Withings Body Scan
8.6
Score / 10
Withings · Smart Scale
The most data-dense consumer scale you can buy: segmental body composition, six-lead ECG, vascular age and nerve activity in a single step-on.
Verdict
The most sensor-rich consumer scale. Best used as a monthly baseline + trend tool, not a daily obsession.
Price
Around £350, plus roughly £10/month Withings+
Subscription
Optional Withings+ unlocks vascular age and nerve activity
Battery
12 months rechargeable
Waterproof
IPX3
How it works
Low-current impedance across eight electrodes estimates lean vs fat mass per segment. Six ECG leads produce a rhythm strip. PPG plus ballistocardiographic timing derives pulse-wave velocity as a vascular-age proxy.
Sensors
- 8-electrode bio-impedance (feet + handles)
- 6-lead ECG
- Photoplethysmography (pulse wave velocity)
- Small-fibre neuropathy sensor
Metrics tracked
- Total and segmental body composition (arms, legs, trunk)
- Visceral fat, muscle mass, bone mass, water
- Standing HR, HRV, vascular age (PWV)
- 6-lead ECG rhythm strip
- Peripheral nerve activity index
Strengths & weaknesses
Strengths
- Segmental composition = detect asymmetry that a wrist device cannot
- One of very few consumer devices tracking vascular age
- Long battery life, calm hardware design
Weaknesses
- Bio-impedance is not DEXA — treat trends, not absolutes
- Some metrics gated behind subscription
- Standing measurement means hydration confounds accuracy
Who it's for
Best for
- Users tracking body-composition change under training or GLP-1 protocols
- People with cardiovascular risk who want daily vascular-age nudges
Skip if
- Clinical body-composition assessment (use DEXA)
- Users who take multiple daily weigh-ins — hydration noise dominates
Data quality
Bio-impedance accuracy is decent for trend, poor for absolute vs DEXA. ECG rhythm strip is FDA-cleared. PWV correlates with cardiovascular age but is not a diagnostic tool.
Ecosystem & privacy
Withings Health Mate; syncs with Apple Health, Google Health Connect, Strava, MyFitnessPal.
GDPR-compliant, EU-hosted. Full data export supported.
References
- Validity of consumer bio-impedance scales for body compositionEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2020
