The best OBD2 scanner is one that supports most protocols.
The app that comes with that scanner has 0 influence on its ability to read codes.
What ever app hardware is supplied with has VERY LIMITED database of code related information.
With that said, there are only 2 factors when it comes to buying ANY OBD2 scanner for average consumers.
#1 List of Supported protocols (as well as ABS and Airbags). Typical lie is “All protocols” but never bother to list them.
#2 Database. Little Database=little information about the code.
If you are really smart like me, you will only be focused on #1 because code description and list of fixes can be found free all over the place.
There are TON of apps that give you very detailed description of give code, as well as most commonly reported fixes OFFLINE !!!!!
All you really need is a good reader that can pull as many codes out of your vehicle as possible (more protocols is all you need)
The rest you can get elsewhere.
Take Bluedriver for example. Bluedriver claims to have 30 million solutions.
Some other brand may have less solutions but may read more protocols.
So you may think “i will buy this other brand scanned but i will use bluedriver app” ? Good thought but bluedriver app will not allow you to look up the codes manually, it will only shows you what ever codes it retrieves from the car.
They hide that function for a reason.
To this day, there is only one known scanner that can give you most for less buck.
That scanner has many names because it uses exact same chip ELM327.
Problem with ELM327 is that its not a model, its a chip around which scanner is designed.
Chip had no read protection for few firmware releases so copies of it are all over the place and those copies are VERY BAD.
It is nearly impossible to find legit ELM327 based scanner (thanks to chinese fake makers) so i wont be telling you where to go get one.
Amazon and eBay are full of copy junks of ELM327. It’s nearly impossible to tell which one is legit without doing extensive diagnostic and attempting to read every OBD2 protocol ELM327 has listed as supported (which is far greater then BlueDriver). You’d better to buy diagnostic tools from the place where we can get professional tech support. chinacardiags .com is the one i use mostly.
ELM327 does not read ABS or airbags (just fiy) but those are not important for most people anyway.
