For years doctors have been asking, “What’s the difference between a single frequency and a multi- frequency scale?” Multi-frequency scales can measure reactance and phase angle at different frequencies which enables them to determine intracellular and extracellular water. This is by far the biggest difference between the two types of scales. The cost of multi-frequency scales ranges from about eight thousand dollars to as much as eighteen thousand, whereas single frequency scales range from about three to four thousand dollars.
If your application is primarily to determine cellular water values then multi-frequency scales are without question the way to go. However, if you want a body composition scale that will provide the most relevant results then the single frequency scale is the best choice and value. Here is a list of body composition components provided by both multi-frequency and single frequency scales: body weight, % body fat, muscle mass, segmental fat distribution, total body water, BMI, BMR, visceral fat rating and fat free mass. These readings will meet the needs of virtually all medically supervised weight loss applications.