Top 5 Best OBD2 Scanners (Car Code Readers) 2021
- Updated: June 2021
Many people prefer to diagnose their vehicles directly at home. And it is useless to visit a mechanic store for every small issue. Besides, there are always going to be some problems on the go where you have to diagnose yourself. An ideal solution for this will be by using an OBD2 scanner.
It lets you detect issues in your vehicle by allowing you to perform an accurate diagnosis. So if you want to buy one, you should consider some important factors to ensure you are getting the best OBD2 scanner.
- Type: There are two types of OBD2 scanners available; normal and Bluetooth ones. The normal scanners are self-sustained devices, which means they have a built-in screen, buttons, and software. On the other hand, a Bluetooth OBD2 scanner connects to a smartphone where you can check the analysis and result. Naturally, they are less costly due to the absence of inbuilt screens or controls.
- Features: The more features and modes the scanner has, the easier will be the code reading and follow-up diagnosis. Availability of live data mode helps in reading data in graphical presentation for better interpretation. Advanced test features like smog test and misfire count are also quite useful.
- Vehicle Compatibility: Always see if the OED2 scanner is compatible with your vehicle. Select the one that can have universal compatibility. While buying the tool, you also need to check your vehicle’s make and model.
In this comprehensive guide of the best OBD2 scanners on the market, we’ll break down everything you need to know to find the perfect scan tool for your vehicle.
Product
Our Score
Key Features
#1 BEST IN 2021
9.9
5/5
"Excellent"
Price: Affordable
- Extensive Repair Solution. Most Accurate Results.
- Advanced Tests such as Fuels Test, Comprehensive Components Test, Airbag, Freeze Frame Data, ABS codes, Misfire Counts, etc
- Dashboard Customization. Live Data
- Works on the marjority of vehicles
- Intuitive and super easy to use
- Detects up to 6,800 different potential problems
- Aumomatic alert for vehicle maintenance
- Work with multiple cars
- Keep your vehicle data safe and secure
- Translates the complicated error codes into simple and understandable language
- Comes with an APP which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices
- Designed and made by ASE certified mechanics and experienced engineers in the USA
- Best value for price
- 30-day Money back guarantee.
- Doesn’t work with cars made before 1996
- Doesn’t work with diesel or all-electric cars
#2
9.6
4.7/5
"Amazing"
Price: Medium
- Diagnoses over 7,000 potential car problems
- Instantly diagnoses the health of your car
- Will NEVER pay for unnecessary repairs
- Know EXACTLY what’s wrong before your mechanic can fool you
- Know how much the repair should cost
- Lightweight, compact and portable
- Affordable price tag
- Works on all vehicles newer than 1996
- User-friendly, extremelly easy to use
- Free APP
- 30-Day Money back guarantee
- 95% Positive verified reviews
- Regularly out of stock
- Not available on Amazon or Walmart
#3
9.2
4.5/5
"Great"
BlueDriver
Price: High
- Offers diagnostics over OBD II enabled vehicles such as Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda, BMW, and VW brands
- Flexible service scheduling and calendar management
- Powered by the latest Bluetooth technology
- Enhanced diagnostic features on all GM vehicles
- Good tech support
- User-friendly
- Doesn’t support ABS and transmission for all cars
- May not connect to all iOS devices, iPad Pro and iOS 11x
- Can only cover one vehicle at a time
#4
9.1
4.5/5
"Good"
AUTEL TS601
Price: Very High
- 1-Year Warranty
- P0, P2, P3, U0 And U3 Within The DTC Library
- Reset A.B.S And S.R.S Lights
- Gives Updated Information
- The company offers vague instructions for setting up the device
- Too expensive
#5
8.5
4.5/5
"Cool"
THINKSCAN
Price: Very High
- 28 Reset Services($29.95/Year Each )
- ABS/SRS/ENG System Diagnose
- Android 7.0 System
- Not budget friendly
- Not as effective as others we've reviewed
#6
7.8
4.5/5
"Not Bad"
AUTEL MAXICHECK MX808
Price: Extremely High
- 7” Touchscreen Android-OS Tablet
- Coverage Cars Up To 2019, 2020 And Some 2021
- Supports Codes Read/Erase
- 1 Year Free software updates
- Super costly
#1 Rated OBD2 Scanner in 2021
#1
9.9
5/5
"Excellent"
- Extensive Repair Solution. Most Accurate Results.
- Advanced Tests such as Fuels Test, Comprehensive Components Test, Airbag, Freeze Frame Data, ABS codes, Misfire Counts, etc
- Dashboard Customization. Live Data
- Works on the marjority of vehicles
- Intuitive and super easy to use
- Detects up to 6,800 different potential problems
- Aumomatic alert for vehicle maintenance
- Work with multiple cars
- Keep your vehicle data safe and secure
- Translates the complicated error codes into simple and understandable language
- Comes with an APP which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices
- Designed and made by ASE certified mechanics and experienced engineers in the USA
- Best value for price
- 30-day Money back guarantee.
- Doesn’t work with cars made before 1996
- Doesn’t work with diesel or all-electric cars
effective, SIMPLE
Fixd delivers practical information that is easy for anyone to understand.
COST SAVING
Never get overcharged again for mechanical services you don’t need.
wide range of cars
Fixd works with all vehicles produced from 1996 onwards.
We Bought and Tested Them All. Here Is Why FIXD OBD2 Scanner (Car Code Reader) Our #1 Pick?
My job is testing and reporting on the latest automobile technology. And when it comes to tech that diagnoses car problems, I’ve tested almost every product on the market.
When everyone thinks of OBD scanners, they assume they’re all the same. Plug it in your car and cross your fingers that it actually diagnoses what’s wrong with your vehicle. And unfortunately, they often don’t.
So, when my company asked me to review the brand new FIXD OBD2 Scanner, I wasn’t too excited.
“I thought. “I’ve tried so many of these tiny OBD scanners with little success. Here we go again.”
But this time – I couldn’t have been more wrong.
With some OBD scanners, you can tell they’re just like every other clunky scanner out there, but FIXD is the exact opposite. It’s small and compact, but has that satisfying weight you experience when holding a premium device like a flagship smartphone. I could immediately see it’s built to last, and it came with a textured, woven travel case so you can easily store or travel with it.
It was definitely the most premium-looking OBD scanner I’d seen, so I really hoped that FIXD would function just as well as it looked. But because all the other OBD scanners I’d tested had been so mediocre, I tried not to get too excited.
So far, FIXD had checked all the right boxes, but come on – the real test was how well it could diagnose any car problems you may have.
The Real Test – How Good Is FIXD at diagnosing car problems?
I studied all the specs and discovered that FIXD incorporates some of the newest technical advances in 2021. That’s when I started to get excited.
Unlike other OBD scanners, FIXD analyses 2 million more data points inside your cars, enabling it to instantly diagnose over 7000 different problems. That’s 2000 more problems than the next best professional scanner! The potential benefits of this new tech were huge.
“This is no ordinary portable OBD scanner. FIXD’s advanced diagnostic technology puts it leagues ahead of other scanners on the market.”
But that’s not the only big feature that sets FIXD apart. This scanner also has the possibility to diagnose every single problem in real time. How so? Unlike most other scanners, you can attach FIXD to your OBD port under the dashboard and leave it in there 24/7, allowing constant monitoring of every detail around the clock.
This is a game changer!
But even then, it STILL has another feature that really makes FIXD something out of the ordinary – it pairs to your smartphone…
Instead of spewing out hard-to-decipher codes like most old school scanners, FIXD instantly alerts your smartphone when it senses a problem, and explains the issue in plain english. It even tells you how to fix the issue & provide a cost estimate.
Trust me, as someone who works on cars day-in-day-out, this one feature alone makes FIXD and absolute godsend. You can even connect multiple FIXD devices to one phone, so you can monitor every car in your household!
So, I put this thing to the test, attaching it to a car I knew had numerous problems. And within seconds plugging it under the dashboard, it alerted me of every single problem I knew about – and some I didn’t!
Not only that, the alerts it gave were so easy to understand, it felt like I was being told advice by a mechanic (without being fleeced for the privilege), and as someone who knows a lot about cars, I was incredibly impressed – my wife could understand the advice FIXD gave just as well as I could.
FIXD Diagnosed Every Issue BEFORE It Became A Big Problem
I popped it in an 8 year old Honda Civic (FIXD works in any car after 1996) and used it as my daily drive. FIXD monitored everything, telling me there were no issues until the 42nd day, when an alert popped up telling me to replace the spark plugs. It alerted me before the “check engine” light even appeared on my car!
To have something that monitors every aspect of your car round the clock is simply fantastic, and could get you out of so many tricky situations. Not to mention it’s a great way to avoid getting stung by crafty mechanics. It felt like I’d given my very ordinary car special AI capabilities under the hood.
I don’t use this term often, but FIXD OBD scanner is simply AMAZING
It Kept All My Cars Trouble Free And In Top Condition
With it’s super-simple setup, round the clock monitoring, real-time problem solving and ability to pair with any Android or Apple smartphone in real-time – FIXD has everything you could want in an OBD scanner, and a whole lot more. It’s like they saw all the problems other scanners have, and built something entirely new that solves every issue. But wait…
I can hear the questions now… how much could this thing save me?
Well, considering the average repair bill costs between 800-1200, and with 63% of people saying they’ve felt ripped off by a mechanic before, this one little device could potentially save you thousands. And as it diagnoses 2000 more problems than any other scanner, it puts you in the perfect position to save big.
“FIXD is a win-win situation. The price is amazing, it’s incredibly easy to use, and it diagnoses more problems than any other scanner.“
Usually I have to send back my review samples, but I wanted to keep FIXD for myself so I could ensure all my cars run like clockwork without a hitch. So I paid the money and kept it.
ZERO regrets! I wholeheartedly give FIXD a massive THUMBS UP!
Fixd Ratings: 4.8/5.0
4.8/5
Key Details About FIXD
- DIAGNOSES MORE PROBLEMS THAN ANY SCANNER – Over 7000 problems – 2000 more than the next best OBD scanner. In my opinion, this alone is worth the purchase.
- WORKS ROUND THE CLOCK – I never have to worry about an unknown car issue on the road when I’m far from home. FIXD is always with me, always checking, and always ready to diagnose any issue.
- PAIRS TO ANY APPLE OR ANDROID SMARTPHONE – Connect to any smartphone out of the box in under 30 seconds. Then plug it in your car. It really couldn’t be simpler.
- GIVES ACTIONABLE ADVICE IN PLAIN ENGLISH – Unlike other scanners that are so difficult to read, the advice FIXD gives is always so easy to understand. Finally! (other scanners take note)
- WORKS IN ANY CAR AFTER 1996 – Yep, you can use it in any car built within the last 24 years, making this scanner incredibly versatile.
- AMAZING VALUE – You will be so happy with FIXD you’ll want to order two or three to give to friends and family members to use in their cars. And with such a great price, you’ll be able to afford them easily.
- CAST-IRON MONEY-BACK-GUARANTEE – If for any reason you think FIXD isn’t for you, just send it back within 30 days and get a full refund, no questions asked.
Is There Any Downside To FIXD?
YES, the “downside” is that they are selling like crazy. Thousands and thousands of units per week. They have sold 1.5 million units since they launched and for good reason. This device matches the functionality of $2,000+ devices for less than $100!
Final Recap
When it comes right down to it, the FIXD diagnostic scanner is a great tool for people who want to take care of their vehicles and do simple repairs at home. Your check engine light might come on because you need to tighten your gas cap or replace a few spark plugs, which are easy repairs that you can do on your own. FIXD will do a full scan and tell you what you need to do, which lets you know whether to take your car to a shop. It’s easy enough for beginners to use at home to diagnose their engine troubles.
Some of the top features that we like about this product include how easily you can use it and how many problems it can identify. It takes just seconds to plug in the scanner and a few extra minutes to download and set up the app. You can do a scan while standing right next to your car or while sitting inside your home. As long as you have a connection between the app and the tool, you can perform a scan. If you are tired of seeing that check engine light on your dash shining or blinking at you every time you get behind the wheel, you’ll love FIXD.
UPDATE: Fixd now offers a special introductory price – first orders only. Check if the promo is still available.
Meet Our Expert
Magnus
Experienced product researcher at BestDigs.org, as well as a drifting driver for over 7 years. Specialized in car diagnostics & troubleshooting.
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To help people live stronger, healthier lifestyles by delivering the best, most-informed content in the strength sports and fitness space.
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