Today I’m going to talk about the difference between Autel MaxiCOM MK808 auto professional diagnostics and iCarsoft CR MAX. Also I’ll show my choice between them and explain which to buy.
Price
MK808 – 430$, CR MAX – 640$, but these prices do always fluctuate.
Aimed groups
Both can suit a small garage or a small workshop and home DIYers who is an enthusiast or has a few cars to maintain.
Structure
They’re quite rugged and designed to be used in a workshop environment.
Manufacturer coverage (on diagnostic menu)
iCarsoft CR MAX
Autel MK808 Diagnostic Tool
All-system diagnosis
They all are called all-system diagnostic tool but display differently. Take BMW 3 series F31 for an example.
MK808 may show you things that may not even be installed into the vehicle. iCarsoft simply shows you the systems which are installed into vehicle.
Wireless?
Both tools are wired version, but there is a Bluetooth version of MK808 – MaxiCOM MK808BT professional diagnostic tool, it does cost 100 pounds more. I would always go for a wired connection because I feel that I could get a solid connection.
Special/Service functions
Autel gets 26 and iCarsoft gets 22.
Similar and they do cover a lot of special functions and that is why they cost a bit more than standard tools.
Updates
iCarsoft – free updates for life
Autel MK808 Full System Tablet – first-year update, after that annual software subscription is required, I guess 130$.
My choice
Honestly, I’ll choose CR MAX. No update fees, less expensive. No reason to buy a more expensive one if they do similar things for me. But it depends on your specific needs, your budget.