Budget reality check
£200 all-in (tablet + locking floor stand + protection) is tight. Android can hit it comfortably. iPad cannot — even refurbished iPads start at ~£230 before stand costs. This plan presents realistic options with clear total costs so you can decide where to flex.
1. Tablet Options
Android Tablets
| Screen | 8.7″ TFT LCD, 1340×800 |
| Storage / RAM | 64GB / 4GB |
| Price (new) | From £80 |
| Where to buy | Samsung UK, Amazon UK, PriceSpy |
| NFC | No — QR-only flow |
- Cheapest brand-name tablet on the market
- Leaves £120 budget for stand + case
- Samsung Knox security for locking to SwiftCause app
- 8.7″ is small for a floor-stand kiosk
- No NFC for card-tap (QR/link only)
- Lower resolution screen
| Screen | 11″ IPS LCD, 1920×1200, 90Hz |
| Storage / RAM | 64GB / 4GB or 128GB / 8GB |
| Price (new) | From £158 (64GB) / £169 (128GB) |
| Where to buy | Samsung UK, Amazon UK, Currys, PriceSpy |
| NFC | No |
- 11″ screen is ideal for public-facing kiosk
- Good resolution, 90Hz smooth scrolling
- Samsung Knox for kiosk lockdown mode
- Strong brand recognition for charity trust
- At £158–169 leaves only £31–42 for stand
- Tight on budget for a quality locking stand
| Screen | 11″ IPS, 1920×1200, 90Hz |
| Storage / RAM | 128GB / 4GB |
| Price (new) | From £165 |
| Where to buy | Lenovo UK, Amazon UK, Currys |
- 128GB storage at a competitive price
- Comes with a pen (useful for surveys/signing)
- Lenovo doesn't have Samsung Knox-level kiosk lockdown
- Similar budget squeeze as the Tab A9+
iPad Options
| Screen | 10.9″ Liquid Retina, 2360×1640 |
| Storage / RAM | 64GB / 4GB |
| Price (refurb) | From £229 (Back Market, Hoxton Macs) |
| Where to buy | Back Market, Hoxton Macs, The iOutlet, ur.co.uk, eBay |
| NFC | NFC read only (no payment tap) |
- Premium feel — best for demos and high-end charity venues
- Apple Guided Access for single-app kiosk mode
- Exceptional display quality
- 12-month warranty from most refurb sellers
- £229+ before stand = well over £200 budget
- Refurb stock varies; may not get matching units
- Refurb iPad 9th gen (10.2″) might be £150–180 but older
| Screen | 10.2″ Retina, 2160×1620 |
| Storage / RAM | 64GB / 3GB |
| Price (refurb) | Est. £150–180 (Back Market, eBay, The iOutlet) |
| Where to buy | Back Market, eBay, The iOutlet |
- Cheapest iPad route — brings total closer to budget
- Still runs latest iPadOS for Guided Access
- Home button = simpler for public interaction
- A13 chip is ageing; may lose iPadOS support in 1–2 years
- Still £200–230 all-in with stand
2. Floor Stand Options
| Price | £42.50 + VAT = ~£51 |
| Compatibility | Universal: 7″–10.5″ tablets (iPad, Samsung, Lenovo) |
| Security | Cable key lock, 2 keys included |
| Features | 360° rotation, 180° tilt, weighted base |
| Supplier | crusaderav.co.uk |
| Status | Currently backordered — check availability |
| Price | Est. £50–80 |
| Compatibility | Universal clamp: 7.9″–13.1″ |
| Security | Locking enclosure, anti-theft clamp |
| Features | Height adjustable 27.5″–47″, cable management, heavy base |
| Supplier | Amazon UK |
| Price | Est. £45–65 |
| Compatibility | Universal: 7.9″–11″ |
| Security | Anti-theft screw + wrench lock |
| Features | 360° swivel, height adjustable, steel construction |
| Supplier | Amazon UK |
| Price | £146 (ERS) |
| Features | Bolt-to-floor option, steel + aluminium, commercial grade |
| Best for | Permanent installations in high-footfall venues |
3. Recommended Bundles
Four options across both platforms, ranked by value for money.
Option A: Budget Android
Android
£131–145 per unit
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 (8.7″) — £80
- Crusader AV or AboveTEK stand — £45–55
- Rugged silicone case — £6–10
Best for: volume rollout, cost-sensitive charities, events. Smaller screen but well under budget.
Option B: Premium Android
Android
£209–230 per unit
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (11″) — £158
- Crusader AV or AboveTEK stand — £45–55
- Rugged silicone case — £6–10
Best for: demos, premium charity venues. Slightly over budget but the 11″ screen is worth it for public-facing use.
Option C: Budget iPad
iPad
£206–245 per unit
- Refurb iPad 9th Gen — £150–180
- Crusader AV or AboveTEK stand — £45–55
- Rugged case — £10–15
Best for: charities who prefer Apple. Over budget but closest iPad option. Ageing chip — 1–2 years of OS support left.
Option D: Premium iPad
iPad
£280–300 per unit
- Refurb iPad 10th Gen — £229
- Crusader AV or AboveTEK stand — £45–55
- Rugged case — £10–15
Best for: SwiftCause demo kit, high-end venues. Premium feel but 40–50% over budget.
4. Product Positioning Note
This doesn't make SwiftCause a "kiosk"
The tablet-in-stand is an optional premium accessory — one of many collection points. A charity might have one floor stand at reception AND 10 volunteers' phones AND 50 QR posters around the building. The stand is an anchor point, not the product. Position it as: "Put SwiftCause at your front door — then put it everywhere else too."
Suggested product naming to keep messaging consistent:
| Don't say | Do say |
|---|
| "SwiftCause kiosk" | "SwiftCause Collection Point" or "SwiftCause Welcome Stand" |
| "Kiosk hardware" | "Collection stand" or "Venue stand" |
| "Our kiosk solution" | "Fixed collection point — one of many ways to collect" |
5. Software Lockdown (Kiosk Mode)
| Platform | Method | Cost |
|---|
| Android (Samsung) | Samsung Knox Kiosk Mode — locks tablet to SwiftCause web app. Disables home button, notifications, status bar. Free via Knox Configure. | Free |
| Android (non-Samsung) | Android Kiosk Browser or Fully Kiosk Browser — locks to a single URL with remote management. | Free / £7 one-off |
| iPad | Apple Guided Access — built-in single-app mode. Triple-click home to lock. Or use Apple Configurator 2 for managed deployment. | Free |
6. UK Supplier Directory
Tablets
| Supplier | What | Notes |
|---|
| Samsung UK | Galaxy Tab A9 / A9+ | Direct. Business accounts available for bulk. |
| Amazon UK | All Android options | Fast delivery, easy returns. Compare sellers. |
| Back Market | Refurb iPads | Graded condition, 12-month warranty. From £229 (10th gen). |
| Hoxton Macs | Refurb iPads | Free next-day delivery. UK-based. |
| The iOutlet | Refurb iPads | Fully tested, 12-month warranty. |
| ur.co.uk | Refurb iPads | 12-month warranty + free insurance. |
| Box.co.uk | Android tablets | UK retailer, good deals on Samsung/Lenovo. |
Floor Stands
| Supplier | What | Notes |
|---|
| Crusader AV | Universal floor stand | £42.50+VAT. Currently backordered. |
| Amazon UK | Mount-It!, AboveTEK | Multiple options £45–80. Prime delivery. |
| Mac Locks UK | Premium stands | Higher price but very robust. Good for permanent installs. |
| Cables4All | Budget stands | Check for iPad-specific options. |
7. BYOD: Charity Sources Their Own Device
This is the SwiftCause superpower
Any charity can turn a spare phone, old tablet, or cheap new device into a donation collection point — no special hardware needed. This section helps charities do it themselves, or lets SwiftCause provide a simple setup guide.
Cheapest devices that work
Charities can use literally any Android or iOS device with a browser. Here are the cheapest options if they need to buy:
| Device | Price | Where |
|---|
| Amazon Fire 7 tablet (2022) | £30–50 (new/refurb) | Amazon UK |
| Any used Android phone (2019+) | £20–40 | eBay, Facebook Marketplace, CeX, Music Magpie |
| Samsung Galaxy A series (used) | £30–60 | CeX, Back Market, eBay |
| Lenovo Tab M8 (used/refurb) | £40–60 | Amazon UK, eBay |
| Device | Price | Where |
|---|
| iPad 7th/8th Gen (used) | £80–120 | CeX, Back Market, eBay, The iOutlet |
| iPhone SE 2nd Gen (used) | £60–80 | CeX, Back Market, Music Magpie |
| iPhone 8/X (used) | £40–70 | eBay, CeX, Facebook Marketplace |
| iPad 6th Gen (used) | £60–90 | eBay, CeX |
Budget stands for BYOD
| Stand type | Price | Best for |
|---|
| Amazon Basics tablet/phone stand (desk) | £8–15 | Reception desks, countertops, tables |
| Adjustable phone/tablet holder with clamp | £10–20 | Attaching to shelves, counters, podiums |
| Acrylic display stand | £5–10 | Minimal, clean look for small devices |
| Wall mount phone/tablet bracket | £8–15 | Wall-mounted near entrances or exits |
| DIY: SwiftCause branded stand (3D-printed) | £3–8 | Branded, can be offered as part of onboarding kit |
All available on Amazon UK, eBay, or specialist display suppliers like DisplaysUK.
Free kiosk lockdown software
| App | Platform | Cost | Notes |
|---|
| FreeKiosk (open source) | Android 8.0+ | Free | Full lockdown, open-source. GitHub |
| Webview Kiosk | Android | Free | Locks to a single URL. Available on F-Droid. |
| Fully Kiosk Browser | Android | £7 one-off | Most popular. Remote management. Great for unattended devices. |
| Samsung Knox | Samsung only | Free | Built-in on Samsung devices. Enterprise-grade lockdown. |
| Apple Guided Access | iPad / iPhone | Free | Built-in. Triple-click to lock to SwiftCause web app. |
| Android Screen Pinning | All Android | Free | Built-in. Settings → Security → App pinning. Quick and simple. |
BYOD total cost examples
Ultra-Budget: Old Phone
£28–55 total
- Used Android phone — £20–40
- Desk stand — £8–15
- Kiosk app — Free
Charity uses a spare phone or buys a used one. Place on desk near entrance or at events.
Budget: Cheap Tablet
£43–75 total
- Amazon Fire 7 or used tablet — £30–50
- Desk/counter stand — £8–15
- Silicone case — £5–10
- Kiosk app — Free
Ideal for small charities, churches, community centres. Low risk, easy to replace.
Product opportunity: SwiftCause BYOD Setup Kit
Consider offering a “SwiftCause Starter Kit” that includes: a branded desk stand, a QR code card, a setup guide (PDF/card), and a link to the kiosk lockdown instructions. Cost to SwiftCause: ~£5–10 per kit. Sell or give free with subscription. This helps charities who aren’t tech-savvy get set up without you needing to source tablets for them.
8. Suggested Next Steps
Week 1
Decide on bundle. Pick Option A (budget Android) for volume or Option B/D for demos. You can mix: Android for charity rollout, iPad for your demo kit.
Week 1–2
Order 1 test unit. Buy one tablet + stand combo. Test SwiftCause web app in kiosk mode. Verify: screen brightness, viewing angle, lock security, power cable routing.
Week 2–3
Test kiosk lockdown. Set up Samsung Knox or Apple Guided Access. Confirm the donation flow works end-to-end. Stress test with team.
Week 3–4
Photography & pricing. Photograph the stand setup for marketing materials. Set a resale or rental price if offering to charities. Create a "Collection Stand" product page.
Week 4+
Bulk order. Based on test results and early customer interest, order initial batch (5–10 units). Negotiate bulk pricing with Samsung UK or Amazon Business.
Decision needed from Qamar
Three questions to unlock the next step:
- Budget flex? Are you firm at £200 or willing to stretch to £230 for the 11″ Android sweet spot?
- Screen size priority? 8.7″ (cheap, portable) vs 11″ (better for public-facing)?
- Mixed fleet? Happy to use Android for charity rollout + iPad for your own demo kit? Or need one platform only?