Today you don’t have to spend thousands on OBD-II scanners to get professional tools. I tested a bunch of cheap OBD tools to find the best picks that could even supplement a professional scan tool and a budget of $100-ish.
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Quick recommendations
Kingbolen Ediag Elite
Kingbolen ediag elite is one of the few bi-directional smartphone scanners that comes without any subscription and even is regularly updated for you which is included in buying just an adapter.
Vgate Vlinker MS
Couldn’t find anything wrong with this adapter. Pairing and connection is simple, it has a stable and fast connection which makes it perfect for even advanced ELM327 apps.
XTool A30
xTool A30 is one of the best choices for DIY mechanics as you are getting scan tool functionality for a cheap price + free lifetime updates.
Topdon Topscan
I tried Topscan from Topdon on 3 different vehicles and everything worked flawlessly. I can recommend it as one of the cheapest way to get a professional bi-directional scanner in your own toolbox.
Ancel AD410
You can use it not only for reading/clearing the check engine but also to test your whole charging system.
My insights after testing 100+ OBD2 tools
I’ve tested literally hundreds of OBD2 scanners, so let me tell you why I find these the best value for money.
1. Kingbolen EDIAG Elite
Kingbolen EDIAG elite is a cheap bi-directional adapter that will let your smartphone scan all systems in the car, check live data, do bi-directional tests, and even use 15 service procedures!
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2. VGate Vlinker MS
Vgate Vlinker MS is a good budget alternative to OBDLink MX+ as it comes with advanced ELM327 functionality but for around half of it’s price. It has a connection secured with a pairing button on the adapter, the newest ELM 2.3 version, and a quick response in just 7ms.
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3. XTool A30
xTool A30 is one of the best choices for DIY mechanics as you are getting scan tool functionality for cheap price.
There are 3 versions of the xTool A30 adapter (A30, A30D, and A30M) but the only difference is the number of service procedures (8, 14, 21), otherwise, everything is the same.
I bought the cheapest of 3 different A30 versions on Aliexpress for around $96 and it comes with an extension cable, free lifetime updates, and all the functionality I might need as a home mechanic.
The best deal is on xTool website, use coupon “CARHACKER” for 10% OFF
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4. Topdon topscan Lite
Topscan is currently the cheapest way that I know of, how you can add a reliable Bi-Directional scan tool to your tool set.
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5. Ancel AD410 PRO
Ancel AD410 is an interesting tool that can not only scan your car for faults but also run tests for your battery and alternator. I tested it as both a code reader and battery tester and here is what I found.
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Free PDF: How to choose OBD2 scanner
I’ve made you a free PDF to choose the OBD2 scanner in 5 minutes.
✅ Which OBD2 scanner is best?
✅ Which type should you get (DIY, Pro, Hobby)
✅ What is the best scanner for the exact brand/feature (e.g best for BMW)
✅ How to get a Bi-Directional tool for as cheap as $40
✅ Discount coupons for scanners
PDF is 100% free and it is designed to help you pick a scanner in less than a few minutes! Not a boring 50-page guide.
Just tell me where to send it.
Hi, I am Juraj “Yuri” Lukacko. I got frustrated by unhelpful and scammy mechanics, so I decided to learn everything about car diagnostics myself. I test dozens of new car diagnostic tools every month along with learning new strategies to fix and customize cars. About Juraj Lukacko (Yuri)
I’ve tested 100+ OBD2 scanners.
Get my free PDF to help you choose the right one for you!
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