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Swapfiets vs Lime: which bike is cheaper in the Netherlands?

Lime is handy for the trip you didn't plan. But if you ride the same route every day, you pay for every single ride. With Swapfiets you get your own bike, unlimited repairs and a fixed monthly price. Spoiler alert 👀 Riding there and back, Swapfiets is cheaper from around 4 riding days a month.

See Swapfiets bikes in the Netherlands →

280.000+ Swapfiets members

4.5

based on 8.146 reviews

Why choose Swapfiets over Lime?

Ride with Lime

Fixed price per ride. €3 up to 20 minutes, €4 up to 30, €5 up to 40.
Availability varies, and if there's no bike nearby you're walking anyway.
Not your own bike, so battery and setup differ every time.
Available in Rotterdam, the Utrecht region, Zwolle, Tilburg and Delft only.

Subscribe to Swapfiets

Fixed monthly price with unlimited riding.
Your own bike right where you left it.
Free repairs and unlimited service.
Available in most Dutch cities.

Cost comparison: Lime vs Swapfiets

Riding days per month	Swapfiets Original (€19.90 p/m)	Lime (€3 per ride up to 20 min, 2 rides/day)
1 day	€19.90	€6.00
2 days	€19.90	€12.00
3 days	€19.90	€18.00
4 days	€19.90	€24.00
5 days	€19.90	€30.00
10 days	€19.90	€60.00
20 days (a normal working month)	€19.90	€120.00

Lime rates as published in March 2026 during the Utrecht rollout. Rates vary by city and period and are shown in the Lime app before your ride. Swapfiets price based on the Original.

Electric: Lime e-bikes vs a Swapfiets e-Bike

Riding days per month	Swapfiets Power 1 (€64.90 p/m)	Lime (€3 per ride up to 20 min, 2 rides/day)
5 days	€64.90	€30.00
10 days	€64.90	€60.00
11 days	€64.90	€66.00
15 days	€64.90	€90.00
20 days (a normal working month)	€64.90	€120.00

Lime rates as published in March 2026 during the Utrecht rollout. Rates vary by city and period and are shown in the Lime app before your ride. Swapfiets price based on the Power 1.

Convenience: the part that isn’t in the price

Availability. Your Swapfiets is where you left it. A Lime is where someone else left it, possibly a seven-minute walk away, on 12% battery.
Parking. This is getting stricter in the Netherlands. Rotterdam's new shared-mobility permits demand tougher nuisance controls, geofences stop you ending a ride outside a hub, and operators now run parking scores, break the rules repeatedly and you can be fined or barred from the platform. Your own bike goes in the rack outside your door and stays there.
Maintenance. Nobody services a Lime for you, but nobody services your own bought bike either. With Swapfiets, repairs are included and unlimited: if we can’t fix it in 10 minutes, we swap it.
Theft. Dutch bike theft is a genuine deterrent to ownership. Swapfiets includes basic theft coverage.
Carrying things. A front rack you can load beats a shared basket you have to find first.

So which should you pick?

Choose Lime if you ride occasionally, unpredictably, one-way, or you’re visiting.
Choose Swapfiets if you ride most weeks, want the same bike every time, and would rather pay one predictable amount.

Why choose Swapfiets over Lime?

Ride with Lime

Fixed price per ride. €3 up to 20 minutes, €4 up to 30, €5 up to 40.
Availability varies, and if there's no bike nearby you're walking anyway.
Not your own bike, so battery and setup differ every time.
Available in Rotterdam, the Utrecht region, Zwolle, Tilburg and Delft only.

Subscribe to Swapfiets

Fixed monthly price with unlimited riding.
Your own bike right where you left it.
Free repairs and unlimited service.
Available in most Dutch cities.

Cost comparison: Lime vs Swapfiets

Riding days per month	Swapfiets Original (€19.90 p/m)	Lime (€3 per ride up to 20 min, 2 rides/day)
1 day	€19.90	€6.00
2 days	€19.90	€12.00
3 days	€19.90	€18.00
4 days	€19.90	€24.00
5 days	€19.90	€30.00
10 days	€19.90	€60.00
20 days (a normal working month)	€19.90	€120.00

Lime rates as published in March 2026 during the Utrecht rollout. Rates vary by city and period and are shown in the Lime app before your ride. Swapfiets price based on the Original.

Electric: Lime e-bikes vs a Swapfiets e-Bike

Riding days per month	Swapfiets Power 1 (€64.90 p/m)	Lime (€3 per ride up to 20 min, 2 rides/day)
5 days	€64.90	€30.00
10 days	€64.90	€60.00
11 days	€64.90	€66.00
15 days	€64.90	€90.00
20 days (a normal working month)	€64.90	€120.00

Lime rates as published in March 2026 during the Utrecht rollout. Rates vary by city and period and are shown in the Lime app before your ride. Swapfiets price based on the Power 1.

Convenience: the part that isn’t in the price

Availability. Your Swapfiets is where you left it. A Lime is where someone else left it, possibly a seven-minute walk away, on 12% battery.
Parking. This is getting stricter in the Netherlands. Rotterdam's new shared-mobility permits demand tougher nuisance controls, geofences stop you ending a ride outside a hub, and operators now run parking scores, break the rules repeatedly and you can be fined or barred from the platform. Your own bike goes in the rack outside your door and stays there.
Maintenance. Nobody services a Lime for you, but nobody services your own bought bike either. With Swapfiets, repairs are included and unlimited: if we can’t fix it in 10 minutes, we swap it.
Theft. Dutch bike theft is a genuine deterrent to ownership. Swapfiets includes basic theft coverage.
Carrying things. A front rack you can load beats a shared basket you have to find first.

So which should you pick?

Choose Lime if you ride occasionally, unpredictably, one-way, or you’re visiting.
Choose Swapfiets if you ride most weeks, want the same bike every time, and would rather pay one predictable amount.

Become a member

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Become a member

Join the ride - Become part of our journey today.

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Find available bikes in your city

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Trusted by 280.000+ members

Our great Dutch-quality bikes

Looking for maximum flexibility? Explore our e-bike subscriptions with maintenance and repairs included.

€50 discount

Original

Classic city bike

Classic and durable bike for all your daily rides.

€19.90 per month

From

€15.70 per month

More details

€60 discount

Deluxe 7

Sleek city bike

Sleek city bike with 7 gears for comfortable rides.

€23.90 per month

From

€18.90 per month

More details

Power 1

Easy e-Bike

Intuitive and simple e-Bike, for fast and easy rides.

From

€64.90 per month

More details

Power 7

Powerful e-Bike

More performance, comfort, and stability for any distance.

From

€79.90 per month

More details

€50 discount

Original

Classic city bike

Classic and durable bike for all your daily rides.

€19.90 per month

From

€15.70 per month

More details

€60 discount

Deluxe 7

Sleek city bike

Sleek city bike with 7 gears for comfortable rides.

€23.90 per month

From

€18.90 per month

More details

Power 1

Easy e-Bike

Intuitive and simple e-Bike, for fast and easy rides.

From

€64.90 per month

More details

Power 7

Powerful e-Bike

More performance, comfort, and stability for any distance.

From

€79.90 per month

More details

Students get €1.67 off per month on the Original and Deluxe.

Bike sharing vs bike subscription: FAQs

What is Swapfiets?

Swapfiets is a bike membership. That means for a low, fixed monthly fee, you get a Swapfiets and we make sure it always works. Problem along the way? Hit us up via our app and we’ll fix or swap it for a new one.

How much does a Lime bike cost in the Netherlands?

Lime uses fixed ride prices in the Netherlands: €3 for rides up to 20 minutes, €4 up to 30 minutes and €5 up to 40 minutes. Clear enough, and you know what you're paying before you unlock. The difference is frequency. A €3 ride doesn't sound expensive, but commuting means two rides a day, so that's €6 every working day. A riding day below means two trips, there and back. Lime rates as published in March 2026 during the Utrecht rollout; rates vary by city and are shown in the Lime app before your ride.

When does Swapfiets become cheaper than Lime?

From around 4 riding days a month on a standard bike. Two rides a day of up to 20 minutes costs €6 with Lime, so by the fourth day you've passed the €19.90 of an Original. For an e-Bike the crossover sits closer to 11 riding days a month, so if you ride less often than that, Lime is genuinely cheaper.

Is Lime cheaper for short trips?

Yes, and that's what it's built for. For a single ride, or for the last few kilometres from the station, Lime will nearly always cost less than a monthly subscription. The comparison only turns when riding becomes a habit rather than an exception.

What happens when I'm done with my membership?

To cancel your membership simply follow the instructions and steps in the Swapfiets app. All of our memberships include a one-month notice period. If you’re on a loyal membership, you can cancel after 6 months. Once you bring back the bike we'll give it a quick tune-up and send it on its way to serve another member.

Urban guides

Swapfiets vs Lime: which bike is cheaper in the Netherlands?

Swapfiets vs Lime: which bike is cheaper in the Netherlands?

Swapfiets vs Lime: which bike is cheaper in the Netherlands?

Swapfiets vs Lime: which bike is cheaper in the Netherlands?

Why choose Swapfiets over Lime?

Ride with Lime

Subscribe to Swapfiets

Cost comparison: Lime vs Swapfiets

Electric: Lime e-bikes vs a Swapfiets e-Bike

Convenience: the part that isn’t in the price

So which should you pick?

Why choose Swapfiets over Lime?

Ride with Lime

Subscribe to Swapfiets

Cost comparison: Lime vs Swapfiets

Electric: Lime e-bikes vs a Swapfiets e-Bike

Convenience: the part that isn’t in the price

So which should you pick?

Become a member

Become a member

Our great Dutch-quality bikes

Our great Dutch-quality bikes

Original

Deluxe 7

Power 1

Power 7

Original

Deluxe 7

Power 1

Power 7

Bike sharing vs bike subscription: FAQs

Bike sharing vs bike subscription: FAQs

What is Swapfiets?

How much does a Lime bike cost in the Netherlands?

When does Swapfiets become cheaper than Lime?

Is Lime cheaper for short trips?

What happens when I'm done with my membership?

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