SUBSCRIBE TO PFP HERE FEATURE ARTICLE Matt McGunagle
www.strengthportal.com
OPEN VS CLOSED API SYSTEMS FOR YOUR SOFTWARE VENDORS Why this is such an important decision for gym owners and trainers By Matt McGunagle
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ne of the most important decisions you have when deciding which software platforms to purchase as a fitness business owner is whether you want to use a closed or an open software platform. If you are already using software to run your business you may have already made this decision and just aren’t aware of it. Don’t be alarmed, no matter what stage you are at or what software you’re already using there’s nothing to fear. The goal here is to help provide a clearer understanding of how software companies are structured, the strategy and benefits behind closed vs open platforms, and what to look for so you can make the optimal purchases for your specific needs. First, let’s define what I mean by a closed vs open software platform: Closed platform: A company that limits access to their platform to selected software partners to build integrations into their platform. The selected software partners could be underneath the same
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ownership company or completely separate business entities. Open platform: A company that allows anyone to build an integration with their platform, pull the data they need and market the integration. Typically, software platforms will establish rules for software partners to meet to ensure a certain level of quality. An open platform can still select specific partner integrations to promote while supporting an open platform policy. For software companies that have grown to the point where they can open their platform for integrations and partnerships, there are valid arguments to be made for both open and closed platforms. The Benefits of Closed Platform Discussing the closed platform strategy first, there are clear benefits for the platform company itself. If a platform is closed, it builds the