Digital signage has a reputation for being expensive, and it used to be. Traditional systems bundled costly media players, per-screen licences and installation fees that put them out of reach for small businesses. Today the picture is very different. This guide breaks down what digital signage actually costs in the UK, so you can budget with confidence.
The two costs: hardware and software. Every signage setup has two parts. The hardware is the device that drives each screen, and the software is the platform you use to manage and schedule content. Understanding them separately makes the total much clearer.
Hardware: cheaper than you think. You no longer need a purpose-built signage player. An Amazon Fire TV Stick costs around £40, and Android TV boxes are similarly priced. Many businesses already own compatible devices. Plug one into any TV with an HDMI port and you have a signage-ready screen for the price of a takeaway. Commercial-grade players and professional displays exist if you need them, but most cafés, shops and offices start perfectly well with consumer hardware.
Software: usually priced per screen, per month. This is the ongoing cost, and it's where signage platforms differ most. Most charge a monthly fee for each active screen. Cheap and simple tools can start near a few pounds per screen, while enterprise platforms charge £20 or more per screen and add setup or support fees on top. For a small business, per-screen pricing with no lock-in is usually the best fit, because your bill grows only as you add screens.
A realistic example. Say you run a café with two screens, a menu board and a window display. Your hardware might be two Fire TV Sticks at roughly £40 each, a one-off cost of about £80. On OrbiSignage at £6.95 per screen per month, your software cost is £13.90 a month for both screens. That's a professional, remotely managed signage setup for well under the price of a weekly coffee round.
Watch for the hidden extras. When you compare platforms, look past the headline price. Some charge for storage, add fees for scheduling or proof of play, or lock features behind higher tiers. Others require annual contracts. The questions worth asking are simple: is pricing per screen, can I add and remove screens freely, and is there a free trial so I can test it before I commit?
Free trials and free tiers. A good platform lets you try before you buy. OrbiSignage offers a free plan covering up to three screens so you can build a playlist, pair a screen and see it running before you spend anything. No card is required to start.
The bottom line. For most UK small businesses, digital signage now costs less than a phone contract. Budget roughly £40 per screen for hardware once, then a small monthly software fee per screen. Start with one screen, prove the value, and scale from there. You can start free with OrbiSignage today, and order a pre-configured player if you'd like one that's ready to plug in.