Dynamic balance of machines is important when, for example, high precision in combination with low cycle times is necessary. One of the major problems with dynamic balancing is that considerable mass and considerable inertia need to be added to the mechanism. So far, only a few studies have been carried out into the comparison of various dynamic balancing principles in order to reduce these additions. Based on the findings of these studies, this paper aims to formulate guidelines for the design of dynamically balanced mechanisms with low mass and low inertia additions. Furthermore, the influence of limited design space on the resulting mass and inertia is investigated.