Kiosk prices

An interactive kiosk requires a considerable investment, but it's still much cheaper than when the technology first emerged over a decade ago. Back then, a fairly basic interactive kiosk cost about $25,000 as PCs and touch screens were much more expensive.

Today, you can purchase a typical interactive kiosk with a resistive touch screen LCD monitor, a standard enclosure, a printer, and software for around $3,500 to $8,000. The kiosk price will rise as you customize the machine. A fancy kiosk enclosure featuring a specially cut design and customized materials can add another $1,000 to $10,000 to your final bill. Learn what other BuyerZone users have paid for interactive kiosks.

You'll also pay extra for additional components to your interactive kiosk. Upgrading to a laser printer can cost an additional $2,000, and higher-quality display screens and more advanced touch screens can add another $2,000 to $10,000.

While interactive kiosk pricing typically includes standard software, customized software can also add to your total costs. Customized software fees range from $3,500 to $20,000 or more, plus licensing fees of $150 to $500 per kiosk. If it's not included, standard software, including automatic updates and 24 x 7 live help desk support, costs a few hundred dollars with discounts for multiple licenses.

Most interactive kiosk vendors will provide a standard warranty that will cover the hardware for one year, but not parts and labor. If you expect your kiosk to be used frequently, you may want to purchase an extended maintenance contract. This takes the place of your standard warranty and covers everything from the enclosure to software maintenance to touch screen displays. For 20% to 30% of the total cost of the kiosk, you'll typically get one to three years of coverage.

If you just want to try out an interactive kiosk without the bells and whistles, consider buying used. Previously owned kiosks have become a separate industry. Vendors purchase fully-functional kiosks at cut rates from companies that went out of business. They then offer the interactive kiosks to businesses at a discount — as much as 20% to 50% less than a new one. You typically get a one-year warranty covering parts, labor, and customer service. However, much like a used car, you don't know if you're inheriting another person's problem. Also, you customization options may be limited.

You can get an interactive kiosk set up in as little as four weeks if you are using a basic enclosure and standard software. If your application requires extensive work and testing, you may be looking at six to 12 weeks before you can implement your kiosk.

Kiosk monitoring pricing
Vendors typically forge relationships with national and regional kiosk monitoring companies and subcontract them to do the work. Monitoring contracts can cost as little as $20 to as much as $800 per month per kiosk, depending on the level of service, the number of kiosks being monitored, and when you request service — night and weekend service calls are pricier.

Additional pricing
Installation — including unpacking, assembling (if necessary), and setting up the interactive kiosk — can cost $250 to $500. If you purchase custom software, you may be charged an additional $200 to $500, and shipping will add another $100 to $300 to those costs.

Most interactive kiosks don't require formal training to operate. The installer will demonstrate how to set up and maintain it. Some vendors provide custom-tailored training programs for more complex kiosks.

Purchasing alternatives
Since owning and operating an interactive kiosk is so costly, leasing or renting a unit can be a cost-effective way to gauge if the investment will be worthwhile.

You can lease an interactive kiosk to spread out your capital expense — you won't have to pay a lot of money up front, but you will be committing to a term of five to 10 years. Leasing rates are based on credit history and are finance leases — you make regular monthly payments for a period of time before executing a $1 buyout.

Renting is also common in the industry and some vendors specialize in kiosk rentals. Interactive kiosks typically rent for $500 to $1,000 per week, or $2,000 to $2,500 per month. Rental costs are sometimes available on a pay-per-use basis – if you expect relatively low volumes, it's worth looking into.