The short answer
Before you look at the brand, check three things: is it a full tool or a phone adapter, what does it actually do on your car, and do you pay for updates? Autel and Launch usually charge an annual renewal on their tablets. Thinkcar and Carista run on an app with paid plans. Topdon mixes both models. Almost the whole iCarsoft range updates free for life.
Search for a diagnostic tool online and you will run into Autel, Topdon, Thinkcar, Carista, Launch and, of course, iCarsoft. Most comparisons talk about screens and processors, but those matter least. This is what actually changes the outcome.
First, what kind of tool are you after?
There are three types, and it pays not to mix them up:
- Bluetooth adapter and app. A small plug in the OBD2 port, with your phone as the screen. That is how Carista, Thinkcar's ThinkDiag and OBDeleven work. Cheap to start with, but the good stuff is usually behind paid plans.
- Handheld tool. Screen and buttons, with a cable. It works on its own, no phone needed. This is where the CR Pro, the CR Pro+ and the single-brand V1.0 and V2.0 sit.
- Diagnostic tablet. Large touchscreen, active tests, coding. Think Autel MaxiSys, Launch X431, Topdon Phoenix or the iCarsoft CR Max.
Not sure which you need? Read what a diagnostic tool can do.
The brands, one by one
Autel
A Chinese brand found in a great many garages, with a huge range: MaxiCOM scanners, MaxiSys tablets and TPMS programmers. Its tablets are very complete. Free updates usually last one or two years depending on the model. After that you pay a renewal to stay current.
Topdon
A younger brand that has grown fast, with simple code readers, the ArtiDiag range and Phoenix tablets. Some models update free for life and others need a subscription, so read each product page carefully.
Thinkcar
Best known for ThinkDiag, an adapter that turns your phone into a diagnostic tool. It works with software bought per make or functions paid for separately. There are also ThinkTool tablets. If you will use lots of makes or functions, add up the total cost carefully.
Carista
An adapter and app with a clear goal: customising the car, unlocking hidden features and doing some service adjustments. It runs on a subscription. Great if you want to tweak your car's settings. As a tool for tracking down faults, it falls short of a full diagnostic tool.
iCarsoft
Also Chinese, with handheld scanners, single-brand tools and tablets. What sets it apart is how you pay: you buy the tool once and, across almost the whole range, updates are free for life. The CR Ultra tablets and the MT PRO come with 3 free years, after which renewal is optional. They read every system and, depending on the model, do from 9 to over 40 service functions. The CR Pro+ and the tablets have active tests.
Quick comparison
| Brand | Format | Updates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autel | Scanners and tablets | Free for 1 or 2 years, then renewal | High-volume garages |
| Topdon | Scanners and tablets | Depends on the model | Drivers and garages |
| Thinkcar | Phone adapter and tablets | Paid per make or function | People who work on few makes |
| Carista | Phone adapter | Subscription | Customising the car |
| iCarsoft | Scanners, single-brand tools and tablets | Free for life on almost the whole range; 3 years on the CR Ultra and MT PRO | Anyone who doesn't want fees |
Each manufacturer's terms change over time. Before buying any tool, check on its product page how long free updates last and what the renewal costs.
Four questions before you pay
- Does it do the function I need on my car? "Has electronic parking brake" isn't enough: it has to cover your make, model and year.
- What happens in two years' time? If there is a renewal, factor that cost in from day one.
- Do I need my phone? An adapter is handy, but if your phone battery dies or the app changes, you have no tool.
- Is it genuine? There are plenty of copies of all these brands. Without a valid serial number they don't update and have no warranty.
Our recommendation
- Looking after your own car at home: the CR Pro, or the V2.0 for your make if you only have one. See which tool is right for your car.
- Tracking down tricky faults: the CR Pro+, because active tests tell you whether it is the part or the wiring.
- Repair garage: the CR Max or the CR Max P. We cover it in which tool to buy for a garage.
- Customising only: an adapter such as Carista or OBDeleven. For VAG cars we compare them in OBDeleven, VCDS or VAWS V2.0.
And if you are torn between Launch and iCarsoft, the comparison is in Launch X431 or iCarsoft.
