The secret to successful key programming is having more than one option. No single tool covers every vehicle on the market, and it is essential to have multiple options so that they can cover each other's "blindspots".
When choosing a Key Programming tool for your locksmith business, it is important to weigh up certain factors such as vehicle coverage, cost, and additional features such as the ability to clone keys or read EEPROM data from the vehicle's immobilizer.
Whether you are buying your first Key Programming tool, or are wanting to add to your collection, this guide will help to give you a better idea of the features of each tool, to help you make the right decision
10. XTool X100 Pad Pro
The XTool X100 Pad is a great choice if you are looking for an advanced tablet based programming tool but are operating on a smaller budget. These tools are quite cheap, at around £750 from most vendors.
These machines provide great coverage for Asian vehicle manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and Mitsubishi. It also provides adequate coverage for other brands as well, such as Ford. With regular downloadable updates, the Xtool X100 Pad Pro is constantly improving and evolving and even covers workshop functions such as service light reset, live data streaming, and full system diagnosis.
Reason to Buy: This is a great tool if you want something affordable with adequate coverage, regular updates and a user friendly interface.
Reason not to Buy: Compared to other programming tools on the market, the Xtool X100 Pad Pro is limited in coverage. It is one of the cheapest programming tools available though so it is to be expected really.
9. Auto Pro Pad
With regular updates and a user friendly interface this is a good choice for both beginners and experienced professionals.
Reason to Buy: Reasonably priced programming tool with good coverage and excellent technical support
Reason not to Buy: No Diagnostic Features (if you need them), coverage is limited compared to other tools on the market
8. The Diagnostic Box TDB1000
In terms of cost, the TDB1000 unit only costs around £800 to buy, however vehicle coverage is sold separately in "software packs". The software is token and subscription free, so once purchased you will receive updates for free.
Reason to Buy: This great little tool is incredibly easy to use and is backed by a team of very knowledgeable and experienced experts. The Diagnostic Box's team have gone to great effort to simplify the key programming process so that anyone can do it
Reason not to Buy: After purchasing the device, software must be purchased and unlocked in order to program keys for different vehicle brands
7. Xhorse VVDI Tool
This great hardware can add and remove keys in seconds, and provides great coverage for Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW and Porsche, as well as providing good coverage for most other brands as well.
Reason to Buy: This tool is particularly strong when it comes to VAG models, and if you have a lot of VAG vehicles in your area then this tool is considered a must-have!
Reason not to Buy: This tool is better suited to experienced users, and is not as user friendly or intuitive as other tools on the market. It is a powerful tool when you get used to it but may be tricky to use for beginners
6. OBDStar DP Plus
This awesome machine can program keys for most vehicles, and is particularly good when it comes to Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Mazda and Ford.
Despite only costing around £1000 this tool can even do "All Keys Lost" on 2020 Fords, and can read PIN numbers from almost any PSA vehicle. (plus a lot of others too).
This tool is more suited to the UK/EU market and its features and updates don't really cover the USA as much as some of the other tools on this list.
Reason to Buy: The OBDStar DP Plus is a great tool for users who live in Europe and want a wide range of features and vehicle coverage for a low price
Reason not to Buy: If you are based outside of Europe or the UK then this tool might not be adequate for your needs.
5. Lonsdor K518SE
Providing good coverage for asian, european and US cars, this tool is excellent value for money. Regular updates and new features mean that it only getting better with time.
This tool is especially good for Toyota, Volvo, Fiat, Chrysler, Ford, VAG, PSA, Renault and Land Rover/Range Rover, although it has adequate coverage of most other brands as well.
Reason to Buy: Well priced and packed with features, this tool is a brilliant all-rounder and can do a little bit of everything!
Reason not to Buy: If your budget can stretch to it, an Autel IM508 can be purchased for just a little bit more and provides superior vehicle coverage
4. Xhorse Key Tool Plus
At a cost of around £2000 this tool provides huge value for money, and if you own other Xhorse products such as the Dolphin Key Cutter then you can use this device to control them. It essentially becomes the centre of operations for your xhorse tools.
Vehicle coverage is very good, and it can add keys for almost any vehicle as well as generate Xhorse super chips, clone transponders and read and identify chip and remote types. It is particularly good for BMW, VAG and Mercedes Key Programming.
Reason to Buy: Very good value for money, excellent vehicle coverage and wide range of advanced features make this tool one of the most versatile on the market.
Reason not to Buy: There isn't much in the way of technical support, and in my personal opinion it is better to spend a little more and purchase the Autel IM608
3. Zed Full
The Zed Full Key Programmer costs around £3500 and is token based, meaning it costs a small amount of money for each key programming session. This makes it one of the most expensive options, however it's vehicle coverage and excellent customer support mean that it still represents great value for money.
Reason to Buy: Packed with advanced features, excellent customer support and very good market coverage make this a solid choice
Reason not to Buy: Token based system means that it costs money for each programming, so not ideal for newbies who want to practice a lot at the beginning. Also it is one of the most expensive programming tools on the market (although a second hand one can be purchased for usually around £2500)
2. Advanced Diagnostics Smart Pro Key Programmer
The Smart Pro is an absolutely excellent choice and is highly recommended. It has a super intuitive and user friendly interface, great customer support and is packed with features. There are tips and instructions built into the software to guide you, and it even tells you the steps for manual remote pairing. At around £4500 its the most expensive tool on this list.
The tool covers over 5000 vehicle models worldwide, and also provides diagnostic capabilities too.
Programming can be either token based (pay as you go) or you can pay a subscription for unlimited use. If you wish you can also fully purchase the software instead of subscribing or using tokens.
Reason to Buy: An amazing tool with outstanding coverage, customer support and an easy to use interface.
Reason not to Buy: Expensive to buy, plus the need to subscribe or pay tokens may put off users with smaller budgets.
1. Autel IM608 Key Programming Tool
The vehicle coverage is incredibly good, and Autel have a very handy "coverage checker" on their website that allows you to quickly check whether the vehicle is supported (99% of the time it will be)
This tool costs around £3000 to buy, but usually comes with an array of adapters and accessories that allow you to tackle the more advanced programming jobs. If you want to receive the software updates then the subscription is around £1000 per year, (the first 12 months is free) although the tool will continue to work if you choose not to update it. The Autel IM608 is particularly good for Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo and Land Rover key programming.
Reason to Buy: In my opinion this tool is the best value for money, combining lots of advanced functions with dealership level diagnostics mean that you can tackle almost every job you will encounter. It also provides a "guided" option where it will give you on screen instructions throughout the programming process. This makes it a great choice for new locksmiths, as the tool will tell you exactly what to do, and sometimes even includes diagrams!
Reason not to Buy: One of the more expensive diagnostic tools, so it may depend on your budget.
In summary, your choice should depend on various factors, such as costs, coverage and customer support. If you are buying your first key programming tool, and want to start out with the best possible coverage then I recommend going with the Autel IM608, Smart Pro or Zedfull. The other programmers (in my opinion) are better to have as a secondary or backup tool.
Ultimately the more tools you have, the more cars you can cover and the more money you can make so over time you will want to expand your collection.
For more information, or to check out our fully online Auto Locksmith Training Course for Beginners go to www.autolocksmithtraining.com .
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I recently had to get Automotive Locksmith Key Programming done, and I was really impressed with how smoothly the process went. The locksmith not only programmed my key on the spot but also made sure it worked perfectly with my car’s system. It was much quicker and more affordable than going through the dealership. It’s great to know there are skilled professionals out there who can handle these tasks efficiently. Thanks for sharing this helpful information!