--- title: "Lime Will Let Customers Rent Electric Scooters and Bikes Without a Smartphone" description: "Lime Access allows users to rent bikes and electric scooters without a smartphone, and save money in the process." date: "2018-08-09" modified: "2018-08-10" authors: - name: "Stephen Edelstein" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/22754/lime-will-let-customers-rent-scooters-and-bikes-without-a-smartphone" categories: - "News" tags: - "bike-sharing" - "electric scooter" - "Electric Vehicle" - "Lime" - "Scooter" - "Startups" --- # Lime Will Let Customers Rent Electric Scooters and Bikes Without a Smartphone ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Scooter and bike-sharing services are growing in popularity, but in their rush to appeal to tech-savvy urbanites, they may be leaving others behind. That's because most services require a smartphone app to rent bikes and scooters. Now [Lime]() is experimenting with an app-free alternative. Lime began experimenting with cash payments last year in Seattle and Los Angeles through a pilot program called Lime Access. Now the startup is expanding Lime Access to all of its markets, and giving users significant discounts. Lime Access users get a 50-percent discount on rentals of electric-assisted bikes and electric scooters, and a 95-percent discount for conventional bikes. After the discount, Lime will charge an initial 50-cent fee for an electric scooter rental, and 7 cents per minute of riding. At $2.60 for a 30-minute ride, Lime claims it will significantly undercut competitors. [Rival Bird waives its $1.00 initial fee]() for low-income riders, but charges 15 cents per minute of riding. Lime also claims customers could take 100 bicycle rides for $5.00 using Lime Access discounts. The discounts are tied to Lime Access' app-less payment method, which still requires a computer and some form of cell phone. Users must create an account by emailing access@li.me. To purchase rides, users print a barcode that's compatible with PayNearMe, which lets users pay for online services in cash. Lime then sends a text message with a code to unlock the bike or scooter. Bike and scooter-sharing services are the latest Silicon Valley trend. Lime recently [scored an investment from Uber](), which will rent Lime scooters through its app, while Uber rival [Lyft bought bike-sharing company Motivate](). Unlike many of Motivate's bike-sharing operations, Lime is dockless, meaning riders don't have to bring bikes and scooters back to a designated terminal. This is more convenient for users, but has [created friction with city authorities]() faced with streets strewn with discarded bikes and scooters. ## Author Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read. ### Author social links [Twitter]()