The practical value of digital signage software
A few days ago on r/digitalsignage, someone asked why customers think $15 per screen per month for CMS software is expensive, especially when a single screen can easily earn hundreds of dollars in ad revenue.
It’s a good question, but it also highlights a common misunderstanding about what digital signage software actually does.
The idea behind that question is that if a screen can generate hundreds of dollars while the software costs only $15, it should not feel expensive.
In reality, a CMS does not make you money directly. It helps you save time, simplify operations, and stay in control.
While the revenue from screens can be many times higher than CMS costs, pricing should really depend on your needs, the features required, and the complexity of your setup.
CMS is a tool, not a money machine
A digital signage CMS is a management tool: software that makes it easier to control what appears on screens, when, and where.
If you switched to updating screens manually via USB sticks, your customers wouldn’t notice any difference in what’s playing. Your ads or messages would look the same, and your sales wouldn’t suddenly change.
What would change is your workflow.
Instead of uploading content remotely, you’d be running around swapping files manually. That’s the real difference a CMS makes: efficiency and sanity, not guaranteed revenue.
Marketing vs reality
CMS vendors sometimes highlight benefits that sound impressive but are really about the hardware or content, such as:
- “Boost your sales with dynamic content”
- “Attract more customers with engaging visuals”
These statements emphasize the potential of the screens or content, rather than what the CMS actually does. The software ensures your media runs reliably across screens, but the results depend on your placement, strategy, and content.
At its core, a CMS follows the same workflow: upload, schedule, monitor, repeat.
Its value comes from reducing manual work, centralizing control, and ensuring reliability.
Advanced and data-driven content
Some setups require content to change based on external data, such as:
- Video analytics detecting audience demographics
- Sensors triggering content when a product is picked up
- API data updating prices, menus, or promotions in real time
These “smart” features can sometimes be developed internally, but for many businesses, it makes sense to use a CMS that supports them. Video analytics is more useful for ad campaigns, while sensors enhance interactive retail experiences. These features aren’t necessary for every use case, so they can be treated as optional.
But what about programmatic ads?
There’s one area where software can directly connect to revenue, and that’s DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) advertising.
Programmatic DOOH platforms can automatically sell and schedule ads, cap impressions (for example, showing an ad 1,000 times), or optimize content delivery based on data. That’s real monetization logic, and it genuinely impacts income.
But that’s a different category of product.
A DOOH platform is built for ad management, audience analytics, and campaign tracking. A typical digital signage CMS is built for content distribution and control.
The goals are different.
So while DOOH software overlaps with digital signage, it’s not the same thing, and it’s important to understand the distinction.
Some DOOH platforms also allow you to schedule your own content for free, for example filling 20% of available slots. Others may integrate a CMS within the platform. This shows that the lines between CMS and DOOH platforms can blur, but the tools are designed for different goals: one for content control and efficiency, the other for monetization and analytics.
The real value: efficiency, control, and scale
So what are you actually paying for in a CMS?
Time savings
Whether you have five screens or five hundred, manual updates quickly become unmanageable. A CMS turns that into a few clicks. The more screens you have, the more valuable that time savings becomes.
Centralized control
Everything lives in one place: playlists, schedules, devices, content. You know exactly what’s showing where, without relying on local staff.
Reliability and monitoring
You can see which screens are on or off, check if new content uploaded correctly, how much storage each player has left, and other details.
Scalability
Manual workflows collapse as your network grows. A CMS allows your system to scale without adding staff.
Automation and integration
Content can be scheduled in advance, pulled from APIs, or updated automatically.
At the end of the day, that’s what you’re paying for: time saved, errors prevented, and operations simplified.
Not all CMS are equal
Some CMS platforms are basic and inexpensive, others are enterprise-grade with advanced features.
- If you only need to loop a few images or videos, a $5 per month product is sufficient.
- If you manage a large network of screens or have more complex requirements, you’ll need a more capable CMS, which justifies a higher price.
The right choice depends on your needs and goals, not a fixed perception of what is expensive.
A few words on ROI
From a vendor’s perspective, $15 per screen may seem reasonable, but customers have many other costs to consider:
- Hardware
- Installation
- Maintenance
- Content production
- Internet or network fees
- Staff time
For a customer running 100 screens, that $15 per screen quickly becomes $1,500 per month before any other expenses.
When screens are used for advertising, ROI is easier to measure because it directly connects to impressions and revenue.
For other use cases, like menu boards, internal communications, or informational displays, calculating ROI is much harder.
Too often, vendors compare digital signage software to print.
This is not a fair comparison, because ROI for a CMS is about time saved, easier updates, and centralized control — not the cost of physical materials.
Comparing it to print mixes software value with hardware or material costs, which doesn’t reflect the real benefits of the CMS.
The bottom line
Digital signage software creates value by giving you time, control, and stability.
It’s the invisible layer that keeps screens synchronized, content updated, and operations running smoothly.
The real question isn’t whether $15 per screen is expensive. It’s:
“What exactly do I need, and which product delivers it efficiently?”
A CMS costing $5 per screen can work perfectly for simple needs like looping images or videos.
For large networks, advanced scheduling, monitoring, user permissions, or smart content triggers, paying more for reliability and support makes sense.
Value is defined not by the price tag, but by how well the software fits your workflow, goals, and network scale.
Digital signage software isn’t about selling more, it’s about running smarter and choosing the right tool for the job.