Carly OBD Review – Subscription Trap & Useless Scanner | 2025/2026 Update

I bought Carly OBD twice, tested it on multiple real cars, compared it to more than 100 other scanners, and even made a viral YouTube video exposing how bad it is. After all this, my verdict is simple: I don’t recommend Carly to anyone, not for diagnostics, not for used car checks, not even for coding.

Affiliate Disclosure: iamcarhacker.com is an Amazon and other affiliate programs Associate. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Full Affiliate disclosure.

What This Tool Actually Is

Carly is a locked Bluetooth dongle plus subscription app.
The adapter is dumb hardware. All interesting features are behind yearly paywalls.

Marketing promises:

• In-depth diagnostics on up to 80 ECUs
• Smart Mechanic repair tips
• Live data, maintenance, used car checks
• Coding and hidden features
• “Top-of-the-line” 32-bit ARM hardware, Bluetooth 5.0, sleek design

What I actually see after years of testing and reading user feedback:

• Weak diagnostics
• Broken or missing features on many cars
• Useless free plan
• Subscription trap and hard cancellation

I even made a viral YouTube video exposing Carly. Under that video, there are hundreds of comments from people with the same story: hidden auto-renew, impossible refunds, poor functionality, bank blocking payments, subscription through PayPal that doesn’t show clearly in the app, and so on.

If you want to go deeper into all this and read real user stories, check my older written review “Don’t waste money on Carly OBD: Read review first” on wordpress-1476291-6101439.cloudwaysapps.com. The comment section there is full of people who regret buying Carly.

Test Results on Real Cars

I tested it on real cars.

Cars used (new tests + earlier):
• VW Golf – 15 modules, my main VAG test car
• VW Touareg (2RX) – marked as supported in Carly
• Nissan Micra – known to have codable comfort options
• Alfa Romeo 2002 diesel setup – 6 modules visible with other tools
• Škoda Fabia – to show how useless the free plan is

What actually worked

On VW Golf:

• Full scan found all 15 modules and 5 fault codes.
• Some simple coding options worked.
• Emission readiness monitors were shown correctly.
• Coolant temp and RPM data looked okay.

On Alfa test setup:

• Connected and read engine fault codes.
• Some basic engine PIDs were visible.

Used car check (very controlled case):

• When Carly had already saved one mileage for my Golf and I changed mileage afterwards, it could detect “manipulation” once.

On some BMWs, a few people in comments said Carly was “fine” for basic coding. I believe that – if Carly is your very first scanner, you don’t know how much more you should get for this price.

What failed or was a joke

VW Touareg:

• In practice: endless “no connection to scanner”.
• Same car, same phone, same port works with other scanners.
• So this is on Carly side, not the car.

Alfa test setup:

• Other scanners see 6 modules and read them.
• Carly only sees the engine.
• So no ABS, no airbags, nothing else.

VW Golf – fake “full system”:

• Carly shows all modules and fault counts.
• But you cannot enter them to see live data or run tests.
• You can only read and clear codes at a global level.
• A 50 € full-system scanner can do 10× more on this car.

Nissan Micra:

• I know there is a hidden menu with 6–7 codable options (other tools can do it).
• Carly, even with “all brands” paid, shows no coding menu at all.
• So zero coding on this car.

Škoda Fabia – free plan:

• I connected Carly, ran diagnostics.
• It scanned for a long time and then told me the report was sent by email.
• I got no fault code report and the app showed “engine good” even though there was a problem.
• Free plan is basically just a sales funnel – not a real tool.

Global OBD live data:

• Carly showed about 9 PIDs.
• Throttle position stayed around 90% and didn’t move when I pressed the pedal.
• A 3 € blue ELM adapter with a free app can read this perfectly.
• For something this expensive to fail at basic standard PIDs is unacceptable.

Viral video + community feedback

In my viral YouTube video where I compared Carly to a table full of Bluetooth adapters (including very cheap ones), a few things were clear from comments:

• Many people didn’t realise it was a yearly subscription until renewal hit.
• Several had banks block Carly payments automatically (too many disputes).
• A lot of viewers bought Carly because “every YouTuber” promoted it.
• Many had to cancel cards or open PayPal disputes to stop auto-renew.
• Multiple BMW, Toyota and VAG owners say functionality disappeared or was reduced after updates, while marketing still says “diagnose and code your car”.

So it’s not only my test garage. The pattern is the same worldwide.

Manufacturer Specs vs Real Testing

Area	Manufacturer Claim	What I Saw in Testing
Diagnostics	“In-depth diagnosis based on up to 80 ECUs”	Often engine-only, Golf modules visible but locked, Touareg no connection
Smart Mechanic	“Turbocharge repair skills”	Long text around codes; helpful but nothing you can’t get free
Engine Live Data	“Quickest way to access engine data”	Very few PIDs, throttle completely wrong, no deep module data
Maintenance	“Keep service intervals in check, reset service light”	I only saw very basic options; nowhere near a real service scanner
Used Car Check	“Detect mileage manipulation and problems”	Only works if Carly saw the car before, often misses real rollbacks
Coding	“User-friendly, requires no experience”	Works on some VAG, missing on many cars even with all-brand plan
Hardware	32-bit ARM, robust, Bluetooth 5.0	Plastic dongle is okay, but hardware power means nothing if software is trash

Hardware / Software / Plans / Internet Dependency

Hardware

• Small Bluetooth dongle, standard size.
• Didn’t overheat, stayed in port fine.
• Bluetooth pairing is normal, no button.

The adapter itself is not the problem. It’s the software and business model.

Software behavior

• Frequent “data is being prepared, try again” and “no connection to scanner”.
• Help page is generic and doesn’t fix anything.
• Even basic global OBD behavior is worse than cheap tools.
• UI looks nice on screenshots, but behind the buttons the functions are very thin.

Subscription trap and how they hide it

This is the part that, in my opinion, turns Carly from “bad value” into intentional scam.

Typical flow on their website:

1. You choose your car brand and country.
2. You see choices like Basic for ~90 $ or Premium for ~110 $.
3. You can add “all brands” for around 30–40 $.
4. Final price looks like ~140–150 $ for what appears to be a one-time purchase.
5. Nowhere near the big price do they clearly say this is per year.

Only in tiny text at the bottom you see something like “Carly licenses are an annual subscription”.

So most normal buyers think:
“I’m buying a scanner for 145 $.”
Reality:
“You are subscribing to software for 145 $ every year, with a ‘free’ adapter attached.”

That “free adapter” is not a gift. It is how they block refunds:
• Software is “digital” and “not refundable”.
• Adapter is free, so you can send it back, but they keep your money.

This is not an accident. This is a business model.

On top of that, they pay big automotive YouTubers very good money to promote Carly. I know how affiliate programs and sponsorships in this niche look. When a tool like this is pushed everywhere, not because it’s good but because commissions are huge, you end up with a constant stream of new buyers who have no idea what they are walking into.

They don’t need loyal customers.
They only need fresh people to scam.

Internet / cloud

• Needs internet for data packages and online features (Used Car Check, Smart Mechanic).
• Offline behaviour beyond very basic OBD is unclear and not something I would rely on.

Coding risks

Important safety note:

With any coding tool (Carly, OBDeleven, tablets, OEM tools) wrong coding can damage or brick modules. Always back up and go slowly.

With Carly the risk is worse because:

• Coding is shallow and unclear.
• Error handling is not transparent.
• And if something goes wrong, you are dealing with a company that already fights you on refunds and cancellations.

Supported Service Resets

Based on my tests, Carly is almost useless for service work:

• No real EPB reset options for brake jobs.
• No proper DPF service or forced regeneration menu.
• No visible battery registration on the cars I tested.
• No ABS bleed or other typical workshop resets.

At best, you might get a simple oil light reset on some cars.

For any serious VAG, BMW, Toyota/Lexus or multi-brand work, do not buy Carly. Proper tools like Kingbolen K7, Mucar VO7, or Thinkcar tablets give you real service functions, bi-directional tests, and often lifetime updates for similar or even lower long-term cost.

Supported Language

• I used English.
• The app offers other languages, but I didn’t test translation quality in detail.
• So I’ll say: language quality outside English is not available in my testing.

Like with most tools, I recommend using English and double-checking serious fault codes on Google or with general OBD knowledge sources anyway.

Comparison Section – Carly vs other OBD2 scanners

Carly vs Thinkdiag2

Thinkdiag2 is the direct comparison I like to use for Carly, because the first-year price is similar, but after that Thinkdiag2 is actually cheaper and gives you way more real functions.

Both tools use a subscription model, but with Thinkdiag2 you’re paying around 95 $/year and getting a proper full-system, bi-directional scanner with real service functions and ECU coding. With Carly you’re closer to 150 $/year for something that often struggles even with basic diagnostics and has almost no usable service procedures.

On cars where Carly barely reads codes or only touches the engine, Thinkdiag2 can go into all modules, show full live data, run tests, and do OEM-level functions on many brands. So if you’re already ok with paying a yearly fee, it makes zero sense to pay more for Carly and get less.

Here is the direct feature comparison from my testing and my original Carly article:

Feature	Thinkdiag2 (~95 $/year)	Carly (~150 $/year)
Full Scan	✔️	✔️ (but often shallow, no module access)
Full Live Data	✔️	❌ (very limited, sometimes wrong)
All OBD Modes	✔️	❌
Service Procedures	15+	1–2 at best
Bi-Directional	✔️	❌ in my testing
ECU Coding	✔️	✔️ (but patchy and brand-dependent)
OEM Features	✔️	❌
Wide Vehicle Coverage	✔️	❌

Carly vs OBDeleven

OBDeleven focuses on VAG. It gives real control of modules on VW/Audi/Škoda/SEAT:

• Module access with live data.
• Adaptations and long coding on many models.
• Much more serious diagnostics.

Carly on a VAG car like my Golf or Audi A8:

• Can see modules, but you can’t properly go inside.
• Coding list is short and generic.
• No bi-directional tests in my testing.

If your main car is VAG and you want app-based coding, OBDeleven or similar VAG tools make sense. Carly doesn’t.

Feature	Carly	OBDeleven
Focus	“All brands” marketing	VAG only
Depth on VAG	Very shallow	Deep coding + diag
Module access	Limited	Full modules
Value	Very poor	Solid for VAG owners

Note on SFD: SFD is VW/Audi coding protection on newer models. Tools differ in support. I didn’t test Carly on SFD cars, so I consider Carly’s SFD support unknown.

Carly vs ELM327 adapters

ELM327 adapters plus an app like Car Scanner or Torque are cheap and honest:

• Cost: 3–30 € one time.
• Do: read/clear engine codes, show live data, readiness monitors, sometimes more.
• No lies, no hidden subscriptions.

Carly:
• Costs ~150 $ per year.
• Fails at basic PIDs like throttle on my car.
• Gives less live data than some free apps.
• Adds very little on top of what a 3 € adapter already does.

Feature	Carly	ELM327 + good app
Price	Very high yearly	Very low one time
Engine data	Buggy and thin	Usually rich and correct
Extra features	Overpromised, underdelivered	Clear and honest

If you only need engine diagnostics and basic data, Carly is honestly the worst possible choice.

Carly vs Multi-brand coding tablets (Kingbolen K7 / Mucar VO7 / Thinkcar tablets)

These tablets like Kingbolen K7 are real multi-brand scanners:

• Full-system access on many brands.
• Bi-directional tests.
• 20–30+ service resets.
• ECU coding and special functions.
• Often a few free years of updates or lifetime updates.

Carly pretends to be in this league, but:

• It has none of the depth.
• No real bi-directional tests.
• Almost no service resets.
• Very patchy coding.

Feature	Carly	K7 / VO7 / Thinkcar
Type	Phone app + dongle	Dedicated tablet
Diagnostics	Very shallow	Real workshop level
Service resets	Almost none	Many
Long-term cost	High yearly	Often cheaper overall

If you are ready to spend Carly money for 1–2 years, you are already in the budget range of a proper tablet scanner. That’s what you should buy, not Carly.

Carly vs Carista / mixed app setups

Carista + a good adapter is a more honest way to do light coding and simple diagnostics:

• Clearer pricing.
• You can buy 1 month, do your codings, and cancel.
• You keep all changes after subscription ends.

Carly locks you into a much more expensive yearly payment for worse reliability and worse coverage.

A smart setup is:
• Cheap ELM adapter + Car Scanner for diagnostics.
• Short Carista subscription for coding.

Carly loses hard against that combo.

Feature	Carly	ELM + Car Scanner + Carista
Pricing	Hidden yearly trap	Cheap and transparent
Coding	Limited and patchy	Solid for supported brands
Diagnostics	Weak	Good enough for most DIY owners

Final Verdict

Carly is, in my opinion, the worst OBD2 scanner you can buy for this kind of money. I don’t recommend it to literally anyone.

Yes, it can do some coding on some cars. But between the weak functions, unreliable coverage, useless free plan, and a subscription model that is clearly designed to trick people, I consider it a deliberate scam, not just a “bad value” product.

If you are thinking about buying Carly – don’t.
If you already bought it – cancel the subscription as fast as you can and move to a tool that actually works.

How to save money instead:
• Use my full buyer’s guides on wordpress-1476291-6101439.cloudwaysapps.com to find a scanner by budget, car brand, or scanner type.
• Buy from official websites where prices and update policies are clear.
• Avoid tools that hide subscriptions in small print or bundle a “free adapter” to block refunds.

And if you still want proof, watch my viral video exposing Carly and read the comments under it, plus my old article “Don’t waste money on Carly OBD: Read review first” with two years of real user experiences. That will tell you everything you need to know.