Digitalization has become a trend that can be observed in practically all industries and spheres, from manufacturing and agriculture to education and health care. And the fitness industry is not an exception here. Today it is open to innovation and it is being gradually transformed under the influence of tech solutions.
According to the latest studies, in 2024, the global market of fitness applications is expected to get a revenue of around $6.8 billion. The market is continuously growing and analysts are quite optimistic about its further expansion. By 2028, its size is projected to hit the milestone of over $10 billion. It means that its CAGR for the period from 2024 to 2028 will be almost 10%.
All these positive market tendencies can be explained, first of all, by all the benefits and new opportunities that modern fitness apps can bring to their users. And in this case, it is worth talking not only about members of fitness clubs and gyms but also about employees of such organizations and even those people who prefer to practice physical activities on their own. A lot of gym applications can bring value even to those who do not have their membership yet. Today the variety of such solutions is rather rich which means that the industry can address the needs of different target groups.
Let’s analyze the advantages and role of such applications in more detail.
Story Stages
Personalization
One of the main advantages that users of such applications can enjoy is the possibility get personalized training programs and recommendations that will help them achieve the best results. A lot of modern solutions today are powered by algorithms that can create an individual plan for each user based on his/her personal data, including age, gender, physical state, health conditions, weight, height, fitness goals, etc. Previously, such programs could be elaborated only by coaches or doctors. Now, this process can be automized and significantly facilitated.
Motivation and engagement
Another huge plus of mobile applications in the fitness industry is the possibility of gamifying user experience. You can reward users with points and various bonuses for regular workouts, for additional training sessions that were not planned, for inviting friends, for achieving their fitness goals, etc. This spirit of competition and the possibility to win can become the greatest motivation. Moreover, it will be sensible to add a progress bar that will help users track how fast they are moving toward their aims.
Convenience
Such an app can become the main interaction channel between a fitness club and its members. Now to get information about membership terms or to schedule a personal training session, it is not necessary to spend long hours waiting for an administrator to answer your call. It is enough just to open an app and make a couple of clicks. Moreover, some applications are also enriched with online payment tools, which allow users to pay for their membership and various sports items offered by a gym at any time and from everywhere.
Nutrition recommendations
Gym apps can offer not only training programs but also a huge volume of other related information, such as nutrition advice and expert articles. Today a lot of solutions of this kind provide various features like calorie calculators, recipe constructors, or meal planning tools. This functionality helps users review their approach to dieting and nutrition in general. Such features help people develop healthy eating habits and better monitor what they eat throughout the day. Nutrition plans can be composed based on users’ preferences, fitness goals, and health states.
Better workflows
As for gyms and their employees, such applications can fully transform their traditional business processes, especially those that are directly related to communication with clients. Thanks to the implemented automation of some processes, like booking personal training sessions, managing membership, or accepting online payments, it is possible not only to reduce the time needed for such tasks but also to minimize the risk of errors that are caused by a human factor. Moreover, automation is a key to labor cost optimization.
Higher customer satisfaction
Gym apps are gradually moving from the category of innovations to the category of industry standards. It means that today to stay afloat, retain existing customers, and attract new ones, gyms should think about launching their apps. The introduction of digital products of this type will ensure higher customer satisfaction and engagement which will have a positive impact on the gym’s income.
Final word
Today fitness and gym apps are widely used by people of different ages and from different social groups, which demonstrates and proves a mass adoption of these solutions. However, to be confident that your solutions will be positively welcomed by its target audience, it is necessary to ensure that it meets the existing industry standards and can offer unique experiences by means of highly-demanded and advanced solutions. That’s why if you are considering the possibility of building such an app, we recommend you attentively study the market before thinking about the concept of your product.
