Ride-hailing firm Bolt has launched a monthly subscription in Kenya that gives frequent users cashback on rides, free food delivery and faster driver matching, in a bid to lock in loyal customers.
Bolt Plus costs Sh280 a month or Sh899 a year. New subscribers get the first month free.
To mark the launch, Bolt is offering an introductory price of Sh119 a month for the first six months.
Members get cashback on every ride, credited to their Bolt Balance for use on future trips. They also get priority matching with drivers, including at peak times, and three free ride cancellations a month.
On the delivery side, members pay no delivery fee on eligible orders from selected restaurants and stores, saving up to Sh200 per order. Their orders are also prioritised for faster delivery.
“A subscription only works when the customer can see the value in it, and that was the starting point for Bolt Plus,” said Ivy Njeri Maingi, Bolt Food general manager for Kenya.
“As people become more deliberate about the digital services they pay for, the value has to be clear. If you use Bolt regularly, Bolt Plus gives you more value from every shilling you spend,” she said.
The move brings Bolt into a growing subscription market as Kenyan consumers get used to paying for digital services.
A Media Council of Kenya study, Navigating the Digital Reality 26, found that 67.1 per cent of respondents often come across payment mechanisms on digital platforms, while 45.8 per cent pay to access Kenyan digital content.
The study noted, however, that affordability and perceived value remain key considerations for consumers.
Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows active mobile subscriptions rose 7.4 per cent to 84.1 million in the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.
Mobile money subscriptions reached 53.4 million over the same period, equal to 100.1 per cent penetration.
Subscription bundles have become a key tool for ride-hailing and delivery platforms seeking to keep users from switching between rival apps, as competition in Kenya’s on-demand market intensifies.
Bolt operates in nine Kenyan cities. Its food delivery arm, Bolt Food, works with more than 2,000 restaurants and retail outlets and over 2,500 courier partners.
Bolt Plus is available nationwide through the Bolt and Bolt Food apps.
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By Nixon Kanali
Tech journalist based in Nairobi. I track and report on tech and African startups. Founder and Editor of TechTrends Media. Nixon is also the East African tech editor for Africa Business Communities. Send tips to kanali@techtrendsmedia.co.ke.