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Travel · head to head

Bolt vs Pleo

Bolt logo

Bolt

Travel

Estonian ride hailing app with dense coverage across Europe and expanding operations in Africa, positioned as a lower-cost Uber alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pleo logo

Pleo

Accounting

Smart company cards for forward-thinking teams

From
£9.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bolt has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bolt coverage, while broad across Europe and expanding in Africa, does not extend to North America, most of Asia or South America, so it is unavailable as an option in large parts of the world.; Pleo card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas
  • They diverge on capability: Bolt covers Ride hailing, Pleo covers Company cards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bolt and Pleo actually diverge.

Attributes where Bolt and Pleo differ
AttributeBoltPleo
Starting priceFree£9.5/month
Pricing modelFree app, pay per ride with dynamic pricingUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
CategoryTravelAccounting
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bolt

  • Ride hailing
  • Bolt Food
  • E-scooters and e-bikes
  • Lower driver commission model
  • Bolt Business
  • Scheduled rides

Only in Pleo

  • Company cards
  • Receipt capture
  • Expense categorization
  • Spend limits
  • Accounting sync
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bolt

  • A rider in Europe or Africa wanting a lower-cost alternative to Uber where both apps operatenot Pleo
  • Someone in a city where Uber does not operate but Bolt does, particularly in parts of Central and Eastern Europe or Africanot Pleo
  • A business traveller whose company uses Bolt Business for expensed corporate ridesnot Pleo
  • A rider wanting e-scooter or e-bike rental in a supported European city through the same app used for ridesnot Pleo

Pleo

  • Employee expensesnot Bolt
  • Spending autonomynot Bolt
  • Expense automationnot Bolt

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bolt

  • Coverage, while broad across Europe and expanding in Africa, does not extend to North America, most of Asia or South America, so it is unavailable as an option in large parts of the world.
  • Fares are dynamic with demand-based surge like the rest of the category, so the lower-cost positioning against Uber does not hold on every route or at every time of day.
  • Feature availability, especially Bolt Food and micromobility rental, varies considerably by city, so the app experience is inconsistent across the markets it operates in.
  • As a smaller company than Uber globally, driver and vehicle availability can be noticeably thinner in some cities, particularly outside major urban centres.
  • Bolt has faced regulatory and labour scrutiny in some European and African markets over driver classification and commission structures, similar to the challenges other ride hailing platforms have faced.

Pleo

  • Card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas
  • Receipt capture OCR inaccuracies and upload lag/glitches complicate expense categorization
  • Limited expense categories and tags reduce flexibility for complex accounting structures
  • Transaction approval workflows have minimal customization options
  • Lacks in-built forecasting tools and reporting is basic, providing limited insights into trends

Pricing, plan by plan

Bolt

Free
  • BoltFree
    • App is free; riders pay per trip at dynamic, demand-based fares
    • Fares often positioned lower than Uber in overlapping cities, but not guaranteed on every route
    • No published flat rate card, fares vary by city, time and route

Pleo

£9.5/month
  • Starter$9.5/month
    • Company cards
    • Real-time expense tracking
    • Automated reports
  • Essential$39/month
    • Reimbursements
    • Mileage and per diem
    • Vendor cards
  • Advanced$89/month
    • Cashback
    • Budgets
    • Multi-entity management
  • Beyond$179/month
    • Spending insights
    • Sub-wallets
    • Dedicated success manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Bolt if

  • You need ride hailing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want bolt food.
Bolt review

Choose Pleo if

  • You need company cards.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want receipt capture.
Pleo review

Questions people ask

Is Bolt or Pleo better?
Neither clearly leads. Bolt starts at Free and Pleo at £9.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bolt or Pleo?
Bolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bolt and £9.5/month for Pleo.
Does Bolt or Pleo run on more platforms?
Bolt runs on iOS, Android. Pleo runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Bolt for free?
Yes. Bolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pleo starts at £9.5/month.
What is Bolt best used for?
Bolt is most often used for a rider in europe or africa wanting a lower-cost alternative to uber where both apps operate, someone in a city where uber does not operate but bolt does, particularly in parts of central and eastern europe or africa, a business traveller whose company uses bolt business for expensed corporate rides, a rider wanting e-scooter or e-bike rental in a supported european city through the same app used for rides. Of those, a rider in europe or africa wanting a lower-cost alternative to uber where both apps operate and someone in a city where uber does not operate but bolt does, particularly in parts of central and eastern europe or africa are not what Pleo is typically brought in for.
What can Bolt do that Pleo cannot?
Bolt covers Ride hailing, Bolt Food, E-scooters and e-bikes, Lower driver commission model. Pleo covers Company cards, Receipt capture, Expense categorization, Spend limits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bolt: Where does Bolt operate?

Primarily across Europe, with particularly dense coverage in Central and Eastern Europe, plus an expanding presence across African markets including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

Pleo: What are Pleo's pricing tiers?

Pleo offers four pricing tiers: Starter (GBP 9.50/month), Essential (GBP 39.00/month), Advanced (GBP 89.00/month), and Beyond (GBP 179.00/month). Annual billing provides equivalent of two free months.

Source
Bolt: Is Bolt cheaper than Uber?

Often, in cities where both operate, but not guaranteed on every route since both use dynamic, demand-based pricing that varies by time and location.

Pleo: Does Pleo have a free tier?

No, Pleo does not offer a free tier or permanent free plan. All plans require payment with a free trial available for evaluation.

Source
Bolt: Does Bolt deliver food?

Yes, Bolt Food operates in many but not all of the cities where the ride hailing service is available.

Pleo: What integrations does Pleo support for accounting?

Pleo integrates directly with Xero and QuickBooks, plus Sage 200, Sage 50, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Datev, and Visma e-conomic. Zapier integrations are also available.

Source
Pleo: What platforms can access Pleo?

Pleo is accessible via iOS and Android mobile apps, and through a web interface. Physical and virtual cards are issued for spending.

Source
Pleo: Does Pleo support multiple currencies?

Yes, Pleo supports multi-currency spending and transactions. The platform is particularly strong for European teams with local payment methods.

Source
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