OBDLink MX+ vs LX vs EX vs CX (2026): Which Adapter to Buy and Which Apps Work With Each

We make PulsCar, which sells a membership with an OBDLink MX+; this is a comparison by us, with sources and dates.

The short answer, read from OBDLink's own pages on 22 October 2026: choose the phone first, then the car, then the job. Of these four, an iPhone works with the OBDLink MX+ ($139.95) or the CX ($79.95, out of stock that day on its own page, made for BMW coding, and not for GM, Ford or certain FCA (Fiat Chrysler) vehicles built before model year 2008). An Android phone or a Windows laptop that only has to read and clear codes and show live data can use the LX ($89.95), which is $50 less than the MX+. A Ford owner running FORScan on a Windows laptop is the person the EX ($69.95) was made for, and a BMW or Mini owner coding with BimmerCode is the person the CX was made for. If you want an app that watches the car on every drive with your phone along (the scanner does not record on its own), PulsCar needs the MX+, and only the MX+.

One sentence on PulsCar, up front. PulsCar works with the OBDLink MX+ only, not the MX, LX, EX or CX; its Terms of Sale say so for the Membership only plan and say the app requires the MX+ for all of them. That is not a judgment on the other three, which each have a real strength with a price and a date in the sections below: the LX is $50 less than the MX+, the EX is $70 less and made for FORScan, and the CX is $60 less and made for BimmerCode. It is the reason the MX+ is the adapter to buy if you want that app.

If you are choosing between brands rather than between OBDLink models, read OBDLink MX+ vs BlueDriver. For the free app on its own, read our OBDLink app guide. For the best app to run on an MX+ you already own, read the best app for the OBDLink MX+.

How we checked, and what we could not read

How did PulsCar check these four adapters, and how far can a reader trust the result? On 22 October 2026 we opened and saved the text of OBDLink's product pages for the MX+, LX, EX and CX, their support pages, the FAQ, the About page, the warranty page, the compatible-apps and MX+ apps pages, the troubleshooting guide (Revision C, August 2025) and the support article that compares the adapters, plus the OBDLink app's App Store and Google Play listings. We also read FORScan's and BimmerCode's own pages, the Car Scanner and Torque listings, and PulsCar's checkout, Terms of Sale and scanner page. Each fact below comes from one of those pages, each quotation was compared word for word with the saved text, and where two pages disagree we show both. The limit is plain: we bought and tested no hardware, so this page reports what OBDLink and the app makers say, not how an adapter behaves in your car.

What we could not read. FORScan's own adapters page returned a "not found" error, so FORScan's list of adapters here is limited to its home page. For the MX Wi-Fi we saved only a support page. The comparison tables on OBDLink's pages are rows of check marks; the web version of the support article flattens them into text that does not show which column a mark belongs to, so wherever that mattered we used the column positions of the PDF troubleshooting guide, which keeps them. We did not attempt FCC filings, Amazon listings or Trustpilot, and OBDLink's pages do not say who its "authorized retail partners" are.

How to read "not stated". It means we searched the saved pages and found no sentence, not that OBDLink has no answer. OBDLink writes some things as marketing: "world's fastest" appears on the MX+ and LX product pages (and on the older MX page), and we attribute every such line to OBDLink and say when no test method is printed. Every OBDLink price and statement below is "as read on 22 October 2026"; OBDLink can change any of them without notice.

The four adapters on 22 October 2026: price, connection, platforms, warranty

Each adapter has its own page on OBDLink's store: the OBDLink MX+, the OBDLink LX, the OBDLink EX and the OBDLink CX. The prices below match OBDLink's product list and home page. Every line in the table is printed on the adapter's own page unless it says otherwise.

The platform line, the networks line, the connection line and the stock line decide most purchases, and the rest of this page unpacks them. Three things in the table need a caution. "Not listed" means the adapter's page and its protocol list do not list that network as supported; the PDF troubleshooting guide agrees (our reading of the column positions), with a check mark under the MX+ alone for GM SW-CAN and under the MX+ and EX for Ford MS-CAN. The CX's page lists Bluetooth 5.1, but a table inside OBDLink's own support article prints 5.0 once, which the "Bluetooth type, pairing and range" section covers. And the platform line is what each page prints for its own product; the comparison tables add details, such as the EX needing an extra cable on Android, which come later.

Four other names you may meet. The OBDLink MX Bluetooth is discontinued: its page says "This item is no longer in production. It had been superseded by OBDLink MX+", and the old MX web address now shows the MX+ page. The OBDLink SX is a USB adapter whose page says "THIS PRODUCT IS NOW DISCONTINUED" while still showing $49.95 and Out of stock. The Carbyte, $149.95 on its page, is a GM tool: its title reads "Carbyte™ - AFM/DFM/Auto Start/Stop Disabler for GM Cars and Trucks", and the same page says it can also work as a scan tool with a phone; we leave it out of the comparison. The MX Wi-Fi we saw only as a support page, with no price or status.

One conflict inside the LX's own pages. The LX product page gives the weight as 4 oz (113.4 g), while the LX support page says "Weight: 1.2 oz. (33 g.)". The MX+ page gives 3 oz (85.1 g) for a case with the same listed inches, so the two LX figures cannot both be right, and OBDLink does not say which; it changes nothing about which adapter fits your phone or car.

Start with the phone: iPhone, Android or a Windows laptop

The first filter is not the car. It is the device you will carry into the car, because OBDLink's four adapters do not all talk to the same devices.

An iPhone. OBDLink's compatible-apps page opens with a note: "Note: Not all OBDLink scan tools are compatible with all apps, only OBDLink MX+ and CX currently support iOS." The MX+ page lists iOS, Android and Windows, and the CX page lists iOS and Android. The LX page lists only Android and Windows; the MX+ page adds the words "consider purchasing OBDLink LX (not iOS compatible)"; and the LX support page prints Apple/iOS under its supported devices with the entry "Not supported". The EX pages never mention iOS, and the aligned table in the troubleshooting guide puts the iOS check marks under the MX+ and the CX only. Among the four, OBDLink's pages leave two choices for an iPhone: the MX+ and the CX (the App Store listing also names the MX Wi-Fi, which we did not compare).

No page we saved says why. The MX+ and the LX both print Bluetooth v3.0, so the version number on the spec line is not the difference, and OBDLink does not name what is. We report that gap rather than fill it. One Google Play reviewer, in a review dated September 12, 2024, wrote "This obd link lx Firmware should be updated to work on iPhones." That is one customer's expectation, not OBDLink's statement.

An Android phone. The MX+, LX and CX all list Android. On the compatible-apps page the LX is named on all 16 Android download lines, the CX on 6 and the EX on 2; the "Which app works with which adapter" section counts them. The EX is a different case because it is USB. Its support page says "Device must be using Android 4.4 or higher and support USB host mode." and that a USB OTG cable is required and not included with the purchase, and OBDLink's comparison table repeats the cable warning. A phone that cannot act as a USB host cannot run the EX at all.

A Windows laptop. The MX+ support page says the purchase includes the OBDLink app and the OBDwiz software for Windows, and the LX support page says "OBDLink app and OBDwiz are included with your purchase, free of charge!" The EX support page offers OBDwiz and FORScan downloads. The CX is the odd one out: OBDLink's tables mark Windows for it, with the note "A BLE adapter is required to connect OBDLink CX to a Windows device.", but the CX product page lists only iOS and Android and its support page says the purchase includes the OBDLink app for iOS or Android. The FAQ lists OBDwiz for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 and says OBDLink has no plans for Mac or Linux software. Other OBDLink pages give older Windows floors (the EX page says Windows Vista or newer), so the FAQ is the clearest statement, though the page is undated.

Then the car: protocols, Ford and GM networks, the CX's pre-2008 limit

The MX+, LX and EX pages promise the same floor: model year 1996 or newer. The MX+ page says it "works with all 1996 & newer model year cars and light trucks sold in the U.S.", the LX and EX pages say the same, and the FAQ adds "OBDLink adapters do not support OBD-I." The CX page has no such sentence, and a limit on its own lives elsewhere, below. OBDLink's selection article states the general rule that its adapters support all OBD-II compliant vehicles. A manufacturer-specific code, such as a Ford ABS code, needs enhanced diagnostics, which the "Free OEM add-ons" section covers.

The two proprietary networks. Some Ford and GM models carry extra networks that a plain OBD-II reader cannot reach: Ford's medium-speed CAN (MS-CAN) and GM's single-wire CAN (SW-CAN). Across OBDLink's tables only the MX+ has a check mark for SW-CAN, and only the MX+ and the EX have one for MS-CAN. The LX page says so itself: "Consider purchasing OBDLink MX+ if you need access to the proprietary Ford & GM vehicle networks (MS-CAN and SW-CAN) in addition to the standard OBD-II protocols." An OBDLink article gives a concrete consequence: an LX owner with a Ford can buy the Ford add-on but "you will not be able to read certain Ford PIDs that come from the MS-CAN network." FORScan's own page lines up with that, naming "FORD MS CAN (only for J2534-2, CANtieCAR, OBDLink EX/MX/MX+, ELS27 or modified ELM327)"; the LX is not in that list.

What OBDLink's pages do not tell a buyer is which modules in a particular car sit on those networks. The app's vehicle editor lists the modules it supports for your vehicle and the coverage PDF lists coverage by make, model and year, but neither, in the text we saved, names the network a module is on, so check your exact year, make and model before you decide the extra $50 is needed or not.

The CX's pre-2008 limit. Note 1 in OBDLink's troubleshooting guide, and the note under the web article's table, say the same thing: "OBDLink CX is optimized for BMW vehicles. It will not work on GM, Ford, and certain FCA vehicles built before model year 2008." OBDLink gives no reason and no list of models. OBDLink's own summary table marks the CX under "Supports all OBD-II protocols" with the pre-2008 note attached, so we rely only on the note. An iPhone owner with a GM or Ford vehicle, or certain FCA vehicles, older than model year 2008 has one OBDLink choice in these pages, and it is the MX+.

Other cases the pages mention. The EX is the only one with a 24 V operating range (8 to 30 V on its page), and OBDLink's table calls it "24 Volt compatible" and the MX+ "24 Volt tolerant", defined in the selection article as "safely shuts down at 24 V", so on a 24 V system the MX+ shuts down safely rather than operating. For hybrid and electric cars, OBDLink's FAQ says its adapters work with them "when paired with an OEM specific third-party app for select vehicles" and its troubleshooting guide says the same, adding that the OBDLink app alone will likely read little or nothing from them and, in a note on low and zero emission vehicles, that "OBDLink adapters may not work." If you drive a hybrid or electric car, check the app maker's vehicle list and ask OBDLink before you buy.

MX+ or LX: what the $50 buys, and who should keep it

This is the question behind "obdlink mx+ vs lx", and OBDLink's pages answer it in three lines (iPhone, networks, add-ons); the rest of the table is the same. The MX+ costs $139.95 and the LX costs $89.95, a difference of $50.00.

The first three rows are the $50. Everything below them is the same, within a few milliamps, or follows from the iPhone row. On speed, the LX page says it is "Based on the best-selling OBDLink MX, the budget-priced OBDLink LX Bluetooth offers the same unparalleled performance", which names the older Bluetooth MX, not the MX+, and the MX+ page and the LX page print the same "world's fastest" line. OBDLink says the LX delivers "up to 4 times as many samples per second as the closest competitor" without naming the competitor or a test method. No saved page compares the MX+ with the LX on speed, so we cannot tell you the $50 buys a faster adapter, and we cannot tell you it does not.

The add-on row needs a careful reading. OBDLink's enhanced-diagnostics article says "If you have another OBDLink adapter model, then you can purchase add-on diagnostics, but they are not guaranteed to access all OEM-specific PIDs/DTCs." No saved OBDLink page prints a price for an add-on bought by an LX owner; the App Store listing of the OBDLink app shows ten add-on packages at $14.99 each for iPhone, which the LX cannot use, and the Google Play page prints no amounts.

Who should keep the $50. An Android owner who wants to read and clear codes, see live data and log it, whose car does not need the Ford or GM networks and is not a GM, Honda, Acura, Hyundai or Kia that wants the free OEM data, and who does not plan to switch to an iPhone. OBDLink's home page describes the LX in nearly those words: "High performance, low cost OBD adapter for Android users who don't require advanced Ford & GM features". For that person the LX is the better value, and nothing on OBDLink's pages says it reads standard codes less well.

Who should spend it. Anyone with an iPhone, anyone with a Ford or GM that needs the networks, anyone who wants the free add-ons for the three families OBDLink names, and anyone who wants PulsCar, which works with the MX+ only. If you are unsure, remember what OBDLink printed twice: a 180-day money-back guarantee on both product pages (the LX support page and the About page say 90 days). The way to claim it is not stated on any page we saved, which the "Warranty, guarantee and returns" section covers, so buy from a seller you can reach.

The EX: a different tool, not a cheaper MX+

The EX at $69.95 is the cheapest of the four and the easiest to misread as an MX+ with some features removed. It is a different kind of product. It is a USB device, with no wireless link at all: OBDLink's selection article prints "No wireless connection" in its wireless-security row. Its page lists 3.5 x 1.0 x 1.8 in and 3.4 oz, and it runs a Windows laptop through a cable.

Made for FORScan. The EX page leads with "Made for FORScan and recommended by the FORScan team" and "100% coverage of Ford modules and all features offered by FORScan". Its description says it can access 100% of Ford ECUs, and that FORScan has capabilities locked out in the proprietary software used at Ford dealerships; those are OBDLink's claims about its own product. FORScan's own page agrees about the pairing: it calls the EX the "recommended USB adapter for Windows version of FORScan, also for configuration and programming functions". FORScan supports Ford, Mazda, Lincoln and Mercury; its page states "Vehicles other than Ford, Mazda, Lincoln, Mercury are not supported!" So the EX is for that group of cars, not a general reader.

What the EX does not have. No Bluetooth, so no phone app over the air. No iPhone entry anywhere on its pages. No GM SW-CAN. On Android it needs a USB OTG cable and USB host mode, and the cable is not included. On OBDLink's compatible-apps page the EX is named for only four app lines: FORScan and AlfaOBD on Windows, and BimmerCode and Harry's Lap Timer on Android. It also has the lowest operating current of the four, 6.5 mA at 12 V, and a BatterySaver current under 1 mA.

The speed line. OBDLink says the EX has "Maximum throughput: up to 20 times faster than “toggle switch” adapters". The comparison class is cheap adapters with a manual switch, not the MX+ or any named product, and the page prints no test method. The EX line is not a statement that the EX is faster than an MX+.

Who it is for. A Ford, Mazda, Lincoln or Mercury owner with a Windows laptop who wants FORScan, which is a specialist job. If that is you, the EX at $69.95 is the adapter the FORScan team points to, and it is $70 less than the MX+. If you want a phone app, or an iPhone, or the app that watches the car, it is the wrong tool.

The CX: the BimmerCode adapter, and why stock matters

The CX at $79.95 is OBDLink's Bluetooth Low Energy adapter, and its page opens with the line that it is for BimmerCode: "Made for BimmerCode and recommended by the BimmerCode team". Its other headline lines are "100% coverage of BimmerCode Vehicles and Features", "Easy In-App Pairing to iOS and Android Devices" and "Free OBDLink App monitor live parameters, perform diagnostics, clear check-engine light". It is the smallest of the four at .7 oz (20 g), with a 55 mA operating current and a BatterySaver current under 1 mA.

Where it works. It works on iPhone and Android with no Pair button; OBDLink's own setup article says the button exists only on the MX+ and the LX. BimmerCode's adapters page prints three lists headed iOS, Android and Desktop adapters. By the order in which it prints them (our reading: the headings are not repeated above each list), the CX, flagged "Made for BimmerCode", and the MX+ are the OBDLink entries on the iOS list, the CX, MX+, LX, SX and EX are on the Android list, and the SX and EX are on the desktop list. That matches OBDLink's own list for BimmerCode, which names the MX+ and CX on iOS and all five of those adapters on Android. BimmerCode itself says "Please note that not every adapter can be used for all supported vehicles." BimmerCode is for BMW, Mini and, on its own site, the Toyota Supra.

The limit and the stock. The pre-2008 GM, Ford and FCA limit from the "Then the car" section applies. The CX is also the one product page that said "Out of stock" on 22 October 2026, with no date for a return. The $60 gap to the MX+ is a list price on a product you could not add to a cart that day. OBDLink does not say whether the CX will come back in stock or at what price.

Who it is for. An iPhone or Android owner who codes a BMW or Mini with BimmerCode and can find a CX in stock. For BimmerCode on an iPhone, the MX+ is also on BimmerCode's iOS list and on OBDLink's list for the app, so the MX+ is the fallback while the CX is out. A non-BMW owner with a car built in 2008 or later can use the CX on an iPhone with the free OBDLink app, at $60 less than the MX+, but OBDLink lists it for only 6 of the 18 third-party apps on its page and it was out of stock on 22 October 2026. For general use on an iPhone, the MX+ is the safer buy.

Which app works with which adapter: OBDLink's own list, counted

OBDLink's compatible-apps page names 18 apps and prints one "Compatible with" line for each download: 11 for iPhone, 16 for Android and 2 for Windows, 29 lines in all. The table below copies those lines, adapter by adapter, on 22 October 2026. A dash means the page prints no line for that device. The page never writes "not compatible"; an adapter missing from a line is simply not listed there. The SX is discontinued but still appears on the page.

Counting those 29 lines gives the matrix a buyer actually wants.

The MX+ is the only adapter named on every iPhone line and on every Android line; the one app without it is FORScan for Windows, which the page pairs with the EX and SX. The LX is named on all 16 Android lines and none of the iPhone lines, which makes it a full Android adapter on OBDLink's list. The CX covers 6 apps, including general readers such as Car Scanner and Torque; the EX's 4 are a specialist list. These counts measure the breadth of OBDLink's published list, not the quality of any app.

Where the lists disagree. OBDLink publishes a second list, its MX+ apps page, which says the MX+ is "supported by dozens of popular third-party automotive apps" and features 15. It names five that the compatible-apps page does not (RealDash, obdCANeX, TrackAddict, RaceBoss and Shift OBD2), so neither list is complete by OBDLink's own account. The two pages also differ on FORScan Lite, which the compatible-apps page lists for iPhone only and the MX+ apps page labels Android and iOS; FORScan's own page lists Lite for both and recommends the MX+ for both. On FORScan for Windows, OBDLink names the EX and SX, while FORScan's page also lists the MX+, LX, SX and MX among its supported adapters, with the EX as its recommended USB choice. None of this changes which adapter fits an iPhone: the MX+ is named on all of them.

Other brands' app listings. The Car Scanner and Torque store listings name OBDLink only as a brand (Car Scanner's Android listing recommends "Recommended adapters brands: OBDLink, Kiwi 3, V-Gate, Carista, LELink, Veepeak.", and its iPhone listing leaves OBDLink out), so, from these two listings, OBDLink's own page is the only source of which model works with which. A last rule from OBDLink's setup article: "the OBDLink adapter can only connect to one app at a time".

The OBDLink app on each adapter: two store listings that disagree, ratings with counts

OBDLink's own app is free for all OBDLink users per its FAQ (the MX+, LX and CX pages say it comes with the purchase), and its two store listings do not agree on which adapters it works with. Google Play's text says "The OBDLink app exclusively works with these adapters" and lists nine: OBDLink MX+, EX USB, CX, LX Bluetooth, SX USB, OBDLink Bluetooth, MX Bluetooth, MX Wi-Fi and OBDLink WiFi, closing with "The app will NOT work with any other brand of OBD adapter." The App Store text says "The OBDLink app exclusively works with OBDLink MX+, OBDLink CX, and OBDLink MX WiFi OBD adapters", three names.

Platform probably explains part of the gap (our reading, not OBDLink's): the LX and EX are not iPhone adapters, so they are on the Android list and not on the iPhone list. Any sentence saying the OBDLink app works with the LX therefore has to say "on Android". One oddity remains. The compatible-apps note says only the MX+ and CX support iOS, while the App Store names the MX Wi-Fi and the MX Wi-Fi support page offers an iOS quick start guide. Both are OBDLink statements and we cannot reconcile them; the note speaks of "scan tools" without saying Bluetooth only.

Both ratings are for the app, one score for every adapter; neither store shows a rating per adapter, so no adapter earns the number. Counts were read on 22 October 2026, the App Store through Apple's lookup for the US storefront. The same page prints two review counts on Google Play, which is why we show both. The iPhone requirement is another place where OBDLink's pages disagree: the FAQ says "iOS 9 and newer", while the current App Store listing says "Requires iOS 15.0 or later."

What the app does is almost the same list on both stores, with nothing tied to an adapter except the add-ons covered in the "Free OEM add-ons" section: check and clear trouble codes, freeze frame data, more than 90 real-time parameters, customizable dashboards, emissions readiness for each US state, CSV logging, a GPS plot of parameters on a map and a full diagnostic report that can be e-mailed. Both listings flag in-app purchases. The App Store text carries two location cautions: that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life, and that the app may use your location even when it is not open. The Google Play text we saved carries neither.

Bluetooth type, pairing and range

The four adapters use three connection types. The MX+ and LX print Bluetooth v3.0, the CX prints Bluetooth 5.1 BLE (Low Energy), and the EX is USB 2.0. The MX+ page names only Bluetooth v3.0; whether it also has a Low Energy radio is not stated on any page we saved, and no page explains why the MX+ works on an iPhone while the LX, with the same printed version, does not.

Two conflicts in OBDLink's own pages. First, the class. The MX+ page prints "Class 2 Bluetooth v3.0" and the LX page prints Class 2 with a maximum range of 262 ft, but the FAQ says "OBDLink MX+, MX, and LX use a Class 1.5, Bluetooth 3.0 module:" and gives the range as 80 m line of sight. The ranges agree, because 262 ft is 79.9 m; only the class label differs. We would not print a class number and we cannot tell you which label OBDLink stands behind. Second, the CX version: one table in the selection article prints Bluetooth v5.0 Low Energy, while the same article's summary table, the CX page, the PDF guide and the FAQ all print 5.1.

The FAQ also prints radio figures: receive sensitivity of -86 dBm and maximum output of +6 dBm for the MX+, MX and LX, and -93 dBm and +2.2 dBm for the CX, with 80 m line of sight on both. Inside a car the 80 m is not the number that matters; the point is that the FAQ gives the same 80 m line of sight for both radio types, and no saved page promises more.

Pairing. The MX+ and LX have a physical button; the product pages call it "Connect", the setup guides call it "Pair", and the pages say it "requires physical access to enable Bluetooth pairing". OBDLink says the MX+ "does not continuously broadcast its presence" and that the LX "neither broadcasts its presence, nor uses an easy-to-guess PIN to protect the communication link", and calls both "hacker-proof", which is OBDLink's word and not a test result. The CX has no button and pairs in the app; the setup article says "Only MX+ and LX adapters have this button." The EX has a cable and a driver, and OBDLink's table prints "N/A" for its wireless security.

Leave-it-in housekeeping. A factory reset exists for the MX+ and LX only; on the MX+ it is "Press and hold the button for 15 seconds". Nothing in these pages gives a reset for the EX or CX.

Free OEM add-ons: what is exclusive to the MX+

The OBDLink app reads standard OBD-II data on every adapter. To read manufacturer-specific codes and parameters, such as a Ford ABS code, you need the add-ons, and OBDLink treats the adapters differently. The MX+ page carries the line "Free unlimited OEM-specific data add-ons"; the LX, EX and CX pages carry no such line. The FAQ says "All OBDLink app OEM add-ons are free to MX+ users." and the enhanced-diagnostics article says "Add-ons that are exclusive to OBDLink MX+ include: GM; Honda, Acura; and Hyundai, Kia." OBDLink's article adds that owners of another adapter model can buy add-ons, without a guarantee of full coverage; it names the LX as its example and does not name the EX or CX.

Coverage differs by make even on the MX+. OBDLink's worked examples show that a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu gets OEM trouble codes but not OEM live parameters, and that for a 2018 Audi Q5 "OEM DTCs are not available for Audi vehicles". Add-ons are available "primarily for vehicles sold in North America." The make-by-make list is in our OBDLink MX+ review and in OBDLink's coverage PDF, whose newest revision is dated October 21, 2021. We do not repeat the list here.

Leaving it plugged in: operating and sleep current per adapter

The currents are in the table near the top: 62 mA, 60 mA, 6.5 mA at 12 V and 55 mA awake, and 2 mA, 2 mA, under 1 mA and under 1 mA asleep, for the MX+, LX, EX and CX. Only the product pages print them, so we found no conflict between OBDLink pages here. The conflict is in what the pages leave out.

Two adapters use the phrase "Automatic sleep & wake-up" in their headline lists, the MX+ and LX, and the LX support page promises "Fully automatic sleep and wake-up: does not require switches or manual button presses!" The EX and CX pages list a BatterySaver current and the words "BatterySaver Technology low power mode" but not that headline. For scale, 2 mA around the clock is 48 mAh a day, 1,440 mAh over 30 days, and under 1 mA is under 24 mAh a day. No saved OBDLink page gives a car battery size or says how long a car can sit with the adapter in, so we draw no verdict.

What the pages do not say. How long after the engine stops each adapter goes to sleep, what wakes it, and what its light does while asleep are not stated for the LX, EX or CX. For the MX+, the support page says "While in sleep mode, the power LED quickly flashes every three seconds". The ten-minute sleep delay appears only on PulsCar's own pages, which say the MX+ sleeps ten minutes after the engine stops and draws about 2 mA; that is PulsCar's wording and we did not measure it. OBDLink's pages we saved print a sleep current and no delay.

Warranty, guarantee and returns: the 180 against 90 conflict

All four product pages carry the same two promises: an unconditional 180-day money-back guarantee and a 3 year warranty. OBDLink's product list says "We stand behind our products with the best warranty in the industry, and a 180-day money back guarantee." But the About page says "OBDLink stands behind our tools with a 3-year warranty and 90-day money back guarantee." and the LX support page says "Covered by our 3-year warranty & 90-day money-back guarantee", as does the discontinued MX page.

Which do we trust? The current product pages and product list, which repeat 180 days for every adapter, are more likely right than an About page and two older pages (the LX support page lists Android 2.2 and BlackBerry, and the MX page lists Android 2.2). But the pages do not say which governs, so we cannot tell. Screenshot the product page on the day you buy.

The claim steps are missing. No saved OBDLink page says how to claim the 180-day guarantee, who pays return shipping, or whether a purchase from a reseller qualifies. The product pages show a "Buy on" button whose destination is cut off in the saved text. The warranty page adds a tension of its own: its remedy section says "NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN." and never mentions the guarantee. They may be two different promises, a repair remedy and a purchase guarantee, but the pages do not refer to each other.

The three-year warranty itself. It runs thirty-six months from the original purchase from OBD Solutions or an authorized retail partner, is not transferable, and needs proof of the original purchase date. OBDLink chooses repair or replacement in its sole discretion, and a replacement is covered for thirty-six months from the date of receipt. It excludes products purchased, used or operated outside a list of ten territories, modified products and "normal wear and tear, commercial use, improper assembly, disassembly". It also says OBDLink is not responsible for shipping costs of warranty service. Claims go to [email protected]. Which retailers are "authorized" is not stated, so if the warranty matters to you, buy from OBDLink itself.

Two smaller contradictions: every product page says "Free US Shipping" while the FAQ says a shipping calculator is provided at checkout, and the pages do not reconcile them. The FAQ also says lifetime firmware, app and OBDwiz updates come with your purchase, and the EX and CX product pages do not list a firmware bullet of their own.

PulsCar works with the MX+ only: what that means for your choice

Which adapter does PulsCar work with, and what does the app need? The OBDLink MX+ only, plus a compatible iPhone or Android phone. PulsCar's Terms of Sale, read on 22 October 2026, say the app requires the OBDLink MX+ scanner and a compatible phone, and that the Membership only plan works with the MX+ only, not the MX, LX, EX or CX. Every PulsCar plan except Membership only ships an MX+ to a US address at no extra cost, and the scanner is yours to keep. No PulsCar page says why an LX, EX or CX would not work with the app. PulsCar's checkout says it chose the MX+ for its reliable connection and low sleep draw; the LX lists the same 2 mA sleep current, and the EX and CX list under 1 mA, so that line alone does not explain the limit. If you own another OBDLink adapter, the PulsCar plans are not for it, and the MX+ is the one to buy.

The checkout says it in its own words under "Already own an OBDLink MX+?": "Works with the OBDLink MX+ only (not MX, LX, EX or CX). Check the label on your scanner before you buy."

What the membership adds to an MX+. According to PulsCar's checkout and scanner page, read on 22 October 2026: with the app on your phone, the app records each trip on its own, reads six systems on every drive (engine, fuel, electrical, cooling, emissions and stored fault codes), watches engine temperature and battery voltage, explains fault codes in plain English and raises a "pull over now" alert when something is serious. It also has 24/7 SOS guides (PulsCar is not a roadside assistance service) and a link-lost warning if the connection drops. The scanner does not record on its own: fault codes wait in the car until the next drive, and PulsCar says to "Keep the app installed and your phone with you while driving". We do not say the OBDLink app lacks anything: its listings mention trip meters, a trips page that shows each trip on a map, logging and alerts, and are silent on whether a trip starts recording without you opening the app, although the App Store text says the app may use your location even when it is not open.

The totals use the prices read on 22 October 2026 and PulsCar's renewal of $179 per year per car, app access only, with no replacement unit and no paid add-ons. Two Years is $499.99 and reaches $678.99 at three years and $1,036.99 at five; it costs $21 more than One Year plus one renewal ($478.99), so at today's $179 renewal it is a convenience and not a saving. If you already own an MX+, Membership only is $199.99, and an MX+ at $139.95 plus Membership only is $339.94, so One Year at $299.99 is $39.95 less. For the wider cost picture, including subscription apps, read our app subscription cost guide.

The gaps are the honest numbers. In the first year PulsCar One Year costs $210.04 more than an LX and $160.04 more than an MX+. At three years the gaps are $568.04 and $518.04, and at five years $926.04 and $876.04. That is the extra you pay over an adapter alone, and it includes the MX+ and US shipping.

What one payment covers. One Year is $299.99 for 12 months and one scanner, Two Years $499.99 for 24 months and one scanner, and Family $549.99 for 12 months, two scanners and two vehicles (the Terms' wording). The membership period starts the day you activate the serial number in the app, not the day you pay. Nothing renews automatically and PulsCar does not keep your card on file; when the term ends you can renew at $179 per year per vehicle, and PulsCar emails you 30 days and 7 days before. PulsCar's scanner page says there is no monthly plan and no free trial. If you do not renew, the SOS guides, critical alerts and live battery voltage keep working, trip history stays on your phone, and diagnostics, trips, sound checks and reports pause.

How the money-back works. The Terms say: "Any time before your scanner ships, write to [email protected] and we refund your full payment — no questions asked." After delivery you have 30 days to ask; PulsCar emails a prepaid return label, and once it receives the scanner in working condition it refunds the full payment to the original method within 10 business days. If the app cannot connect to your car at all, tell PulsCar within those 30 days and the same refund applies. A defective scanner during the membership is replaced at no cost; loss, physical or water damage and modified units are not covered. On Membership only nothing ships back and the 30 days count from the email with your serial number.

Who it is for. A driver who is not a mechanic and wants the car read on every drive with the phone along, with stored fault codes explained in plain English and a "pull over now" alert. It is not for someone who reads a code twice a year: that person should buy the LX (Android) or the MX+ (iPhone) alone and use the free OBDLink app, which costs less at every point in the table.

What PulsCar is not. It ships to US addresses only. Its up-front price is higher than a bare adapter, as the table shows. The membership app does not estimate repair prices. It needs the OBDLink MX+ and does not support an LX, EX, CX or MX. Its readings are information, not a diagnosis, and for brakes, steering or overheating it tells you to stop and have the car inspected in person. It has no ratings yet: its App Store listing showed 0 ratings on 22 October 2026. And its refund window is 30 days, against the 180 days OBDLink's product pages print for its own adapters (its About page says 90).

Which adapter to buy, by owner

• iPhone, one car, you read and clear codes and want OEM data for GM, Honda, Acura, Hyundai or Kia: the MX+ at $139.95. The LX is out, and the CX is out of stock and cannot serve a GM or Ford older than model year 2008.
• Android phone, standard codes and live data only: the LX at $89.95, which is $50 less. Spend the $50 if you need the Ford or GM networks, or think you will move to an iPhone.
• A Ford, Mazda, Lincoln or Mercury, FORScan and a Windows laptop: the EX at $69.95. If you want FORScan Lite on a phone, FORScan's page recommends the MX+.
• A BMW or Mini you code with BimmerCode: the CX at $79.95 when it is in stock, otherwise the MX+, which BimmerCode's iPhone and Android lists include.
• A GM, Ford or certain FCA vehicle built before model year 2008 with an iPhone: the MX+, because OBDLink's note rules out the CX.
• A Windows laptop and no phone: the MX+ or LX over Bluetooth, the EX over USB. The CX needs a separate BLE adapter.
• A hybrid or an electric car: check before you buy. OBDLink's FAQ and troubleshooting guide say its adapters work with them when paired with an OEM-specific third-party app for select vehicles, and the FAQ tells you to confirm with that app's developer.
• The car watched on every drive by an app on your phone: PulsCar, which means an MX+. If you already own one, Membership only is $199.99.
• A noise and no light: no adapter. See the sound check section.

Three traps a careful buyer still walks into

Trap one: buying the LX for an iPhone because it is cheaper. The situation: the LX is $50 less, prints Bluetooth 3.0 like the MX+, and its own page lists Android and Windows without saying outright that an iPhone will not work. What is real: the MX+ page calls the LX "(not iOS compatible)", the LX support page says "Not supported", and no page explains the difference. The price: an adapter that will not reach your phone. The defense: write down your phone first and read the platform line on the product page.

Trap two: reading the price and skipping the footnote. The situation: the EX is $69.95 and the CX $79.95. What is real: the EX needs a USB OTG cable that is not included and a phone with USB host mode, the CX will not work on GM, Ford and certain FCA vehicles older than model year 2008, needs a BLE adapter on Windows and was out of stock. The price: a second purchase or an adapter that cannot read your car. The defense: read the notes under OBDLink's comparison tables before you pay.

Trap three: trusting one number from one page. The situation: "World's fastest" appears on the MX+ and LX product pages (and on the older MX page), and the money-back guarantee reads 180 days on one page and 90 on another. What is real: no test method is printed for the speed lines, and OBDLink does not say which guarantee governs. The price: a decision built on marketing, or a refund you cannot claim. The defense: screenshot the product page on the day you buy and ask OBDLink in writing how to claim a return.

Three composite situations, decoded

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers. They are built only from facts already in this article, written in the conditional, and contain no invented names, amounts or dates.

Scenario 1: the iPhone owner who saw the lower price. Suppose an owner with an iPhone reads that the LX is $89.95 and the MX+ is $139.95, and decides $50 is not worth it. The MX+ page calls the LX "(not iOS compatible)" and the compatible-apps page names only the MX+ and CX for iOS, so the LX would not reach the phone. The CX is $79.95 but was out of stock, and cannot serve a GM or Ford older than model year 2008. Lesson: for an iPhone the choice is the MX+ unless the CX is in stock and suits the car.

Scenario 2: the Ford owner with a laptop and an Android phone. Suppose an owner has a Ford, wants FORScan on a Windows laptop, and also wants a phone app for codes. The EX at $69.95 is the adapter FORScan's page recommends for Windows, but it has no Bluetooth and needs a cable that is not included to work on Android. A second adapter for the phone would be the LX at $89.95, or the MX+ at $139.95 if the owner wants the Ford MS-CAN network on the phone. Lesson: the EX is a specialist tool, so price a second adapter into the plan if you also want a phone app.

Scenario 3: the daily commuter who wants to be told. Suppose a non-mechanic with an Android phone drives the same car every day and wants any stored fault code explained in plain English. An LX at $89.95 costs that once and reads the code (the OBDLink app has a trouble code definition database and an Online Lookup for each code, per its App Store notes and setup article; whether it words them in plain English is not stated on the pages we saved); PulsCar One Year at $299.99 costs $657.99 over three years with two $179 renewals, which is $568.04 more than the LX. What the extra money buys is an app that, with the phone in the car, records each trip and reads six systems on every drive. If the owner would not open an app after the first week, the LX is the better buy. Lesson: pay for the watching only if you will use it.

What no adapter can see, and where a free sound check fits

Can an adapter see a noise that never sets a code, and does PulsCar's free sound check replace one? No to both. An adapter of any of the four only passes along what the car's computers store or report, and a wheel bearing hum sets nothing to report. PulsCar's free web sound check screens a recording of your engine and emails one report; it needs no card, account or hardware, and is an estimate from audio, not an inspection. PulsCar's fine print calls a sound check result a probability, not a verdict, and says accuracy depends on recording conditions. If the check engine light is on steadily, an adapter is the right tool; a flashing check engine light, or a red oil-pressure or temperature light, means pull over safely first (our advice). For a noise from the brakes, steering or a wheel, get the car inspected first. For an engine noise with no light, the clip is a reasonable first move.

PulsCar has counted how often owners describe a sound without a light. In its published analysis on FIXD vs PulsCar, PulsCar pulled 39,355 complaints from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's database on 6 September 2026, for ten high-volume nameplates and model years 2015 to 2022, and found that 3,838 complaints, 79% of the ones that describe a sound, mention no light, no code and no scan. A complaint is what an owner chose to write, so that counts vocabulary and not faults, and we do not recompute it here.

What we looked for and did not find

Each of these was a search of the saved pages on 22 October 2026.

No explanation of why the LX is not iOS compatible, and no statement on whether the MX+ has a Low Energy radio.

No claim steps for the 180-day guarantee, no word on who pays return shipping, no list of authorized retailers and no statement on whether a reseller purchase qualifies.

No sleep delay, wake trigger or sleep light for the LX, EX or CX, and no car battery size to judge any current against.

No page ties the $14.99 add-on packages to a particular adapter, beyond the App Store text's line that the MX+ has no in-app fees for add-ons, and none gives a price for an LX, EX or CX owner.

No restock date for the CX, no iPhone statement on the EX's own pages (the compatible-apps note names only the MX+ and CX for iOS), no Windows software named for the CX, and no test method behind any speed claim.

FORScan's own adapters page returned a "not found" error, and the MX Wi-Fi has only a support page.

Your action plan: before you order, on the day, in the first week

Before you order. Write down your phone (iPhone, Android or Windows laptop) and your car's year, make and model. Check the platform line on the product page, the notes under OBDLink's comparison tables and, for a Ford or GM, the coverage PDF. Check CX stock. If you want PulsCar, the adapter is the MX+, and the plans are at get.pulscar.io with the scanner page at pulscar.io/scanner.

On the day. Screenshot the product page with its price and guarantee line. Keep the receipt, because the warranty needs proof of the original purchase date. Pair the adapter with the app's Connection Wizard and allow the first connection up to a minute.

In the first week. Put the end of the return window in your calendar, and ask OBDLink in writing how to claim it. If you chose PulsCar, remember that the term starts the day you activate the serial number and that the 30-day refund runs from delivery (from the serial-number email on Membership only).

Sources and documents

Every number and quotation above comes from one of these pages, each opened and read on 22 October 2026.

1. OBDLink MX+ product page
2. OBDLink LX product page
3. OBDLink EX product page
4. OBDLink CX product page
5. OBDLink SX page and Carbyte page
6. OBDLink MX Bluetooth page and MX Wi-Fi page
7. OBDLink old MX address, which shows the MX+ page
8. OBDLink products list and home page
9. OBDLink MX+ support
10. OBDLink LX support
11. OBDLink EX support
12. OBDLink CX support
13. OBDLink FAQ
14. OBDLink About page
15. OBDLink warranty
16. OBDLink compatible apps
17. OBDLink MX+ apps page
18. OBDLink troubleshooting guide, Revision C
19. OBDLink OEM coverage PDF
20. OBDLink adapter selection article
21. OBDLink enhanced diagnostics article
22. OBDLink standard versus enhanced article
23. OBDLink setup article
24. OBDLink app, App Store listing with its lookup data
25. OBDLink app, Google Play listing
26. FORScan home page
27. BimmerCode home page and adapters page
28. Car Scanner ELM OBD2, App Store and Google Play
29. Torque, Google Play listing
30. PulsCar checkout
31. PulsCar Terms of Sale
32. PulsCar scanner page
33. PulsCar app, App Store listing with its lookup data
34. PulsCar's NHTSA analysis, FIXD vs PulsCar
35. Related pages on this site (linked for navigation; no figure here is taken from them): OBDLink MX+ vs BlueDriver, OBDLink app guide, best app for the MX+, OBDLink MX+ review, app subscription cost
36. Could not read: FORScan's adapters page (not found); FCC filings, Amazon and Trustpilot were not attempted

How this page was built: every OBDLink fact was taken on 22 October 2026 from obdlink.com, its PDFs and support.obdlink.com, plus the app-store listings, FORScan's and BimmerCode's own pages, and PulsCar's checkout, terms, scanner page and store listings. We tested no hardware. Check marks in OBDLink's tables were placed under their columns from the PDF guide. Makers change prices and terms without notice, so read the product page again before you order.

Prices verified: 22 October 2026 · Technical documents verified: 22 October 2026 · Reviewed quarterly

Found a figure that differs from what you see on OBDLink's or PulsCar's pages? Email [email protected] with the page and the figure, and we will check it and correct this page.