Three Subnado models, three prices, and product pages that list specifications without telling you which difference actually matters. Two of the three are nearly the same machine. One is genuinely different. Here is the comparison with every figure taken from the current product data, plus the one factor that decides it for most buyers and that no roundup covers properly.
The specifications, side by side
| Subnado Lite | Subnado Standard | Subnado Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | €399 | €499 | €799 |
| Battery | 98 Wh | 98 Wh | 144 Wh |
| Motor output | Not published | Not published | 800 W |
| Maximum thrust | 6.5 kg (14.33 lb) | Not published | 9.5 kg (21 lb) |
| Maximum speed, one unit | Not published | 1.4 m/s | 3.8 mph (about 1.7 m/s) |
| Maximum speed, two units | 2.0 m/s | 2.0 m/s | 5.4 mph (about 2.4 m/s) |
| Maximum runtime | 56 min | 56 min | 60 min |
| Super Gear burst | 50 s | 150 s | Not published |
| Charging | PD3.0, 100 W, 1.2 h | PD3.0, 100 W, 1.2 h | PD3.1, 140 W bi-directional, 1.2 h |
| Weight | 1.4 kg | 1.4 kg | 1.8 kg |
| Size | 377 x 60 mm | 377 x 60 mm | 397 x 60 mm |
| Waterproof rating | IP68, 60 m | IP68, 60 m | IP68, 60 m |
Prices are at the time of writing. Where a figure is not published we have left it blank rather than estimate one.
Lite or Standard: a smaller difference than the price suggests
Lite and Standard share the same 98 Wh battery, the same 1.4 kg weight, the same 377 x 60 mm body, the same 56-minute maximum runtime, the same 100 W charging and the same IP68 rating to 60 m. On the numbers that most buyers compare, they are the same scooter.
The €100 buys two things. The Super Gear burst runs 150 seconds on the Standard against 50 seconds on the Lite, so three times as long at full output. And the Standard ships with the finger-ring controller and an accessories mount that carries up to three auxiliary accessories, where the Lite comes as main unit, handle bracket, propeller pin, screws and spare O-rings.
If you will use the burst regularly, chasing something, covering ground against current, the Standard earns the difference. If the scooter is for relaxed snorkelling, the Lite is the same machine for €100 less.
The Plus is the one that is actually different
The Plus is a step up rather than a variant. An 800 W motor produces 9.5 kg of thrust against the Lite's 6.5 kg, roughly 46 percent more pull. The battery is 144 Wh instead of 98 Wh, and top speed rises to 3.8 mph on a single unit and 5.4 mph on a pair.
It also charges differently. PD3.1 at 140 W and bi-directional, so the unit can charge your other devices from its own battery. Full charge is still 1.2 hours despite the larger cell.
The cost is 400 g of extra weight and 20 mm of extra length. In the water that is nothing. In hand luggage it matters, which brings us to the deciding factor.
The battery rule that decides most purchases
This is the specification to check before price, and most comparison articles skip it.
The Lite and the Standard use a 98 Wh battery. That sits under the 100 Wh threshold airlines apply to lithium batteries in cabin baggage, which is why the Lite is described as airline approved. You carry it on, you do not ask permission.
The Plus uses 144 Wh. That falls into the band above 100 Wh, which normally requires the airline's approval before you fly and is subject to their own limits. It is not prohibited, but it is not automatic either, and rules vary by carrier. Confirm with your airline before booking a trip around it.
So: if the scooter exists to go in your luggage to a dive trip, the 98 Wh models remove a problem the Plus creates. If it lives in the car and goes to the coast at home, that constraint does not apply and the Plus is the stronger machine.
Two units instead of one
All three models support paired operation, and the numbers show why people do it: 1.4 m/s becomes 2.0 m/s on the Standard, 3.8 mph becomes 5.4 mph on the Plus. The Multi-Engine Mounting Plate at €108 supports up to three units on a board.
Two Lites at €798 come to roughly the price of one Plus and give you two hands driven, two batteries and a spare if one fails. One Plus at €799 gives more thrust in a single unit and one thing to carry. Neither is the obvious answer. It depends on whether you dive alone.
Mounting one to a board
Any Subnado can be mounted to a paddle board rather than held. That needs the right bracket for your fin box, and the Subnado SUP Kit at €439 bundles a unit with the quick-release mounting system. The fitment detail is covered in our SUP motor kit guide.
Who should buy none of these
If you want to be carried across the water standing up rather than pulled through it, a Subnado is the wrong category and the Flyer EVO is what you are describing. If you want to move a paddle board rather than yourself, start with the SUP kit rather than a bare scooter.
Waydoo Europe ships from EU stock with European warranty support: 2 years on the main unit, 6 months on the rear cover, charger, handle brackets and wired controllers.
Related reading: our SUP motor kit guide, the scuba and freediving comparison, and the underwater sea scooter guide.
