The short version. Xibo itself is free on every route, so the software price is not the question. Xibo Cloud costs a little every month for every screen, forever. Self-hosting costs a small server bill and a lot of hours. A managed Xibo like easyCMS costs one payment and less control.
easyCMS is the managed kind, so we have a stake in this. We have kept the parts that do not flatter us. For what the managed route includes, see managed Xibo hosting.
Five years, three routes
Software and hosting only. The screens, mounts and your content time cost the same whichever route you pick.
| Five years | 1 display | 5 displays | 25 displays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xibo Cloud Professional, from 4,40€ per display per month (checked September 2026) | 264€ | 1,320€ | 6,600€ |
| Self-hosted: the software | 0€ | 0€ | 0€ |
| Self-hosted: a server (our assumption, not a quote) | 600€ | 600€ | 1,500€ |
| Self-hosted: your time (our estimate) | 60–180 hours, plus upgrades | 60–180 hours, plus upgrades | 60–180 hours, plus upgrades |
| easyCMS, all screens in one order | 49€ | 313€ | 1,883€ |
| easyCMS, screens added later | 49€ | 445€ | 2,675€ |
How to read it:
- The 4,40€ is a floor. It is Xibo Cloud’s entry rate; check their current plan table.
- The server line is ours. We assumed a small server at about 10€ a month, more for 25 screens. Put your own host’s price in.
- The hours decide self-hosting. Routine updates, backups you have tested and two big upgrades in five years. Multiply by what an hour of your team costs.
- easyCMS is paid once. Extra licences are 66€ when bought with the account and 99€ later. Above 25 screens, Enterprise is 1,290€ a year. All prices on the pricing page.
One cost is the same on every route. Xibo’s Windows and Linux players are free, while Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen need a paid licence per screen, even when you host the CMS yourself. With easyCMS it is included in the display licence.
The verdict
Choose Xibo Cloud if…
You want hosting from the people who write Xibo, and paying them every month is how you want to fund the project. A fair reason to choose it over any reseller, us included.
Host it yourself if…
Someone on your team already runs Linux and Docker as part of their job, has restored a backup at least once, and you need full admin access or lots of storage.
Choose easyCMS if…
You want the screens without the server, and you would rather pay once. Five screens bought together pay for themselves against Xibo Cloud in about 14 months; 25 in about 17.
Pay monthly if the project is short
A pop-up, a trial, a project that may not exist in a year: a monthly plan is the sensible choice.
Don’t self-host on goodwill
If the person running it is an enthusiastic volunteer and nobody covers holidays, the hours will land on the worst possible morning.
Why easyCMS charges 99€ per display
You can buy a commercial player licence from the Xibo project for less, and we will not pretend otherwise. Look up their price before you decide. Our 99€ (66€ with the account) also buys the hosted EU CMS, free updates for the life of the account, easyCMS Studio with more than 200 templates, and a player setup we have tested. It is paid once, not every year.
What you give up is admin access: on easyCMS you are a user of the CMS, not its administrator. If you need the settings or the server log, host it yourself.
Questions
Is Xibo really free?
Yes. The catch is the hosting, the upkeep and the paid player licence for Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen screens.
How much is Xibo Cloud?
From 4,40€ per display per month on the Professional plan, checked September 2026. Treat it as a floor.
What does a managed Xibo CMS cost with easyCMS?
49€ once for an account with one display, up to five. 299€ once for PRO, up to 25. Extra displays 66€ each in the same order, 99€ later. No free plan, no free trial.
What happens if easyCMS goes away?
Xibo is open source under the AGPL, so the engine stays available and anyone can run it. Keep the originals of your media files and a move is straightforward.
Related reading: managed Xibo hosting, free digital signage software and digital signage cost per screen.