Bolt launched Bolt Plus, a paid membership for its ride-hailing and Bolt Food apps, in Nairobi on Thursday, 15 October. It costs KSh 280 a month or KSh 899 a year, and new subscribers get the first month free, according to TechTrendsKE and Kenyans.co.ke. An introductory rate of KSh 119 a month applies for the first six months.
What members get
- Cashback on rides: 5% on Bolt Basic and 10% on Premium, Comfort and Business, paid into Bolt Balance for the next trip.
- No delivery fee on eligible orders from restaurants and stores marked with a "+" in the app, saving up to KSh 200 an order.
- Priority driver matching, including at peak times, and faster food delivery.
- Three free ride cancellations a month.
Who pays
"Bolt and our partners shoulder the costs of Bolt Plus," Ivy Njeri Maingi, general manager of Bolt Food Kenya, told Kenyans.co.ke. "Our riders, drivers and couriers are not affected by Bolt Plus service. Their earnings remain the same." Bolt says it is working on adding Bolt Business to the plan.
"A subscription only works when the customer can see the value in it, and that was the starting point for Bolt Plus," Maingi told TechTrendsKE. Bolt operates in nine Kenyan cities, and Bolt Food works with more than 2,000 restaurants and shops and more than 2,500 couriers, the outlet reports.
The growth play
Subscriptions turn occasional riders into regulars: once a customer has paid for the month, the next ride or meal goes to the app that gives money back. Priority matching and free delivery also give members a reason not to open a rival app first.
