Timing:

• Obviously that having more kiosks is less time-consuming, than just copying the previous or running kiosk design, with the assistance of your kiosk partner, it would be a work of a few weeks depending on your kiosk partner's delivery or manufacture and the kiosk itself.
• While the Developing and launching a mobile app can take considerable of time, depending on the complexity of the software, the availability of development resources, and the testing and refinement processes. It may require several months to a year or more to develop and launch a fully functional and custom design app not forgetting getting permission to run on Google Play and Apple Store.

Cost:

Developing a mobile software solution involves upfront development costs, ongoing maintenance expenses, potential integration costs, and marketing expenses to promote the app. It may require investment in hiring developers or outsourcing the development from a software development company, both sources can be costly and constantly during the development and running stages. 

The cost of purchasing and installing additional kiosks from your existing and promising resources, includes the hardware itself, software licensing, and any necessary infrastructure adjustments. While there are initial costs, the existing maintenance expenses may be lower compared to a complex mobile software solution.

 

Extra Benefits to the Business:

• Cellphone software can provide convenience and flexibility to customers who prefer using their own smartphones for self-service or anything. It allows for wonderful potential scalability without requiring additional physical kiosks. it looks cool: Mobile apps also provide opportunities for targeted marketing, data collection, and personalized experiences.
• Installing more kiosks: Physical kiosks can act as advertisements or digital signage, attracting visitors and enhancing the overall customer experience.

 

User-Friendliness:

•  With the help of advanced LCD and interactive touchscreens, Kiosks can provide a straightforward and intuitive user interface, designed with touchscreens and large buttons for easy navigation. This simplicity can make them more accessible to older individuals and young children who may be less familiar with using smartphones, this benefit is why kiosks now are something must-have for restaurants and hospitals facing all groups of society.
• While mobile apps can also be designed to be user-friendly, they may require users to navigate through different screens and interact with smaller touch targets, posing visible challenges for some older adults or young children who may not be as comfortable with mobiles or even don’t have one, if they are your important customers, the development of software can only be an alternative to service a partial customers.

Convenience:

• Kiosks offer immediate access to serve, no download or install anything. They are readily available on-site, reducing any potential barriers related to app downloads or software updates.
• Mobile apps require users to download and install them. Eeven we are using speeding 5G or WiFi, this extra step may deter some individuals who prefer immediate access or are reluctant to use up storage space or use unknown software on their devices.

Rooms and space

•  Installing additional kiosks necessitates allocating physical space within your premises. Depending on the size and design of the kiosks, you will need to consider floor space, accessibility, and layout considerations at your places. This can be a limitation if you have limited space available or if the installation of kiosks may disrupt the flow of your existing operations.
• While Mobile software does not require any physical space within your premises. It can be accessed by users through their own mobile devices, eliminating the need for additional hardware installations.

To help you with a more visible comparison, Here is the chart for your faster review and comparison.

 

Factors of Comparison	Installing More Kiosks	Developing Mobile Software
Cost	★★★★★ Initial hardware and limit software costs; potentially lower ongoing maintenance costs	★★★☆☆ Upfront development costs; ongoing maintenance and support expenses
Timing	★★★★★ Shorter timeline for installation and deployment of additional kiosks	★★☆☆☆ Longer development time required
Accessibility	★★★★☆ Intuitive interface, familiar to users; suitable for older adults and young children	★★☆☆☆ May require familiarity with mobile devices and smaller touch targets
Convenience	★★★★☆ Immediate access, no need for downloads; can be always available on-site	★★☆☆☆ Requires users to download and install the app; may face reluctance to download or wait times for multiple users
Advertising Opportunities	★★★☆☆ Can act as advertisements or digital signage	★★☆☆☆ Limited advertising opportunities, primarily focused on the software itself
Space Requirements	★★☆☆☆ Requires physical space and layout considerations for installing more kiosks	★★★★★ No physical space required; accessed through users' own mobile devices

 

Conclusion
As per our experience in self-service and digital signage in the past decades, it is recommended to simply add the 2nd or even 3rd or 5th kiosk in the initial and next stage of development of the physical kiosk. When the business is facing or serving thousands of customers in a day, it is more than just a good time to expand to the mobile version, to embrace a new land, and to target customer’s individual cell phones. The scale of thousands even millions of platforms and volume shall not be restricted, or not only shouldering by a few kiosks at your physical places.

 

Horsent, as a promising touchscreen supplier, has helped thousands of kiosks integrator setting up enormous kiosks serving millions of visitors worldwide.