How do fitness creators make money with their own apps?
Fitness creators make money with their own apps primarily through subscription revenue, but also via one-time purchases, upsells like coaching services, and even brand partnerships within the app.
When you launch your own app, you’re essentially creating a new income stream centered around your content and community. Instead of relying on YouTube ad cents or sporadic ebook sales, you get recurring revenue from loyal subscribers. Let’s break down exactly how creators are monetising their apps:
Main Revenue Streams for Fitness Apps
Monthly/Yearly Subscriptions: This is the core model for most. You charge users a recurring fee (e.g., $10-$30 per month) for access to your workout videos, programs, and community. Many creators also offer a slight discount for an annual plan to encourage longer commitments. The beauty of subscriptions is predictability – if you have 500 subscribers at $20/month, that’s $10,000 per month steady income. As long as you continue to deliver value, this revenue can grow as you add subscribers. Some creators structure tiers (for example, a basic tier with access to content library and a premium tier that includes monthly live 1:1 check-ins or personalized plans). Your app platform should support tiered subscriptions if you go that route.
One-Time Purchases (In-App): In addition to subscriptions, you can sell individual products or programs. For instance, maybe you have a specialized 8-week “Summer Shred Program” that you sell for a one-off $49 fee inside the app, separate from the subscription content. Or a nutrition guide e-book for $19. These are often called in-app purchases. They work well for people who might not want a subscription but are willing to pay for specific content. Also, they can be add-ons for subscribers (“Buy this 1:1 coaching call” or “Purchase a personalized diet plan”). Many successful fitness apps have a combo: a base subscription for general content and extras that are sold separately.
Upselling Coaching or Challenges: If you offer personal coaching, your app can be a channel to upsell that. For example, you might notice a super-engaged user in your app community. You could reach out or broadcast an offer for a personalised coaching package (outside the app’s subscription, maybe via Zoom or in-app messaging). Some creators run paid challenges: e.g., a New Year 30-Day Challenge where entry is $50, run through the app (even though the app content might normally be subscription, this is a special group event that people pay extra to join and perhaps win prizes). The app facilitates the content delivery for the challenge, but the payment could be handled via an in-app purchase or even externally. This can spike your income during certain months.
Affiliate Sales and Brand Partnerships: Once you have an engaged user base in your app, brands might be interested in reaching them, or you can direct them to products you endorse. This needs to be authentic to avoid losing trust. But for example, if you partner with a supplement company or activewear brand, you could have a section in your app for “Trainer’s Gear & Supplements” with affiliate links or discount codes. Or maybe a yoga teacher’s app integrates a shop selling mats and blocks. Each sale could earn you a commission. Some creators also allow a bit of sponsorship, like a short shout-out in a live class brought to you by “Brand X.” This isn’t as common yet as it is on social media, because subscribers are already paying for an ad-free experience, so proceed carefully. Still, with the right fit (say a meditation app partnering with a mindfulness journal product), it can be a supplementary revenue source.
Events and Merch through the App: If you occasionally run paid live events (virtual workshops, retreats, or meet-ups), you can use the app to promote and even sell tickets for those. Similarly, many fitness creators design merchandise (apparel, water bottles, etc.). Your app can be the platform where you announce new merch drops and link out to your shop. While this is not direct app revenue, it’s part of the ecosystem of monetisation your app supports. People engaged in your app are likely to be your biggest fans who will also buy your merch or attend your events.
The Earning Potential (with an Example)
To illustrate, one of the creators on Sudor, Michelle, founder of Real Good Pilates, shared how her income shifted after launching her app. Before, she was doing YouTube (ad revenue negligible), some Instagram brand collaborations, and in-person classes. After the app, her main income became subscription fees. She charges roughly $25/month and got about 400 subscribers within a few months. That’s $10k/month. She also sells a postpartum recovery program in-app for $50 one-time. Maybe 50 people buy that each quarter, adding another ~$2.5k. Occasionally she offers a 6-week personal coaching add-on to 10 clients at $200 each, which she promotes through the app’s announcements (that’s $2k when it happens). Summing up, her app-driven offerings bring in well over $100k a year now, significantly more than she made from piecemeal classes and ads before. Importantly, this is margin-rich revenue: aside from platform fees and payment processing, the majority goes to her, especially compared to something like a YouTube cut or a gym that takes a share. In fact, 78% of creators who launched with Sudor doubled their earnings in just 3 months of app launch (this stat really highlights how moving to an owned platform can boost income.
Focus on Value, and the Money Follows
The takeaway is that having your own app opens multiple money-making avenues, centered around delivering value to your audience. The more value you pack in (fresh content, personal interaction, a supportive community), the more justified your subscription price is and the more people will talk about it and join. Creators succeed when they treat the app like a business platform, not just a content dump. Engage your subscribers, update content consistently, and listen to what they want. Do that, and your revenue will grow as your community grows. If you’re curious about the financial side of launching an app, let’s discuss it. We can help model out potential earnings based on your audience and pricing. Book a free call with us at Sudor, and we’ll strategise how you can maximise your income through your own app. It’s one of our favorite parts of this job, seeing creators thrive doing what they love!