At a Glance
| Dimension | Garmin Index S2 | Withings Body+ | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build & Display | 4 /5 | 4 /5 | Tie |
| Measurement Accuracy | 3 /5 | 3 /5 | Tie |
| Features & Metrics | 4 /5 | 4 /5 | Tie |
| App & Ecosystem | 4 /5 | 5 /5 | Withings Body+ |
| Value for Money | 4 /5 | 4 /5 | Tie |
Build & Display
Verdict: Tie
Both scales use a tempered glass platform with a clear LED display and feel solidly made for daily bathroom use. Garmin's design is more utilitarian — it reads as fitness equipment. Withings' is more considered, with a cleaner aesthetic that sits better in a shared bathroom. Neither has a build quality edge significant enough to break a tie.
Measurement Accuracy
Verdict: Tie
Both use single-frequency foot-to-foot BIA with the same industry-wide ±3 to 5 percentage point margin versus DEXA for body fat. Weight accuracy is precise to 0.1 kg on both. Day-to-day consistency for trend tracking is equivalent — neither has a measurement technology advantage over the other.
Features & Metrics
Verdict: Tie
Both scales track the same core set — weight, BMI, body fat, muscle mass, bone mass, and body water. Garmin supports up to 16 user profiles versus Withings' eight, which matters for very large households. Withings adds a small but useful weather forecast on its display. Neither set of metrics is more comprehensive than the other.
App & Ecosystem
Verdict: Withings Body+
This is where the decision actually gets made — but not in the way the raw scores suggest. Health Mate is the better standalone app for analysing scale data: clearer trend overlays, stronger Apple Health integration, and a more polished interface. Garmin Connect's scale data presentation is weaker on its own, but for an existing Garmin device user, seeing body composition alongside training load and HRV in one dashboard is a feature Withings cannot replicate at all.
Value for Money
Verdict: Tie
At £119.99 and £99.95 respectively, neither requires a subscription and both deliver fair value for what they measure. The £20 gap roughly reflects the Garmin Connect integration premium. Considered purely as scales with no ecosystem context, they are evenly matched on price-to-feature ratio.
Two Scales, Two Ecosystems
The Garmin Index S2 and Withings Body+ are close enough in price, build, and core feature set that comparing them on specs alone produces a near-tie. Both measure weight, BMI, body fat, muscle mass, bone mass, and body water via single-frequency BIA. Both sync over WiFi without needing your phone nearby. Both avoid a subscription requirement.
The difference that actually matters is where that data goes afterwards. The Garmin Index S2 sends body composition straight into Garmin Connect, sitting alongside your training load, VO2 Max, and HRV status. The Withings Body+ sends it into Health Mate — a more polished app for analysing scale data on its own, with strong Apple Health integration.
Neither app is “wrong”. They’re built for different starting points: one assumes you’re already tracking training with a Garmin device, the other assumes you want the best possible standalone body composition picture.
When the Ecosystem Doesn’t Matter
If you don’t own a Garmin wearable and have no plans to buy one, the ecosystem argument for the Index S2 evaporates — and once it does, the Withings Body+ is simply the better scale for £20 less. Better app, better Apple Health sync, near-identical hardware and accuracy.
Conversely, if you train with a Garmin watch and value seeing your body composition trend next to your weekly training load, the Index S2’s integration is not replaceable by anything Withings offers. Health Mate has no way to pull in your Garmin training data, and Garmin Connect has no way to receive Withings scale readings. There’s no bridge between the two ecosystems for this kind of data.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose the Withings Body+ if you’re not invested in the Garmin ecosystem. It’s cheaper, the app is better for scale data specifically, and Apple Health users get the most complete sync available from any scale in this category.
Choose the Garmin Index S2 if you already use Garmin Connect for training and recovery. The £20 premium buys you a single dashboard for body composition, training load, and HRV — a genuinely useful picture for anyone serious about tracking how their training affects their body over time. For anyone outside that ecosystem, it’s a harder case to make.
Overall Verdict
On paper, these scales are remarkably close — tied on build, accuracy, features, and value, with Withings only pulling ahead on app quality. But the real decision isn't about scores. If you already own a Garmin watch, Forerunner, or Fenix, the Index S2's native Garmin Connect integration delivers something Health Mate simply cannot: body composition data sitting next to your training load and recovery metrics. That single factor outweighs Health Mate's superior standalone app for Garmin users. If you don't use Garmin devices — or you use an iPhone with Apple Health as your main health hub — the Withings Body+ is the better scale, is £20 cheaper, and has the stronger app. Choose based on the ecosystem you're already in, not the dimension scores alone.
Runner-up
Garmin Index S2
From £119.99
Winner
Withings Body+
From £99.95
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Who Should Buy Which?
Garmin Index S2
- You own a Garmin watch, Forerunner, or Fenix and use Garmin Connect daily
- You want body composition data alongside training load and HRV in one platform
- You have a very large household — 16 user profiles is best-in-class
- You don't mind a more utilitarian design over a refined one
Withings Body+
- You don't use Garmin devices and want the best standalone scale app
- You use Apple Health as your health data hub
- You want to save £20 with no functional trade-off outside the Garmin integration
- You prefer a more refined bathroom aesthetic