Omron Platinum BP5465 vs. Withings BPM Connect: Which Blood Pressure Monitor to Buy

Both are listed on the AMA/AHA US Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing, so both have cleared an independent accuracy check. One published clinical comparison from MedGrade found a mean error of 1.9 mmHg for the previous-generation Omron Platinum BP5450 against a trained observer’s reading, versus 1.4 mmHg for the Withings BPM Connect — a small gap, and MedGrade’s figure, not a result BYB measured. The current BP5465 adds AFib detection but wasn’t the specific model in that comparison.

No. The American Heart Association recommends an upper-arm cuff over a wrist monitor for most adults, because wrist readings are more sensitive to arm position and tend to run less consistent outside a clinical setting. Both the Omron Platinum and the Withings BPM Connect are upper-arm cuffs, so neither carries that accuracy tradeoff. If you’re choosing between an upper-arm monitor and a wrist one elsewhere, the upper-arm cuff is the safer default.

Yes. The Withings BPM Connect carries its own FDA clearance and also appears on the AMA/AHA US Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing at validatebp.org. Withings backs it with a published clinical validation study covering 87 participants across a representative range of blood pressure levels and arm sizes, following the ANSI/AAMI/ISO 81060-2:2013 accuracy standard used across the validated-device registry.

Yes. The BP5465 includes an irregular-heartbeat detection feature that flags a possible atrial fibrillation signal during a normal blood pressure reading, alongside the systolic and diastolic numbers. Omron’s published accuracy credential for it is the AMA/AHA US Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing, which checks devices against the AAMI/ESH accuracy protocol; Withings additionally cites an FDA clearance for the BPM Connect.

In most plans, yes — blood pressure monitors are FSA, HSA and HRA eligible without a prescription, since they’re a medical device rather than a general wellness purchase. Coverage rules vary by plan administrator, so check your specific plan’s eligibility list before buying if you’re planning to pay with FSA or HSA funds, since a small number of plans still require documentation.

Look it up on validatebp.org, the AMA/AHA-endorsed US Blood Pressure Validated Device Listing. It’s a free, searchable registry of devices that have passed an independent clinical accuracy check, maintained separately from any single manufacturer. Checking a model there before buying is worth doing for any home blood pressure monitor, not just the two compared here, since accuracy varies a lot between validated and unvalidated devices.