Other Smart Scales
Renpho MorphoScan for $170: The Renpho MorphoScan full-body scanner looks surprisingly similar to the Runstar FG2015, including a near-identical display attached to the handlebars. Well, spoiler alert: They are basically the same scale. They even use the same app to collect data (you can use both scales simultaneously with the app).
Runstar Smart Body Fat Scale (FG2015) for $140: My former pick for best full-body scanner, this admittedly garish offering tracks 20 metrics and supports 24 users, effectively breaking down information, limb-by-limb, in its Starfit mobile app. USB-C rechargeability is a nice plus, but the price tag—just $140 if you buy it directly from Runstar—is probably its best feature.
Tanita RD-953 InnerScan Pro for $230: One of the few new feet-only smart scales to hit the market this decade, Tanita’s RD-953 is defined by its Cylonesque looks—and its relative simplicity. The costly Bluetooth-only scale scans quickly, though the placement of its display in the center of the scale, right between your feet, can be awkward for those with even a small breadbasket between their head and the floor. I also didn’t love the very high and hopefully overstated body fat reading the scale gave me, but my harshest criticism is directed at the Healthy Edge app (a different app than is used by Tanita’s other scale), which is about as engaging and motivational as a shopping list on a Post-It Note.
Withings BodyFit for $230: The middle child in the Withings family sits comfortably between the no-holds-barred BodyScan 2 and the feet-only Body Comp Smart Scale, offering a pleasant alternative for users who want full-body analysis but don’t need (or want to pay for) the fitness extremism of Withings’s top-tier model. It’s a sleek and demure unit with a small but informative color screen, quick Wi-Fi connectivity, and fast performance—and, of course, it works seamlessly with Withings’s excellent app.
Arboleaf Body Fat Scale CS20W for $50: This affordable Bluetooth scale isn’t the most eye-catching I’ve tested in light of its big silver electrodes and an oversized display that comes across as a bit garish. While weight is easy to make out, the six additional statistics showcased are difficult to read, all displayed simultaneously. I like the Arboleaf app better than the scale, where five additional metrics are available, each featuring a helpful explanation when tapped. It’s a solid deal at this price, but the upsell to get an “intelligent interpretation report” for an extra $40 per year is probably safe to skip.
Hume Health Body Pod for $229: Hume Health’s Body Pod, another full-body scanner with handles, is heavily advertised—at least to the apps on my phone—and touted (by Hume) as the Next Big Thing in the world of body management. While the app is indeed glossy and inviting, I was shocked to discover how flimsy the hardware felt, that it lacked Wi-Fi, and that some features are locked behind a $100-a-year Hume Plus subscription plan. It works fine enough, but you can get results that are just as good with a cheaper device.
Garmin Index S2 for $200: Five years after its release, the Index S2 is still Garmin’s current model, a surprise for a company otherwise obsessed with fitness. It’s still noteworthy for its lovely color display, which walks you through its six body metrics (for up to 16 users) with each weigh-in. The display also provides your weight trend over time in graphical form and can even display the weather. The scale connects directly to Wi-Fi and Garmin’s cloud-based storage system, so—unlike with Bluetooth-only scales—you don’t need a phone nearby to track your progress. A phone running the Garmin Connect app (Android, iOS) is handy, so you can keep track of everything over time. Unfortunately, as health apps go, Connect is a bit of a bear, so expect a learning curve—especially if you want to make changes to the way the scale works. You can turn its various LCD-screen widgets on or off in the app, but finding everything can be difficult due to the daunting scope of the Garmin ecosystem. The color screen is nice at first, but it ultimately adds little to the package.
Omron BCM-500 for $85: With its large LCD panel, quartet of onboard buttons, and oversize silver electrodes, the Omron BCM-500 is an eye-catching masterwork of brutalist design. If your bathroom is decked out in concrete and wrought iron, this scale will fit right in. The Bluetooth unit syncs with Omron’s HeartAdvisor app (Android, iOS), but it provides all six of its body metrics directly on the scale, cycling through them with each weigh-in (for up to four users). It can be difficult to read the label for each of the data points, in part because the LCD isn’t backlit, but the app is somewhat easier to follow, offering front-page graphs of weight, skeletal muscle, and body fat. On the other hand, the presentation is rather clinical, and the app is surprisingly slow to sync. For a scale without a Wi-Fi connection, it’s also rather expensive.
Smart Scales to Avoid
Renpho MorphoScan Lite for $95: This new entry-level offering in the MorphoScan line is specifically designed for new GLP-1 users. It’s a simpler device, ditching the handheld display and, critically, Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s also one of the flimsiest scales I’ve tested—too lightweight for you to extend the handlebars without inadvertently dragging the scale across the floor. If this were a mega-bargain in line with foot-only scale pricing, I’d be sold, but the meager savings compared to other MorphoScan scales don’t justify considering it.
Tanita RD-545 InnerScan Pro for $480: This monstrous, industrial scale looks more like it belongs in the mailroom than the bathroom, and its level of complexity only provides more supportive evidence. The Bluetooth-only scale is confusing to set up and difficult to use correctly, and I was only able to get successful measurements by first opening the mobile app and ensuring the scale was connected before carefully stepping onto it. Then, I had to wait for a prompt to pick up the handles (while balanced on the device). Testing feels like it takes forever, and that’s even if you get it right the first time. For $480, the scale is a questionable value at best, despite its 40 measurements offered. No Wi-Fi at this price, really?
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