Withings Body+ vs Cardio (2021): Which Smart Scale Should You Buy?

If you’re working towards losing weight, then a smart scale is a welcome accountability partner. Unlike traditional bathroom scales, these WiFi and app-connected devices measure more than just weight. The Withings Body Plus, for instance, also estimates your body composition, including muscle and body mass. The Withings Body Cardio, on the other hand, tracks body composition as well as heart rate and hydration level. For your fitness and health goals, which is the better smart scale? Keep reading our review below to find out.

Withings Body+ vs Cardio Smart Scale Comparison Chart

Design

The Withings Body Plus and Withings Body Cardio are gorgeous scales with a understated design.

A glance at the Withings Body Plus and Body Cardio will already show you these are obvious upgrades from the traditional bathroom scale. The devices are sleek, with rounded corners that make them more aesthetically pleasing. Near the top of the scales is a large, backlit display that melds seamlessly into the devices’ bodies. Both the Plus and Cardio are crafted from sturdy tempered glass as well. The Withings Body Cardio, however, is a much slimmer device.

Like traditional scales, the Body Plus comes with feet on its back. This keeps it steady and balanced on hard surfaces. In contrast, the Body Cardio removes this component of the device. Instead, it lays flat and stays level on hard or even carpeted surfaces.

Withings’ premium smart scales come in both black and white variants. In the case of the Plus and the Cardio, the darker variants look more dark blue or more charcoal, respectively. On the Body Plus, you’ll also find either black or white bands that intersect at a metallic silver dot. In contrast, the Body Cardio has several stripes running horizontally across, while a silver strip divides the platform to left and right.

These visual features aren’t cosmetic, though. The bands and stripes actually guide you where to place your feet when weighing in. They also mark where the advanced sensors for measuring body composition are located. For both the Plus and Cardio, you get four advanced weight sensors along with a patented body position detector for more accurate readings.

Features

The Withings Body Cardio tracks more metrics compared to the Withings Body Plus.

Aside from your weight and BMI, the Withings Body Plus and Body Cardio estimate your body composition as well. The scales do this through a bioelectrical impedance. Here, a low-voltage electrical current is sent to your body. How your body’s tissues resist the current as it passes through your body is then calculated by the scales’ sensors.

The key metrics from bio-impedance include total body fat and body water percentage. Muscle and bone mass can also be determined. In the case of the Plus and Cardio scales, these are presented in kilogram or pound units. Based on user reviews, the readings are fairly accurate, too. Withings’ Body Cardio, however, adds a few more metrics compared to the Body Plus.

As the model name implies, the Withings Body Cardio can read your heart rate through your feet. The scale also tracks an innovative metric called Pulse Wave Velocity. This simply monitors the speed by which waves generated by your heartbeat move along your arteries. These features sound impressive no doubt. Nonetheless, usage and results can be quite varied or uncertain, mainly because resting heart rate changes especially if you’re standing on a scale.

Smart Features and Compatibility

Weigh-in data from the Withings Body Plus or Body Cardio can be integrated to third-party applications.

Part of what makes smart scales a more engaging accountability partner for your weight loss efforts is their mobile apps. Withings’ Health Mate, in particular, helps you set up the Body Plus or Body Cardio and start syncing weigh-in data to its platform. Because its dashboard is intuitive, keeping tabs on your progress is a more immersive experience. Data is, of course, displayed on the device’s screen, too. But having metrics organized in an app on your smartphone is so much more convenient.

For a more holistic approach to losing weight, Withings has put in the effort to expand its device and platform compatibility. The Health Mate app aggregates data from your Body Cardio or Body Plus scale. But they can also be integrated with other apps that hold your other fitness or health metrics, including Google Fit, Apple Health, LoseIt, and MyFitnessPal. In turn, metrics like steps taken can also be displayed on your scale.

Click here to read our Withings Body vs Body Plus comparison.

Setup and Battery Life

Both the Withings Body Plus and Body Cardio are easy to set up scales with impressive battery life.

Stepping on a Withings scale versus a traditional scale isn’t the same. With a smart scale, you’ll need to set up the device first. Here, Withings has kept things simple. Users simply have to download the Health Mate app, create an account, and follow the in-app instructions. Once your profile is ready, you can start modifying the settings depending on the data you want to see on your scale. Now, the Withings Body Plus and Body Cardio can support up to 8 profiles. They also connect to both Bluetooth and WiFi, although the latter is required to sync your data.

The Withings Body Plus is powered by 4 AAA batteries, which are included in the box. According to the company, these batteries should last 18 months. Withings’ Body Cardio, on the other hand, is equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Users get a micro-USB charging cable, too. Unlike smartphones or smartwatches, however, the Body Cardio boasts a battery life of 12 months.

Verdict

The Withings Body Plus offers more value with the features it comes with, compared to the Withings Body Cardio.

The Withings Body Cardio is clearly the premium model offered by the company. The scale comes with all the features you’ll get from the Withings Body and Withings Body Plus. It also sports the slimmest design among the three, including a feet-less back that works on any surface. However, the advanced cardiovascular health features it boasts — and which adds to its price tag — isn’t convincing enough. You’re probably going to be better off with a standalone heart rate monitor.

In which case, the Withings Body Plus feels comparable in features to the Body Cardio. Since the design difference between the two hardly impacts their performance, the Body Plus should be good enough. For someone taking their weight loss or fitness seriously, you’ll probably have standalone fitness trackers or devices to measure metrics outside of your weight and body composition anyway. This makes it easier to recommend the Withings Body Plus unless you plan to boast a scale that can measure your heart rate.

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