Waydoo makes three Subnado underwater scooters, and the names do not tell you much on their own. Our snorkelling and travel guide and our scuba and freediving guide answer a different question: which scooter suits your activity. This article answers the question we hear once you have settled on a Subnado: which model do you actually need? Below is every spec that separates the Subnado Lite, the Subnado Standard and the Subnado Plus, taken from the live product pages, with prices correct at the time of writing.

What is a Subnado?

A Subnado is a compact handheld underwater scooter: a small electric thruster you hold, wear or mount, which pulls you through the water so you cover more distance with less effort. Unlike the large twin-handle sea scooters you may know from resort rentals, every Subnado is a slim cylinder around the size of a wine bottle, light enough to pack in a carry-on and modular enough to strap to your arm, your leg, a scuba tank or a paddle board. If you are completely new to the category, start with our underwater sea scooter guide; if you already know you want one, the three models below cover everyone from a travelling snorkeller to a dry-suited scuba diver.

Subnado vs Subnado Plus: what actually changes?

The Subnado Plus is not a Standard with a new shell. It moves up in every propulsion spec: an 800W motor instead of 500W, 9.3 kg (21 lb) of maximum thrust instead of 6.5 kg, a 144Wh battery instead of 98Wh, and up to 60 minutes of runtime. Quoted top speed is 6.1 km/h with a single unit and 8.7 km/h when you run two Plus units on a dual-engine mount. That extra pull is what you want in open water, in current, or in a drysuit with the added drag that comes with it.

The Standard answers with portability and flexibility. At 1.4 kg with a 98Wh battery, it stays under the 100Wh line most airlines apply to carry-on lithium batteries, charges over USB-C at up to 100W in about 1.2 hours, is rated IP68 to 60 m depth like every Subnado, and works with the finger-ring and thumb controllers that keep both hands free. It runs Low, High and a 150-second Super gear, for up to 56 minutes per charge.

Subnado Lite vs Subnado: what do you give up?

The Subnado Lite keeps the parts that matter most for travel: the same slim 377 mm body, the same 98Wh airline-friendly battery, the same 100W fast charging that refills it in about 1.2 hours, and the same 6.5 kg of maximum thrust from a 500W motor. Runtime matches the Standard at up to 56 minutes; the difference is the Super gear burst, 50 seconds on the Lite against 150 seconds on the Standard. The control setup is a simpler removable handle bracket with three speed gears (Low, High and Super), and the box is leaner, with the main unit, Subnado handle bracket, propeller pin, two M4x8 screws and spare O-rings. It is €399 at the time of writing, the lowest price in the range, and it packs into a carry-on.

How fast is a Subnado? Speed, thrust and runtime

Subnado speed depends on the model and on how many engines you run. Waydoo publishes 1.4 m/s (about 5 km/h) single and 2.0 m/s or more dual for the Subnado Lite, and 2.0 m/s dual for the Standard, which shares the Lite's 500W motor and 6.5 kg thrust. The Plus is quoted at 6.1 km/h alone and 8.7 km/h as a dual-engine setup. For context, comfortable swimming pace is roughly 3 km/h, so even a single Standard changes what a session feels like, and a dual Plus setup is quoted at 8.7 km/h. Real-world speed always varies with your body position, your gear and the water; treat the quoted numbers as the ceiling, not a promise.

Waydoo Subnado price and specs: the full table

All prices include VAT and are correct at the time of writing, from the Waydoo Europe store.

One battery note for travellers: the Lite and Standard sit under the 100Wh threshold that most airlines allow in carry-on baggage without paperwork. The Plus battery is 144Wh, which falls in the 100 to 160Wh band where airlines generally require prior approval, so check with your carrier before you fly with one.

Accessory compatibility: check before you mix models

This is the detail that catches people out. The Subnado Plus uses its own accessory line: the SUBNADO Accessory Box, the Subnado Controllers and the Subnado Engine Handgrip Mount are all marked by Waydoo as compatible with the Standard and Lite only, not with the Plus. If you ride a Plus, the matching parts are the Subnado Plus Wired Controllers and the Subnado Plus Engine Handgrip Mount. Board mounts and general add-ons such as the Board Bracket and the mounting accessories are listed per product, so match the accessory page to your model before ordering, or ask us via the contact page if you are unsure.

Which Subnado should you choose?

Choose the Subnado Lite if you travel light and mostly snorkel or swim. It is €399, flies as carry-on, and shares the 6.5 kg thrust rating and 56-minute runtime of the Standard.

Choose the Subnado Standard if you want the all-rounder. Same airline-friendly battery and 56-minute runtime as the Lite, but with a 150-second Super gear burst against the Lite's 50 seconds, plus the full controller and accessory ecosystem, from finger-ring controllers to camera mounting rings.

Choose the Subnado Plus if you dive in open water, deal with current, or want more pull. The 800W motor and 9.3 kg of thrust put it in a different bracket, and a dual-engine Plus setup is quoted at 8.7 km/h. Just budget for Plus-specific accessories.

See the Subnado Plus

Related reading: our underwater sea scooter guide, the snorkelling and travel comparison, and the scuba and freediving comparison.