Orbit vs RED Driving School

Free for instructors, no franchise contract

RED's Brand Franchise costs £99 a week if you already have a suitable training car (RED published pricing, checked 28 September 2026), or £5,148 a year. Orbit is free for driving instructors: no subscription, no contract, no card needed.

Choose your own car

No mandatory RED-branded vehicle. Drive the car you want, choose your own lease deal, and pick the insurance that works for you.

Build your own brand

With RED, pupils know the brand - not you. Go independent and build a reputation that belongs to you. Every 5-star review, every recommendation grows YOUR business.

No contract lock-in

RED franchise agreements come with contract terms and notice periods. Orbit has no contract. Leave whenever you want.

HMRC Making Tax Digital built in

Orbit totals your lesson income and expenses into your quarterly Making Tax Digital updates, built on HMRC's MTD for Income Tax API. Live submissions open once HMRC approves Orbit.

Full control of your business

Set your own rates, work the hours that suit your life, and take holidays without asking permission. Your business, your rules.

• Free for instructors, no card needed
• Full diary & booking management
• Pay-at-booking & cancellation fees
• Making Tax Digital records (HMRC approval in progress)
• AI lesson debriefs
• Marketplace pupil acquisition
• Business health dashboard
• Your own Stripe merchant account

RED Driving School

• RED branding for your own training car
• Car deals available on request
• Initial ADI training available
• Pupil supply through RED brand
• RED brand recognition
• Lower published fee than the AA's All-Inclusive franchise
• Contract with notice period
• Accountancy and tax services through FBTC, its accountancy division

Choose Orbit if

• You'd rather not pay £5,148 a year in weekly franchise fees
• You want to build a business under your own name
• You want to choose your own car and insurance
• You want total control over rates, hours, and holidays
• You want Making Tax Digital records built into your diary app
• You want pay-at-booking so pupils pay upfront
• You don't want a contract with notice periods
• You want a marketplace that brings pupils on your terms

Choose RED Driving School if

• You're newly qualified and want a car, insurance, and pupils provided from day one
• You value the RED brand recognition in your area
• You want a lower-cost franchise option compared to AA or BSM
• You prefer not to arrange your own car lease and insurance
• You want guaranteed initial pupil supply while building experience