This article will help you evaluate the OBDLink® adapter products and decide which one is best for your particular requirements.
First, we recommend that you confirm that your vehicle is OBD-II compliant by reading the Is my vehicle supported? article.
Next, evaluate your requirements. Do you plan to use an iOS device, an Android device, or a Windows device with your OBDLink adapter? Do you want to connect your adapter to your vehicle using Bluetooth or USB? We separated the requirements into these categories:
Learn more about the categories in the next sections or jump directly to the Summary table.
OBD-II protocol support
| ISO 15765-4 | ISO 14230-4 | ISO 9141-2 | J1850 PWM (Ford) | J1850 VPW (GM) | MS-CAN (Ford) | SW-CAN (GM) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBDLink MX+ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| OBDLink EX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| OBDLink CX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| OBDLink LX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Note: OBDLink CX is optimized for BMW vehicles. It will not work on GM, Ford, and certain FCA vehicles built before model year 2008.
Connection type
This category describes the connection between your OBDLink adapter and your device (phone, computer, or tablet).
| USB | Bluetooth v5.0 Low Energy (BLE) | Bluetooth v3.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBDLink MX+ | ✔ | ||
| OBDLink EX | ✔ | ||
| OBDLink CX | ✔ | ||
| OBDLink LX | ✔ |
Voltage rating
| 12 V Automotive Systems (8-18 V operating range) | 24 Volt compatible (operates at 24 V) | 24 Volt tolerant (safely shuts down at 24 V) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBDLink MX+ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| OBDLink EX | ✔ | ✔ | |
| OBDLink CX | ✔ | ||
| OBDLink LX | ✔ |
Device operating system
This category describes the operating system for your device (phone, computer, or tablet).
| Android | iOS | Windows (Vista and newer) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBDLink MX+ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| OBDLink EX | ✔ See Note 1 | ✔ | |
| OBDLink CX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ See Note 2 |
| OBDLink LX | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Notes: 1. A USB On-the-Go (OTG) cable is required to connect OBDLink EX to an Android device. (OTG cable is not included with purchase.) 2. A BLE adapter is required to connect OBDLink CX to a Windows device. (BLE adapter is not included with purchase.) | |||
Wireless security
Wireless connection: 128-bit data encryption | |
|---|---|
| OBDLink MX+ | ✔ |
| OBDLink EX | No wireless connection |
| OBDLink CX | ✔ |
| OBDLink LX | ✔ |
Summary table
Use the table below to help select the OBDLink adapter that best fits your requirements.
 OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth |  OBDLink EX USB |  OBDLink CXBLE |  OBDLink LXBluetooth | |
| OBD-II protocol support | ||||
| Supports all OBD-II protocols | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ See Note 1 | ✔ |
| Supports GM SW-CAN | ✔ | |||
| Supports Ford MS-CAN | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Connection type | ||||
| Bluetooth v3.0 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Bluetooth v5.1 LE (BLE) | ✔ | |||
| USB interface | ✔ | |||
| Voltage rating | ||||
| 12 Volt automotive systems | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 24 Volt compatible | ✔ | |||
| 24 Volt tolerant | ✔ | |||
| Device operating system | ||||
| All Android devices | ✔ | ✔ See Note 2 | ✔ | ✔ |
| All iOS devices | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| All Windows devices | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ See Note 3 | ✔ |
| Wireless security | ||||
| Hacker-proof wireless connection | ✔ | N/A | ✔ | ✔ |
Notes:
- OBDLink CX is optimized for BMW vehicles. It will not work on GM, Ford, and certain FCA vehicles built before model year 2008. If you have questions that aren’t answered by this article, please submit a support ticket.
- A USB On-the-Go (OTG) cable is required to connect OBDLink EX to an Android device. (OTG cable is not included with purchase.)
- A BLE adapter is required to connect OBDLink CX to a Windows device. (BLE adapter is not included with purchase.)
Learn more
- We recommend you read these articles before you purchase an OBDLink adapter:
- Is my vehicle supported? This article helps you determine if you can use OBDLink adapters with your vehicle.
- Are enhanced diagnostics available for my vehicle? This article helps you confirm if enhanced diagnostics are available for your vehicle.
Note: OBDLink adapters support all OBD-II compliant vehicles. You can read OBD-II diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) using the free OBDLink app (Android and iOS) or OBDwiz (Windows). You need enhanced diagnostics to read additional manufacturer-specific DTCs and Parameter IDs (PIDs). For example, if you have a Ford vehicle, you may want to read and clear Ford-specific DTCs for the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
- You can explore other OBDLink features and functionality using our support article knowledge base.
- See this Wikipedia article on PIDs that are supported by the SAE OBD-II standard.
- For descriptions of terms used in this article, see the Glossary of Acronyms and Terms.
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