As a DIY mechanic myself, I know you would love to have an OBD-II scanner that comes with professional features without having to pay for an every-year license. In the past few months, I tested around 15 scanners without subscriptions, and here are my recommended picks:
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Quick Recommendations

xTool A30

Thinkcar Thinkscan 689

Ancel ECHO

xTool D5S

Mucar V06

Kingbolen Ediag
Testing & comparing

Tester & Author: Juraj Lukacko
I care about giving you guys the best value-for-money tools as I am a DIY mechanic myself and I am sure I don’t want to spend money on crappy tools 🙂
I test new diagnostic tools every week, so I don’t just offer a few random products.
I have personally tested more than 100 car diagnostic tools, so I understand which ones are worth purchasing.
You can read the full review policy HERE, but now check what I found:
Xtool A30 is my favourite

xTool A30 comes with great value for money and easy-to-use software. It doesn’t have the most functionality, for example, it is missing ECU coding of FCA access but it can:
- Scan all modules for faults
- Erase faults from all modules
- 8-21 service procedures (based on scanner model A30, A30D, A30M)
- Easy-to-use data logging built-in xTool app
- All future updates for free
- Bi-Directional testing
- Print PDF car health reports

The adapter is of great built quality and even survived a few falls I did not intend 😀 without a scratch.
It even shows the voltage of the battery directly on the adapter once you connect it.
I have tested it on a few different cars and I also made a video review which you can check in a separate xTool A30 Review Post.
Ancel ECHO works with ELM apps

When I saw ECHO for the first time on Amazon, I ordered it straight away because it comes with a very unique concept.
Not only do you have a bi-directional scanner, but it can also connect to hundreds of ELM327 apps you can find in the app store for free.
If ECHO couldn’t connect to ELM apps I would not recommend it. Yes, you have bi-directionality and some other PRO features but it doesnt have vehicle coverage as big as other scanners on this list.
For example I tried connecting it with my Renault Kangoo, but it does not support Renault at all.

However once I switched to one of the ELM apps (car scanner OBD2), I was able to connect and use a scanner to get faults and data from the engine.

If you intend to use a lot of ELM apps, ECHO makes sense. But if you want just one reliable tool to scan all cars I would rather go with xToolA30 or Thinkscan 689.
I also made a full blog post and shot a video review of this scanner, check it out in a separate Ancel ECHO review post.
Xtool D5s is great for older cars

Here I am testing it out on Skoda Rapid 2016 which I don’t consider that old but it has around 9-10 control modules.
However, this type of scanner (4-system) works only with Engine, Transmission, Airbag, and ABS control modules.
And since this is a manual transmission, there is no module for it. So I can work only with 3 control modules out of 9 a car has.
But the scanner is flawless, it is fast, easy to upload and everything it can do it does without any complications.

That is why I am recommending it mostly for old cars as these cars don’t come with many modules anyways.
Usually, you have only engine, transmission, airbag, and ABS modules for cars from 1996-2006.
It is more advanced than a traditional code reader and I also made a video review of it in a separate post.
Check out the xTool D5s Review here.
Conclusion & Total Winners

xTool A30

Thinkcar Thinkscan 689

xTool D5S

Kingbolen Ediag
IF you are still unsure or don’t understand scanner features, I suggest you download my FREE PDF guide. It explains all scanner functionality, and different scanner types so you will now which one you need for your needs. (IT also has some discount codes, download below)

OBD-II scanner Buyer’s Guide
- Scanner features explained
- Different types of scanners
- Scanners for coding/odometer/ECU/checks
- Best picks + discount codes

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)