The 9 Best OBD2 Scanners
Updated by · How we research
Engine-only code readers, phone adapters and full-system tablets compared. The BlueDriver LSB2 leads for its no-subscription app and airbag and ABS codes. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Every gas car and light truck sold in the U.S. since the 1996 model year has the same 16-pin diagnostic port, usually under the dashboard near the driver's knees. A scanner plugged into it explains a check-engine light in plain words. Cheap readers stop at engine codes, while pricier tools reach the brakes, airbags and service resets after a repair.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The BlueDriver LSB2 is our first choice now. Through a free phone app it reads brake, airbag and tire-pressure codes on many makes, and it still asks for no subscription. This page is back, rebuilt around three kinds of tools: engine-only code readers, phone adapters, and tablets that can command parts.
The Ancel AD310 Classic and Foxwell NT301 stay as the simple handhelds. The Autel MaxiCom MK808TS gives way to the Autel MaxiCOM MK808S, which keeps the active tests and drops the tire-sensor tools for a lot less money. The Innova 3150f is no longer sold, the old Launch CRP123 link now leads to a different scanner, and we couldn't confirm the Autel AL519, BAFX Products 3127 or ScanTool 425801 are still made. The ScanTool 427201 is today's OBDLink LX, which doesn't work with iPhones, so the OBDLink MX+ takes its place.
For this category the evidence was each maker's coverage notes, two published scanner roundups and the FORScan team's list of adapters that reach Ford's extra networks. No lab has published head-to-head results for code readers, so check your car against the maker's coverage list before you buy.
Earlier notes
October 21, 2020, by Brett Dvoretz:
OBD2 scanners might just be one of the most helpful tools for diagnosing issues in modern vehicles. In addition to providing you with the exact cause of a problem, they can also be used to reset codes, so you don't have to keep staring at a check engine light after the repair has been completed.
The most full-featured, self-contained model on our list is the Autel MaxiCom MK808TS, which has a large, tablet-like screen where it displays all of its data. In addition to the traditional systems you expect from all OBD2 scanners, it also checks the brakes, safety, and tire pressure systems, as well as others. Plus, it works with 57 car models, can display results in 13 languages, and offers wireless convenience.
Other models on our list that offer wireless convenience are the BlueDriver LSB2, ScanTool 427201, and BAFX Products 3127. While these can be very convenient for DIYers who work on their own vehicles, they may not make sense for mechanics since they rely on a phone or tablet to display their results, and most people would prefer not to have to constantly pull out these expensive devices in situations that are prone to putting them at risk of getting damaged, such as in a busy shop.
While options like the Innova 3150f, Ancel AD310 Classic, Launch CRP123, Autel AL519, and Foxwell NT301 are going to keep you tethered to the vehicle the entire time you want to view live data, they are all built tough enough to stand up to the inevitable rough handling they will be subjected to in a mechanic's shop. Of these, the Innova 3150f, Launch CRP123, and Autel AL519 offer the most functionality and compatibility with the widest range of vehicles.
April 8, 2019, by Brett Dvoretz:
OBD2 scanners take all the guesswork out of diagnosing most vehicle problems. If you ever had a check engine light turn or, or almost any other dashboard light for that matter, you can use on these tools to determine what you need to fix, and then reset the fault light afterwards. If you are a professional mechanic, you will most likely be best served with one of the feature-packed models, so you never run across an error code you can't fix. Your best options will be the Autel MaxiCom MK808TS, Innova 3150f, Launch CRP123, and Foxwell NT301. Home DIYers who want to be able to diagnosis and fix their own vehicles may not need a model that works with every car make. They also may not want to pay extra money for something that can take snapshot of the information for later recall. The Ancel AD310 Classic, Autel AL519, and ScanTool 425801 are more budget-friendly models that will be capable enough for most users. The Lemur Vehicle Monitors BlueDriver, BAFX Products 3127, and ScanTool 427201 are also ideal for the average car owner, since you can leave them plugged into your vehicle at all times and can check sensor status on your phone whenever you need to.
Special Honors
FORScan FORScan is diagnostic software built for Ford, Lincoln and Mazda vehicles, with a full version for Windows and lighter versions for Android and iOS. Beyond reading every module's codes, it can run module tests and change some factory settings. Extended licenses are sold for one, three or five years or for life. Its site keeps a list of recommended adapters and warns against counterfeit ones. forscan.org
Snap-on Diagnostics Snap-on builds shop-grade scan tools, including the APOLLO with guided diagnostics and the wireless TRITON. They're sold through Snap-on's franchise dealers rather than in stores, and they cost far more than any tool on this list. For a home mechanic they're overkill, but they show what a professional shop works with. snapon.com
Code Reader, Four-System Tool Or Bidirectional
A basic code reader handles the check-engine light: it reads and clears engine and emissions codes, shows live data and freeze frame, and reports smog readiness.
Start with the warning light you actually have. A basic code reader handles the check-engine light: it reads and clears engine and emissions codes, shows live data and freeze frame, and reports smog readiness. That's the whole job of the Ancel AD310 Classic and Foxwell NT301, and it covers most home needs. What it can't see is the ABS, airbag, transmission or body computers.
A four-system tool adds the transmission, brakes and airbags, and usually a few service resets, such as turning off the oil-change reminder or retracting an electric parking brake for new pads. The Topdon ArtiDiag500 is in this group. A bidirectional tool goes further and sends commands to parts, like running a fuel pump or a cooling fan, so you can tell a dead part from a wiring fault. The Autel MaxiCOM MK808S does this.
The Drive puts basic engine readers at about $20 and up, scanners for more serious repairs at roughly $50 to $150, and tools for serious DIYers and new pros at $500 to $1,000. Whatever the tier, coverage beyond the engine depends on the make, model and year, so use the maker's coverage checker before buying. Innova and BlueDriver both publish one.
Handheld Or Phone Adapter
A handheld has its own screen and a cable. It runs off the car's port, so there's nothing to charge or pair, and it works when your phone is dead. A phone adapter is a small plug that stays in the port and talks to an app over Bluetooth. Apps give bigger dashboards, saved reports and repair suggestions, but the adapter is only as good as the app you pair it with.
Check your phone first. The OBDLink LX works with Android and Windows but not iPhones, while the OBDLink MX+, BlueDriver and Veepeak OBDCheck BLE+ support both iPhone and Android. Ford and Mazda owners who want to change settings should look at FORScan's adapter notes: it recommends adapters that reach Ford's extra MS-CAN network and warns that slower adapters without it limit what the software can do.
Skip no-name adapters that only promise ELM327 compatibility. Many use copied chips that drop the connection, and a cheap one left in the port can slowly drain a battery on a car parked for weeks. Better adapters have a sleep mode: OBDLink says the MX+ draws about 2 milliamps when the car is off.
What A Scanner Can And Can't Tell You
OBD2 became mandatory on U.S. cars and light trucks with the 1996 model year. Europe followed with EOBD on gasoline cars from 2001 and diesels from 2004, and U.S. cars have used the CAN signaling standard since 2008 (Wikipedia: On-board diagnostics). Heavy diesel trucks use a different connector and protocol, so a car scanner won't talk to them.
A trouble code points to a system, not always a part. A lean-mixture code can come from a vacuum leak, a dirty airflow sensor or a weak fuel pump. Write down the code and the freeze-frame data before you clear anything, because clearing erases them.
Clearing a code doesn't fix the fault, and the light comes back if the problem is still there. Clearing also resets the readiness monitors, the self-tests a smog station checks, and many stations reject a car until they've run again over a few days of normal driving. Check readiness on the scanner before you go. Plugging a scanner into the port is normal maintenance and isn't expected to affect a warranty, according to The Drive.
How we researched this
We compared 18 OBD2 scanners and adapters, read the makers' spec pages and coverage notes for the nine finalists, weighed two published scanner roundups and the FORScan team's adapter list, looked at owner feedback patterns, and checked every brand against U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall records.
Frequently asked questions
When did cars start using OBD2?
U.S. cars and light trucks have had OBD2 since the 1996 model year. European gasoline cars followed in 2001 and diesels in 2004.
What's the difference between OBD and OBD2?
Before 1996, OBD systems used each maker's own plug and codes. OBD2 standardized the 16-pin port, the communication protocols and the generic trouble codes, so one scanner works across brands.
Can an OBD2 scanner damage my car's computer?
A reputable reader only asks the car for data, so reading codes is safe. Risks come from bargain clone adapters, from leaving an unknown adapter plugged in for weeks, and from running active tests carelessly on a bidirectional tool.
Will clearing the code turn off the check-engine light for good?
Only if the fault is fixed. Clearing also resets the readiness monitors, so a smog test may reject the car until it has been driven normally for a few days.
Do I need a bidirectional scanner?
Only if you do your own brake, ABS or sensor work and need to command parts or run relearns. For reading and clearing warning lights, a code reader or four-system tool is enough.
