The main difference is that the hand-poking technique causes less trauma to the skin, and therefore heals a lot quicker than machine tattoos. It doesn't scab as much and requires minimum aftercare. There is next to no risk of it getting infected due to the minimal trauma and it is therefore ideal for people with skin problems or medical conditions that slow down the healing processes.
The process of a hand poked tattoo generally takes longer to apply compared to the application of a tattoo by an electric tattoo machine.
The difference in pain and process can make hand-poked tattoos a great option for your first choice of ink while hand-poked tattoos can take longer to complete, the less intense application method can be somewhat gentler than an average tattoo process.