All Data vs Shop Key ( Mitchell)

Looking for opinions on software All Data just did an update and I do not care for the new format and am thinking about making a switch to Mitchell.
Mitchell and shop key are the same product I have a snap on scanner and labscope just looing for advise on these 2 products

+1 vote for Mitchell

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

We had Mitchell for a long time. It was OK. Now Alldata. It was always difficult to find things there and nobody liked using it much. Now no one likes the new format either.
I too was interested in Shopkey since our scanners have it on them but Chief penny-pincher has us trying "MotoLogic". Says it's cheaper than the other two. I actually kind of like it. Not too bad to find info on. The color wiring diagrams are GREAT. You can even click and highlight a wire so you no longer have to pencil trace it to see where all it goes. Worth checking out, they'll give you a full month free trial if you like.

GypsyR wrote: I too was interested in Shopkey since our scanners have it on them but Chief penny-pincher has us trying "MotoLogic". Says it's cheaper than the other two. I actually kind of like it.

:lol: My old boss did the exact same thing! Wanted to ditch either IDfix or Mitchell in favor of MotoLogic. It really isn't bad! But I did run into a few situations where Moto was useless but Mitchell had the info.

Am I seriously the only one who likes the new All Data lay out?
The search function makes it. Punch in anything (but be sure to click the arrow in the results box for "more") and right in the side margin it bring up the relevant details, diagrams (interactive and oem), locations etc.

I have used ShopKeyPro, for years, and I love it. I have tried AllDate in the passed and didn't like the format. I didn't care for the Wiring schematics, either. I couldn't find a COMPLETE engine performance schematic, anywhere on AllData. I could find schematics for individual circuits and systems. But, not all engine performance in ONE place. Hands down, my pick was ShopKeyPro.

Noah wrote: Am I seriously the only one who likes the new All Data lay out?

I am, currently, taking AllData for another test drive. I must say, I like it better than I did before. I still can't navigate through it, on my own, very quickly, but the Search Feature/Format is pretty nice.

I have, always, preferred ShopKeyPro because of their interactive, universally formatted, schematics. That was the deciding factor, for me.
Now, in addition to the Un-altered OE schematics, AllData ALSO has Mitchell schematics! (ShopKeyPro is Mitchell) That's pretty nice.

The thing I see about AllData that I LOVE, is with the Mitchell schematics. When an engine performance schematic has multiple pages, ShopKeyPro will ONLY let you scroll VERTICALLY, from one page to the next. And, will only let you scroll from one page to the next IF you are NOT zoomed in.

AllData lays all the pages out, left to right. You can scroll HORIZONTALLY, even if zoomed in. You can zoom in on the left side of page one and the right side of page two, and view them BOTH, side-by-side, zoomed in. Stay zoomed in and scroll, horizontally, through all pages. VERY, VERY nice! I hope ShopKeyPro copies this.

I'd say the new AllData is a MAJOR improvement. But, I think, I will stick with ShopKeyPro.

Well, I have mainly used Alldata since the days of having to use CD's. This biggest thing about the new alldata is the slow load times. I do like the search engine now. But I do not know what they had to try to make it "Modern". It brings the shop computer to a stand still. I can use it on my windows based tablet fairly easily. But using Identifix is much easier to use as far as loading times.

A previous shop I worked at tried to use Mitchell and it was so hard for us techs to find stuff we went back to Alldata.

AllData, now, has Mitchell Schematics. And, Mitchell, now, has OE Schematics. Both have redone their search. I have been using them both for the past week. Some things I have found quicker/easier in AllData. Other things I have found quicker/easier in ShopKey. In my opinion so far, other than, the format/lay-out being different, they are both fairly equal, now. I like AllData's horizontal schematic lay-out so much that I want to keep it. (AllData has this over ShopKey/Mitchell) I was originally quoted $195/month for AllData. I dickered with them and got them down to $145/month. I have been paying $169/month for ShopKey. So, I am now subscribed to both. I'll post any other perks, or short-comings, between the two as I see them.

I have been using Mitchell for a while now and am disappointed in the wire diagrams as the inline connectors do not show up. I have had to go back to alldata to have them show up in the diagrams I had a 2005 Durango with no power to fuel pump and had to go back to alldata to have C352 show up.

Hinderliter wrote: had to go back to alldata to have C352 show up.

This is from Mitchell.


This is from AllData.



I, actually, found it quicker in ShopKey. I think, a lot of it has to do with familiarity with the software.

How do you go about locating it in mitchell?
Alldata shows it in the wire diagram so you know that it actually exist in Mitchell it does not show in the wire diagram so I would have not known that it even existed to look for it.

We use All Data and Mitchel and I think I am more bias to All Data. I really like their search function and layout. Both sometimes have information the other one doesn't or at least not as easy to find as the other.

Ephratah wrote: How do you go about locating it in mitchell? Alldata shows it in the wire diagram so you know that it actually exist in Mitchell it does not show in the wire diagram so I would have not known that it even existed to look for it.

In the Service Manual section under Electrical/Body Electrical/Connector End Views. You can also find it in the Electrical Component Locator under CONNECTORS.But, as you stated, you need to know you're looking for it.

I was looking up something electrical on MotoLogic and couldn't find the pinout for the connector on it either. Popped over to Alldata and pulled it up OK. Was about annoyed. Went back to MotoLogic later and discovered the pinout diagram was only a click away from where I had left off. So after slapping myself I figure both programs to be about equal in that particular case. I'm just more practiced with Alldata.

I've got a laptop I with All Data and Mitchell loaded on the hard drive up to 2014 for when I'm somewhere with no internet. Really happy i didn't let that deal slip through my fingers.
I used to just use that at the shop for reference and diagrams, but since All Data changed their lay out, I really only use the Mitchell if there's something just not covered in All Data. Which isn't all that often lately.
I've heard of people experiencing long load times, but haven't had that issue myself.

We tried Motologic for a few months, and it was pretty good, but there were too many instances where the coverage just wasn't there. I imagine they have improved since then.

I have decieded to stick with All Data there are to many older vehicles that do not show the inline connectors in the wire diagram. When I called tech support they tell me that they were missing in the diagrams prior to 2007 after 2007 they were put into the diagrams. If you know they exist you can find them by doing a search for the connector number but you have to know where it is and know the connector number.

I will say that it is very helpful to have access to more than one reliable source of service info. Just like scan tools, sometimes one will fill the gaps where the other is lacking.

Where or how do you get an offline copy of Alldata? We used to have a stack of DVD's for Mitchell years ago.

GypsyR wrote: Where or how do you get an offline copy of Alldata? We used to have a stack of DVD's for Mitchell years ago.

I could be mistaken but, I don't think this is an option, anymore. It's to easy to pirate.

I heard from someone else saying this was an option but got the impression it may not have been a straight up deal.