Best Electric Scooters Under $500 – 12 Cheap But Great Scooters For Every Need

The competition for the best electric scooter under $500 is huge in 2023. It is one of the most coveted price categories by all scooter brands.

As demand for scooters grows, so does the competition among scooter manufacturers.

Electric scooters get better every year. At the same time, prices constantly go down.

All of that is great news for budget shoppers.

There has never been a better time to pick an inexpensive, but still very good scooter, from a rich variety of models designed for every need and use case.

These are all the best electric scooters priced at less or around $500.

You can also check out the video version of this guide on our Youtube channel.

They each have their strengths and upsides. The way you should make your choice is to think about your needs first, and then take your pick from the options that shine in that area.

Let’s see where each of these models performs best, and when it would make sense for you to consider buying it.

Best Overall: Hiboy Max3

The more I learn and research electric scooters, the more I like the Hiboy Max3.

It seems that the Hiboy Max3 has it all.

Great quality, with low defect rates? Check.

Affordable price and high availability? Check.

Amazing safety features, great durability and lifespan? Check.

Massively popular and selling in thousands, while still having stellar reviews and high customer satisfaction? Check.

Strong performances, powerful motor, cool top speed, long range, long battery life, low charge time, cool design? Check, check, check…

This is one of the best budget scooters of our time. I don’t think there’s a better deal overall right now for less than $500. You can see my detailed Hiboy Max3 review to find out more.

Who should get the Hiboy Max3?

I know “everyone” is not a good answer, but I can’t think of a simpler yet correct answer to this question.

The true power and awesomeness of the Hiboy Max3 come from its versatility. This scooter will not disappoint anyone.

Who should not get the Hiboy Max3?

Honestly, I can’t think of a scooter owner category that would not love the Hiboy Max3.

I’d suggest probably getting another scooter if you have really specific needs in one area, and need your scooter to be specialized in that area.

Otherwise, the Hiboy Max3 is always a good choice.

Most Reliable: Hiboy S2

The ratings and reviews of the Hiboy S2 say it all.

This scooter is formidable, designed to take massive amounts of punishment in all sorts of environments, and overcome all sorts of challenges.

This is one of the scooters with the lowest defect rates. It has very few user complaints about breaking down after short usage, and even fewer of being dead on arrival.

Part of the reason for its high reliability, besides the great quality, are its solid tires. They never go flat, so you will not have the very annoying pain of fixing flats.

Besides being very reliable, long-lasting, popular, and well-received by the scooter community, this tough guy has lots of other things going for it.

Very good top speed of 18 mph / 30 kmh, which is rare for this price category. A solid range of 17 mi / 27 km on a single battery charge, coupled with long battery life, and a powerful 350 Watt motor.

See my full Hiboy S2 review if you want to find out more.

Who should get the Hiboy S2?

I would recommend the Hiboy S2 to anyone looking for a high-quality scooter that will serve them for a long time, with a minimal amount of defects and breakdowns.

Also, I suggest strongly considering this scooter if you live in a city that is unfavorable to scooters. Bad streets and infrastructure, full of potholes and cracks, no dedicated bike lanes, all of those conditions should be met and handled with grace by the Hiboy s2.

It’s not that the other scooters in the $500 category are unreliable. It’s just that they’re not as reliable as the Hiboy S2. Of course, take care of your scooter and ride it carefully, but know that it will probably last you for a long time.

Who should not get the Hiboy S2?

Probably the only weak spot of the Hiboy S2 is his climbing angle.

The good news is, it’s not really that bad. At 9 degrees, it’s still much more than most scooters (many models don’t even bother to test or announce this value).

The 350 Watt motor will get you across lower-inclined hills, no problem.

Think about a different scooter only if you live in a very hilly city, where there are either a lot of hills, or some very steep hills.

Best Safety: Razor E300

Several factors make the Razor E300 the safest electric scooter under $500.

First of all, it has sold hundreds of thousands of units, and almost every one of them is a happy camper.

Then, just look at those Amazon ratings. 4.2 stars, out of 1250+ reviews? You don’t get there by being an unsafe scooter.

Finally, the weight of this scooter makes it very sturdy and reliable. At 20 kilograms, it’s going to be the equivalent of an SUV.

Check out my complete review of Razor E300 if you’re curious about this scooter.

Who should get the Razor E300?

Anyone who has safety as their priority should strongly consider the Razor E300. Not to say the other budget scooters are unsafe, but the Razor E300 ticks all the safety checkboxes.

In the same vein, this is also an excellent choice to get for your kid, younger relative, or as a present.

Finally, with a price tag usually around $250, this is a great value scooter, offering amazing bang-for-buck.

Who should not get the Razor E300?

Well, safety comes at a cost.

The Razor E300 will not have the greatest, most powerful motor, which means it will not have a very good range or top speed, and it will not be a great climber.

If you want a faster budget scooter, you will probably want to check out the Kugoo Kirin M4, described in more detail in this post as well.

With 16 kilometers of range, the Razor E300 is not exactly the best scooter for commuters.

Best For Heavy Adults: Swagtron Swagger 5

The following scooter is nothing short of incredible.

For a price of around $300, it has a weight capacity of 320 lbs / 145 kilograms! In the under $500 category, that is unheard of. Not to mention it only costs 70% of the price category limit.

That clearly makes it the best budget scooter for heavy adults today.

This surprisingly strong performer also boasts a great top speed of 18 mph / 30 kmh, an awesome climb angle of 20 degrees, and a range of 12 mi / 19 kilometers. Very good value here.

Coming from a proud line of famous scooters, the Swagtron Swagger 5 is one of the best models ever by the celebrated brand. This well-made model weighs 26 lbs / 12 kilograms, which makes it pretty portable. It also has an IP rating of IPX4, giving it solid protection against water.

Who should get the Swagtron Swagger 5?

Heavy adults, especially ones heavier than 220 lbs / 100 kg, would make a very good choice with the Swagtron Swagger 5. Other models lag behind by a lot, at least 55 lbs / 25 kilograms of weight capacity less than this one’s.

But aside from that, the Swagtron Swagger 5 is a very versatile, possibly underrated scooter.

It’s certainly a great choice for value shoppers, and anyone looking to get the best bang for buck.

Also, it is a smart choice for anyone living in hilly areas. The climb rate of 20 degrees is one of the best in the category.

Finally, with a water protection rating of IPX4, it is also one of the few water-resistant budget scooters, so get it if you live in a rainy or snowy area.

Who should not get the Swagtron Swagger 5?

The only bad news with this scooter is that some users have reported it has arrived broken.

This is possible with every scooter. I’ve calculated that there’s about a 0.5% to 1% for this to happen. With the Swagtron Swagger 5, that probability may be 1.5%.

Still not a high probability, I would consider it a minor risk that is still very unlikely to happen. But you should be aware of it anyway.

If you are adamant about getting the most reliable budget scooter, take a look at the Hiboy S2 or the Hiboy Max3 described in this article.

Lightest and Most Portable: Swagtron Swagger Pro

Not only is the Swagtron Swagger Pro the lightest electric scooter under $500, it is also probably the lightest electric scooter ever made. It weighs only 16 lbs / 7.25 kilograms.

On top of that, it is also one of the scooters with the least space occupancy. When folded, it’s only 39.3 in / 100 cm long, 16.1 in / 41 cm tall, and just 15.7 in / 40 cm wide.

That makes it the one of most portable electric scooters, with most other options being either much heavier, or much more spacious.

Besides being one of the most portable scooters in the world, this featherweight champion has other things going for it.

Its quality level, while not the best, is still satisfactory. It is one of the rare models that successfully pulls off the carbon fiber build and good design.

Also, it looks pretty good, in my opinion. A really slick, cool, small scooter, with a great color choice and modern shine.

Its performances are pretty good too, a top speed of 15 mph / 25 kmh, powered by a 250 Watt motor. Not too shabby at all for such a small scooter.

Who should get the Swagtron Swagger Pro?

If portability is your main need, then the Swagtron Swagger Pro will be your champion.

This is one of the few scooters that is actually the best choice for a use case in any price category. No matter how much you are willing to spend, you will not find a more portable scooter than the Swagtron Swagger Pro.

Also, something that I probably don’t talk about enough in this blog is the look and feel of the scooters, and how fun are they to ride.

Well, I believe the Swagtron Swagger Pro, being a light, high-quality, cool-looking scooter, would provide a decent and fun riding experience overall. So you can consider it for this scenario as well.

Who should not get the Swagtron Swagger Pro?

It makes sense that the Swagtron Swagger will not be the strongest performer on this list. Great portability and great performance is a paradox that probably no brands have solved yet. If you need a powerful scooter, search for the Kugoo Kirin M4 entry.

Also, note that the ultra-budget price will definitely bring some sacrifices in terms of quality. There have been some complaints about that with this scooter, so that’s something to keep in mind, and if you want a model with a proven quality level, consider something like the Hiboy models.

Best Value: GoTrax G2

We are already talking about budget scooters under $500, but can we go even lower? Can we find great scooters at, say, half that?

Turns out, we can. The GoTrax G2 model, usually priced at around $228, is the best value budget scooter for adults that you can find.

The combination of range of 6.8 mi / 11 km, and top speed of 15 mph / 25 kmh, especially the speed part, is a true bargain for the price.

The GoTrax G2 is water-resistant with an IP54 water protection level, and it has a big-enough weight capacity to handle most adults, at 220 lbs / 100 kg of maximum weight load.

The scooter climbs pretty well for its power, and it weighs just 21 lbs / 9.5 kg, making it one of the lightest and most portable electric scooters in the world today.

And, the icing on the cake… With a very small battery, this is one of the very few adult scooters you will likely be able to take on a plane with you (if the airline allows scooters on board of course).

The great features are simply too numerous. It’s almost unbelievable what you can get for around $228 these days.

Who should get the GoTrax G2?

The GoTrax G2 will be the favorite of value shoppers. Its specs are hard to beat for that price.

That will also imply that the GoTrax G2 is a very versatile scooter, well equipped to handle a lot of different scenarios and use cases.

People living in rainy areas can also get this scooter, since it has a water protection standard of IP54.

Who should not get the GoTrax G2?

It’s hard to say. Seems like if you need a budget or a value scooter, you will definitely get a great deal with the GoTrax G2.

Well, I guess it’s only fair to mention that the range is not really the best. This scooter might have a limited range for some use cases.

Consider the Hiboy Max3 if you need a truly versatile scooter that is still great value but has a better range.

Fastest Speed: Kugoo Kirin M4

When it comes to the greatest top speed in the under $500 category, the Kugoo Kirin M4 reigns supreme.

It has a top speed of 27 mph / 43 kmh, a speed that no other $500 scooter can match.

Usually, the 22 mph / 35 kmh scooters cost well above $700. You get that speed for just $399 with the Kugoo Kirin M4.

Coming from one of the best budget scooter manufacturers in the world, the Kugoo Kirin M4 is of pretty good quality, performing better than most scooters in the budget category.

Besides the great top speed, its range will also be extremely solid, with 28 mi / 45 km on a single charge. At the same time, it can still climb moderate hills of up to 15 degrees.

Make no mistake, this is an excellent scooter at a great price.

Who should get the Kugoo Kirin M4?

Simply put, if you want the fastest possible electric scooter under $500, then you won’t find a better choice than the Kugoo Kirin M4. It is the only scooter that can reach speeds of 27 mph / 43 kmh, and that is a big deal for a budget model.

I can also see the 27 mph / 43 kmh being great for commuters, the 500 Watt motor and 45 km range combo can be a godsend to many commuters, especially those with a last-mile type of commute.

Who should not get the Kugoo Kirin M4?

Honestly, I can’t think of a group of people that wouldn’t like the Kugoo Kirin M4.

When a scooter is fast and has a powerful motor, all things about it are better. Pretty much anyone can fall in love with it.

Probably the only group that should look elsewhere is heavy adults, weighing over 220 lbs / 100 kg. That is exactly the weight capacity of the Kugoo Kirin M4, and for people close to or over that limit, the Swagtron Swagger 5 might be a better choice.

Longest Range: Turboant X7 Pro

While most electric scooters under $500 have a decent range of 15-20 mi / 25-32 km on a single charge, that’s as much as they can go.

Except for the Turboant X7 Pro.

In the budget category, it is the undisputed range champion, with an unmatched range of 30 mi / 48 km on a single charge.

This huge range comes from its unique removable battery technology and setup. Unlike most other scooters that have their batteries inside, below the deck, the Turboant X7 Pro has it attached to the stem. You can remove it in a second by clicking one button and unloading it in your hands.

The battery itself has a great range, to begin with, but the fact that it’s removable makes for extra convenience as you can recharge it anytime, wherever you want, and by buying a spare battery, you can effectively double the range by carrying a charged battery with you on your rides.

A great choice of features for many in my opinion. See my detailed Turboant X7 Pro review to find out more.

Who should get the Turboant X7 Pro?

Obviously, if you need as much range as you can get for under $500, then this scooter is for you.

This includes pleasure riders, frequent riders, and commuters.

Who should not get the Turboant X7 Pro?

Typically, long range comes with the tradeoff of slower top speed.

With a top speed of 20 mph / 32 kmh, this may not be your choice if you’re after a faster scooter. Check out the Kugoo Kirin M4 for this feature, its range is pretty good for a budget scooter as well.

Best For Offroad: Uberscoot 1000W

Electric scooters under $500 are not built for offroad. It’s almost impossible to make a scooter ready for the challenges of the dirt trails and rough terrains, and have it cost less than $500.

And then, there’s the Uberscoot 1000W.

This is the only budget scooter truly prepared for riding outside of paved roads and urban environments. Every other budget scooter will probably not last even 10 minutes.

Typical for offroaders, this scooter will have a powerful motor, 1000 Watts in this case (second-best in this category). It is able to reach speeds of 20 mph / 32 kmh (which is the second-best in the $500 category) and can carry loads of up to 265 lbs / 120 kg.

Who should get the Uberscoot 1000W?

Now, I wanna level with you here – if you want a true offroad scooter, you will probably have to increase your budget a bit. Expecting a great offroader for under $500 is asking for a lot.

But if you are determined to get an offroad scooter under $500, then your choice is clear. In fact, there is no real choice, as the Uberscoot 1000W is the only $500 scooter that can go offroad.

Also, this scooter is a great choice for a fast, powerful scooter, well equipped for heavier adults as well.

Who should not get the Uberscoot 1000W?

This is a specialist scooter, with strong performance and motor, but not a very long range. I would recommend it only as a budget offroader choice.

You will likely be more satisfied with a more versatile option, like the Hiboy Max3, also featured in this guide.

If you need a good marathoner, or a good commuter, look for the Turboant X7 Pro in this article.

Best With Seat: Razor E300S

I’m not exactly sure why electric scooters with seats are not more popular, or ever the default. The seat is usually removable, and even when installed, it has very few downsides.

Still, there are many people that get electric scooters with seats.

In the under $500 price category, the best electric scooter is the Razor E300S.

This scooter is the same as the Razor E300, except that it has the option of supporting a seat. Since the no-seat model is a good budget choice, the E300S will also be one as well.

Who should get the Razor E300S?

I would look at the seat as just a bonus.

Sure, if you need a scooter with a seat, get the Razor E300S, it is the best budget choice.

But aside from that, this scooter is a great inexpensive option. Usually priced below $250, it is one of the cheapest scooters even in the budget category.

Who should not get the Razor E300S?

Well, unless you want an affordable scooter with a seat, coming from an established brand, you can consider other scooters.

The 10 mi / 16 km range of the Razor E300S is not the best. In fact, it’s almost half the range of the longest range budget scooter, the Turboant X7 Pro.

Also, the Razor E300S is pretty heavy for a budget scooter, with a weight of 44 lbs / 20 kg. Check out the Swagtron Swagger Pro if you need a more portable option.

Best With Seat And Trunk: Razor EcoSmart

Taking this further, the next best thing after a scooter with a seat, is a scooter with both a seat and a trunk.

Of course, it’s impossible to picture another scooter win this title than the iconic Razor EcoSmart. It is THE budget electric scooter with a seat and a trunk.

It can carry up to 26 lbs / 12 kg of load in the basket.

The pneumatic tires will give you a nice, smooth sailing. The speed control is one of the best ones in the budget category.

But that makes it easy to overlook that the Razor EcoSmart is also an otherwise great budget choice as well.

With a top speed of 18 mph / 30 kmh, a range of 12 mi / 19 km, and a 500 Watt motor, it is right there, toe to toe, with the most performing budget models.

Who should get the Razor EcoSmart?

Well, this may be a strange way of putting it, but I believe the Razor EcoSmart is the best choice for real-world, busy, often tired adults.

Even at the age of 32, I often feel the need to sit down and rest a bit. Why not do it while riding the scooter?

Also, I often shop for groceries or other items. How invaluable is a basket when you have 4 heavy grocery bags that awkwardly hang around from your no-basket scooter?

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the most practical, most useful electric scooter for the everyday lives of adults, full of tasks and chores.

And it’s not just that. The Razor EcoSmart is a very popular, very well-established scooter, trusted and loved by thousands upon thousands. It is hard to make a mistake with it. You can see my detailed Razor EcoSmart review if you’re curious.

Who should not get the Razor EcoSmart?

There’s only one category of people I would not recommend the Razor EcoSmart for. That’s for people looking for a lightweight, portable scooter.

With a weight of 66 lbs / 30 kg, it is not a good choice for anyone that needs to carry their scooter a lot.

Take a look at the Swagtron Swagger Pro entry in this post for a super-light, high-quality budget scooter.

Best With Removable Battery: Levy

When it comes to the best budget scooter with a removable battery, the Levy gets the edge over the Turboant X7 Pro for two main reasons: looks and feature design.

Even though these are all budget scooters, there are quite a few that look very cool.

And, ultimately, this is a matter of personal preference. It is possible that what I consider a good look and design, is not the same as what someone else does.

Still, I believe the coolest-looking budget scooter today is the Levy.

I think the color choice does it for me. That green/blue/turquoise color shades, on a smooth, modern, gray-black base? Mmm… it’s just got that futuristic awesomeness about it.

On the other hand, the Levy has its battery stored inside the stem (unlike the Turboant X7 Pro which has it attached on the side), which makes for a much sleeker design overall.

With a top speed of 18 mph / 30 kmh, and a range of 15 mi / 24 km on a single charge, the Levy has something else going for itself besides its slick design. It’s also a pretty portable scooter at 26 lbs / 12 kg of weight, with a water-protection standard of IP54.

Who should get the Levy?

If you are into cool, modern-looking scooters, with sci-fi futuristic color schemes and design, then the Levy would be your perfect budget choice. There are other nice-looking scooters, but none is quite like the Levy.

Also, a great use case for the Levy would be any scenario where you need to remove the battery from the scooter. This can be if you leave your scooter somewhere you’re afraid it might get stolen, or just leave the scooter in the garage or the basement and take only the battery to charge it with you.

The Levy is a good choice for wet environments as well, with an IP standard of IP54.

Overall, the Levy is a great all-rounder, making it a great choice for almost everyone.

Who should not get the Levy?

I’m not really sure when the Levy would not be a good choice at the very least.

Its specs are all clearly announced, and while some of them are not the greatest, they are still all quite formidable for a budget scooter.

The weight limit of 230 lbs / 104 kg is almost the norm in the $500 price category. Heavier adults may consider another budget scooter, such as the Swagtron Swagger 5.

Maybe you can get a different scooter if you need a truly excellent climber. But the climb angle of 10 degrees is likely much better than the climb angles of all the scooters that don’t even announce the climb angles of their models. So I guess only consider climbers like the Swagtron EB5 if you absolutely need one.

What can you expect from a $500 electric scooter?

There are 58 electric scooter models in the under $500 category that I’ve discovered so far. They cost $356 on average. All of them will have at least 100 kilograms of weight capacity (otherwise they would be kid scooters). Their motors will most often be either 250 Watts or 350 Watts.

While this is the lowest price category, you shouldn’t be quick to dismiss these scooters as low quality.

Sure, there will be some electric scooter models and brands that simply offer bad models.

But there are a lot of serious companies that work hard to build affordable, quality scooters, easily accessible to the public. All of the models and brands in this post belong to that category.

Now, it is not impossible that you get a scooter that doesn’t work, or stops working very soon after delivery. This is just a matter of being unlucky, and individual incidents shouldn’t scar a brand’s reputation for life.

In fact, if any price category has the biggest chance of delivering a scooter of poor quality, it is the budget category. This is almost self-evident, right? The less money you invest in a scooter, the more chance of it not working properly sooner rather than later.

But what’s interesting is that even for the cheapest scooters, the probability of something going seriously wrong with a scooter in the first year is very small. The research I’ve done on the lifespan of electric scooters suggests that there is about a 4.63% chance that a budget scooter will completely break down in the first year.

That is pretty good for an industry this new.

By sticking with the scooters described in this post, you will typically decrease that probability even further.

You should get at least one year from your scooter at the bare minimum, worst-case, faith-dealt-a-bad-hand scenario. There is the probability of your scooter being dead on arrival, or breaking down in the first month, but that’s actually a better scenario – you will get either a completely new scooter, or a full refund, if that happens.

In summary, even though this is the cheapest, riskiest price category, there are still a lot of dedicated, professional brands that really give their best to design, build, and test amazing scooters for the lowest prices.

Is an electric scooter under $500 worth it?

Most of the time, an e-scooter under $500 won’t be worth it, unless that’s the most you can possibly spend. There are some “steals” in this price range, but most of the models here are dismissed as low-end budget commuters with skeptical qualities.

Are $500 cheap for an electric scooter?

The average price of an electric scooter today is around $1300, making all the $500 scooters seem like a cheap bargain.

However, that number is skewed by a few $4000+ models which are quite rare, so the more appropriate median price of e-scooters today would be somewhere around $900. Still, if you can find a decent $500 that suits your needs, it is definitely a great deal, price-wise.

How fast do $500 electric scooters go?

The top speeds of $500 electric scooters will range between 9-22 mph / 15-35 kmh, with an average of 16 mph / 25.9 kmh.

How much range do $500 electric scooters have?

The electric scooters under $500 will typically have ranges between 4-22 mi / 7-35 km. Their average range is 13.6 mi / 22.1 km.

Summary

We went through all the best electric scooters under $500, as well as a few other things you should know about them. Here’s a table quickly summarizing the best scooters under $500 one more time.

Matt Trajkovski

My name is Matt Trajkovski. I love electric scooters, and electric vehicles in general. I like doing a lot of testing, reviewing, and research on various electric scooter models and brands, following our proprietary rigorous editorial and testing process developed here at EScooterNerds, looking for great value and performance, both through data and experience. All of the content published on this blog goes through a rigorous review and editorial process, and our product reviews not only include the hands-on experience of our own team members, but the experience of our audience members as well. My goal is to provide you with the best information about electric scooters possible. You can see all of my posts in my articles archive.