“Keep the Planet Earth fit by creating applications similar to Planet Fitness.”
Being a business investor is not easy at present, as the development scenario has changed significantly over the past few years. Take the example of the Planet Fitness app business model, which is quite tricky for entrepreneurs to understand.
It involves multiple aspects, such as the development process, key features, estimated costs, and revenue models, that are crucial to know. A business model is made up of various components that cover key issues and deliver specific solutions.
According to a renowned economic journal, the overall share of Planet Fitness in the wellness industry is around 3.45%, which is outstanding for a particular app. So, it becomes important for a business investor to know how to build an app like Planet Fitness with cost management and monetization. It requires a lot of strategic planning on budget, tech stack, and features.
In this blog, we are going to study all these aspects with detailed information by observing some minor topics as well, such as working and benefits. Let’s dive into the content and first understand the success story of the Planet Fitness app.
Success Story of the Planet Fitness App
If you want to create a successful app like Planet Fitness app, then it is beneficial to go through its success story. It tells how Planet Fitness used advanced technology and effective strategies to target millions of users across the world. So, let’s move on to find out some interesting facts:
- Planet Fitness was founded in 1992 by Michael, Marc Grondahl, and CEO Chris Rondeau. The brand quickly positioned itself as an affordable, judgment-free fitness space for all users.
- In its early years, the company saw steady revenue growth driven by its low-cost membership model. Its rapid expansion across multiple locations enhanced brand visibility and earnings.
- Planet Fitness focused on “Judgment Free Zone” branding, celebrity partnerships, and ad campaigns. Affordable pricing and localization helped the app and gyms scale across the USA.
- Today, Planet Fitness stands among the largest fitness chains with strong digital app engagement. Consistent membership spikes and recurring revenue streams keep its industry growth upward.
- Users will rise as the app expands globally and enhances its digital fitness offerings. AI-powered personalization and hybrid workout models will attract both beginners and loyal members.
Planet Fitness is among the top exercise apps, which gained popularity in the past few years due to changes in its marketing methods. So, it is highly recommended to create an app like Planet Fitness for overall industrial growth in the fitness domain.
How Does Planet Fitness Work?
Before knowing how to develop a fitness app like Planet Fitness, it is important to study the working process. In this section, we will go through some important stages that you must know:
1. Membership Signup
An app similar to Planet Fitness first allows users to create a personal account and log in to the app. They have the option to become a community member by fulfilling the referral procedure without any errors.
2. Access Gym Facilities
People can book gym appointments and order various equipment through a personalized fitness dashboard. This makes the workout process smooth and fast, leading to an enhanced fitness level.
3. Fitness Classes & Training
You can develop a fitness tracker app that allows people to take personal training and classes without delay. Through online video consultations and recorded sessions, they can easily do physical activities.
4. Track Progress
Advanced AI-powered features help users to easily track daily activities, workout sessions, and diet plans. They get information regarding weight, height, running strength, and mental stability with accuracy.
5. Engage with Community
Fitbit is the best Planet Fitness alternative that enables people to share their progress reports with family and friends. Additionally, they can make their own community and add people to share fitness tips.
What are the Benefits of Developing Apps Like Planet Fitness?
Businesses should create a fitness app like Planet Fitness, as there are a lot of benefits in this industry. Let’s study and observe some major advantages of investing in fitness app development:
1. Improved User Engagement
You can create a fitness app inspired by Planet Fitness app that can help increase the target audience. Businesses can also improve the overall retention rate through exciting offers on fitness app features.
2. Expanded Reach
Various competitors of Planet Fitness app have expanded their services across the world to increase brand value. This helps in generating more revenue by ensuring trust and loyalty among the fitness enthusiasts.
3. Data-Driven Insights
It is beneficial for business investors to use fitness app development services to capture user data in large amounts. So, it becomes easy to deliver personalized features and make profits through data sales.
4. Revenue Opportunities
Multiple revenue models, such as subscription, advertisements, and in-app purchases, are available for entrepreneurs. They must be implemented in the fitness app to make a profitable income and growth.
Key Elements of the Planet Fitness App Business Model
In this section, we will focus on the components of the Planet Fitness app business model. Additionally, you will get to know specific business-related points for each element:
1. Development Partners
Planet Fitness collaborates with app development companies, fitness technology vendors, and third-party API providers to build a seamless digital experience. These partners help integrate tracking tools, wearable device compatibility, and backend infrastructure. Their expertise ensures the app remains scalable, secure, and user-friendly.
2. Technical Resources
The app relies on technical resources such as cloud servers, mobile frameworks, analytics tools, and security systems. You must hire an AI development company for real-time class scheduling, workout tracking, and personalized recommendations. Strong technical infrastructure ensures smooth performance and reliability for millions of users.
3. Branding Channels
Planet Fitness uses branding channels like social media, in-gym promotions, email campaigns, and influencer partnerships to increase app visibility. The company showcases app features through digital ads and member engagement programs. These channels strengthen brand identity, attract new users, and increase overall revenue.
4. Value Proposition
The app’s value proposition centers on easy access to workouts, trainer-led videos, and personalized fitness plans. It provides convenience, affordability, and a supportive environment for beginners and regular gym-goers. Users benefit from a seamless blend of digital experiences provided by expert gym owners and fitness coaches.
5. Engaging Activities
Interactive workouts, real-time progress tracking, and motivational challenges keep users actively engaged. You should develop a fitness app like Planet Fitness with gamified badges and achievement milestones to encourage consistency. The app also offers community features that inspire users to stay committed to their fitness journey.
6. Revenue Streams
Revenue comes from gym memberships, premium digital features, in-app partnerships, and brand collaborations. The app also supports upselling opportunities like training sessions and merchandise. These streams help expand the company’s digital and fitness ecosystem by reducing the cost to build a fitness app like Planet Fitness.
7. Cost Structure
Cost factors include fitness and healthcare app development, maintenance, marketing, and server infrastructure. Additional expenses arise from integrating new technologies, customer support, and content creation. These investments ensure continuous improvement, user satisfaction, enhanced security, and updated app features.
8. Customer Segments
The app targets beginners, casual exercisers, and loyal Planet Fitness members seeking digital support. It also appeals to individuals wanting affordable, accessible workouts from home or on the go. Business investors should create a fitness app similar to Planet Fitness for a wide demographic, including teens, adults, and seniors.
Necessary Features of Planet Fitness-Like Applications
The Planet Fitness app provides exciting AI-powered features to target a large number of users. Here, we will go through each one of them by understanding their applicability:
1. User Profile Management
This feature allows users to create personalized profiles with fitness goals, age, weight, and preferences. It helps the fitness app tailor workout plans and track progress more accurately.
2. Workout Tracking
The Planet Fitness workout tracker app enables users to log daily exercises, sets, reps, and duration seamlessly. It ensures a structured fitness journey with real-time activity insights.
3. Progress Monitoring
It provides visual charts to track weight changes, workout consistency, and performance improvements. The best weight loss apps allow users to easily stay motivated by seeing their progress over time.
4. Personalized Fitness Plans
A successful app like Planet Fitness app offers custom workout plans based on fitness level, goals, and health data. The app adjusts routines dynamically for a more effective fitness experience.
5. In-App Class Booking
The Planet Fitness mobile app lets users browse, schedule, and reserve fitness classes directly from the app. It eliminates long wait times and improves gym visit planning.
6. Virtual Training & Workouts
An app for health fitness includes guided video workouts, virtual trainers, and on-demand sessions. This feature enables users to exercise anytime, anywhere with expert-led instructions.
7. Notification Alerts
Various fitness apps like Planet Fitness send reminders for workouts, class schedules, and fitness milestones. It keeps users consistent and encourages better routine adherence.
8. Payment Gateway Options
A Fitbit-like IoT-enabled app supports secure payments for memberships, classes, and add-ons through multiple methods. It ensures smooth transactions with trusted transaction gateways like UPI.
9. Social Sharing Feature
Sweat is among the best workout apps for women that allows users to share achievements and progress with friends. It builds motivation through community engagement, social support, and activities.
10. Analytics Dashboard
This app provides a centralized view of user data, including workouts, calories burned, and performance stats. It helps users understand their overall fitness patterns with fitness charts and personal reports.
How to Build an App Like Planet Fitness?
Entrepreneurs will get a complete guide to build an app like Planet Fitness in this section with detailed information. So, they can easily propose budget requirements and manage resources:
1. Market Analysis
Market analysis helps you understand user needs, fitness trends, and top competitors in the wellness industry. It guides you to create an app like Planet Fitness with an advanced feature set, target audience, and monetization strategy. Strong research ensures your app fits real market demand and stands out from existing fitness platforms.
2. Hire App Experts
Skilled developers, designers, and fitness app specialists are essential to develop an app like Planet Fitness. Professional fitness app development companies in the USA ensure smooth development, proper architecture, and high-quality coding. Their expertise helps you reduce risks, speed up delivery, and create an app that matches industry standards.
3. Make an MVP
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) allows you to launch the core features quickly and test them with real users. It helps validate your concept, gather feedback, and make improvements without heavy investment. This approach reduces development costs and ensures your final app is aligned with user expectations and preferences.
4. UI/UX & App Design
A clean and intuitive UI/UX helps users easily navigate workouts, membership plans, and fitness dashboards. Professional design improves user engagement and app retention by delivering a pleasant experience at affordable rates. Strong visuals, smooth interactions, and simple layouts make your fitness app more appealing.
5. Integrate Backend Services
Backend services power essential features like user profiles, workout tracking, membership systems, and notifications. A secure and scalable backend ensures the app performs well even with thousands of users. You should make an app like Planet Fitness with proper integration that enables seamless data flow, app stability, and reliable functionality.
6. QA, Security & Support
Businesses must know how to create a fitness app like Planet Fitness with quality assurance, which ensures the app is fast and reliable across different devices. Implementing strong security measures protects user data, payment details, and login credentials. You must hire dedicated developers for continuous support, fix issues, and deliver updates for long-term success.
7. App Deployment
App deployment involves submitting your fitness app to Google Play and the App Store by following their guidelines. This step ensures a smooth launch, visibility, and approval for public downloads, but increases the cost to develop an app like Planet Fitness. Post-launch, you monitor performance, optimize listings, and keep the app updated for users.
What is the Cost of Developing Apps Like Planet Fitness?
The fitness app development cost also plays a major role in the business model, affecting the overall process, available budget, and resources. There are multiple factors, such as mobile app complexity, location, experience of developers, and hiring models, that influence the cost to develop a fitness app like Planet Fitness. The average cost of developing simple fitness apps is between $8,000 and $15,000, with the lowest parameters.
This rate varies from region to region and increases with the parametric level of market factors. For example, the development cost in the USA is high and can reach $25,000 or more because of expensive labor and architecture. Similarly, other factors also influence the prices based on the requirements and specifications in a business model. So, you must create a detailed blueprint with the necessary information, such as features, tech stack, and future goals.
Revenue Model of the Planet Fitness Application
A business investor needs to know the revenue model, along with the Planet Fitness app business model. So, we will provide you with the best money-making streams for income generation:
1. Subscription Fees
A fitness app can offer monthly or yearly membership plans that unlock premium workouts, personalized training, and advanced tracking features. This steady, recurring revenue ensures long-term user engagement and financial stability.
2. In-App Purchases
Users can buy add-ons like exclusive workout programs, diet plans, merchandise, or digital fitness tools. These optional upgrades help increase revenue while giving users more personalization, and help to balance the cost to build an app like Planet Fitness.
3. Advertising Model
The app can display ads from fitness brands, sports equipment companies, or health-related services. This is among the best fitness app monetization strategies that generate revenue while promoting relevant products that align with users’ interests.
4. Referral Programs
Users can earn different rewards or discounts for inviting friends and other members to join the platform with their referral codes. This expands the overall user base organically while reducing marketing costs and increasing the brand value.
5. Event Charges
The app can host paid fitness events, challenges, or virtual workshops with expert trainers to balance the cost to develop an app like Planet Fitness. These one-time fees boost revenue while delivering added value and community engagement.
Why Choose Helpful Insight for Planet Fitness App Deployment?
You have gone through the complete business model of Planet Fitness in this blog with other related topics as well. So, it’s time to adapt modern mobile or web app ideas for the health & fitness industry to develop an app like Planet Fitness. You need to connect with an experienced mobile app development company that can provide the following services:
- Expert consultation on the Planet Fitness app business model and other alternatives.
- Advanced design solutions for smooth navigation and high responsiveness.
- Quick and effective integration of dynamic APIs with easily accessible databases.
- A team of dedicated and skilled mobile app developers with a lot of experience.
These points combinedly build the core of the overall process of how to build a fitness app like Planet Fitness. As an investor, you can go through various other fitness business models before starting the development and hiring. With this, you can easily improve brand visibility, increase user engagement, and generate profitable income with growth.
FAQs
The Planet Fitness app is one of the best platforms, offering specialized workout and training features. Various other alternatives of its business model are as follows:
- Fitbit: It is an IoT-enabled platform that provides advanced fitness tracking features.
- Google Fit: This app is the most common among users, delivering smart body training services.
- MyFitnessPal: Mainly focuses on calorie and weight loss management with health monitoring.
People can experience a healthy body and strong mental strength with the Planet Fitness app. Multiple reasons are responsible for making this app popular among users:
- The app is connected with thousands of gyms and fitness centers across the globe.
- It allows users to monitor various health vitals and track fitness progress easily.
- Planet Fitness uses AI to personalize user experiences and enhance fitness levels.
The average time required for developing an app like Planet Fitness with limited features is between 2 months and 5 months. Various factors, such as the development process, complexity of features, and resource planning, may affect the overall duration. These factors can increase the development time to more than one year, influencing the business model.
Maintenance and support services are important to increase the lifespan of mobile app features. The total cost to maintain fitness apps like Planet Fitness is around 15% to 20% of the actual development cost. For an average project of $10,000, the maintenance cost ranges from $1,500 to $2,000 due to bug fixing and feature updates.
The Planet Fitness app is a secure platform that allows users to keep their information safe and private. Some of the important security measures are as follows:
- It implements advanced encryption algorithms for secure login.
- The app uses 2-factor authentication and biometrics to protect user data.
- Planet Fitness prevents security backdoors to access sensitive information.
Various fitness and wellness apps similar to Planet Fitness support integration with IoT-enabled smart devices. They provide several health-related vital information, such as heart rate, blood pressure, calorie count, BMI, and body weight. Smartwatches can track daily activities, such as running and workout sessions, to improve productivity.
