If you're in the market for a car OBD scanner, you've probably come across two popular names: OBDeleven and Carista. Both tools offer a variety of features to help you diagnose, service, and customize your vehicle. 

 

But which one is the right fit for you? 

 

The answer depends on your vehicle model, feature needs, and level of expertise. In this article, we'll compare the features, pricing, and usability of OBDeleven and Carista to help you make the right decision. 

 

For those who don't want to spend time reading, here’s a quick comparison of OBDeleven vs Carista in the table below: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OBDeleven, a car tech company founded in Lithuania in 2014, creates innovative diagnostic tools that let users easily access, diagnose, and customize their vehicle's electronic systems. 

 

The company's mission is to give drivers full control and ownership of their vehicles by providing easy access to advanced diagnostics and customization features. 

 

Currently, OBDeleven has connected over 3 million vehicles in more than 60 countries worldwide. 

 

 

OBDeleven's core product is the OBDeleven NextGen device, a compact Bluetooth tool that connects to your car's OBD2 port. Once connected, it pairs with the OBDeleven app on your smartphone. That’s where you access all the diagnostics, customizations, and more features. 

 

 

 

One of OBDeleven’s main advantages is its official licensing from major automakers: 

 

OBDeleven has been thoroughly tested to meet each manufacturer's standards, ensuring safe and reliable operation that reduces the risk of system issues. This official licensing also means that using OBDeleven for diagnostics and approved customizations won’t void your vehicle’s warranty. 

 

You should note, however, that while OBDeleven itself is designed for safety, improper use – such as disabling safety features – may still impact your vehicle and its warranty coverage. Always review each function and use caution when making changes to your vehicle’s systems. 

 

It also provides access to the manufacturer's diagnostic trouble code database, so you can be sure the fault codes, and their descriptions are accurate, up-to-date, and fully compatible with your car. 

 

 

 

 

 

With OBDeleven's Advanced Diagnostics, you can access every vehicle control unit available in your car. Beyond the engine, these include transmission, ABS, airbags, multimedia, air conditioning, electronics, steering, and more. The complete list of available control units depends on vehicle model and equipment. 

 

Advanced Diagnostics comes with the OBDeleven NextGen device and requires no additional payments or subscriptions. 

 

Here’s how it works: 

 

 

 

For Volkswagen Group vehicles   

 

You can dig deeper into each control unit to view detailed data, such as system descriptions, ODX names and versions, serial numbers, protocols, and software/hardware details. 

 

Fault codes come with extra information, too. You'll see the fault name, code, and status (passive or active). Plus, there’s a direct link to Google for instant search results tailored to your car model. 

 

For BMW F-series 

 

In addition to fault codes, you will find more detailed descriptions of the most common symptoms, causes, and troubleshooting tips. 

 

 

 

The OBDeleven VAG app offers two powerful diagnostic features: live data and freeze frame data. 

 

Live data provides real-time information from each sensor or relay in your vehicle, tracks the operation of every component, and helps pinpoint malfunctions. Modern cars offer access to hundreds or even thousands of live data channels, such as boost pressure, fuel pressure, diesel particulate filter (DPF) soot level, intake air temperature, battery voltage, and more. 

 

Android users of the OBDeleven VAG app can also log these values in charts for more in-depth analysis. 

 

 

Freeze frame data captures a snapshot of your vehicle's condition when a fault code is triggered. It records key data points to show exactly what happened when the problem occurred. 

 

 

 

If your check engine light comes on with a fault code for fuel trim being too lean, freeze frame data might show it happened at high RPMs. This could indicate a few possible causes, such as an inefficient fuel pump or overboost conditions. 

 

Then, as you monitor the live data while driving, you may notice further clues. For instance, if the boost pressure stays within limits, but fuel pressure drops noticeably under hard acceleration, this points to low fuel pressure under heavy load. 

 

Combining freeze frame and live data, you can narrow down the issue more effectively and focus on fixing the low fuel pressure. 

 

 

With One-Click Apps, you can easily customize your car. You can adjust, enable, or disable safety, comfort, and driving features with just a single tap on the screen. 

 

It's like coding, but without the hassle – no special knowledge or technical skills are required. Each One-Click App has a detailed description with an image. All you have to do is select the feature you want and activate it. 

 

 

Here are some examples of what you can customize:  

 

The options depend on your car's make, model, and equipment. Some models offer more features than others, but if you own a Volkswagen Group, BMW Group, or Toyota Group vehicle, you'll definitely find plenty of options here.

 

 

 

OBDeleven's One-Click Apps simplify routine maintenance by providing tools for a variety of tasks: 

 

Available service One-Click Apps vary by vehicle model. 

 

How to access One-Click Apps?  

 

You can activate One-Click Apps with our in-app currency – Credits, which you can get straight from the OBDeleven store. Most features cost 10 Credits. 

 

For Volkswagen Group vehicles, One-Click Apps are included in the ULTIMATE VAG plan benefits. With this subscription, you can use One-Click Apps as much as you want at no additional cost. 

 

 

In 2020, Volkswagen AG introduced the SFD (Schutz Fahrzeug Diagnose) protection to limit unauthorized vehicle modifications. It restricts functions such as adaptations and coding. 

 

This change didn't affect all VAG models at once but those built on the MQB Evo and MEB platforms. Popular models with SFD lock include VW Golf 8, Škoda Octavia IV, and Audi A3 8Y. For a more complete list, click here. 

 

 

OBDeleven, as an officially licensed tool, can unlock SFD protection. It offers an SFD auto-unlock feature that makes bypassing this protection simple. When you try to modify a locked control unit, the app automatically requests an SFD token from Volkswagen’s servers to unlock it – seamlessly and without extra effort on your part. 

 

What it means for you: 

 

 

For more tech-savvy users, this is where the real fun begins. 

 

OBDeleven offers advanced coding and adaptations specifically for Volkswagen Group (VAG) vehicles. These features allow you to customize and fine-tune a wide range of settings within your vehicle's electronic control units (ECUs), much like a professional mechanic. 

 

Key functions include:  

 

While OBDeleven makes these advanced features accessible, a solid understanding of vehicle systems is important to avoid unintended issues. 

 

However, you can prevent mistakes by using the control unit's backup feature before making changes. This allows you to restore the original settings if necessary. Note that you can't revert basic settings, so be extra careful with it. 

 

All these advanced features are available with the PRO VAG plan, which you can get for €49.99 per year. 

 

 

OBDeleven isn’t limited to the brands it's officially licensed with, though.    

 

The Basic OBD2 Diagnostic feature allows you to diagnose engine-related problems on any other car brand supporting the CAN-bus protocol, which gained popularity in 2008.   

 

So, whether you drive a Mercedes, Ford, Mazda, Peugeot, or another brand, you can use OBDeleven to scan your engine and view fault codes. Plus, every fault code has a handy Google button for quick searches tailored to your vehicle. 

 

Just like with Advanced Diagnostics, you can easily clear faults, which not only turns off the check engine light but also confirms that the problem has been resolved. 

 

 

 

Carista is a Bulgarian car tech company that offers innovative solutions for vehicle diagnostics, customization, and servicing. 

 

Carista offers a range of service tools to assist with routine maintenance tasks. For Volkswagen Group models, Carista can reset service and oil change indicators, register a new battery after replacement, prime the fuel system, access detailed ECU information, and perform emission tests. 

 

BMW Group vehicles have options to force DPF regeneration and open the electronic parking brake for rear brake pad replacement. 

 

Available service tools vary by vehicle model. 

 

 

Carista’s Live Data feature lets you track essential vehicle performance metrics, though the specific data available depends on your car model.  

 

While it doesn't provide all the live data channels available from your vehicle, Carista organizes the most commonly used parameters into clear, grouped lists for easier diagnostics.  

 

For example:  

 

This streamlined approach makes the app simple and easy to use without overwhelming you with too much information. 

 

However, for users who need more detailed analysis, the lack of charting feature could be a limitation.  

 

 

Both OBDeleven and Carista offer different pricing models to suit varying customer needs. 

 

 

 

Both OBDeleven and Carista are designed to be user-friendly and accessible to drivers of all skill levels. 

 

OBDeleven offers two mobile apps – the multi-brand OBDeleven app and the OBDeleven VAG app. The former offers an easy-to-use design tailored for everyday drivers, while the OBDeleven VAG app focuses exclusively on Volkswagen Group vehicles, with more advanced features like coding and adaptations.  

 

Carista, on the other hand, offers a single app for all supported vehicles. Its minimalist design is simple to use, especially for beginners looking for straightforward functionality. 

 

 

The choice between OBDeleven and Carista largely depends on your needs, vehicle make, and what you value most in a diagnostic tool. 

 

Choose OBDeleven if: 

 

Choose Carista if: 

 

 

The choice between OBDeleven and Carista depends on the vehicles you want to work on and your desired features.  

 

OBDeleven stands out with in-depth diagnostics at no extra cost or subscription. It also offers advanced coding for Volkswagen Group vehicles, along with a wide range of One-Click Apps for VAG, BMW, and Toyota Group cars.  

 

Carista, with its simple design and broad compatibility, is the perfect tool for beginners. It provides easy-to-use diagnostic and customization features without the complexity of manual coding. Both tools are effective, so your decision depends on your specific needs and vehicle preferences.