease management. We helped the client develop a fitness app that could be integrated and synchronized with wearable devices and provide actionable insights for better wellness.
We are an expert healthcare solution development company with expertise in developing end-to-end healthcare solutions including complete wellness platforms. We have an award winning UI/UX team, highly skilled backend developers, and certified cloud professionals who come together to design and architecture a complete roadmap for your application development requirements.
Besides development, we also help with app development consulting on whether to go with progressive web app development or cross platform or native solutions to begin the app development journey.
Conclusion
Proper research and planning are essential for successful development of a fitness app. By gaining a thorough understanding of your target market, carefully assessing your requirements, assembling a competent team, and ensuring they have ample resources, you significantly increase your likelihood of creating an exceptional fitness app.
