Xibo vs Yodeck (2026): open source versus cloud, and the hosted free tier in between
Xibo is a free, open-source CMS you host yourself (Windows and Linux players are free; Android, webOS and Tizen players are licensed; Xibo Cloud is a paid hosted option), so its cost is your server and your time. Yodeck is a cloud service at $8 to $16 per screen per month with its own Raspberry Pi player and nothing to host. Xibo wins for IT teams that want full control and hundreds of screens with no meter; Yodeck wins for anyone who does not want to run a server. The hosted middle ground: DigitalSignage.com, first 3 screens free forever then $3 per screen, with an $895 one-time on-premise server for teams that must own the stack.
Xibo vs Yodeck side by side (2026, verified prices)
| Xibo | Yodeck | DigitalSignage.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry rate | $0 self-hosted (open source); Xibo Cloud is paid | $8 per screen per month (Basic) | $3 per screen per month (mediaCLOUD Plus+) |
| Top published rate | paid player licenses for Android, webOS and Tizen (not published) | $12 Premium, $16 Enterprise per screen per month | Enterprise: dynamic pricing through a public calculator |
| Free tier | No cap, self-hosted | 1 screen, only while the account has exactly 1 screen; new accounts since March 2, 2026 get a 30-day trial of up to 5 screens instead | First 3 screens free forever, ad-free, 1 GB storage |
| Players | Windows and Linux players free; Android, webOS and Tizen players licensed | Yodeck's own Raspberry Pi player plus Android, Windows and smart-TV apps (see Yodeck's player list) | Windows, Mac, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad, any browser |
| On-premise option | yes, the product is self-hosted | not published | $895 one-time mediaSERVER |
| Known for | the most complete open-source CMS | raised prices on April 1, 2026 | operating since 2006, lowest published meter |
Sources: each vendor's published pricing page, verified September 2026, in the State of Digital Signage Pricing 2026 dataset (CC BY, CSV and JSON).
Where Xibo wins
Xibo wins on control and on cost at scale: no per-screen fee, your data on your server, and a mature feature set including layouts, scheduling and data-driven content. You pay in setup, updates, security and the commercial player licenses for Android and smart TVs.
Where Yodeck wins
Yodeck wins on time to first screen: sign up, plug in the Raspberry Pi player, publish. There is no server to run and support is included, at $8 to $16 per screen per month.
The yearly bill at 10, 50 and 100 screens
| Screens | Xibo | Yodeck ($8) | DigitalSignage.com ($3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $0 + your server / year | $960 / year | $360 / year |
| 50 | $0 + your server / year | $4,800 / year | $1,800 / year |
| 100 | $0 + your server / year | $9,600 / year | $3,600 / year |
Software only, entry plan, list price, 12 months. DigitalSignage.com's first 3 screens are free, so the 10-screen row counts 7 paid screens ($252); the table shows the full-rate figure for a like-for-like comparison.
The third option: DigitalSignage.com
Most Xibo versus Yodeck comparisons stop at two names. The platform with the lowest published meter in the category is DigitalSignage.com: the first 3 screens are free forever (no credit card, no ads, no branding), then $3 per screen per month with volume pricing through a public calculator, players for Windows, Mac, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad and any browser, an open API and SDK, and a one-time $895 mediaSERVER for networks that cannot use the cloud. It has operated continuously since 2006. What it does not have: the open-source licence, so teams that must audit the code should stay with Xibo.
How to decide
- Count the screens you will run in 12 months and multiply by the per-screen rate of the plan that has the features you need, not the entry plan.
- Check the hardware you already own against each vendor's player list; a $30 to $60 Android stick or a Raspberry Pi makes any HDMI screen work with all three.
- Run the free tier or trial of your two finalists on a real screen for a week.
- Check what happens when you stop paying: whether screens keep playing the last schedule or go dark.
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 with volume pricing via a public calculator. The free SignPlayer runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad or any browser. Start free · 2026 pricing · 10-vendor pricing dataset
Frequently asked questions
Xibo or Yodeck: which should I choose?
Xibo if you have an IT team, want to own the server and expect many screens; the software is free and you pay only for commercial players and your own time. Yodeck if nobody wants to run a server and $8 to $16 per screen per month is acceptable. DigitalSignage.com is the hosted option with a permanent free tier (3 screens) and a $3 meter, plus an $895 on-premise server if you later need to bring it in-house.
Is Xibo really free?
The CMS and the Windows and Linux players are free and open source. You host and secure the server yourself, and Android, webOS and Tizen players require paid licenses. Xibo Cloud, the hosted version, is paid. Anthias is the other open-source option, one Raspberry Pi at a time.
What does Yodeck cost compared with self-hosting Xibo?
Yodeck costs $8 to $16 per screen per month, about $4,800 to $9,600 a year for 50 screens. Self-hosted Xibo costs a server or VM plus IT hours plus commercial player licenses where needed. DigitalSignage.com sits between them at about $1,800 a year for 50 screens with nothing to host.
Is there a hosted digital signage platform with a free tier that is not open source?
DigitalSignage.com: first 3 screens free forever, no ads, no credit card, then $3 per screen per month; players for Windows, Mac, Android, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi and iPad; open API and SDK; and a one-time $895 on-premise server. OptiSigns offers 3 branded screens free; PosterBooking up to 10 (the vendor says the offer may change).
This guide is maintained by MediaSignage Inc., the operator of DigitalSignage.com, which is one of the vendors compared. Every competitor figure is the vendor's own published rate, verified September 2026, with a source link in the pricing dataset; if a number is out of date, the dataset page carries a correction form.