At the train station, in the shopping centre or at the museum, your smartphone is ticket, map and wallet in one. If your battery dies there, you quickly have a real problem. Powerbank stations in public places catch exactly that moment. In this article we show which public places are a good fit, why, and what matters when setting up a station.
In brief
A powerbank station in a public place rents out charged powerbanks to people on the move, for example in train stations, shopping centres, libraries or leisure facilities. Payment is contactless, the powerbank charges your phone on the go and can be returned at any station. The more footfall and the longer the wait, the better the place fits.
Contents
Why are public places a good fit for powerbank sharing?
Public places have two things that are crucial for powerbank sharing: lots of people and people who are on the move. At home or in the office you just charge your phone at a socket. On the go that is hardly possible, and that is exactly when you need your phone most:
- Tickets and timetables for trains, buses, flights or events are almost only digital these days.
- Navigation in an unfamiliar city uses a lot of battery.
- Paying happens more and more via smartphone.
- Waiting time, for the train, an appointment or friends, gets filled with the phone.
On top of that: since the end of 2024, smartphones sold in the EU must be chargeable via USB-C. With the three built-in cables on every powerbank (USB-C, Lightning and Micro-USB), older devices and iPhones with a Lightning port can be charged too.
Which public places work particularly well?
| Place | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Train and bus stations | High footfall, waiting times, digital tickets |
| Airports | Long stays, travellers from all over the world, phone as boarding pass |
| Shopping centres | Visitors often stay several hours, lots of walking around the building |
| Libraries and universities | Long study sessions, sockets at the desks often taken |
| Museums and sights | Tourists use their phones for photos, audio guides and navigation |
| Theme parks, zoos, swimming pools | All-day visits, tickets and photos on the phone |
| Stadiums and sports halls | Lots of visitors at once, digital tickets, the journey home afterwards |
| Citizens’ offices and public authorities | Waiting times, often with no socket within reach |
Places where people stay longer than half an hour work best. If you are just passing through, you rarely have time to borrow a powerbank.
What are the benefits for the venue operator?
- A modern service for visitors that works without any staff of your own.
- Fewer requests for sockets and charging cables at information desks and tills.
- Longer stays: people with battery left are more likely to stay a while, for example in the shopping centre or the museum café.
- Advertising space: the station’s display can show your own content, for example notices, offers or your logo.
- No operating effort: the provider handles payments, support and round-the-clock monitoring.
What matters when setting up?
- Visible, busy spot: the station should be where people wait or walk past, at the info point, in the waiting area or at the entrance.
- Supervision nearby: a spot within sight of staff or cameras protects the station and builds trust with users.
- Approval: in public places the decision usually lies with centre management, an operating company or the local authority. A clear, short proposal pays off here.
- Power and connection: a normal 230 V socket is enough. Where there is no Wi-Fi, the station connects via its built-in SIM card.
- Easy for everyone: renting by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay works without an app and without speaking the language, which matters for tourists and international guests.
What does this mean for licensees?
Above all, public places offer licensees one thing: footfall. Where thousands of people pass by every day, even a small share of rentals is enough for a well-used station. Demand is also often spread over the whole week rather than just the weekend.
Getting the location often takes longer than with a bar, though, because more decision-makers are involved and some operators ask for a pitch fee or a revenue share. Plan for that realistically up front. The combination works well: stations in public places and in bars and restaurants in the same city form a network where users can return the powerbank at any station.
How much a station earns at a particular place depends heavily on footfall, length of stay and placement. There is no guarantee. You can try out your own assumptions in the profit calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Can you return the powerbank somewhere else?
Yes. The powerbank can go into any free slot of a Limitless station, not just the station it was rented from.
Does renting work with foreign cards?
Yes. The station accepts contactless card payment as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. No app or account needed.
How long does a rental take?
Taking a powerbank takes about five seconds. How long you use it is up to you. You only pay for the time you actually use it.
What does a public place need for a station?
A visible spot, a 230 V socket and Wi-Fi or mobile reception. The station is compact and only uses around 15 to 25 watts.
Can the venue operator use the station’s display?
Yes. The display can show your own content, for example a logo, notices or advertising.
Want a station for your venue, or to start as a licensee?