Whether you are going for a snorkel, dive or headed out on your stand-up paddleboard, having a Scubajet or Bixpy paddle board motor can make it more exciting.

Both the Scubajet and the Bixpy are waterproof electric motors but the Scubajet does not need an extra attachment to use it on your board or boat. The Scubajet is also faster than the Bixpy. But the Scubajet is two to three times the price as well. 

There are several factors to consider before buying a Scubajet or a Bixpy SUP motor. Read on to find out the main differences between the two before spending any of your hard-earned cash. 

The Scubajet 

The Scubajet is a multifunctional water sport motor that can be used on different watercrafts or for diving and snorkeling. This jet pack has some amazing statistics in the run time and speed. For example:

  • Can take you up to seven miles per hour
  • Lasts two hours at full speed or four hours at minimum speed
  • Dives up to 196 feet under the water
  • Generates 44 pounds of thrust
  • Just 22 inches in length
  • Only weighs 5.2 pounds 
  • Charge time under two hours
  • Ranges from $1,825 to $2,720

Four hours of diving is a major bonus and the Scubajet attaches to your scuba tank, so you do not have to hold it. It even has a remote control that you can use to accelerate and dive. 

Being small and lightweight, you can toss it into your backpack before heading to the beach. And since it is not heavy, adding it to your scuba tank will not weigh you down. 

If you need more power or run time, no need to worry because the Scubajet has an optional external battery pack that can give you up to 12 hours of run time. For just a bit more weight, attach the battery pack and stay in the water all day. 

Showing the versatility of the ScubaJet for multiple uses

The Bixpy Jet

Like the Scubajet, the Bixpy motor will get you going in the water no matter what water activities you are enjoying. However, it is listed as a sea scooter, mainly used for pulling the user along underwater. The original Bixpy is easy to use and has three speeds to choose from. Other features of the Bixpy include:

  • Takes you up to six miles per hour
  • Up to two hours of run time at slow speed
  • Can dive up to 100 feet
  • Has 32 pounds of thrust
  • Compact at only 31 inches long
  • Weighs about seven pounds
  • Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • Camera mount on battery housing
  • Additional light attachment
  • Has a plug-and-play kit for Hobie kayaks with MirageDrive
  • Price ranges from $725 to $1,100

The Bixpy is a bit larger than the Scubajet with less thrust, but it has other benefits such as the price. That is the main difference because the Scubajet is almost three times the price of the Bixpy. 

With a camera mount and light attachment, the Bixpy has more cool special adaptions to make your dive a more exhilarating experience. You may not be able to go for 12 hours with this one, but there is an optional battery pack that will give you an additional 10 hours.

In addition, the Bixpy has an impeller driven motor instead of a propeller driven motor. This makes it much better in terms of drag and decreases the risk of hitting underwater things as well as other debris like fishing line. And because of their unique design, it is more easily fitted to different types of watercraft.

What These Differences Mean for Users

The differences may not seem like much, but it all depends on what type of water activity you are planning. Each of these underwater jet motors have several types and adapters to give users a variety of choices. 

Diving and Snorkeling

The Scubajet is an excellent choice for deep sea diving. Not only does it dive deeper, it also attaches to your tank so you can use your hands for other things like uncovering treasures and taking underwater selfies. 

Another bonus for divers with the Scubajet is that it is so powerful it can go faster and last longer. Also, this one has six speeds for diving and snorkeling. However, the faster you go, the less time you will have. At the highest speed, you are likely to run out of juice in about 20 minutes.

You can also go diving and snorkeling with the Bixpy, but you will not get as much speed. Also, you have to hold the Bixpy so you only have one hand free for selfies. However, the Bixpy has a camera mount so it can take photos for you with the click of the remote control. 

Diving with the ScubaJet Pro 200

Boating and Paddleboarding

The Bixpy is the best choice as an outboard motor. It can be used on just about any small vessel such as:

  • Kayaks
  • Canoes
  • Paddleboards
  • Floats
  • Dinghies
  • Rafts

At slow speed, you can cruise around the water for up to 10 hours. At top speed, you can enjoy the wind in your hair for over an hour. The Bixpy outboard motor has 12 different forward speeds and three reverse speeds. The Scubajet is not as versatile with only three speeds. The maximum length of time on the lowest speed is much less than the Bixpy at only three hours while using the max speed will only get you 20 minutes.

The Construction and Performance Differences

The construction of the two are similar in ruggedness as well as performance but they are both fairly new, so the long-term performance is not yet known. The housing and connectors on the Bixpy work well in both freshwater and saltwater while Scubajet does not specify. 

The Scubajet has a dive controller display that shows essential information as needed. For example, you can see:

  • Battery runtime
  • Water temperature
  • Dive depth
  • Power consumption

Here’s the Bad News

You always have to take the bad with the good. So, what are the cons of each of these products? They each have many benefits, but there are a few cons with each as well. 

Bixpy

  • Does not have a dive controller display 
  • Cannot dive as deep
  • Motor is not as powerful
  • Battery does not last as long when diving
  • Larger and heavier than the Scubajet
  • You do not have both your hands free

Scubajet

  • Does not have a camera mount
  • Not adaptable to as many different types of motor craft
  • Cost is much higher
  • Battery does not last as long when used as an outboard motor
  • Has less speeds when used as an outboard motor

Some Things Are the Same

Both the Scubajet and Bixpy are easy to operate so anyone can learn to use them. They are also both eco-friendly since they do not use any gas or other harmful chemicals. Here are some other similarities between the two water jet engines. 

  • Both have rechargeable batteries
  • They both weigh under 10 pounds
  • Both are small enough to fit in a backpack
  • They both are adaptable for scuba or boating

What is an Underwater Scooter?

Also known as diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs), these machines are built to give divers and swimmers a boost in the water to propel themselves. All you have to do with most of these is hang onto the handle or handles and let the motor pull you through the water at up to nine miles an hour. 

Many varieties like the Scubajet and Bixpy can be attached to a boat or paddleboard to help you get around without paddling. Similar to a trolling motor but better for the environment, these eco-friendly motors push you through the water without polluting it with fuel and other chemicals.

Tim Conner, M.D. started boating in 1974. He has been involved in recreational boating continuously since then. Dr. Conner has been active in boating and watersports safety education for decades.

He rode his first jet ski in 1997, and rejoined the personal watercraft arena in 2012 with a Sea-Doo GTX 155, followed by 2 supercharged SeaDoos. Scuba certification came in 1988, and he and the family have traveled the world snorkeling and scuba diving for decades. The family has recently taken up paddle boarding, with wakeboards and kitesurfing the next challenges for my adult kids. See the About page for more.