Not just your weight: Why smart scales are emerging as a better alternative for tracking health metrics

For decades, we have given primacy to a single metric—our weight. This has been the prime measure of health, at least at the household level. In 2026, and we’re long past that, as there are a lot more metrics such as BMI, body composition and heart rate which are better yardsticks. With smart scales beginning to offer more insights than one can process, the question then boils down to this: are they worth it, and if so, will the investment pay off in the long run?

The answer is a resounding yes, even if you go for the entry-level smart scales. Some monitoring is better than none. However, people don’t really seem to be using them, instead sticking with weighing scales. I visited two gyms near my house and asked two separate trainers, and there too the answer was negative. This clearly needs to change.

WHY SMART SCALES?

A blog on the University of Rochester Medical Centre’s website about discusses how bathroom scales that measure weight and/or body fat can be off depending on calibration, time of day, error tolerance, and many other factors. Instead, they recommend an InBody scanner, as it “gives you an accurate picture of your starting point”, and that “you can’t change what you don’t measure”.

All of the smart scales currently on the market come with a connected app that is fairly easy to use, navigate, and understand. Some of these even connect with your favourite workout apps to bring all your fitness stats in a single place. The thing is, smart scales are not an end that justifies the means, but that doesn’t mean the results should be disregarded.

A physician friend from Ahmedabad, who did not want to be named, said that the smart scales are “more of a screening tool”, but are very useful to have. “Particularly for obesity, which we now know is a disease. So, if the scales say something is off, it warrants further probing with more accurate tools”, like those in clinics and hospitals, he says.

Gurudutt Kamath, an ex-journalist, also advocates for smart scales (he’s had experience with all types over the past two decades) despite having some bad luck with inaccurate readings on some occasions. He says that even though these smart scales are now reasonably accurate, they should not be trusted unquestioningly. “If the smart scale is accurate or reasonably accurate, it is a good tool. We not only learn our weight but also our fat and muscle mass. These are three very important measurements for health and fitness.”

In Kamath’s understanding, weight and BMI are the two most important health metrics to measure. Thereafter, it is “Muscle mass, fat mass and water weight. BMR is a useful metric for understanding how many calories our bodies use every day. This becomes critical to change our diet.”

While it is best to depend on higher-end machines at gyms and clinics, it is useful to have a basic one at home to have some consistency in tracking the various metrics.

One such machine for Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), which he says is a very important metric, is the InBody Scanner. My doctor friend also has one in the hospital where he works, as it offers the best balance between accuracy and cost in a clinical setting. “I wish that more gyms, sports centres, clinics and hospitals had this equipment,” says Kamath.

An InBody scan tells you how much of your weight is water, muscle, fat, and mineral, where that muscle and fat are distributed, your estimated metabolism, and how these change over time.

THE RIGHT SCALE FOR YOU

InBody machines can cost lakhs of rupees and aren’t practical for someone who just wants to measure a few of their metrics at home. The costs just aren’t justified, despite these machines being far more accurate and reliable. Recently, I’ve been using the Withings Body Scan (available for ₹38,999). I’ve also used a couple of other models from Hume and Renpho.

Withings has to be one of the most comprehensive of the lot, and it somewhat justifies the price. It’s got a built-in ECG, vascular health monitor, nerve health monitor, segmental body composition, hydration levels, visceral fat index and more. With the Withings Body Scan, you just have to step on the scale, grasp the handle, and let it cycle through a huge range of metrics. In fact, it can identify the user from up to eight different profiles. Something I didn’t think I needed is that it even provides a weather report and pollution check. All of these stats are uploaded to the app so that you can see your progress over time.

The app does take some getting used to, and with so many metrics, it may be overwhelming. But once you figure it out, its complexity is understandable. Withings Body Scan’s USP is reliability and accuracy. And it’s got a clean design (though not lightweight), and can sync with Apple Health and Google Fit to boot.

Since the Withings Body Scan is on the higher side, there are some alternatives to consider. My doctor friend uses the Dr Trust Smart Body Scale, which is US FDA approved, and currently available for just ₹1,499. The friend says it is “fairly accurate and reliable”, and the only downside is the dated user interface. He advises that people should focus on smart scales with credible regulatory approvals, rather than chasing after brand names.

Renpho’s Smart Scale is another alternative and is currently available on Amazon for ₹2,498. This smart scale also supports up to eight profiles, is on the smaller side, and reveals all the basics—weight, BMI and body fat percentage—on the scale itself. For more detailed metrics, you’ll have to use the accompanying app. From body water percentage to metabolic age, you can see a range of metrics without burning a hole in your pocket. Just like the Withings, this one also syncs with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit.

Last but not least there is the Wyze Scale X, which is currently retailing on Amazon for ₹5,741. The Scale X is a huge upgrade, as it now offers the option to track muscle mass percentage and is also compatible with Fitbit. There’s also a “luggage mode” to check the weight of your suitcases, a “pet mode” for your pet, and even a “baby mode” to track their growth. The one major downside is that it doesn’t provide much information to support the data it tracks.

There are plenty of other alternatives, but these are the ones I personally found best. I’ll just leave you with a quote from my doctor friend that I couldn’t agree more with. “A basic smart scale costs less than a single restaurant outing, yet offers continuous insight into your health, making it one of the highest return investments you can make.”

Sahil Bhalla is a Delhi-based writer. He posts @IMSahilBhalla.