Withings Body Comp smart scales review

Testing smart scales is relatively straightforward – we used them regularly and compared them with other sets of smart scales (specifically, the Omron BF511 and the Withings Body Cardio) to assess accuracy and consistency. 

We also used the companion Health Mate app to gauge how effectively data was transferred, and how easy it is to read and understand. 

The Withings Body Comp scales are easy to set up. Once you’ve installed the Health Mate app, open it and go to Devices followed by Install a device. We then tapped on Scales to connect with the app via Bluetooth. Once connected, the scales performed a software update (the slowest part of the process).

We also connected the scales to our wi-fi network, allowing them to send data to the app even when the phone isn’t within range. 

When you’re setting up, the Body Comp offers a “recommended” set of readings, to give you a complete picture of your health while reducing how long you need to stand on the scales. You can change this in the app at any time. 

These scales can also report local weather and air quality, should you wish. You can set weight goals, decide whether you want your weight displayed in kilograms or pounds, and read tutorials on what different metrics, such as vascular age and nerve health, are about. 

When you’re ready to weigh in, simply stand on the scales. They will automatically detect you and up to eight different users in total. 

Withings clearly designs its products with care, and the Body Comp scales are no exception. With a tempered-glass platform to stand on, the black scales are very stylish. The one drawback of this highly polished surface is that they are very easy to mark, and they seem to attract dust like a magnet. 

They are lighter than the Body Cardio scales (which is a good thing) but still solid and well crafted. Withings used a rechargeable lithium-ion battery in those scales, but here they’ve decided to revert to standard AAA batteries. This may have helped to make these scales considerably lighter. The digital display is bright, clear and easy to read.  

You can use these scales on hard flooring or carpet (they come with carpet feet that can be added for use on thick pile) and still offer accurate results. 

The scales are easy to use, and very responsive. The app is similarly straightforward. Readings for weight and body fat percentage took just a few seconds to appear, and it was a little longer in total for other measures such as heart rate and nerve health to be measured.  

Accuracy is one of the biggest question marks when it comes to body composition smart scales. It’s difficult to assess how precise the readings are without having a “gold standard” baseline (such as a DEXA scan, which measures bone density) to compare it  to. However, having compared the Body Comp scales with two other sets of body composition scales, it is possible to make some general observations. 

Withings states that these are its most accurate scales to date, being able to measure weight to within 50g, compared to the 100g measurement on earlier models. We found the measurements to be consistent across all three scales that we were using, with discrepancies of at most 0.1kg. We’re confident that in weight terms at least, these scales are accurate. 

When it comes to body composition, the three scales we were using each offered different body fat measurements, with variations of up to 2% between them.

It’s hard to know which one was closest to the real number, but the Body Comp scales were at least consistent with themselves. As we mention in our article on smart scales, it’s best to use these numbers as a guideline, and to help you to track changes over time. 

Finally, when it comes to metrics such as vascular age, pulse wave velocity and nerve health/electrodermal activity, without having these measured in a medical facility, again, it’s impossible to say how accurate they are. We can state that the readings on the Body Comp scale matched the readings from the Body Cardio scales, which again, suggests that there is consistency within those measurements.  

The Withings Body Comp scales are the most feature-packed smart scales we’ve seen. All the basics are there: body composition analysis, including weight measurements, body fat percentage, water percentage, and muscle and bone mass. You can even receive weather forecast and air quality updates. 

For the first time in a Withings smart scales, Body Comp can estimate visceral fat. We cover this in our body composition article, but this is the fat that wraps around your internal organs, and high levels of visceral fat are linked to increased risks of certain health problems, such as type 2 diabetes.  

Having an insight as to whether this is within a “normal” range (a score between one and four on the scale) or “high” (a score between five and 20) could help in identifying potential health risks.  

Heart health has been a focus of Withings products for a few years now, and the Body Comp scales include metrics we’ve seen before – pulse wave velocity and vascular age. First introduced in the Body Cardio scales back in 2016, these are indexes of cardiovascular health. 

A brand-new metric in the Body Comp scales is electrodermal activity and nerve health score. This offers insight into your nervous system’s control of sweat gland activity in your feet. A score above 50 suggests ‘normal’ nerve activity. A score below 50 is lower than average and could indicate neuropathy.  

Peripheral neuropathy, according to the NHS, is estimated to affect around one in ten people aged 55 or over. You can also perform a “guided scan”, which is designed to replicate the environment of a medical consultation to give the most precise measurement possible.  

Another new feature is Withings’ Health+ subscription service. Health+ provides educational modules covering areas such as diet, sleep, activity, and stress management. Users can select from a range of “habit builders” and over a six-week period, they will suggest daily missions, such as reading articles, completing workouts or preparing recipes, to help achieve whichever goal has been selected.  

According to Withings, modules were developed by a team of “Boston-based doctors and public health professionals with expertise in behaviour change”. We haven’t been able to test this service, but users who buy Body Comp scales automatically receive 12 months access to the service for free. If you want to continue using it after 12 months, you’ll need to pay £9.95 a month, or £99.50 a year. 

It is primarily a tool for support, so if you choose not to make use of Health+, you still get access to the Health Mate app (along with all your health data), which we really like. It gives you clear, easy to understand graphs to show your measurements, as well as offering health insights and other guides to help you achieve your goals.

The Body Comp scales come with four AAA batteries installed. It’s a little disappointing to see that the rechargeable battery that was in the Body Cardio has been replaced. That being said, Withings suggests these batteries can last for up to 15 months. Hopefully, this means that battery waste will be relatively minimal.  

Whether or not the Withings Body Comp scales are good value depends on how many of the health metrics you plan to use. If you just want smart scales for measuring body composition, you can find plenty of options at a lower price point.  

Where Body Comp does offer value is in the range of health metrics it measures. We’ve mentioned the likes of pulse wave velocity, vascular age and nerve health, and how these measurements could be useful – for example, if you are monitoring pre-existing health conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy, or trying to reduce your visceral fat levels. 

But then there’s Health+, the premium subscription service. As mentioned, while you get 12 months for free included with your purchase, if you want continued access, you have to pay for it. We’re not totally convinced that the large upfront cost, followed by a subscription on top, is good value for money in the longer term. 

Withings is a premium brand, and the products it designs are high quality. This is reflected in the price, and £200 for a set of smart scales is at the very top end of the market.

These scales do, though, offer a comprehensive set of measurements, unmatched by rival products. You’re paying for access to the most comprehensive health insights currently available in a smart scale.  

In our review of these scales, we said that these are still worth looking at for anyone who is interested in their body composition and heart health. Notably, these scales lack the electrodermal activity score, visceral fat measurements and access to Health+ subscription service that the Body Comp scales offer. But they are also cheaper, at around £149.95. You also still get access to the excellent Health Mate app. 

While not as feature laden as the Body Cardio or Body Comp, the Eufy P2 Pro smart scale still promises to measure up to 16 different metrics, including visceral fat, body age and cellular protein. The glass design is slick, and they are considerably cheaper, at around £55. These won’t, however, offer some of those more in-depth metrics, such as vascular age, pulse wave velocity, or electrodermal activity. 

With the Body Comp scales, Withings once again offers health insights that other companies do not. And while these scales are quite expensive in relative terms, you are getting more data and insights than you’ll find with other smart scales. 

Body Comp has been designed for anyone who wants the most detailed insight into their body composition and overall health, as well as offering tools to help with changing their routine in order to improve their health and wellbeing. 

For many, what these scales offer is probably more than they are willing to pay for. These aren’t for people who just want to measure their weight, or want a basic body composition measurement. 

But as we’ve already said, this is a premium product, offering insights that you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re interested in tracking those added metrics, these are an excellent choice.  

• You want the most detailed and comprehensive body composition and health analysis available.
• If you would like the extra support and guidance offered by the Health Mate app and Health+.
• You want a device that’s simple to set up and use.

• You aren’t overly concerned about all the added health metrics these scales offer.
• You don’t want to spend hundreds of pounds. These are among the most expensive smart scales on the market.