Hamilton HTK mobile app worth the price?

[Expat]

Would you say the app is worth it the extra money? How much is the monthly fee? How much do you have to pay to get the app for your wash? Is there an initial fee?

Jeff - below is a breakdown of prices. Feel free to message me if you want to have a broader discussion!

• $3,995 one-time build fee (we reduced this from $5k by bringing development in-house)
• $200.00/month app fee (unlimited locations)
• $50.00/mo Silver Hosted Solutions subscription (per location)
  • You would need to upgrade to a Gold Hosted Solutions ($125/mo per location) subscription to do Monthly Wash Clubs as this adds our recurring billing module

 

[Roz]

Would you say the app is worth it the extra money? How much is the monthly fee? How much do you have to pay to get the app for your wash? Is there an initial fee?Depends on your customer base. Cost to setup was about $5K. Monthly costs are $200 plus the DAN costs of $150.

Our app is cash positive but not really the money maker we expected. I think people have app fatigue plus the software behind the app has bugs at times.

The DAN is not 100% reliable, the GL scanner is not 100% reliable, so customers have gotten frustrated and stopped using it.
We have had over 1200 downloads yet few use it.

In addition Hamilton does not really care about the app and they do a poor job managing the app infrastructure.
You need to decide based on your market and competition but I have not met a wash owner who is thrilled with the app or using it - most like me had higher expectations for the tool. I think apps for carwashes will go away and some new model will become the new standard - maybe the Dencar model or a version of the Everwash (using a simple QR code). Both Dencar and Everwash have their issues too so no one leader currently visible.

 

[Jeffhanson30]

Tylerwash

Here is a perfect example
Off the new Hosted Solutions
I have sent out 511 FREE birthday washes.
FREE washes
Make sure I m clear FREE! FREE
As of today.

Only 58 have been redeemed

From what I have read.. 10% conversion rate is pretty good for marketing reach out

 

[ShinePro]

So I going to respond to this-
I posted all that stuff back in the day before I became part of Tri Valley Equipment.
Roz is right on with his analysis.
If I had it to do over again - I still dont know what I would do.
I wash 17,000 cars thru 1 Razor in Xenia
I have 1400 APP downloads
The Customers that use it absolutely love it!!!!!
And those Customers seem very loyal to my wash!
9% of my washes are App purchased.
Like Roz said - lower than I hoped for
So here are my numbers from 2025
Avg ticket for regularly purchased washed thru the Commander-$14.95

1546 App washes -
- my hosted solutions monthly fee
- my extra world pay account fees
= $12.39 avg ticket for app cars

Now factor in all of the free washes and birthday washes i give out thru the app
X $4.00 cost to me ($2 soap+ $1 Water and $1 for misc)

NOW MY AVG TICKET FOR AN APP CAR IS $11.10 PER CAR

DOES THE APP BREED LOYALTY
WILL ITS USAGE INCREASE AS THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS MATURE AND USE THERE PHONES FOR EVERYTHING
I HOPE SO!!!!

Cause its costing me $3.85 a car in revenue to provide this for 9% of my Customers.

 

[Roz]

Sometimes we need to be like Super Markets with loss leaders. Not that we take a total loss on app purchases but the margin is definitely impacted in LARGE part due to the WP fees which are much higher for the app than for the Commander cc. I wish Hamilton would bundle the WP account with the Paystation account.

Before they blame WP they need to give this serious consideration (Joe) how to make this happen if they want a greater adoption of their app. Needs to be a win-win for Hamilton and Owners.

That said I am just back from Nashville. Supposedly e-gift cards will be available in the future and maybe better integration with the app & the Paystation options. But wait until all the undocumented features are resolved (bugs for non engineers).

 

[Jeffhanson30]

So I going to respond to this-
I posted all that stuff back in the day before I became part of Tri Valley Equipment.
Roz is right on with his analysis.
If I had it to do over again - I still dont know what I would do.
I wash 17,000 cars thru 1 Razor in Xenia
I have 1400 APP downloads
The Customers that use it absolutely love it!!!!!
And those Customers seem very loyal to my wash!
9% of my washes are App purchased.
Like Roz said - lower than I hoped for
So here are my numbers from 2025
Avg ticket for regularly purchased washed thru the Commander-$14.95

1546 App washes -
- my hosted solutions monthly fee
- my extra world pay account fees
= $12.39 avg ticket for app cars

Now factor in all of the free washes and birthday washes i give out thru the app
X $4.00 cost to me ($2 soap+ $1 Water and $1 for misc)

NOW MY AVG TICKET FOR AN APP CAR IS $11.10 PER CAR

DOES THE APP BREED LOYALTY
WILL ITS USAGE INCREASE AS THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS MATURE AND USE THERE PHONES FOR EVERYTHING
I HOPE SO!!!!

Cause its costing me $3.85 a car in revenue to provide this for 9% of my Customers.

really great data! key question.. if you eliminated the app, do you think that 9% would still continue to purchase at your location in person?

 

[ShinePro]

really great data! key question.. if you eliminated the app, do you think that 9% would still continue to purchase at your location in person?

I personally think that most would still be Customers.
Would they wash as often? I dont know!

But now that I have it - i feel stuck
If I were to turn it off I think the push back from some folks would be bad PR.

Especially without an attractive alternative.
I got one of the very first Commanders
In 2020 it seemed like the right thing to do with express tunnels arriving in the area.