Car and garage · Head to head
BlueDriver vs FOXWELL vs TOPDON: phone sensor or handheld scanner
A phone sensor or a handheld? BlueDriver, FOXWELL and TOPDON compared on what each maker states.
At a glance who each one fits
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BlueDriver Pro Bluetooth scan tool (LSB2)
Phone sensor with repair reports
- ABS and SRS codes: Yes
- Bluetooth named: Yes
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FOXWELL NT604 Elite handheld scanner
Handheld: 4 systems, no service resets
- ABS and SRS codes: Yes
- Service resets: None
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Handheld: 4 systems, 6 named resets
- ABS and SRS codes: Yes
- Service resets: 6
Figures are as stated in each product's current Amazon listing. Yes or No: whether the listing names the feature.
On this page
What we compared and why
- Phone or its own screen. The BlueDriver has no screen and uses a phone app; the other two are handhelds. This is the first split, and it is settled by how you prefer to work.
- Systems it reads. All three name ABS and SRS. How wide the coverage is on your car is a separate question that only each maker's coverage check can answer.
- Service resets. The biggest stated difference between the two handhelds. One names six; the other says it does not offer them.
- Help with what a code means. BlueDriver leads with repair reports. A code alone tells you the circuit, not the fix.
Side by side
| Model | ABS and SRS codes | Service resets | Bluetooth named | Amazon link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlueDriver Pro Bluetooth scan tool (LSB2) | Yes | Not stated in listing | Yes | See on Amazon |
| FOXWELL NT604 Elite handheld scanner | Yes | None | Not stated in listing | See on Amazon |
| TOPDON ArtiDiag500 scan tool | Yes | 6 | Not stated in listing | See on Amazon |
Read at this page's build and converted to one unit by us; sources as in the key above. "Not stated in listing": the listing does not give it. "Listing gives two values": it states two, so we show neither.
BlueDriver Pro Bluetooth scan tool (LSB2)
Who it fits: You are happy to use your phone as the screen, and you want a report matched to each code, with causes and reported fixes.
Skip it if: You want a tool that works without a phone, or you need service resets; BlueDriver's page does not describe them for this model.
FOXWELL NT604 Elite handheld scanner
Who it fits: You want a self-contained handheld for reading engine, ABS, SRS and transmission codes, and do not need resets.
Skip it if: You want oil, battery or brake resets; its listing says it does not support service functions.
TOPDON ArtiDiag500 scan tool
Who it fits: You do your own maintenance and want six named resets on a handheld, with a 5 in. screen.
Skip it if: You mainly want explanation of what a code means; TOPDON's page lists repair information as a separate spec line, and we could not read its value for this model.
Which tools are these?
All three sit in the middle of the OBD2 scanner ladder: they go past a simple code reader, but none of them states bidirectional tests in the sources we read. If you have not yet decided which step you need, start with that page. This one assumes you have settled on this group. It is research-based, from makers' pages and current listings; we have not plugged these tools into a car.
What each one states
| BlueDriver Pro LSB2 | FOXWELL NT604 Elite | TOPDON ArtiDiag500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Sensor in the OBD2 port, phone app over Bluetooth | Handheld | Handheld with a 5 in. screen |
| Systems named | Check engine, plus ABS, airbag, TPMS and transmission, by make | Engine, ABS, SRS, transmission | Engine, transmission, ABS, SRS |
| Service resets | None described on the page we read | Listing says not supported | 6 named: oil, throttle adapt, SAS, TPMS, BMS, EPB |
| Code explanation | Report for each code, with causes and reported fixes | Not stated on the text we could read | A repair information line in its spec table; value not readable |
| Vehicles stated | 1996 and newer sold in North America | Major American, Asian and European makes | 67+ brands, per its page and listing |
| Maker's terms | "No subscriptions. No add-ons." | Lifetime update named in the listing | Lifetime updates and a 1-year warranty on its page |
Parts of FOXWELL's page are images that we could not read, so its column leans on the listing. BlueDriver gives two coverage statements: its page and listing lead with all gas vehicles from 1996, while the page's description says most gas, diesel and hybrid vehicles. If yours is a diesel or a hybrid, use BlueDriver's compatibility checker for your exact vehicle before you rely on it.
The choice, question by question
| If you... | Lean toward | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Want the tool to live in your glove box and to use your phone | BlueDriver | A small sensor and an app; no second screen to store |
| Do not want to depend on a phone, an app or pairing | FOXWELL or TOPDON | Each has its own screen |
| Do your own oil changes, batteries or brakes and need resets | TOPDON | It is the one of the three naming resets |
| Want an explanation of what a code means | BlueDriver | Its repair reports are the feature it leads with |
| Want codes from four systems and nothing else | FOXWELL | It states exactly that, and states the limit |
What matters most is often the row about resets. The FOXWELL listing says plainly that the NT604 Elite does not support service functions such as an oil reset, battery registration or ABS bleeding. That is an unusually clear limit, and helpful if you know you do not need them. If you do need them, the choice narrows at once.
Check these on your own car
The stated systems on all three depend on the vehicle. BlueDriver says enhanced diagnostics depend on make, and basic code lookup and reports work on any OBD2 vehicle. TOPDON's six resets will not all apply to every car; a car without an electric parking brake has no use for an EPB reset. Use each maker's coverage check for your year, make, model and engine before you decide.
If these three do less than you need, for example if you want to command parts to run, go back to the ladder and look at step 4. For other jobs in the garage, see impact wrenches for lug nuts.
Reading the table
The first table comes from the current listings: "Yes" means the listing names the feature, and "None" means the listing states the limit. "Not stated in listing" means the listing does not name it. The table in this section adds what we could read on each maker's page, linked under Sources.
What this page does not tell you
We have not used these tools on a vehicle, and we do not rank them. We do not confirm coverage for your car, or compare speed, accuracy or how well a report matches a real fault. Follow the tool maker's instructions and your vehicle's service manual for any reset.