Challenge

In 2013, the App Store typically monetized apps through download costs, making our freemium model difficult to upsell into subscribers. Captivating users during the free trial was critical for converting them into paying subscribers and for funding further investment in new video content. Lack of investment in video would raise concerns about the platform's scalability and long-term user engagement.

On the technical side, we faced a dilemma: should we offer our high-quality videos as large downloads or risk lag with streaming? As pioneers in the mobile fitness sector, we had few industry benchmarks or competitors to guide us. This necessitated an agile design approach, guided by rapid iterations and continuous learning.

Design Process

We began by designing for iPad only – using its larger screen to create an immersive video workout experience. This served a dual purpose: not only did it allow us to optimize visual elements during workouts, but it also let us test and refine our product within a smaller, more manageable user base. This allowed us to find product-market fit through highly customized, user-adaptive workouts, before rolling out to other platforms.

User feedback quickly revealed a desire for workout variety. To address this, we rolled out 'Freestyle sessions.' These single, standalone sessions allowed users to explore the platform without commitment, while also providing variety to our existing, paying subscribers.

To promote user engagement and motivation, we incorporated achievement badges and a social feed into the experience – not only as rewards and staying closer with friends; they played a large role in motivating users and enhancing community engagement by competing with friends.

Given that we were early in this mobile fitness space, the design process was inherently iterative. Each design decision was followed by rapid user testing and data analysis, which informed subsequent design iterations.

Learnings & Takeaways

Our work set industry benchmarks, garnering multiple awards and creating new standards for iOS fitness apps. When I departed, we had 26,000 paying subscribers and had even outpaced Facebook in the App Store's free iOS app rankings at our peak. The acquisition by Fitbit confirmed the impact that FitStar had in shaping the future of mobile adaptive fitness apps.