How profitable is scooter sharing business?

How profitable is scooter sharing business?

The mobile sharing industry is projected to grow at a rapid rate over the next several years. The economic shift towards micro mobility has shown that bike and scooter use is going to grow from USD $2.5 billion in 2019 to USD $10.1 billion by 2027. With an increasing demand for affordable mobility services, industry leaders are making adjustments to their financial models to accommodate changing regulations, as well as, growing production costs.

We put together a breakdown of the expenses that are currently going in to establishing a profitable MaaS company along with some other considerations to keep in mind.

What are the current pricing levels for leaders in Scooter and Bike Sharing?

The pricing levels for different services being offered around the world vary based upon initial upfront costs, cost per allotted time and total ride duration. These prices are also subject to change depending on the regulatory requirements of each location.

Scooter sharing:

 

 

Bike sharing:

 

 

At ATOM Mobility we have a specific calculation to determine the total income a scooter or bike sharing service makes based on ride time and pricing fees. This allows adjustments to be made for the different price levels each company offers.

Income Equation: (Unlock Fee + (Average Ride Time X Minutes)) = x

x = Average Price per Ride

How does vehicle ridership impact the financial model?

Ridership is impacted by a multitude of factors, including availability to travel lanes, density of charging/docking stations, level of integration within the overall transportation network, along with the extent of rider outreach and vendor education. Vehicle use rates tend to increase based on volume of available scooters/bikes and ease of access to stations. The systems with larger fleets, as well as wider spread sharing infrastructure tend to experience higher ridership.

According to research conducted by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, scooters are making up to two times more rides per vehicle per day compared to bikes. Bike services complete anywhere from 0.5 to 2.5 rides per day at an average of 1, with trends showing a shift away from traditional pedal bicycles as the interest in e-vehicles continues to grow.

 

Image source: nacto.org

 

Image source: nacto.org

The region where services are being offered can also influence ridership. Across our partners at ATOM Mobility for scooters, we are seeing from 1.8 to even 5 rides per vehicle per day, with even higher rates in colder regions where the proper infrastructure is in place.

 

Image source: City of Chicago, E-scooter Pilot Evaluation

 

Image source: City of Chicago, E-scooter Pilot Evaluation 

An evaluation of the City of Chicago’s E-scooter pilot program found that over time the number of trips per day decreased from an average of 3.7 to 2.5. This aligns with the seasonality of mobility vehicles, which has been proven to impact ridership. Our research found that there can be decreases between 30 to 50 percent during the off-season.

The average rides per day you can count on for bike sharing services is 0.5 to 2.5, and 1.8 to 5 for scooter sharing services.

What additional factors need to be taken into consideration?

Once we have determined how many rides are being taken and the average price, we can calculate the average income per vehicle per month and outline cost positions. To begin growing revenue, mobility companies need to determine ways to extend the lifespan of their vehicles or off-set the costs once the limit is met. These factors are a major component in developing a successful financial model. In addition, it’s important to review the other expenses that impact vehicle maintenance and usage when constructing an accurate forecast.

Seasonality

Seasonality refers to the time of year a service operates as a result of environmental or weather factors. For mobility services, the usage season usually begins when the average temperature in a month is +10 Celsius or more.

Rides Per Vehicle Per Day

The number of rides each vehicle is taking in a day will impact both revenue but also maintenance and lifespan costs.

Rides

The rate for each ride will need to be considered when developing an overall financial plan for a company.

Maintenance Costs (ex. 13 percent of cost per ride)

Maintenance of the vehicle fleets is required and may vary depending on usage, as well as vehicle model.

Charging Costs (ex. 21 percent of cost per ride)

Whether the fleet uses docking stations or offers free floating services, the cost of charging the vehicles is necessary for continued use.

Bank Commission (ex. 3 percent cost per ride)

This includes any of the banking fees that are acquired.

Marketing (ex. 4 percent cost per ride)

Promoting the services being offered is an essential expense for business growth and expansion within the market.

Customer Support (ex. 5 percent cost per ride)

Most mobility services are offered through mobile apps that require regular support from customer service representatives to resolve customer inquiries and help with reputation management for the company.

IT System Support (ex. 5 percent cost per ride)

These services include IoT systems, sim cards, data, software and other technological requirements needed for the vehicles to operate.

Additional Costs (ex. 3 percent cost per ride)

Mobility companies like any other vehicle service are subject to additional costs such as insurance, city permits and/or other resources.

Our Excel-based Model

To help determine the overall impact of fluctuating costs for scooter and bike services, we developed a financial model that breaks down costs based on a percentage. Through this Excel-based Model we are able to maintain a proportionate evaluation of the expenses for each service.

 

source: ATOM Mobility

 

source: ATOM Mobility

To make calculations we assume an average ride time of 20 minutes then apply that to our Excel-based Model. Costs are shown as a percent from the ride price. Since cost and prices differ country by country, this model allows for the proportions to remain the same. For accurate forecast planning, we recommend using the average of two to four rides per vehicle per day on a period of wholesale. To learn more about our model, please email us.

Where do we go from here?

Mobility as a service is expected to continue growing as additional opportunities for expansion and profitability open in the market. At ATOM Mobility, we want to help your business thrive in the exciting new world of transportation services. There has not been a better time to join other industry leaders than right now. Reach out to us today so we can start building for the future, starting with our scooter sharing software.

Ask AI for an article overview
Let AI explain why entrepreneurs choose ATOM Mobility
Interested in launching your own mobility platform?

Related posts

More case studies

View allView all case studies
Blog
Unlock more mobility opportunities with the ATOM Mobility and Umob partnership
Unlock more mobility opportunities with the ATOM Mobility and Umob partnership

🌍 Reach more riders with ATOM Mobility and Umob. The integration gives shared mobility operators an additional distribution channel, helping attract new customers, generate more bookings and improve fleet utilization.

Read post

The future of mobility is not just about operating vehicles. It is about creating convenient journeys that bring different transportation options together in one simple customer experience.

That is why we are excited to highlight our partnership with Umob, helping mobility operators expand their reach and become part of a growing multimodal mobility ecosystem.

Whether you operate shared cars, scooters, bikes or mopeds through the ATOM Mobility platform, integrating with Umob allows your service to become accessible to thousands of Umob users looking for a convenient way to travel.

Why this partnership matters

Today's users expect flexibility. They don't think in terms of individual mobility providers, they simply want the fastest, easiest, and most convenient route from A to B.

Umob brings different mobility providers and transport options together in one app. Users can find, compare, book and pay for different mobility options without having to download a separate app or create a new account for every provider.

By connecting your fleet to Umob, operators can:

  • Reach new customers through an established MaaS (Mobility as a Service) platform.
  • Increase vehicle utilization by attracting additional demand.
  • Become part of multimodal journeys that combine public transport, shared mobility, taxis, and other transportation options.
  • Grow without investing in additional customer acquisition channels.

For ATOM Mobility customers, the integration is designed to provide a straightforward way to unlock new distribution opportunities while continuing to manage their core operations through the ATOM Mobility platform.

How the integration works

Through the ATOM Mobility platform, participating operators can connect their fleets with Umob, enabling users to discover and use available vehicles directly through the Umob app.

Once connected, vehicles from participating operators can appear in Umob alongside other available mobility options, giving users one clear overview of the different ways they can get from A to B.

Users can discover an available vehicle, reserve and unlock it, start and end their ride, and pay directly through Umob.

The integration is designed to support:

  • Real-time vehicle availability.
  • A seamless booking and ride experience for users.
  • Secure communication between platforms.
  • Consistent operational control for fleet operators.

Operators continue to manage their fleet, pricing, service areas and day-to-day operations through the ATOM Mobility platform, while Umob provides an additional channel through which users can discover and access their vehicles.

Business impact

For mobility operators, connecting with Umob creates an additional distribution channel without changing the way they manage their day-to-day operations through ATOM Mobility.

By making vehicles available to thousands of Umob users, operators can increase their visibility at the moment people are actively looking for a ride. This creates the potential to attract new users, generate additional bookings and improve fleet utilization over time.

Every market is different, but many operators see MaaS partnerships as an important part of their long-term growth strategy. 

Launch partner spotlight: ZEUS Mobility

One of the first ATOM Mobility operators to launch through the Umob integration is ZEUS Mobility, an ambitious European e-scooter sharing provider with a strong focus on innovation, a dynamic approach and challenging the established players in the market.

Fittingly, the partnership itself started through the ATOM Mobility network.

ZEUS and Umob first met at an ATOM Mobility event in Riga. While the initial introduction happened during the event, it was over drinks later that evening that the conversation really started.

ZEUS had already come across the Umob brand on mobility vehicles while travelling and had been impressed by the professional approach the company was taking. That recognition quickly turned into a conversation about how both companies could strengthen their propositions by working together.

From there, the integration moved forward quickly. ZEUS describes the preparation and integration process so far as “clean, professional and smooth.”

For ZEUS, the partnership creates an opportunity to strengthen the visibility of its brand, reach new customers and support its wider European growth ambitions.

Following its acquisition of Superpedestrian in May 2026, ZEUS is looking to accelerate its growth throughout 2026 and 2027, with the Umob partnership forming part of that ambition.

“ZEUS is thrilled to be partnering with Umob in European markets. Following our acquisition of Superpedestrian in May 2026, ZEUS is seeking to rapidly grow through 2026 and 2027. This partnership can help to drive this growth and reach new customers in new markets. We look forward to a rewarding partnership.” - Damian Young, ZEUS Mobility

About Umob

One app to ride them all. Umob is an all-in-one mobility platform that brings different mobility providers and transport options together in one app.

Users can find, compare, book and pay for shared bikes, e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, public transport, taxis and other available mobility options through one account and one payment experience. Instead of downloading and registering with a separate app for every provider or every new city, users can open Umob and see the available mobility options around them.

Today, Umob is available in 28+ countries and 300+ cities, giving thousands of users an easier way to access different forms of mobility both at home and while travelling.

Key facts

  • One app for different mobility options.
  • Find, compare, book and pay in one app.
  • Available in 28+ countries and 300+ cities.
  • Thousands of users already use the Umob platform.
  • Multiple local mobility providers within one user experience.
  • The same ride, for the same price as with the local provider.
Umob app
Ready to expand your reach?

If you're already operating your shared mobility service on the ATOM Mobility platform, connecting with Umob could be the next step toward reaching more users and becoming part of a truly connected mobility ecosystem.

If you're interested in enabling the integration or learning more about how it works, get in touch with our team. We look forward to helping more operators connect, collaborate, and make sustainable mobility easier for everyone.

Blog
New feature: Task manager - Shifts & Operator performance tracking
New feature: Task manager - Shifts & Operator performance tracking

👷📊 ATOM Task Manager now goes beyond task distribution with new Shifts and Operator Performance functionality. Track shift routes, distance, completed tasks, time per task and individual operator performance - giving fleet managers a much clearer picture of field operations and efficiency.

Read post

Managing a large shared mobility or rental fleet isn't only about knowing which tasks were completed. It's also about understanding how efficiently field teams are working. We've significantly expanded ATOM Mobility Task Manager with new Shifts and Performance functionality, giving fleet managers much better visibility into operator activity, workload, routes and performance.

Shift in progress
👷 Shifts: See the full picture behind every shift

The new Shifts tab gives managers a centralized overview of all operator shifts, including:

  • Shift duration and status
  • Distance driven during the shift
  • Number of tasks completed
  • Average time spent per task

Managers can open any individual shift to see the complete operational picture. For every task, you can see the vehicle, task type, planned start and deadline, actual start and completion times, status and total task duration.

Each shift also includes a map showing the operator's complete movement during the shift and where individual tasks were performed. For shifts currently in progress, managers can also see the operator's current location.

This makes it much easier to understand the actual route, workload and decisions behind each shift — and identify opportunities to improve how field teams manage fleet maintenance and operations.

📊 Performance: Compare operator efficiency over time

The new Performance tab aggregates operational results for every operator over a selected period.

Managers can track:

  • Tasks completed
  • Distance covered
  • Total time worked
  • Average time per task
  • Performance trends over time

Instead of reviewing hundreds of individual tasks, managers can quickly compare operators, identify top performers and spot areas where additional training or operational improvements may be needed.

📱 Improved Operator app workflow

To make performance data accurate and useful, we've also introduced a new shift and task workflow in the ATOM Operator app. Operators now start and end their shifts directly in the app, while individual task start and completion times are recorded automatically.

Personal performance statistics in operator app

We've also added:

  • Personal performance statistics with date filtering
  • Live shift statistics showing time worked, completed tasks and open tasks
  • Mandatory shift start before an operator can begin working on tasks
  • Automatic return of unfinished tasks to the available task pool when a shift ends
  • Multi-task selection, start and completion for faster task management
🚀 From task distribution to field operations intelligence

Together, these updates turn ATOM Task Manager from a task distribution tool into a much more complete field operations performance and optimization system. Operators get a clearer workflow and visibility into their own performance, while managers get the data they need to understand how their field operations actually work and where they can become more efficient.

The new functionality is available for ATOM Mobility's Vehicle sharing and Digital rental modules.

👉 Read more about our latest platform updates:
https://www.atommobility.com/atomupdates

Launch your mobility platform in 20 days!

Multi-vehicle. Scalable. Proven.