Between Autel and Xtool, which diagnostic scan tool is better? Today I’m putting both manufacturers against each other in a comparison. The aim is to go over salient points and differences from the build, charging, features, customer support, speed, and cost. Mainly taking Autel MaxiCOM MK808Z & Xtool D7 for example.
1. Build
Autel used to have a wide lead here, especially if you’re considering Autel MK808S against the Xtool D7. However, with Xtool’s recent design like InPlus IP819, the language gap has significantly narrowed.
In my opinion, Autel still has the edge in terms of refinement, and you’ll also expect to have a kickstand with every Autel device. So for this first category, I’m going to give the edge and the win to Autel.
2. Charging
Charging your scanner is one thing to keep in mind. Especially if you’re a shop and attend to multiple vehicles in a day.
For me, Xtool is the clear winner here. Xtool devices usually have multiple charging ports. All these ports, including USB type-A, can charge the device. Also, one other thing that, Xtool has done their wired devices can charge off the car’s battery once connected to the OBD port. This means that you won’t have instances where you’re unable to scan a car because the battery of your scan tool has run down.
3. Features
Features like diagnostics, special or service functions, and bi-directional tests are the real reason why we buy scan tools. And this is the most difficult category to compare between both manufacturers. No one scanner does it all, and you’ll always find things that are supported by one manufacturer that the other one doesn’t support. This often varies depending on what car you are in.
For example, on my 2017 Honda Accord, the Xtool D7 is able to replace the body control module while my Autel MP808TS which is a much higher tool doesn’t support this function. You’ll also find things that Autel supports, that Xtool doesn’t.
Sticking to the software side of things, I generally find that Autel has fewer communication errors compared to Xtool. And overall, you’re going to find fewer bugs with Autel devices. Sometimes it comes down to Xtool not fine-tuning the software architecture of their scanners.
For example, the A30M that I reviewed recently doesn’t have key programming listed under special functions. But if you go into the immobilizer ECU on this Honda, you’re still going to find key programming options listed despite the fact that it doesn’t work. That said, if you’re into key programming, but you’re not yet ready to invest in an advanced key programmer.
All things being equal, Xtool devices may be your better bet. I’ve noticed that Xtool appears to have the edge especially when it comes to reading pin code data and programming keys. Also, a number of Xtool scanners have a Type-A USB port like the Xtool D8 and above or the IP819. All these can be connected to Xtool accessories for advanced key programming like KC100 or KC501 which you may require to program keys for Mercedes, Audi, and so on.
My take here is to always write the manufacturer, especially if you intend to buy a tool because of a particular function, just to make sure that is really supported by the tool you want to buy.
One other edge I’ll give to Autel is refinement. You’ll find that Autel’s software just feels a bit more refined and more user-friendly compared to Xtool. In this category, it really depends on what you lay priority on, and the functions you’re asking. So I’ll leave you to decide the winner.
4. Customer Support
This is one that Xtool easily takes. Xtool customer support is very responsive and sometimes you get a reply within 24 hours. I’ve also seen Xtool roll out bug fixes quite quickly on an individual basis, even before releasing the official patch to the public in an update. In all, I’ll say that Xtool listens more, and is more likely to implement customer feedback compared to Autel.
But again, Autel has fewer bugs, and in my experience, I’ve had a much lesser need to contact Autel customer support.
5. Speed
Some people consider this when choosing a scanner speed. I’ve found Autel to be generally slower than Xtool scanners, and this holds true. Even when Xtool devices have lesser RAM compared to Autel.
6. Cost
Cost is also a major factor that people consider, and across the board, Autel MK808Z & Xtool D7 are nearly the same except for the cost of renewing a subscription. Also, Xtool devices come with more years of free updates compared to Autel. You may have as much as 3 years of updates for example in the Xtool D7 while the highest I’ve seen on the Autel device is 2 years.
So that’s something you should keep in mind assuming you want to always keep your tool updated. Even though you shouldn’t just buy a tool because it’s cheaper. It’s a decision that you have to make based on the whole package.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve looked across all these categories, here’s my final take. I can’t just tell you which one is better because, at the end of the day, it depends on what you lay priorities on. No one scanner can do it all.
The reality is that if you’re a shop, you’re often going to have different brands of scanners. In order to get the best out of what each brand has to offer, either of these brands will serve you well depending on what your needs are.
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