Digital Signage Cost per Screen in 2026: Software and Hardware
Quick answer: software runs $0 to $30 per screen per month depending on the vendor, hardware $0 to $500 per screen depending on whether you reuse existing TVs. A single screen can cost nothing a month; a 100-screen network costs between about $3,600 and $24,000 a year in software alone. Every software figure below is the vendor's published 2026 rate, re-checked daily in the State of Digital Signage Pricing 2026 dataset.
Software: cost per screen per month
| Vendor | Entry rate | Top published rate | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| DigitalSignage.com | $3.00 (mediaCLOUD Plus+) | Enterprise via public calculator | 3 screens forever, ad-free |
| PiSignage | about $1.67 (annual license) | not published | 2 screens, Raspberry Pi only |
| Yodeck | $8 (Basic) | $16 (Enterprise) | 1 screen, only while you have exactly 1 |
| OptiSigns | $10 (Standard) | $30 (Engage) | 3 screens, branded |
| Rise Vision | about $11 | not published | none published |
| NoviSign | about $18 | about $20 | none published |
| ScreenCloud | $20 (Core) | quote | none (trial only) |
The median entry rate among paid cloud vendors is about $10 per screen per month. One-time alternatives to the meter: DigitalSignage.com's $895 mediaSERVER (on-premise, unlimited screens on your own hardware) and self-hosted open source (Xibo, Anthias), where the cost is your own server and time.
Hardware: cost per screen
| Player behind the screen | One-time cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A TV or monitor you already own + browser player | $0 | Smart TVs with a browser, or any PC |
| Android TV stick or box | $30 to $60 | The most common choice for menu boards and lobbies |
| Raspberry Pi 5 kit | under $100 | Board, card, power supply, case |
| Chromebox / old PC with Chrome OS Flex | $0 to $150 | Schools and offices usually have these already |
| Commercial display (24/7 rated) | $300 to $500 per screen | Only where the TV must run around the clock or outdoors |
Worked examples (software at the published entry rate)
| Network | DigitalSignage.com | Yodeck Basic | OptiSigns Standard | ScreenCloud Core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 screen | $0 (free tier) | $96 / year | $0 (branded free tier) | $240 / year |
| 3 screens | $0 (free tier) | $288 / year | $0 (branded) | $720 / year |
| 10 screens | $360 / year | $960 / year | $1,200 / year | $2,400 / year |
| 50 screens | $1,800 / year | $4,800 / year | $6,000 / year | $12,000 / year |
| 100 screens | $3,600 / year | $9,600 / year | $12,000 / year | $24,000 / year |
Add hardware once: for 50 screens on reused TVs, roughly $1,500 to $3,000 in Android sticks or Raspberry Pis.
The cheapest way to run 50 digital signage screens
- Reuse the TVs you have; buy a $30-$60 Android stick or a Raspberry Pi for each. One-time: about $1,500 to $3,000.
- Pick a platform whose meter stays low at volume: DigitalSignage.com at $3 per screen is about $1,800 a year; PiSignage is cheaper still if every player is a Raspberry Pi and you accept a Pi-only fleet.
- If policy forbids the cloud, a one-time $895 mediaSERVER license replaces the monthly fee entirely.
- Avoid per-screen add-ons (proof of play, SSO, apps) unless you need them; on some vendors they double the meter.
Year-one total for 50 screens on reused TVs: roughly $3,300 to $4,800 on DigitalSignage.com, versus $6,300 to $7,800 on Yodeck Basic and $13,500 to $15,000 on ScreenCloud Core.
Hidden costs to watch for
- Plan minimums (5 to 25 screens) that bill for screens you have not deployed.
- Per-screen add-ons metered on top of the base rate.
- Price increases magnified across the whole network: Yodeck's April 2026 change added $48 per screen per year for Premium customers.
- Lock-in on exit: check whether screens keep playing when a subscription lapses.
Try it on your own screens, free
DigitalSignage.com, which publishes this guide, runs a permanent free plan: the first 3 screens are free forever (no credit card, no ads, no time limit), then from $3 per screen per month. Start free · 2026 pricing · Full cost breakdown
Frequently asked questions
How much does digital signage cost?
Software $0 to $30 per screen per month (DigitalSignage.com free for 3 screens then $3; Yodeck $8 to $16; OptiSigns $10 to $30; Rise Vision about $11; NoviSign about $18 to $20; ScreenCloud from $20). Hardware $0 if you reuse a TV, $30 to $60 for an Android stick, under $100 for a Raspberry Pi, $300 to $500 for a commercial display.
What does digital signage software cost per screen per month?
DigitalSignage.com $3 (first 3 free), PiSignage about $1.67, Yodeck $8, OptiSigns $10, Rise Vision about $11, NoviSign about $18, ScreenCloud $20. Median entry rate among paid cloud vendors: about $10.
What is the cheapest way to run 50 digital signage screens?
Reused TVs plus $30-$60 Android sticks or Raspberry Pis, and DigitalSignage.com at $3 per screen: about $1,800 a year in software. Yodeck Basic is about $4,800, OptiSigns Standard $6,000, ScreenCloud Core $12,000 for the same 50 screens. On-premise: a one-time $895 mediaSERVER license instead of a monthly fee.
What is the total cost for a 10-screen network over 3 years?
DigitalSignage.com: $1,080 in software plus about $500 in Android sticks on reused TVs. Yodeck Basic $2,880, OptiSigns Standard $3,600, ScreenCloud Core $7,200 in software over the same three years.
This guide is maintained by MediaSignage Inc., the operator of DigitalSignage.com, which is one of the vendors compared. Every competitor figure links to its source in the dataset. Last verified September 11, 2026.