Understanding Costs to Budget For Digital Signage

Understanding Costs to Budget For Digital Signage

4 MINUTE READ | UPDATED SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

Thinking about upgrading your signage by installing digital signage in your facility? Great choice! Digital signage can be an effective way to engage tenants, visitors, and staff with dynamic content. But before you jump in, it's essential to understand the costs involved so you can budget effectively.

Are you in the early stages of deciding whether your facility should implement new digital signage? Or have you decided to buy and now want to understand the costs of this facility upgrade? Regardless of where you are in the decision process, we can help. 

In this blog, we'll discuss the main expenses you should consider, from the displays themselves to the software and those often overlooked hidden costs.

 

Factors that will influence your Digital Signage Cost

An important step in budgeting for digital signage is knowing all the factors influencing the overall costs. Answering “How much does digital signage cost” can not be done simply because there are so many factors at play. Knowing these factors ahead of time will help you manage expectations as you plan your budget. Here are several factors that affect digital signage costs:

• The number of displays needed

• The type of signage system 

• Software costs

• Adding a kiosk or specialty mounting hardware

• The provider you work with

The biggest aspect that influences costs is usually the displays themselves. For example, A 4k 231” display is going to be much more expensive than say a 55” HD display, and implementing a site-wide wayfinding system with displays throughout your facility is going to cost more than a single digital directory at the entrance of a building. 

This is probably obvious to you already but it’s good to keep in mind as you make plans and gather quotes from digital signage companies. 

 

Breakdown of Digital Signage Costs

Do you already have an idea of the digital signage systems you want to implement in your facility and now you are looking to know actual costs to create a budget? 

The best way to get a true cost is to get a quote from a digital signage provider. They can provide an estimate of costs and help you understand your options. 

If you are not ready for a quote just yet and want to explore potential costs, we’ve outlined the various digital signage costs below. 

 

The Cost of Digital Displays

The first thing you’ll need to consider is the cost of the digital displays. These are the screens where your content will be shown. Prices can vary widely depending on the size, resolution, and type of display.

Commercial displays tend to cost more than the average TV screen because they are designed with a higher resolution, are more durable and have a higher processing power which is needed for displaying the content of your digital signage.   

Costs tend to start around $3,000 to $10,000 and can cost even more per screen.

When it comes to commercial displays, think ultra-high-definition (UHD) screens, touchscreens, or video walls. These are not your average TV screens.

 

Software Costs

Once you have your screens, you’ll need software to manage the content displayed on them. This specialized software is unique to each digital signage provider. Each company has its own implementation method and price point. 

The traditional method of implementing digital signage software is to utilize a media player with each display. Each display has an individual media player which allows the user to add content to the display. This is very similar to an Amazon Fire Stick which you may have on your own personal TV. These media players range from about $25 to $500 per device plus the cost of the software which tends to range from $10 to $30 per screen per month. Sometimes you can buy these media players outright while others will charge you a monthly fee to rent them.

So expect digital signage software plus media player costs to range between $30 and $100 a month per screen. 

The modern option is to utilize a cloud-based digital signage subscription. This is what we offer at ITS. A cloud-based digital signage subscription does not rely on the use of a media player and allows for remote access to multiple displays. This means you pay one price and can control all of your displays from wherever you are. 

Cloud-based digital signage software subscriptions cost between $10 and $100 per month per screen and do not require a media player. 

The costs between traditional on-premise digital signage software and cloud-based software are very similar, however, cloud-based software offers the flexibility and control of managing the displays from anywhere.

Of course, with all digital signage software, the cost will vary depending on the software, the level of subscription, and the number of screens. 

 

Installation Costs

Installing digital signage isn’t as simple as mounting a TV on the wall. Your signage installer will need to prepare the space if not already prepared, install the software, install the hardware, mount the display(s), and test it all to ensure proper functionality. For cloud-based digital signage, the installer may also test various locations to ensure a strong wifi connection and useability from multiple locations.

Some companies include installation in the price of the quote while others have it as a separate line item. Regardless, professional installation is a necessary part of properly installing your digital signage. This can range from $300 to $1,000 per display, depending on the complexity of the setup. If you’re installing a video wall or outdoor signage, these costs could be higher.

Again, these costs are simply an estimate. The total installation costs will vary depending on the size of the project and the company you work with. 

 

Content Creation

What’s the point of digital signage if you don’t have compelling content to display? Depending on your in-house capabilities, you might need to budget for content creation. Some providers, like us at ITS, offer content creation services to help ensure clients have the right content for their displays to be effective. 

This can include mapping 2D/3D maps for wayfinding, creating the branded look of a digital directory, or creating individual assets to use within your digital signage. 

With the right digital signage, your in-house team can easily update content with their designs as they please. 

If you don’t have an in-house team of designers you can outsource the content creation to a professional design team or utilize your digital signage provider if they offer content creation services. Initial content creation costs anywhere from $500 to $5,000 depending on the assets needing to be created.

 

Hidden costs

Unfortunately, the digital signage industry is not exempt from hidden costs. At ITS, we try to make our prices as transparent as possible but other companies have services designed to add climbing prices which make it hard to budget for. 

Some free digital signage software companies offer free software that is very limited in scope. As your needs grow so do your expenses. Some of these companies also have limited features making it difficult to maximize the digital signage ROI. 

Integrations and licensing are two more areas that will unexpectedly drive your costs up. Certain digital signage companies charge per license and for integrations. 

As you look to create your digital signage budget, make sure to know your needs so you can plan for all the costs, even the hidden ones. 

 

Budgeting for Digital Signage

Once you understand all of the various costs that are associated with digital signage, you can better budget for it. Like with any budget, you must consider the initial investment, ongoing costs, and any other associated costs.

 

Initial investment

Your first step is to request a quote. You must have an accurate estimate of costs to include in your budget. Even if you are early on in the planning process and not 100% sure of your needs, getting a quote will provide you with a baseline to work from. You can always decide to add more displays if the budget allows.

 

Ongoing investment

Digital signage does have ongoing costs you should plan and budget for. As discussed earlier, most digital signage software will have a monthly subscription. If your provider requires you to rent their equipment you will need to consider that as well.

In addition to monthly recurring costs, you may need to plan for monthly or quarterly content creation costs if you outsource this service and additional integrations/upgrades down the road. 

 

Consider cost savings 

One thing often overlooked when budgeting for digital signage is the cost savings associated with implementation. For example, organizations that adopt digital wayfinding signage to replace traditional paper maps can save a small fortune on paper and printing costs.  Businesses also save when it is time for branding and signage changes as digital signage can be updated very quickly and efficiently.  Digital signage is an expense, but it can also help save in areas and help your facility improve revenue. 

 

The Key Takeway

Digital signage is a powerful tool, but like any investment, it requires careful budgeting. By understanding the costs upfront—from the displays and software to installation and hidden expenses—you can plan your budget effectively and avoid any surprises down the line.

To know the true costs of your unique digital signage project you need a quote. Contact the team at ITS for a transparent quote so that you can begin properly planning for your upcoming signage upgrade. 

Explore itouchinc.com for more information on our solutions or contact us for needs unique to your property or project.