An electric scooter lets you dash from A to B in style.
The Department of Transport is currently trialling electric scooters with various providers across the UK to 'support a green restart of local travel and help mitigate reduced public transport capacity.'
All providers require an app for you to hire and operate the e-scooter. As they’re private companies, they all come with various points of difference. So, if you’re looking to try before you buy, why not test the motors in your local area?*
Here are the seven best electric scooter apps.
Table of contents
1. Lime
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Cost: 15p per minute**
Available in: Milton Keynes, London, Salford
Lime is an international company that offers the 'ultimate e-scooter service'. You can log onto the app, and it quickly tracks your location and points you in the direction of the closest docking station.
According to Lime’s website, its electric scooters are available in Milton Keynes and London. Mancunians can also use them in the Salford City Region, as the council has partnered with the company and the Department of Transport for the trial, as mentioned above.
Lime’s Salford trial is its third UK pilot following London and Milton Keynes. However, the company is more established elsewhere in Europe than in the UK – it has docking stations in 14 cities in Germany alone.
Each Lime scooter costs £1 to unlock and 15p per minute to ride. When a ride is complete, users must park the scooter in designated parking locations and take a photo to confirm the ride's end.
If you’re not sure where to begin, Lime has a partnership with Uber that allows you to find scooters in your local area via the Uber app.
2. Ginger
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Cost: £2 per 20 minutes**
Available in: Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Milton Keynes, Stafford, Copeland, Chester, Scunthorpe, and Great Yarmouth
Ginger is a UK-based company that claims users can ride 24/7 if they wish to.
However, it’s worth noting that the company’s website states: 'In a few places, new journeys can’t start after 10 pm or 11 pm.' These journeys become available again the morning after.
Like Lime, Ginger uses designated parking areas found on the map in its app.
People aged 18 and over can hire an electric scooter for £2 every 20 minutes, with an additional 50p per 10 minutes of pausing time.
The Ginger app also contains a section for offers and promotions. This section is perfect for those looking to save themselves some cash while still getting the full e-scooter experience.
3. Bolt
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Cost: 15p per minute**
Available in: London
Co-founded by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (hence the name), this international brand of e-scooters can be found in most major cities in the UK.
Bolt has some of the lightest scooters on the market – they weigh just 17kg and can travel 25 miles on a single charge.
Bolt's app is the only platform in Europe that currently offers ride-hailing, e-scooters, and e-bikes under a single brand. This variety of mobility options makes it stand out above its competitors. To access any of these options, all you need is one app.
The company prides itself on being diligent and meticulous, having taken part in some additional, unconditional testing, conducted by leading independent vehicle testing agency Millbrook before the official trial began in London.
An e-scooter ride price is calculated based on the unlock fee and minute rate. However, according to the website, Bolt scooters are available to users for 20p per minute for the first 10 minutes, lowering to 12p after. There’s also an unlocking fee of £1.
4. Wind
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Cost: 12p per minute or £30 a month for personal rental**
Available in: Nottingham and Derby
Wind is another international e-scooter brand. However, for Brits, you can only find Wind scooters in the locations listed above.
People living and working in Nottingham can hire one of Wind’s e-scooters for £30 a month and up to a year. Daily rental is also available on the app. To pay as you go, an e-scooter costs 12p per minute to ride.
In Derby, 50 e-scooters are available for long term or monthly rental only. Derby’s trial began in November 2020 and will continue until November 2021.
After an early e-bicycle trial with another provider was scrapped in early 2020, the council and Wind are taking a more targeted approach to reduce the risk of theft or vandalism. The e-scooters are fitted with technology that means they won’t operate outside of specific areas. The operator can track the scooters to ensure proper use.
Key workers can sign up for long-term rentals at a discounted price. In addition to this, they can take an e-scooter home for exclusive use instead of leaving the motor in a designated area.
One of Wind’s biggest selling points is that some of its e-scooters come with a detachable helmet and hand sanitiser. This is a nice touch, especially in the current climate.
Wind’s e-scooters cost £1 to be unlocked, and then 12p per minute. The final price is calculated based on when the scooter has been unlocked and locked again via the app. So, don’t forget to get straight on the app once you’re finished to avoid being overcharged!
5. Bird
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Cost: 15p per minute or 25p per minute in London**
Available in: London and Redditch
Londoners may already recognise the Bird brand, as its e-scooters have been available to use in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since 2018. Bird e-scooters can also be found in other wider areas of London and Redditch.
Due to the popularity of e-scooters in major cities, Bird allows you to reserve a scooter for up to 30 minutes in advance to avoid the disappointment of unavailability.
As written in the Redditch Advertiser: 'Bird’s mission is to help make towns and cities more liveable by helping to solve 'the last mile problem', where journeys are too short for public transport to be efficient, but too long to walk.'
Unlike others, Bird doesn’t have designated standing areas. The company suggests leaving a scooter away from public pathways and using the kickstand for parking.
A unique feature of a Bird scooter is that it has Bluetooth. This allows you to link your devices to the scooter and listen to your playlists or favourite podcasts from your phone, just as you would in a car.
The cost for a Bird scooter in London is set at 25p per minute with a £1 unlocking fee. However, in Redditch, it's been reported that it costs 15p per minute. It's best to visit the Bird app to find your nearest ride price and obtain up-to-date pricing information.
6. Zwings
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Cost: 15p per minute**
Available in: Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Newcastle and Keele University Campus.
Zwings is an e-scooter company that’s keen to mitigate any concerns individuals may have towards e-scooters. It aims to deliver rider education and safety via the app and works closely with local communities to achieve these goals.
In Somerset, the e-scooter company works closely with local police as part of a consultation process to ensure safety to users and non-users alike. Any scooters being misused or taken outside of the designated 'scoot' areas will automatically power down. This can be done by Zwings remotely in seconds.
By continuing to meet the growing demand for e-scooters and supporting the local community, the company has extended the number of available parking bays to provide residents with more convenient access to scooters and easier disposal after use.
Keele University students can rent Zwings e-scooters on campus as part of trials led by Staffordshire County Council and the Department of Transport.
A rented Zwings e-scooter costs £1 to unlock and 15p per minute thereafter.
7. Voi
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Cost: 20p per minute**
Available in: Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Coventry, Liverpool, London, and Northampton
Voi is a Swedish company that operates across Europe, with UK bases in the above locations and more bases on the way. In fact, the company holds 21 licences to operate in towns and cities across the country, given to it by the Department of Transport.
The e-scooters are dockless, meaning users can leave the devices where they please. Voi scooters aim to 'reduce air and noise pollution and break traffic gridlock across Europe.'
The company also has a new incentive to encourage safety when riding. Users can take a 'helmet selfie' to prove they're wearing a helmet and gain loyalty points which convert into discounted rides at a later date.
Voi’s e-scooters cost £1 to unlock, plus 20p per minute. Users can also get unlimited daily and monthly passes. It costs £9.99 for a daily pass or £39.00 for a monthly pass.
*Please note that our electric scooter insurance doesn’t cover you for riding in public places. However, it does cover you for riding on private land with the landowner’s permission. You’re also covered if your electric scooter is stolen from your home or sustains accidental damage.
**Initial costs may differ depending on location or time of use.
Specialist e-scooter insurance from Cycleplan
So, you’ve tested the apps, and you’re thinking about buying an e-scooter. As soon as you do, make sure you’re covered with specialist electric scooter insurance.
Find out more about our bespoke e-scooter insurance by clicking the link above, or get a bespoke, buildable quote in minutes here.
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