How to Choose Force Plates
Every force plate here is wireless, comes as a pair, and sends its readings to a phone or tablet app, so each foot gets its own force record and the left and right sides can be compared side by side. What actually separates one system from another is how much load it handles, how fast it samples, and which directions of force it measures.
Portable vs. Large-Format Force Plates
Lightweight portable force plates weigh around 2 kg each and sit only a few centimeters high, so they travel easily between treatment rooms, gyms, and field sessions. They're built for balance, stance, squats, push-ups, and isometric pulls. Large-format force plates are heavier and much higher capacity, built for jumps, landings, and loaded strength tests where peak forces run far higher. If most of your testing is balance and weight distribution, portable plates cover it. If jump testing is central to what you do, go large-format.
Vertical-Force vs. 3-Axis Force Plates
Most force plates measure vertical force, how hard a person pushes straight down into the ground. A 3-axis force plate also measures side-to-side and front-to-back force at the same time. That shows how much of a push went sideways or forward during a cut, a lateral bound, or a braking step. For change-of-direction and multi-directional testing, a 3-axis system captures what a vertical-only plate can't.
Capacity and Sampling Rate
Capacity is the maximum load each plate can read. Sampling rate, measured in Hz, is how many readings the plate takes per second. Higher sampling rates capture fast events like a jump takeoff or landing in more detail. For slower tests such as stance and balance, a standard sampling rate is plenty. For explosive movements, higher capacity and higher sampling rates matter more.
Software and App Subscriptions
Force plates are only as useful as the software reading them. These plates connect over Bluetooth to an app that runs the test protocols, stores results, and builds reports. The app runs on a yearly subscription, and the large-format and 3-axis plates require a higher plan tier than the portable plates. Factor the subscription in alongside the hardware when comparing options.
Force Plates on Their Own vs. Assessment Kits
Force plates are available on their own or as part of a larger assessment kit that adds handheld dynamometers, a grip dynamometer, a digital goniometer, and in some kits a surface EMG sensor. A kit puts lower-body, limb, and mobility testing on one system and one app. If you're building a full testing setup from scratch, a kit usually covers more ground than buying sensors one at a time.
Force Plate FAQs
The questions people usually have before choosing force plates.
What is a force plate used for?
A force plate measures the force a person applies to the ground. Clinics, sports performance teams, and researchers use force plates for jump testing, balance testing, landing mechanics, and left-versus-right comparisons during squats and other strength tests.
Do I need portable or large-format force plates?
Portable plates suit balance, stance, and general strength testing, and they're easy to move. Large-format plates suit jump and landing tests where forces run higher. Choose based on the tests you'll run most often.
What does a 3-axis force plate measure that a standard one doesn't?
A standard force plate measures vertical force. A 3-axis plate also measures side-to-side and front-to-back force, which matters for cutting, lateral, and change-of-direction tests.
Do force plates need software?
Yes. These force plates send their data to an app over Bluetooth, and the app requires a yearly subscription. Larger and 3-axis plates need a higher subscription tier.
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