Do You Really Need A $50 Smart Scale? Here’s What Dietitians Say. (2025)

The Etekcity Smart Rechargeable Scale is an Amazon bestseller, with a ton of features to make your body-weighing experience as seamless as possible. For starters, this scale is rechargeable, so there's no need to fiddle with batteries. Just plug it in every now and then and you'll be good to go.

The coordinating VeSync app is easy to use, and syncing your metrics up with third-party apps like Apple Health, Fitbit, and MyFitnessPal couldn't be simpler. The VeSync app asks you up front if you want to share your data with these apps, and connecting is as simple as pushing a button. We got fully set up in five minutes.

The scale's display gives you plenty of information upfront, so you don't need to hop onto the app to see basics, like your muscle mass or body fat percentage. You can also tweak what shows up on the display if you prefer to see certain metrics over others, although details are always available on the app.

The scale allows you to assign metrics to yourself or a guest—a handy feature if you're sharing. It even has four different modes, including secret, lock, pregnancy, and baby, to give you options. (We found the lock mode to be especially handy with curious little kids and pets around.)

While this scale is a great fit for most, there are a few drawbacks to consider. It's not the largest scale and may feel slightly small for people with larger (size 10 and up) feet. There's also no low battery warning, so you'll want to plug it in about once a month or to cover yourself, depending on how often you use it. But at just $50, you get a lot with this scale at a relatively low price tag.

While most smart scales have positive messaging, Eufy's P3 smart scale has you set a goal and encourages you along the way. It even suggests workouts that may help you in your journey. The coordinating app has a simple and clear interface that allows you to check out trends by day, week, and month. You can add information about what you ate for the day, too, creating an all-in-one experience.

The scale itself is large and sleek, with a clear and sizable touchscreen display you can scroll through to check out the 16 different metrics from your device without having to hop on the app. You can even choose the profile of the person on the scale from the display to make sure the information goes to the right spot, although the scale can confuse similar-weight people (it's on you to set it right). Other helpful features include “pet weight” and “baby weight” options to keep track of family members.

This scale connects to WiFi, which takes a little more time during set-up, but we still had it ready to go in five minutes. It also has a generous 440-pound weight capacity, making it a good choice for larger users.

If you're looking to maximize your money, you can't do much better than the Renpho Elis 1 smart scale. This device is just $22 when you click the on-page coupon, which is less than half the cost of many other smart scales. Despite its low price tag, it still comes with batteries, a thoughtful feature we appreciated, even while trying to save a buck.

This scale checks 13 different body metrics and was one of the easiest to set up of all the products we tested. The app is simple in a good way, with tabs to track your weight, fitness, and nutrition goals. There's even a built-in Facebook-style Renpho community where you can check out healthy-living posts from fellow users. (There's no need to participate in this if it's not your thing, though.)

There are a few caveats to keep in mind. The scale is on the smaller side and is a tight fit for people with size 9 feet and larger. You also need to make sure to step on the clearly-marked sensors, or your metrics can be slightly off. Overall, we found this was an accurate scale, made even more impressive by the low price tag. With cool colors to choose from, including marble and red gradient finishes, you can have a lot of fun with your scale.

Whether you're sharing your scale with roommates or family members, having a device that can differentiate between you and your crew is a must. The Withings Body Smart has the capacity to handle up to eight users, giving you plenty to work with. We found that the scale had no problem figuring out different users, even in those with similar body sizes.

This scale provides a ton of metrics on the actual display, so you don't need to look at the app to see your body fat and muscle mass. It even delivers information that might be helpful for your day, like the forecast and air quality. But if you don't want to see your weight on the scale, or don't want others to peek, you can select "eyes closed" mode to hide that information.

This scale is a little pricier than some of the others we tested, but it's thoughtfully designed with a roomy surface area that can accommodate larger feet. It even comes with the batteries already inside, a minor but excellent perk we appreciated. The app is clean and easy to navigate, delivering key metrics as soon as you click in. However, it only tracks eight metrics compared to many other scales' 12+ options. (Whether you need those extra health metrics is up to you—we didn't have an issue.) Still, it connects with more than 100 third-party apps, giving you plenty of options to use the information you gather.

There's a wide range of display sizes with smart scales, and some are easier to read than others. The iHealth Nexus Pro has a large and wide LED display that's easy to read, even if you haven't put your contacts in yet.

This scale works with four major third-party apps, and has its own user-friendly app. We like that it clearly displays all of your important health data right away, eliminating the need to scroll or tap into other sections to find the information you're after. You can also check your heart rate with the scale, but need to make sure you're standing over the sensors to pull this off.

This scale is the second-cheapest option we tested and delivers on all the basics. It also has thoughtful extras, like non-slip feet that adjust to uneven ground. Presented in a sleek package, the Nexus Pro will look good perched in a corner of your bathroom.

Homedics just launched the Luxe Smart Glo Scale, and it doesn't disappoint. The smart scale toes the line between delivering features you want without flooding you with so much information that you get overwhelmed. That makes this an excellent choice for people new to smart scales.

The scale is intuitive to use, posting your metrics clearly on the device's display. It also has a guest mode, in case you don't feel like using the app or don't want to create one more username and password. The Luxe Smart Glo tracks 13 key metrics, putting them all on the app's home screen for quick and easy viewing. The "glo" part of the scale is an added bonus. It's ambient lighting under the device that lights up as you approach, making early morning and light night weigh-ins even easier.

Be aware that batteries are included—they're just taped to the inside of the box, making them easy to miss. We almost threw them out by accident during testing until we decided to peer closely inside the box.

If you really want to lean in to all that a smart scale can offer, consider HumeHealth's The Body Pod. This celebrity-favorite scale is the next best thing to visiting your doctor, delivering 17 different metrics—more than any other scale we tested.

This scale can accommodate up to eight users and is designed with precision in mind. It boasts an impressive 98% accuracy compared to a DEXA scan (which doctors use to measure fat and muscle mass). It even conducts a segmented fat analysis, breaking down your body composition across your arms, legs, and midsection. The Body Pod is so popular that the brand ships it in batches. (If your current timeframe is sold out, you have to wait for the next batch to roll around.)

While it doesn't link up with MyFitnessPal, The Body Pod works with other major health apps. It also easily integrates with the Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and Fitbit. The only major downside is the hefty price tag. But if you're looking for a highly specific scale with a built-in warranty, this is worth considering.

Do smart scales actually work?

While nothing is a guarantee, smart scales are good at giving relatively solid metrics. Keatley just recommends being on the lookout for factors that can trip you up, like hydration levels, meal timing, and even foot placement on the scale. Things like body fat percentage and muscle mass may not be the most accurate, which is why Keatley recommends focusing on trends over time vs. obsessing over any given reading.

How do smart scales know your BMI?

This is one of the easier things for a smart scale to calculate. Most scales will ask you to enter information on your height, along with other key metrics, when you set up the coordinating app. When it takes your weight, the scale just does a simple calculation to get your BMI.

How often should you use a smart scale?

That's up to you. While you'll get the most detailed information by weighing yourself regularly, that may be too much for some. "For individuals with a history of disordered eating, frequent weighing may not be the best approach," Keatley says.

But if you're able to have a flexible mindset about your weight, knowing that fluctuations are inevitable, it's fine to weight yourself daily. Keatley just recommends focusing on overall trends, not numbers on any given day.

Meet The Experts

• Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, is a co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab
• Scott Keatley, RD, is co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy

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