Since 2012, Brett Helling has built expertise in the rideshare and delivery sectors, working with major platforms like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash.
He acquired Ridester.com in 2014, the first ridesharing marketplace, leveraging his direct experience to enhance the site. His insights at Ridester are recognized by Forbes, Vice, and CNBC.
Expanding his reach, Brett founded Gigworker.com and authored “Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy“, demonstrating his comprehensive knowledge of the gig economy.
Owner, Ridester.comRidester articles are reviewed by gig economy experts before getting published to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and quality. Learn about our editorial standards.
Brett Helling
Since 2012, Brett Helling has built expertise in the rideshare and delivery sectors, working with major platforms like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash.
He acquired Ridester.com in 2014, the first ridesharing marketplace, leveraging his direct experience to enhance the site. His insights at Ridester are recognized by Forbes, Vice, and CNBC.
Expanding his reach, Brett founded Gigworker.com and authored “Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy“, demonstrating his comprehensive knowledge of the gig economy.
Updated on: January 10, 2024
Key Takeaways
Bird’s pricing model for their electric scooters is straightforward and consists of two primary charges: an unlocking fee and a per-minute rate.
The unlocking fee is generally under one dollar and is consistent across most cities.
The per-minute rate, however, can vary depending on the city. Users should monitor their usage time to manage costs effectively.
The first thing you’ll need to pay is the unlocking fee, which allows you to use the Bird Scooter.
In most cities, the unlocking fee is typically a dollar or less. This fee is always constant for each city, regardless of your destination, unlike the per-minute fees, which vary.
If you subscribe to Bird’s Ride Pass, you can get free monthly or weekly unlocks for a low fixed price. This can save you money in the long run if you plan on using Bird Scooter two or more times a day.
Bird Scooter’s per-minute fees are going to be the bulk of your expenses. Their total sum depends on where you’re going and how long you’ll be on the scooter.
This is why it’s important to track your time so you have an approximation of how much you’ll spend beforehand.
On average, Bird Scooter costs 15 cents per minute. However, the price depends on your area, so you can expect the per-minute fees to be a bit higher or lower than that.
Some cities have even reached 33 cents per minute, so you should check your city’s rate before jumping on a scooter.
The average destination for most riders is about 15 minutes away. This means that, assuming your city’s rate is 15 cents/minute, an average trip can cost you about $3.25 (added per-minute fee of $2.25 and an unlocking fee of $1).
An hour on the Bird Scooter would cost about $10 (per-minute fee of $9 plus a $1 unlocking fee).
Normally, Bird Scooter doesn’t charge you any additional costs. However, if you break any of the rules outlined in the Bird User Agreement, you’ll need to pay a few fines.
Here are the important ones:
The additional costs are only meant to enforce the rules, so you’ll always find a Bird Scooter when you need one.
As long as you don’t lose, steal, damage, or misplace the scooter, you won’t even need to pay these additional costs.
The cost of using a Bird scooter involves a combination of an unlocking fee and a per-minute rate.
On average, a 15-minute ride on a Bird scooter typically costs around $3.25, including the unlocking fee.
The average per-minute cost for riding a Bird scooter is 15 cents, but this rate can vary significantly depending on the location.
In some major cities, the per-minute cost can be more than double, while in other areas, it might be lower.
If you use a Bird scooter continuously for an hour at the average rate of 15 cents per minute and include the unlocking fee, the total cost would be approximately $10.
However, it’s important to note that Bird has adjusted their per-minute fees in some cities since the time of the original article.
Therefore, users are encouraged to check the current rates in their specific city for the most accurate pricing.
In most areas, the price of a Lime scooter is not much different from that of a Bird scooter.
Both services average at around 15 cents per minute. However, the price of Bird scooters has gone up in bigger cities in the past couple years.
This difference is pretty small, and depending on where you live, it’s most likely not there at all. But it can quickly add up over time, so it is something to keep in mind.
Just like Lime scooters, the pricing method for Spin scooters is roughly the same as Bird’s pricing.
If you live in a big city, there’s a bigger chance that your Bird scooter will be a bit more expensive than the Spin scooter option.
But overall, that difference is rare and insignificant when it does come up.
The Bird Scooter offers more maneuverability and is more affordable when you consider how much Uber costs.
For example, let’s say your destination is four miles away. With an average speed of 10mph, you’ll need about 24 minutes to get there on a Bird Scooter.
That’s about $4.60 for the entire trip ($1 unlocking fee + 24 minutes times 15 cents per minute). If you were to take an Uber, you’d get there faster, but you’d pay significantly more.
Alternatively, you could try Uber Ride Sharing, which has roughly the same per-minute fees.
However, shared Uber rides have a minimum fee of $4.85, which makes it a less convenient choice for nearby destinations.
Also, Uber charges you for both duration and mileage, while Bird Scooter only charges for the time spent on the scooter.
That being said, if you’re traveling in a group, Uber or other ridesharing companies might be a better choice because then you could split the fare.
Lime and Spin Scooters are two popular scooter apps that have recently gained popularity.
They have similar pricing methods to Bird Scooter, with a combination of an unlocking fee and per-minute fees.
Both Lime and Bird charge 15 cents per minute on average. However, Bird’s fees can reach 33 cents per minute in some cities, so your location will determine which app is cheaper.
Spin Scooter’s per-minute fees range from 15 to 40 cents, which means the average is around 25-30 cents per minute. Except for a few cities, Bird is usually a more economical choice.
If you’re looking for info, here’s a detailed breakdown of Spin Scooter costs and Lime Scooter pricing so you can compare.
Whether or not Bird scooters are worth the cost varies on your budget, the area you live in, whether you have a ride pass, and the other scooter apps available in your location, if any.
If you’re a big fan of Bird scooters, you can purchase one of your own.
That way, you can have the convenience of these e-scooters no matter where you are or having to deal with the per-minute rates.
To purchase a Bird scooter, you can check out the shop on their website.
They offer a wide selection of sizes, models, and colors.
You can buy a scooter for yourself, or even one for your kids!
The price of Bird scooters varies depending on the model you purchase.
Their most expensive model is the Bird One scooter, which can reach over a thousand dollars.
On the other hand, their cheapest model is the Birdie — the model for kids — at a little over 100 dollars.
How do Bird Scooter Payments Work?
Just like Uber and Lyft, all payments are handled through the Bird app. When you sign up for an account, you’ll need to enter your credit card information. After you complete a ride, that amount is withdrawn from your account.
Is Bird Scooter Profitable?
As of now, Bird Scooter has become profitable. Initially, they faced financial struggles, losing about $100 million and laying off employees, leading to increased ride prices.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic boosted their popularity due to the safety of scooters over crowded public transport, improving their financial outlook.
How Much Does a Bird Scooter Cost to Make?
The cost of manufacturing Bird scooters is rising due to improvements in quality and safety. Bird’s efforts to enhance durability and comply with safety regulations, following an increase in accidents, mean that the production costs for these e-scooters are expected to continue increasing.
Bird Scooter is an excellent means of transportation, especially if you’re going a short distance and don’t want to get stuck in traffic. It’s roughly the same price as other scooter apps but can be even cheaper in some cities. Looking more broadly, it’s especially cheaper than car-based ridesharing options.
It might not become your main source of transportation, but in a pinch, Bird Scooter will get you exactly where you need to be quickly and affordably.
