The short version. Free digital signage software comes in three kinds. Free tiers of paid apps are real, but stop at one to three screens. Open-source software is free for any number of screens, if you run the server yourself. And some software, ours included, is not free but is paid once.
We sell signage software, so we have an interest here. We have tried to write this so you could use it to decide against us.
The options side by side
| Option | Kind | What is free | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yodeck | Free tier of a paid app | 1 screen, forever, all Basic features | Basic is $8 per screen per month after that |
| OptiSigns | Free tier of a paid app | Up to 3 screens, 1GB storage | Their logo on your screen; Standard is $10 per screen per month, $9 billed annually |
| info-beamer hosted | Free tier of a paid app | First device and first 1GB, permanently | €0.25 per device per day after that |
| Xibo in the Cloud | Trial | 14 days, 2 players, no card | A trial, not a free plan |
| Xibo | Open source you host yourself | The CMS, for any number of screens; the Windows player | A server and its upkeep; Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen players are paid per screen |
| Anthias (formerly Screenly OSE) | Open source you host yourself | Everything, on a Raspberry Pi or a PC | Images, video and web pages only; video can stutter at 1080p on slower boards, no 4K |
| piSignage server | Open source you host yourself | The server | You install and look after MongoDB, Node.js and more on a Linux machine |
| easyCMS | Pay once | Nothing: 49€ once, first screen included | No free plan, no free trial; no monthly fee after |
Competitor figures checked August 2026, from each vendor’s own pricing page. They change often, so check before you decide.
Free tiers exist to get you to screen two. That is fine: if you will only ever have one screen, a good free tier is the right answer. Plan for the number of screens you will have in three years, not today.
The hidden costs of hosting it yourself
Open-source signage is legitimate, and plenty of organisations run it well. But the bill moves from the licence to these four things.
A server
A small cloud server is roughly €10–25 a month, more as your video library grows. It needs a web address and a security certificate that renews on time.
Updates and security
Several releases a year, each with a backup and a plan B. A server nobody updates is a risk on the open internet.
Backups you have tested
Your designs, schedules and screens live in a database. A backup you have never restored is not a backup.
Your time
The real cost. A couple of hours a month from someone who knows servers, plus the morning a screen goes blank and they are on holiday.
If you already run servers, adding one more is cheap and you keep full control. If you do not, you are about to become a part-time systems administrator. For the five-year numbers, see Xibo hosting cost compared.
Is easyCMS free?
No. An easyCMS account is 49€, paid once, with your first display licence, up to five screens and 1GB of storage. Extra display licences are 99€ once each, or 66€ when bought with the account. There is no monthly fee on those plans.
What the 49€ buys is the part that is not free anywhere: we run the server, the updates and the backups. You also get easyCMS Studio, which runs from your phone with more than 200 ready-made templates. easyCMS is built on Xibo, so if you would rather host Xibo yourself, you do not need us at all. See managed Xibo hosting for the difference.
Which should you choose?
One screen, no plans for more
Take a free tier from a paid app, if a logo on the screen does not bother you. It is a real answer.
Simple pictures on a Raspberry Pi
Anthias is excellent and costs nothing, as long as you don’t need heavy video or schedules across many sites.
An IT team and many screens
Host Xibo yourself. Full features, full control and no licence fee for the CMS.
Two to 25 screens, no server
A pay-once licence. Someone else runs the server and there is no monthly bill. This is what easyCMS is built for.
A short project
A pop-up or a few months of trial: a monthly subscription you can cancel is the sensible choice.
The only mistake is picking “free” without counting the hours.
Questions
Is digital signage software really free?
Some is. Xibo, Anthias and piSignage cost nothing for any number of screens; you pay in server and time instead. Free tiers of paid apps are free too, but capped at one to three screens.
Can I use free software commercially?
Yes. The AGPL and MIT licences on these projects allow commercial use. If you change the code and offer it to others, read the licence first.
Do I need to pay for the player software?
Sometimes. Xibo’s Windows player is free; its Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen players are paid per screen. With easyCMS, the display licence covers the player on every platform.
Is free software less secure?
Not by nature. The risk is a self-hosted server nobody updates. Choose based on whether you will really keep it patched.
Still not sure? Email info@myeasycms.com or call +48 509 937 137. If hosting it yourself is the better answer for you, we will say so. You can also read what digital signage is or about us.