Forest or Lime? A commuter’s guide to London’s two biggest e-bike providers

Londoners are increasingly turning to bike share for their daily commute – not just as a backup, but as a genuine alternative to trains, tubes and buses. 

And with TfL’s tube fares due to increase again in March 2026 – who can blame them?

While there are many brilliant providers to choose from, two names come up more than any others – Forest and Lime.

At first glance, both providers offer dockless e-bikes you can unlock with an app and ride across the city. But as commuting becomes part of a daily routine, many riders find themselves gravitating towards one or the other, based on things like pricing, parking and how each service fits into their day-to-day work travel.

We have put together a clear, commuter-focused comparison to help you decide which provider fits your routine best.

Forest vs Lime e-bikes at a glance

Feature	Forest	Lime
Bike type	E-bikes	E-bikes
Pricing models	– PAYG – Minute Bundles – Subscriptions  – Cycle to work subscriptions via CycleSaver	– PAYG  – Minute bundles – Cycle to work subscriptions via CycleSaver
Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing	£0.33/min	£0.33/min
Unlock fee	£1 (PAYG) £0 (Bundles /subscriptions) £0 (via CycleSaver)	£1 (PAYG) £0 (Bundles /subscriptions) £0 (via CycleSaver)
Free minutes	Between 1 and 30 free minutes depending on the bike you choose	None
Locations	Greater London area	London, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, West Midlands

Forest 

Forest is a widely recognised bike share operator in London and is best known for offering free ride time, which makes it a popular choice for short, regular trips around the city.

With Forest, the way pay-as-you-go rides work is slightly different from the standard per-minute pricing you’ll find with Lime. Forest charges a £1 unlock fee, but this is paired with free ride minutes that are allocated to specific bikes – a model designed to reward riders for choosing bikes the network wants moved around the city.

Alongside pay-as-you-go riding, Forest also offers a range of in-app ride bundles and short-term subscriptions, which can significantly reduce the cost per minute compared to paying ad hoc.

These bundles vary in size and validity – from short, low-commitment passes to larger monthly options – and are designed to suit everything from occasional rides to more regular commuting. As bundle size increases, the effective cost per minute typically drops, making them a popular choice for frequent riders.

Forest e-bike bundled pricing

Bundle/ Subscription	Price	Validity	Approx. £/min
20 mins	£2.99	24 hours	£0.15
35 mins	£3.99	24 hours	£0.11
70 mins	£6.99	3 days	£0.10
250 mins	£18.99	7 days	£0.08
500 mins	£36.99	30 days	£0.07
24 hrs unlimited	£14.99	24 hours	N/A
1200 minute subscription	£70	Monthly	£0.06
CycleSaver 1800 minute subscription	£47.70 – £64.80	Monthly	£0.03 – £0.04

Following a recent update, Forest moved away from its simple “10 free minutes every day” model to a more dynamic system. Individual bikes now come with between 1 to 30 free minutes attached, and riders can boost this allowance further by watching short ads in the app. The result is a more flexible, sometimes very low-cost ride – particularly for shorter journeys – depending on which bike you choose.

So, how does Forest work in practice?

1. Download the Forest app and create an account.

2. Find a bike by searching the map for your nearest available e-bike. Once you’ve found one, tap Rent now to unlock it.

3. Enjoy the ride, using any free minutes attached to the bike before pay-as-you-go charges apply.

4. Park responsibly at the end of your journey. Parking rules vary by borough, but the app will guide you through the process when you try to end your ride, helping you avoid unexpected fines.

Lime 

Lime is one of the most recognisable bike share providers in London and across the UK – partly due to its unmissable lime green colour palette, and partly thanks to its dense network of e-bikes across the city. That visibility makes Lime a reliable option for everyday commuting as well as longer, more spontaneous journeys.

Lime’s pay-as-you-go pricing follows a more traditional model than Forest. Riders pay an unlock fee (typically £1), followed by a fixed per-minute rate for the duration of the ride. There are no free minutes attached to individual bikes, which means pricing is consistent regardless of which e-bike you choose.

Lime also offers in-app ride passes and bundles, designed for riders who use Lime regularly. These include a set amount of ride time for a fixed price and remove unlock fees, helping bring down the effective cost per minute compared to PAYG trips. As with most bundles, larger passes tend to offer better value, making them a popular option for commuters who want predictable monthly costs.

Lime e-bike bundled pricing

Bundle/ Subscription	Price	Validity	Approx. £/min
30 mins	£3.99	1 day	£0.13
60 mins	£6.99	3 days	£0.12
200 mins	£18.99	7 days	£0.09
400 mins	£36.99	30 days	£0.09
CycleSaver 280 minute subscription	£33.49	31 days	£0.06 – £0.08
CycleSaver 500 minute subscription	£52.99	31 days	£0.06 – £0.08
CycleSaver 1000 minute subscription	£99.99	31 days	£0.05 – £0.07

So, how does Lime work in practice?

1. Download the Lime app and set up your account.

2. Find a nearby e-bike using the in-app map and scan the QR code or tap “Ride” to unlock.

3. Ride for as long as you need, with charges accruing per minute after the unlock fee.

4. End your ride in a permitted parking area. Lime uses geofencing and in-app prompts to guide correct parking and help avoid fines.

Where CycleSaver fits in

CycleSaver unlocks a different way to commute by bike share.

Whether you’re a loyal Lime rider or prefer Forest, CycleSaver gives employees access to monthly ride bundles at up to 47% less, thanks to the tax benefits of salary sacrifice.

Subscriptions remove unlock fees and turn unpredictable ride costs into a fixed monthly benefit – making bike share easier to budget for as part of everyday work travel.

Calculate how much you could save on Lime and Forest e-bikes with CycleSaver