Cheap Electric Scooters Under $500 For Any Budget

There have been many researches proving that electric scooters are one of the cheapest forms of transportation, just a tad bit more expensive than walking, but much more fun. Yet, many people are hesitant to hand out thousands, or even hundreds of dollars for an electric scooter, and that is perfectly understandable. Luckily, there are plenty of great options that cost just a couple of hundreds. You can get a solid scooter to get around town without breaking the bank.

Are you looking for an electric scooter under $500? We have some excellent options for you. After testing out dozens affordable scooters, we have narrowed the selection to the top 7 best cheap electric scooters, with the best set of features and quality-price ratio. These are mostly the models designed for city commuting, an as a last mile solution. The prices range from under $200 to just a buck shy of $500.

What we liked

• Super lightweight
• IP54 water resistance rating

What we didn’t like

• Limited range
• Headlight could be brighter

GoTrax is a company known for their affordable electric scooters for kids and adults. The GXL V2 is the updated version of the GXL Commuter, very well-received sub $300 e-scooter. One of the reasons for such positive feedback, was the fact that GXL scooter is backed up by GoTrax, a company that has been around for years, considering that the market is flooded with no-name Chinese brands that have zero customer support and tend to disappear as quickly as they turn up.

To engage the front 250W hub motor you have to kick the scooter up to 2mph, and then it picks up and accelerates pretty smoothly. There are two gears, the first one gets you to 10mph, and in second gear you will be able to reach the top speed of 15.5mph. The battery is 36V, 5,2Ah battery, hidden in the stem, which lasts for about 10 miles from full charge to completely drained. That being said, to ensure that the lithium battery lasts as long as possible, you should never drain it completely and make sure to recharge when the capacity drops to about 15-20%. This means that 8 miles is the actual maximum range of GXL. Going uphill is a challenge for this little scooter, but we were pleasantly surprised how smooth it was riding over gravel and grass, considering that it doesn’t have a suspension. The 8,5” pneumatic tires did a nice job in dampening the bumps, but you should definitely avoid putting them under that much pressure. The rear disc brake does a pretty good job stopping the scooter, and it also has an electronic brake.

The design of this scooter is pretty clean and basic. The size of the deck is good, 5,5”x 19”, just enough so you can place both feet comfortably. There are some parts that look and feel cheap, but it is to be expected when the price is low. There is a little LED headlight, as well as rear reflector, just enough to make you better seen at night, but with all the low-end scooters we recommend additional LED light, front and rear, for night rides.

It is very simple to fold and unfold, nice and compact, though the handlebar grips do not fold down. Weighing about 27lbs, which is manageable, and the handlebar hinges to the rear fender, allowing you to pick the scooter up with ease.

What we liked

• Cheap
• Decent scooter for the price

What we didn’t like

• Poor braking performance
• Foam-filled tires

While waiting for the scooter that will succeed the popularity of recently discontinued Xiaomi M365, we can enjoy off-brand versions of this best-selling scooter. Macwheel MX Pro is one of the better models, bought by those that want the Xiaomi scooter design, but for less money.

There are few differences in the cockpit layout compared to Xiaomi – the display is different and not very bright, the bell is in another spot, but the hook that locks to the rear fender is still there. The folding mechanism, which was the pain point of Xiaomi scooters, is good and sturdy and you won’t experience handlebar stem shaking and rattling.

MX PRO features a surprisingly quiet 350W motor that tops out at 15.5mph. It also provides enough power to climb moderate inclines with ease. The battery is a 360 Wh lithium battery, Expect about 20 miles of range, if you ride in eco mode (the advertised maximum range is 25 miles, but we didn’t even come close).

The tires are foam rubber tires, so they provide some cushioning and no risk of getting a flat tire. There is no suspension, so every little rock or branch you hit on the road you will feel with your whole body. The Macwheel MX Pro features rear disc brakes, just like Xiaomi, and they also need some major adjustments out of the box to be working properly.

The scooter comes with an app that is pretty much useless. Even if you manage to connect it to your scooter it will be more annoying than useful. Customer support is also very bad, but this is something we’ve got used to with low-end Chinese scooters. But all the shortcomings aside, this is one of the best affordable electric scooters under $400.

What we liked

• Sleek and elegant design
• Wooden skateboard-like deck
• Lightweight and easy to fold
• Built-in turn signals

What we didn’t like

• Not as powerful as we would like

Cityrider is an entry level scooter with interesting aesthetics and substantial performance. Powered by the 300W motor, it reaches the top speed of 18mph, which is more than some scooters that are far more expensive. You can customize the display unit, personalize driving modes and see an overview of riding and technical statistics in app, as well as enable cruise control and set the cruise control speed. The range is roughly 10 miles, which is good enough for short city commutes.

The design is interesting, with skateboard-like wooden deck with grip tape, and nice curved lines of the frame with a minimum of visible wires and protruding electronics. It gives the scooter the non-technical simplicity that makes it look less like a gadget and more like a real transportation. The scooter folds at the stem, with a robust and tight joint and a spring-loaded latch helps keep the latch lever locked in place. A hook on the back of the upper column fits into a slot on the spring-loaded rear wheel fender when the scooter is folded, but you have to be careful not to bump the rear fender, or it will get released.

There is no suspension and the solid honeycomb tires provide some cushioning, but considering that it is a scooter made for paved, flat surfaces, it is good enough. Cityrider is equipped with a rear drum brake, and an electronic brake. The drum brake may be old technology, but it is a clean, low-maintenance version that really works, so there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

It’s got headlight and a rear light that will come in handy if you are riding at night, and there are even the turn signals, which not many electric scooters offer, let alone inexpensive ones. The turn signals are a game changers for being safe in traffic.

Overall, this is a good basic commuter scooter for flat areas, well built with unobtrusive design. With a price of under $500 this is a perfect alternative for sharing scooters, and for those who are looking for a nice entry-level scooter. Of course, a signature Fluidfreeride excellent customer support is there to back it up.

What we liked

• Folding is quick and easy.
• It’s got pull-out trolley handle and luggage wheels so you can drag it along just like a suitcase.
• Stands vertically by itself.
• Bright headlight and built-in tail reflector.

What we didn’t like

• No suspension.
• Only a rear brake.
• It tends to get wobbly if the road is not super smooth.

The first Glion Dolly was launched in 2015 and instantly became a hit for its sleek design and innovative solutions for the last mile transportation. More than five years later, Glion Dolly is still one of the best-sellers.

Glion Dolly has managed to find the perfect combination of performance, functionality and price. With a 250W hub motor located in the rear wheel it is definitely not the fastest, but with top speed of 15mph it is fast enough to ride around campus, outlying parking lots, run errands or just get around town faster than on foot. A premium 36V 7.2Ah li-ion battery delivers 15 miles of range, and recharges in under 3 and a half hours. This is a real high-quality battery with well over 1000 charge cycles lifespan.

Everything on this scooter is made very well – it’s got aluminum frame that can withstand a lot beating, non-puncture airless tires and sturdy, adjustable handlebar. Folding mechanism works like a charm, allowing you to fold the scooter down to the size of a small suitcase and even drag it around like one. In case that you need to pick it up and carry it, you will be able to do it as the Glion Dolly weighs around 28 pounds, not feathery lightweight, but not too heavy either. Another feature that stands out is the really bright LED headlight.

The quality of ride is where Glion Dolly suffers. Just like with other budget scooters, there is no suspension. Well, there is a small shock absorber on the front wheel, but it doesn’t do much. The honeycomb structure of airless tires that is supposed to give you improved cushioning over solid tires does not work as we’d like it to. Also you can experience some delay when accelerating, and a thumb throttle would be a better solution, instead of the twist one, but it works nonetheless. Rear wheel drive will give you nice traction, but there is only electronic brake backed up by a fender friction brake, so braking is really jerky, inconvenient and you have to prepare yourself.

This is a simple electric scooters, without all the bells and whistles that are often meant to seemingly add some value to overpriced scooters. Glion Dolly is a great under $500 option for those that appreciate a solid, reliable set of wheels.

What we liked

• Strong construction
• Removable battery
• Reasonably lightweight and portable

What we didn’t like

• Poor hill climbing
• Battery position makes it top heavy

Turboant is a leading manufacturer of electric personal transportation tools located in Shenzhen, a global technology hub in southern China. Their latest Turboant X7 pro has a realz impressive technical specifications for the price, with 350W motor and up to 30 miles of range thanks to the 36V 10Ah battery. It has three riding modes: Beginner, Eco and Sport. The max speed is 20mph, though according to our tests it maxed out at 18mph. There is also a cruise control setting, but no zero start feature, meaning that you have to kick it up to a certain speed for motor to engage.

The best feature of the scooter is the detachable battery, which means that if you have an extra battery, you will never have to wait for a battery to charge to ride your scooter. In theory, that is, because taking the battery of the scooter is a bit tricky and doing it often may damage small connectors that connect battery to the scooter. And in case you don’t, you will have to wait 6 hours for a full recharge.

The Turboant X7 weighs only 30 pound, but supports riders weighing up to 275lbs. The tires are 10” tubed pneumatic, and while we didn’t actually have to do it, from our experience with Xiaomi scooter, changing a tire looks like a nightmare. Equipped with triple braking system consisting of front e-brake, a rear mechanic disk brake and a rear friction brake, coming to a stop is smooth and safe.

Here is a fun fact for the end: if you were wondering about the name TURBOANT, the company says that the name comes from the idea to produce scooters “as compact as an ant, yet with turbo-boosted power.” Perfectly splendid!

There are many other factors that influence the cost of electric scooter, such as quality of materials used, manufacturing process, research and development behind it. However the main reason that the electric scooters are more expensive than gas-powered ones is the high price of lithium batteries. The price of a battery makes up from anywhere 30% – 60% of the total cost of the scooter. Batteries coming from manufacturers like Samsung, cost more than those from no-name brands. The motor does not cost as much as the battery, but having more power and two motor does increase the price.

However, remember that the running cost of an e-scooter is only about 25% as compared to its internal combustion engine counterpart. Which means that it pays off in the long run.

Prices of electric scooters range from couple hundreds to several thousands dollars. There are different price ranges for different categories of scooters, but even between scooters that are seemingly similar, prices vary greatly. What are the that determine how much a particular scooter cost?

First, there is the obvious – motor power and battery capacity. Lithium batteries are expensive, especially larger ones, and the battery makes up to 30% of the electric scooter’s price. The price depends on the size and power capacity, but also on the manufacturer. Batteries coming from manufacturers like Samsung, cost more that those from no-name brands. The motor does not cost as much as the battery, but having more powers and/or two motor does rise the price.

There are also many other factors that influence the total cost, quality of materials used, manufacturing process, research and development behind it, and many others. Incidentally, higher price does not always mean higher quality and better performance, but if something is priced suspiciously low, there is probably a reason behind it.

Gotrax GKS is super lightweight, very easy to ride and it is an excellent choice for a first electric scooter. It is designed for kids, but if you are a smaller adult, weighing under 154 pounds, you can give it a go, especially if you have never tried riding an electric scooter. But because the handlebar is short and not adjustable it is not comfortable for riders over 5ft.

The performance is kid-friendly, top speed is limited to 7.5 mph, and the range is only 4 miles, which means a couple hours of fun. There is no throttle, you activate the motor by pushing the scooter, and features the Safestep technology that requires both feet to be placed firmly on the board before the motor engages.

With a price point of around $100, this is probably the cheapest electric scooter at the moment. If you find a better deal, please let us know, we are always on the lookout for e-scooters for less.

Yes electric scooters are safe, even the cheap ones, but only if they’re well built, have certain key safety features, are well maintained, and most importantly, are ridden well. All scooters have gone through testing before being put to the market. Manufactures also undertake a variety of performance tests on their e-scooters. These go beyond the basic testing and certification requirements needed for access to the market. They allow manufacturers to prove their products are high quality and perform to the highest standards. However, even the most well-built high-quality scooter if you are not driving safely.

Browsing the internet is probably the first step in finding the best deals and discounts, for pretty much anything. However, while there are probably countless of tempting offers on numerous websites, it is always a good idea to buy an electric scooter from a trustworthy source. We always recommend that you buy from companies that stand behind their products, like Fluidfreeride, or Gotrax, because getting something for less, may end up costing way more.