Yes, you can now use the sports and culture benefit to pay a bike rental.
A change to the Income Tax Act raised the benefit's tax-free limit to €540 a year and, for the first time, allowed it to be used for renting sports equipment..
What's changing in the sports and culture benefit?
The benefit's tax-free limit is going up from €400 to €540 a year, and you can use it in more ways than before. Here's what changes:
- A higher limit: employers can offer up to €540 a year per employee, tax-free.
- Equipment rental: you can use the benefit to rent sports equipment, even when the activity itself is free. Cycling, canoeing and skiing now qualify when you rent the gear.
- Outdoor activities: the benefit also covers things like fishing and hunting permits and wilderness guide services.
The new limit applies already in 2026, but the increase isn't automatic. Your employer decides whether to raise your benefit, so check your amount with HR. (Taloustaito)
What kind of bike can you rent with the sports benefit?
You can rent a regular bike or a pedal-assist e-bike. E-scooters and mopeds aren't covered, because using them doesn't require physical activity.
The rental can be short or long. The benefit can pay for a single rental, a city bike season pass or a bike for the whole season.
What is Vapaus planning?
Vapaus is gauging interest and building a service where employees can rent a bike and pay for it with their sports and culture benefit balance. The service is still being designed, and we're shaping it around what riders actually need.
Based on our current plan, the service would work in three steps:
- Pick your ride: e.g. a city bike for everyday errands or a pedal-assist e-bike for longer commutes and hills.
- Pay with your benefit: use the sports and culture benefit you already get from your employer.
- Ride, swap or return: ride all season and hand the bike back when you no longer need it.
We're still working out, among other things, whether to offer bikes for the summer season only or all year round, and what kind of care plan comes with or on top of the service. The answers in the waitlist survey feed directly into these decisions.
How much will bike rental cost and when does it start?
Pricing is still being set, and we aim to launch the service in early spring 2027. People on the waitlist hear about the launch first.
How much of the rent the benefit covers depends on how much benefit your employer offers. The maximum is €540 a year.
We are also looking into whether a rental bike can be purchased at a lower price at the end of the rental period. In principle, the bike is returned rather than purchased.
Is this the same as an employee benefit bike?
No. An employee benefit bike is a long-term lease paid from your salary, and new contracts lost their tax exemption at the start of 2026. A bike rented with the sports benefit is paid from your benefit balance and doesn't tie you in for years.
Employee benefit bike |
Bike rental with the sports benefit |
|
|---|---|---|
Payment |
From salary |
From the sports and culture benefit balance |
Duration |
Usually several years |
From a single rental to a full season |
Buyout |
Usually possible |
No buyout/redemption |
Tax treatment |
Taxable for new contracts from 2026 |
Tax-free up to €540 a year |
Join the waitlist
Joining the waitlist is free and doesn't commit you to anything. Everyone on the list hears about the launch first.
After joining, you can answer a short survey. Let us know what kind of bike you would ride and when, as well as what matters most to you in the service and we will tailor the service based on your responses.
Work in HR? Bike rental fits straight into the sports and culture benefit your company already offers. Book a call on the same page, and we'll show you how to bring it to your team.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent an e-bike with the sports benefit? Yes. You can rent a pedal-assist e-bike or a regular bike with the sports benefit.
How much sports and culture benefit can I get a year? The tax-free maximum is €540 a year. Your employer decides how much benefit it offers.
Will my benefit go up to €540 automatically? No. Your employer decides the amount, so check with your HR team.
Can I rent an e-scooter with the sports benefit? No. E-scooters and mopeds aren't covered by the sports benefit.
When does Vapaus bike rental start? We're aiming for early spring 2027. People on the waitlist hear about the launch first.