Withings Body+ review: A top-of-the-line smart scale

If you’re looking for a bathroom scale simply to stay on top of your body weight, there are countless of affordable options at your disposal, none of which will offer a markedly different experience from any of the others. 

If, however, you want a scale that can measure not just body weight but also your body composition — through the breakdown of fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, and water mass — your choices are far more limited. As one of the best-selling smart scales in the United States with numerous superlatives to its name, the Body+ by Withings (priced at $99.95) certainly deserves a consideration, if not more. 

Here what sets the Withings Body+ smart scale apart from the competition:

The setup is snappy

It takes just a few minutes to get your Body+ scale up and running. You’ll need the companion app (Withings Health Mate) and an account, plus your WiFi information, so get those ready first. Then yank the pull tab out of the battery compartment, press the button on the back of the scale for three seconds, and watch as your scale comes to life. Follow the prompts in the app, wait for the scale to connect to WiFi, and allow the setup to finish. At that point, your scale is ready to go. Not instantaneous, but not overly complicated either.

The WiFi connectivity is a big plus

Most smart scales connect to your phone using Bluetooth, which means you have to have the app open while you’re weighing yourself in order for the number to automatically record. As mentioned above, the Body+, on the other hand, relies on WiFi. As a result, the scale detects you as the user and your data syncs to the app every time you weigh yourself, whether your phone is nearby or not. When shopping for scales, the convenience factor should not be overlooked.

It looks good but slides and smudges easily

The tempered glass is nice, but not smudge proof.
Credit: Becky Wade Firth/Mashable

Since it offers more features than most bathroom scales, it would be reasonable to expect the Body+ to be a little beefier than average. But at 12.8 inches x 12.8 inches and less than an inch thick, it’s really not. It is, however, quite prone to sliding — especially when placed on a smooth floor like hardwood. Although it comes with four short pegs you can stick on the back side, they’re described as optional carpet feet, meant more for use on carpet than for anti-slip protection.

The Body+ is available in two colors (black and white), and is made with high-strength tempered glass that looks good when clean but, on the downside, does show footprints and smudges. The display in the top center of the scale is generously sized (2.4 inches x 1.6 inches) and, thanks to the high-contrast lighting, very easy to see from above.

The body detector is a novelty

If you’re used to stepping on a scale and seeing your weight flash up in a second or two, the Body+ may feel a little laggy at first. That’s probably due to the patent-pending body position detector, which presumably adds to the scale’s accuracy. It’s a system for letting you know when your weight is unevenly distributed on the scale by flashing arrows that indicate which direction you should lean toward. While your weight shows up regardless, until you correct your posture, the number won’t stabilize (as indicated by arrows in all four corners and identification of the person standing on it). 

You get way more than just a number

Once your official weight pops up and the display starts scrolling, the sheer amount of data that becomes available is impressive. If you choose to see all possible metrics (which you can customize in the app), the screen will show you: weight, weight trend, fat mass, muscle mass, body water, BMI, bone mass, and local weather. You can also see your step count if you wear a Withings smartwatch or activity tracker or track your steps with the Health Mate app.

If you’re expecting a child, have a baby, or work out at least eight hours a week and have a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute, there are even more features for you to capitalize on. The Body+ has modes dedicated to pregnant people, babies, and athletes that offer further insights that are specific to your status. As the mom of a 4-month-old, I’ve become a fan of the baby mode in particular, which allows me to monitor my baby’s weight in between his check-ups, almost no effort required.

The Health Mate app adds context to the data

The Withings Health Mate app is where you go to nerd out on your body composition. At the top you’ll see your latest measurements, which includes not just numbers but also graphs, which you can choose to see in weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly format. Especially if you’re a newer user, it’s worth taking advantage of the “learn more” button next to the fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, and water mass graphs. They offer digestible summaries of the corresponding metrics, including what range is normal for each sex, why it’s worth knowing, and how the scale measures it.

In the app, you can also see further health insights via a chat-looking dialogue, and participate in wellness programs such as pregnancy tracking, mindfulness sessions, and competitions with friends and family (the weekly winner being the person who walks the most steps). 

It’s more accurate than comparable scales

Withings calls the Body+ scale “the most accurate smart scale on the market.” While that may be a slight stretch — the independent lab that conducted the weight performance test they’re referring to only compared scales in a similar price range — that it proved to be more accurate than the competition is telling. In addition to four high-precision sensors, the scale relies on a process called bioelectrical impedance technology (BIT). The details are beyond the scope of this article but, in a nutshell, BIT “sends a safe, low-amplitude electrical current through the body, measuring the resistance of biological tissues to the flow of this current.” The scale then uses “scientifically validated equations” to estimate each body composition metric. 

The perks are numerous

The Body+ features a number of other perks that only add to its allure. These include:

• Automatic user recognition for up to eight individuals

• Three units of measurement: pound, kilogram, and stone

• Battery life average of 18 months with the four included AAA batteries

• Weight range of 9 to 396 pounds, which is at the upper end of standard home scales, but won’t accommodate every individual

• Connectivity to more than 100 apps

• Free and unlimited online storage of weight measurements

Splurge or skip?

The Withings Body+ smart scale is impressive on many levels. Its biggest selling point is not only the depth of data it offers — metrics include body weight, body mass index, fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, and water mass — but the relative accuracy of that data. Other big positives are the scale’s WiFi connectivity, body position detector, and handy companion app. Individuals who want to tune into and tweak their body composition through diet and exercise are prime candidates for the Body+.

That said, this $99.95 scale is not for everyone. Those wanting only the most straightforward snapshot of their body weight will find that it offers more information than they’ll realistically use, ultimately making the Body+ more overwhelming than practical. For them, a barebones (and cheaper) scale would be a more sensible purchase.