If you want to compare ANCEL AD530 vs. ANCEL AD410 vs. ANCEL AD510, you’ve come to the right place. ANCEL produces some of the best OBD scanners that car owners and mechanics often use to diagnose cars’ problems.
Even within the ANCEL line of products, there are plenty of choices. You have to consider compatibility, features, and value to find the best car diagnostic tool. This comprehensive comparison will cover every aspect of these scanners in detail.
Check out how these compare with each other in the chart below first.
Table of Contents
ANCEL AD530 vs. ANCEL AD410 vs. ANCEL AD510: Comparison chart
| Editor's Pick | |||
 ANCEL AD530 |  ANCEL AD410 |  ANCEL AD510 |
|
| Customer Rating |  |  |  |
| Price |  | | |
| Product Dimensions | 10.4" x 7.9" x 1.1" | 9" x 6.3" x 1.6" | 10" x 7.3" x 2.9" |
| Item Weight | 14.4oz | 12oz | 1.55lbs |
| Software Compatibility | Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10 | Windows, macOS | Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 |
| Test System | Engine System | Engine System | Engine System |
| OBD2 Modes Support | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| DTC Lookup | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| I/M Readiness | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Read live Data Stream | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Retrieve vehicle information | ✔ | -- | ✔ |
| Read and Clear SRS Codes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| All System Diagnosis | ✔ (VAG Vehicles) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Battery Maintenance (BMS) | With Enhanced Fault Code Definition | -- | -- |
| Internet Updatable | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pros | All OBDII modes support. Graphical battery data representation. Can diagnose ABS and SAS. Multilingual support. Enhanced code definitions. Feedback function. Free updates. | Full OBDII diagnostics. Live data on the screen. LED notifications. Multilingual support. Wide range of vehicle compatibility. Vehicle identification and battery monitoring. | Full OBDII protocol support and diagnostics. Great value for money. Easy to use even for beginners. Clear test results. Free updates. |
| Cons | Not compatible with Asian cars before 2005. No Mac compatibility. | No built-in battery. Cannot diagnose ABS, SRS, and transmission. Only compatible with Windows. | Cannot diagnose ABS, SRS, and transmission. Definitions are not very clear. |
| Vehicle Compatibility | OBD2 EOBD cars, SUVs, 12V trucks | OBD2 EOBD cars, SUVs, 12V trucks | OBD2 EOBD cars, SUVs, 12V trucks |
Key things in common
Before getting to the differences, it’s worth checking out what these three models have in common. Each OBD2 scanner works with vehicle models of 1996 and later. You have an LCD screen on each of these models.
All three of these models provide support in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian. They are all part of ANCEL’s handheld scanner line of products.
Each of these has a 32-bit CPU, which delivers fast speeds. The prices are pretty close too, and overall, these OBD2 scanners are quite affordable. The advanced features make each of these excellent value for money.
Key differences explained
Design and specification
The design of these three ANCEL is pretty similar. However, there are differences in terms of features and capabilities. ANCEL AD410 is your basic OBDII scan tool with all the essential functions you could want in a scanner.
With extra features and a rugged build, the ANCEL AD530 is the most advanced of all three. Both ANCEL AD530 and AD510 have a 2.8 inches TFT True color screen, while the ANCEL AD410 has a little smaller screen of 2.4 inches.
ANCEL AD410 is easier to read and understand as it’s quite basic. Even a rookie could use it to scan and diagnose their vehicle problems.
ANCEL AD410
Overall features and functions
The overall features and functions in all three ANCEL models are comparable. You get all the basic OBDII protocols and other basic functions. All three of them allow you to run I/M readiness tests.
You will get DTC Lookup, BMS, and view freeze frame data features with all these models. Each of these is compatible with a wide range of diagnostic software, so you do not have to worry about software compatibility issues.
Extra features functions
ANCEL AD530 is the most advanced of the three and offers extra features. It provides an enhanced fault code definition that makes it easier to understand the most complex error codes. When you press the ‘i’ button, you do not just get codes but also helpful information.
ANCEL AD530 also monitors vehicle battery automatically and shows the data in graphical format. It’s best for the most advanced vehicles that have a lot of features and functions to monitor. ANCEL AD510 also provides real-time battery voltage status.
ANCEL AD530
Supported protocols
All three ANCEL AD530, ANCEL AD410, and ANCEL AD510, provide full OBDII protocols support. These OBDII protocols include ISO9141, KWP2000, J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW, and CAN (Controller Area Network).
Supported vehicle makes
ANCEL AD530 works with all US models starting from the year 1996. It’s also compatible with European cars from 2000 and Asian vehicles from 2005. ANCEL AD510 is compatible with EU-based and Asian-based car models starting from 2000.
The American car manufacturers it can support include Ford, Chrysler, and GM. ANCEL AD530 and AD510 are compatible with European vehicles, including Audi, BMW, Fiat, VW, Citroen, VW, Bentley, Renault, Skoda, Acura Bentley, Volvo, Jaguar, Seat, Opel, Peugeot, etc.
Similarly, it’s also compatible with some Asian car makes, including KIA, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, Nissan, and Lexus. However, it’s important to note that different carmakers incorporated OBDII at different times, so it may not work with some models newer than 2005.
ANCEL AD410 is a basic OBD2 scan tool. Therefore, you can use it with most vehicles of model 1996 or newer. It will work with virtually all US-made cars.
Software and updates
This is the best part about buying an ANCEL car scanner as you get lifetime free software updates. You can simply download the software update for free from the ANCEL website. This will allow you to update the DTC and fix any bugs in the software.
Reliability
ANCEL makes high-quality car scanners, so you know you are getting something reliable when buying their scanner. That said, ANCEL AD530 being the most advanced of the three, provides more reliability, especially if you have a high-end vehicle.
The AD530 and AD510 models are also very reliable for battery maintenance. You get real-time updates and a picture of the overall health of your car battery. That said, the no-frills ANCEL AD410 is quite reliable, too, no matter what car you have.
Recommendation (who should take each)
ANCEL AD530 is a highly advanced OBDII scan tool, so it’s best for people with high-end vehicles and car mechanics. It’s also great for battery monitoring, so it would be ideal for those with hybrid cars.
Similarly, ANCEL AD510 is also great but not as advanced as AD530. For that reason, it’s also cheaper. A car owner can use this scanner, but it may be a bit for a mechanic.
ANCEL AD410 is best for ordinary cars and for beginners, who may be using a car scanner and diagnostic tool for the first time. It has all the necessary functions you would need for any kind of vehicle.
ANCEL AD530
ANCEL AD510
ANCEL AD410
FAQs
How to update the software from the internet?
It’s pretty easy to update the software for your ANCEL OBD2 scanner. You can go to the ANCEL website and check for an updated version of the software. Download this software to your pc.
Once downloaded and installed, connect your scanner with a USB cable and follow the instructions the software gives. It should not take a long time, and your software will be up to date with the latest info and bug fixes.
Will the ANCEL scanner work only if the ignition is on?
Yes, you do not need to run the engine necessarily. You can use these scanners with the ignition in the accessory position.
Can ANCEL AD530 do bidirectional functional testing?
No, it’s not capable of bidirectional functional testing. However, it can test the battery and provide voltage information in graphical format in real-time. It offers complete BMS testing and support for all the cars with which it’s compatible.
Do ANCEL scanners work on diesel vehicles?
Yes, all these three ANCEL scanners work with both gasoline and diesel engines. Any OBD2 scanner will work with both gasoline and diesel engines. If there’s any difference, it would be in the codes as some error codes might be specific to a particular type of the two engines.
Can I print the diagnostic test information?
Yes, you can use the Review & Print option found on all three models in review. You cannot print the report directly from the scanner. You will have to transfer it to the computer first and then print it. Simply connect the device with a USB cable to your computer and print the files you have saved for printing.
Can ANCEL AD530 give possible causes for the error codes?
Yes, ANCEL AD530 offers enhanced error code definitions that tell you what those codes mean and help make sense of what could have caused it. This feature is not available in the ANCEL AD510 and ANCEL AD410 models.
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