Bolt announced the launch of Bolt Plus, a subscription service for its ride-hailing and delivery platform, on Thursday, October 15.

The plan costs KSh280 each month, with a promotional rate of KSh119 for the first six months and a complimentary first month; an annual option is priced at KSh899.

Subscribers receive a ten per cent cash-back on every ride, which is added to their Bolt Balance for future trips, as well as free delivery on qualifying food and retail orders, saving up to KSh200 per order.

Additional perks include priority matching with drivers, faster delivery of food and retail items, and three complimentary ride cancellations each month.

“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.

Maingi added that the service was shaped around the daily habits of frequent users who “take rides, order food, and buy groceries, and asked how we could give them more in return.”

She explained that the offering is intended to reward loyalty, noting that “if you use Bolt regularly, Bolt Plus gives you more value from every shilling you spend.”

The subscription is available through the Bolt and Bolt Food apps in all Kenyan cities where the company operates, with ride-hailing coverage in Mombasa, Diani and Kisumu and food-delivery coverage in Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa and Diani.

Bolt works with more than 2,000 restaurants and retail outlets and relies on over 2,500 courier partners for its delivery service.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya show that active mobile subscriptions rose 7.4 per cent to 84.1 million in the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, while mobile broadband usage increased six per cent to 800 million gigabytes and average consumption grew to 15.1 GB per subscription.

The Media Council of Kenya reported that 67.1 per cent of respondents often encounter payment mechanisms on digital platforms and 45.8 per cent pay for Kenyan digital content, highlighting growing familiarity with paid digital services.

Maingi said Bolt will gauge the success of Bolt Plus by tracking subscriber adoption and the frequency of rides and orders, noting that increased usage would indicate the subscription’s value.

The company clarified that Bolt Plus is a permanent addition to its portfolio rather than a limited-time promotion.