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Fitness apps are crowded, so your first users will not come from the app store. They come from people already gathered around a specific goal, like running a first 5K or training at home with kids underfoot. Pick one narrow group, go where they talk, and get 10 of them using your app this week.

All guidesFor founders of a fitness app

1. Pick one narrow user

"People who want to get fit" is not a customer. Choose one situation, like new moms doing 20-minute home workouts, beginners on a couch-to-5K plan, or climbers training finger strength. Write one sentence: "My app helps [who] do [what] without [pain]." Every channel below gets easier once this sentence is sharp.

2. Answer questions in niche subreddits

Go to the subreddit for your user, like r/C25K, r/bodyweightfitness, r/xxfitness, r/loseit, r/climbharder or r/homegym. Search for posts asking how to start, stay consistent or track progress, then answer properly first and mention your app only if it fits. Example: "I had the same problem sticking to week 3. I built a small app that adjusts the plan when you miss a day. Happy to give you free access if you want to try it." Read each subreddit's rules on self-promotion before posting.

3. Partner with personal trainers

Independent personal trainers and online coaches need tools to keep clients on track between sessions. Search Instagram and Google Maps for "personal trainer [your city]" and message 10 who post regularly. Example: "Hi Sam, I'm building an app that lets trainers send home workouts and see if clients did them. Free for you and your clients while I build it. Could I show you in 10 minutes?" One trainer can bring you 20 clients.

4. Show up at local run clubs and gyms

Find run clubs on Strava, Meetup and Instagram, and small independent gyms or CrossFit boxes near you. Join a session, talk to the organizer after, and offer the group free access in exchange for feedback. Ask the gym owner or club organizer if you can share a short message in their WhatsApp or Facebook group.

5. Join Facebook and Discord groups

Search Facebook for groups like "postpartum fitness", "over 50 fitness" or "home workout motivation", and look for Discord servers around running, calisthenics or specific games' fitness spin-offs. Spend a few days helping before you post. Then ask a real question: "I'm building an app for busy parents who work out at home. What makes you quit a workout plan?" Reply to everyone and invite those who answer to try it.

6. Reach out to people who posted their struggle

Search X, Threads and TikTok for phrases like "can't stay consistent working out", "starting couch to 5k" or "day 1 of my fitness journey". These are people with the exact problem today. Send a short, personal reply or DM that references what they said and offers free access. Keep it to three sentences and no link in the first message.

7. Talk to every user and fix what they hit

Once someone signs up, message them within a day and ask what they hoped the app would do. Watch where they drop off, usually onboarding or day 3. Fix one thing per week and tell the users who asked for it. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can do this daily for you by finding these conversations, drafting outreach and tracking who replied.

People asking this right now

Real, public posts from the last few weeks. Each one is somebody you could help today.

Mistakes to skip

  • Targeting everyone who wants to get fit instead of one specific group.
  • Dropping app store links in communities without helping first.
  • Spending weeks on features before ten real people have used the app.
  • Waiting for downloads instead of messaging people directly.

Want this done for your fitness app, every day?

Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.

Find my first customers

Questions

Should I charge from day one?

Charge as soon as a few users come back weekly. Ask early users if they would pay a set monthly price, and take the ones who say yes seriously.

How many users do I need before launching publicly?

Get 10 to 20 people using it every week first. Their feedback matters more than a big launch day.

Is the app store a good channel early on?

Not at first. Without reviews and ratings you will not rank, so bring in users directly and ask happy ones to leave reviews.

How do I stand out from big fitness apps?

Serve one group better than anyone else. A big app built for everyone cannot match an app built for new moms or beginner climbers.