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Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when you exercise

https://motion-app.com/

Hello HN,

I built Motion, a fitness app where your virtual pet (we call it a Motmot) grows and gets stronger as you become more active.

I wanted a fitness app that didn't feel like a fitness app. Most tools are either data-heavy dashboards or generic streak counters. Neither kept me moving. I thought a creature that visibly reflects your health might create a different kind of attachment.

The pet is tied to a broader system: weekly challenges against friends, points for any type of movement, and personalized goals that recalibrate based on your actual activity history rather than fixed targets. It connects with phones, smartwatches, and other fitness apps so it works however you already track movement.

We're also running a beta of Fit Bingo, a bingo card of weekly fitness tasks, which has been more popular than I expected.

Would love to hear what you think, especially if this sounds like something you'd actually use.

( 6 comments | 6 points | on HN )
Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by devlx on Wednesday April 01, 2026 @08:49AM (#47600139)
This looks really cool!

How has the user feedback been treating you? Also how exactly does this work.

Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by Adxzer on Wednesday April 01, 2026 @10:20AM (#47601329)
I could see myself using this. Especially if it connects to Strava.

Does these fitness apps have public APIs or how does that exactly work?

Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by Adxzer on Wednesday April 01, 2026 @10:21AM (#47601338)
Also it would be cool if you could like battle your friends with it or something similar.
Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by gus_massa on Wednesday April 01, 2026 @11:54AM (#47602558)
Looks interesting. Does it change the appearance of the pet depending on the exercise you do? Does it use a camera to detect the exercise?

Anyway, the comments from 2 new users is very suspicious. Are they the other developers/friends/users?

Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by bojanstef4 on Wednesday April 01, 2026 @01:36PM (#47603989)
Hey that's actually hilarious, we both launched fitness apps to HN today, well done
Re:Show HN: I built a virtual pet that gets stronger when yo... by ratneshchipre on Friday April 03, 2026 @06:14AM (#47624941)
Looks like something unique concept in the world of generic fitness apps :)