Digital Signage Solutions

Digital signage solutions are everywhere, thanks to the booming digital signage industry. As a result of the rising need for digital signage, complementary industries to creating digital signage have seen recent surges. This includes the software industry, which has begun to produce digital signage software, which is vital to the functionality of digital signage.

There are many different software brands that claim to produce the best, most cost-effective digital signage software on the market. That is why it is crucial to research the price, storage system, features, and more of each brand of software. Some of the best digital signage software brands include ScreenScape, piSignage, Enplug, Rise Vision, ScreenCloud, and more.

Before you begin setting up your own digital signage, it is best to properly research everything that comprises digital signage, including the software. Continue reading if you would like to learn more about digital signage, how each digital signage software compares to its competitors, and which digital signage software is the right choice for you.

Digital Signage and Digital Signage Solutions

Digital signage solutions come in the form of different companies and software to help you and your business incorporate this essential technology. Everyone is switching to digital signage, and you definitely don’t want to be the last one to make the change. So, what is digital signage, and how can it help you and your business?

Before we start comparing and contrasting popular digital signage software brands, let’s take a closer look at what digital signage actually is and why you may want to use it.

Digital signage is something that we all encounter on a regular basis. Its prevalence tends to camouflage digital signage with other symbols of modernization present in major cities. As a result, people tend to be fairly unaware of the vast change that digital signage has brought. This unawareness often leads to ignorance regarding digital signage as a concept.

The best way to define digital signage is to first define its parent terms, electronic signage, and signage. First, signage refers to any signs or symbols which are used to convey a message. As modern technology has entered the signage world, signage now encompasses electronic signage.  

Electronic signage refers to any signs that take advantage of illuminant mediums to display their content. This can include mediums such as fluorescent signs, high-intensity displays, incandescent signs, LED signs, and neon signs. Among these examples is a subsect of signage known as digital signage. 

Digital signage is a subsect of electronic signage that uses projection, LED, or LCD technology to display content that generally could not be displayed on static signs. Electronic signage can still be static signage, which differentiates digital signage from electronic signage.

Why Choose Digital Signage?

There are a few reasons digital signage has become more useful in the modern age than static signage. For one, digital signage is able to display modes of content like video, graphics, and interactive media that static signage is simply incapable of displaying.

Digital signage can also use these modes of content for a variety of different reasons. As mentioned above, these modes can include displays such as videos, interactive media, weather data, and many more examples that would not exist under the limitations of static signage. 

Let’s take a look at the various reasons for using digital signage in the modern world.

• Airports: Examples of digital signage being used in airports can include arrivals/departures information, flight information, and in-airport advertising or promotional information.
• Restaurants: Examples of digital signage being used in restaurants can include self-serving and self-ordering kiosks, digital menus, and digital entertainment within the restaurant.
• Stadiums: Examples of digital signage being used in stadiums can include live video displays of game footage, replay footage, box score graphics, supplemental design, and advertising or in-stadium promotions.
• Educational Purposes: Examples of digital signage being used for educational purposes can include interactive and visual demonstrations or lessons taught by the teacher or by a third party.
• Public Services: Examples of digital signage being used as public services can include local information related to weather, news, traffic, and even maps services.
• Corporate Communication: Examples of digital signage being used in corporate offices can include conference room booking, meeting information, and training modules or assistance.
• Tourism: Examples of digital signage being used for tourism can include interactive maps, information regarding popular tourist destinations, and information regarding the city or country in general.
• Retail Promotions or Assistance: Examples of digital signage being used in or for retail businesses can include self-serving kiosks, advertisements, visual displays, and interactive displays.
• Marketing and Advertising: Examples of digital signage being used for advertising can include videos, digital images, scrolling pages, or interactive advertisements.

What to Look for in Digital Signage Solutions

If you have looked into digital signage and decided that you are interested in using it, then one of your first steps should be looking into various digital signage software brands. Digital signage software is tasked with transmitting your content from a computer to a screen, which will act as the display.

Most digital signage software brands also allow you to create media content within the software, either through in-built templates and media libraries or video and graphic editors. However, not all digital signage software possesses this feature, and each software brand is different from the last in at least one way.

To adequately measure each software brand against one another, there are many aspects of the software that should be examined. Here is a list of all of the aspects of digital signage software that should be examined when measuring each brand against one another.

• Pricing
• Features
• Storage System
• Compatibility
• Extraneous Details

Of course, pricing refers to the price per month, per year, or the starting price of each software brand. Features refer to anything that is built into the software that adds or improves its functionality. The storage system of the software refers to whether or not the software allows for cloud-based storage or if the storage must be borne by the computer.

Compatibility refers to the hardware with which each software is compatible. This could include computers, screens, and media players, as these are generally the three most crucial pieces of hardware to digital signage. 

Finally, extraneous details refer to any extrinsic aspect of the software that should be noted. This can include anything from awards and recognition to excellent or poor customer service.

Now, let’s begin our thorough examination of each of the top brands of digital signage software.

The Best Digital Signage Software Brands

There are a plethora of digital signage software brands on the market, which would make it difficult to thoroughly examine every single one. 

Let’s take a look at only the most popular digital signage software brands. Here is a list of the most popular digital signage software brands, as ranked by their G2 score.

• Rise Vision Digital Signage
• ScreenScape
• ScreenCloud Digital Signage
• Raydiant Digital Signage
• OptiSigns
• Enplug Digital Signage
• Arreya Digitial Signage Suite
• Yodeck
• Screenly
• piSignage
• Sprinklr Modern Engagement

Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these digital signage software brands by examining their pricing, features, storage system, compatibility, and extraneous details.

Rise Vision Digital Signage

Created in 1992, Rise Vision has quickly grown to serve over 9,000 businesses and organizations in their digital signage needs. Let’s take a closer look at what Rise Vision has done to become one of the most popular digital signage software brands on the market.

Pricing

There are four subscription tiers for paying for Rise Vision Digital Signage software. The first tier offers payments of $11 per month per display. The second tier offers payments of $10 per month per display. The third tier offers payments of $9 per month per display. The fourth tier offers payments of $8 per month per display. 

Features

Rise Vision Digital Signage software comes with plenty of included features. These include a visual editor, customizable templates, social media integrations, and a built-in media library. Users can even create custom schedules for their displays.

Storage System

Rise Vision Digital Signage software uses cloud-based storage, which means you do not have to rely on your hardware’s storage capacity. 

Compatibility

Rise Vision is compatible with several different operating systems. This digital signage software supports Chrome OS, Windows, Linux, and Raspberry Pi media players. 

Extraneous Details

Most reviews for Rise Vision Digital Signage are in agreement that their customer service is impeccable. Some reviews contend that the process for swapping licenses from one device to another could be optimized. Ultimately, most users agree that, for its modest price, Rise Vision Digital Signage is an excellent option for digital signage software.

ScreenScape

Since 2002, ScreenScape has been issuing various iterations of its digital signage software. Its most recent release, ScreenScape5 is among some of the most popular digital signage software available. Let’s take a look at what ScreenScape has done to build this popularity.

Pricing

There are three subscription tiers that ScreenScape offers for its digital signage software. The first tier is the price for one device, which costs $40 per month. 

The second tier is the price for 3 to 5 devices, which costs $38 per month per device. The third tier is the price for 6 to 10 devices, which costs $36 per month per device. 

Features

ScreenScape possesses plenty of features that make it a bountiful digital signage software. These features include remote content management, a video editor, multi-user access, content scheduling, and even screen grouping. 

Storage System

ScreenScape uses cloud-based storage, which means users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage capacity.

Compatibility

ScreenScape is a web-based platform, which unfortunately renders it incompatible with Windows, iOS, Android, and Mac devices.

Extraneous Details

Their customer service representatives are available 24/7. Some users have complained about having to restart their devices every couple of weeks as the screens will intermittently turn black.

ScreenCloud Digital Signage

ScreenCloud Digital Signage, like Rise Vision Digital Signage, is trusted to serve over 9,000 businesses and organizations. As a result, ScreenCloud is one of the most popular digital signage software brands on the market. Let’s take a look at what ScreenCloud offers that has earned this popularity. 

Pricing

There is only one standard subscription price for ScreenCloud Digital Signage. The standard subscription costs $24 per month, and ScreenCloud also offers a free trial for their software.

Features

ScreenCloud Digital Signage possesses many of the features that have made previous software brands just as popular. These features include content scheduling, screen grouping, media editors, and remote content management. 

Storage System

ScreenCloud Digital Signage uses a cloud-based storage system. This means that users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage capacity.

Compatibility

ScreenCloud Digital Signage, in contrast to ScreenScape, is compatible with plenty of different operating systems. These operating systems include Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

Extraneous Details

Most reviews point to ScreenCloud’s impeccable customer service, which is reachable 24/7. Most of the complaints listed in any reviews have since been remedied. Ultimately, there is very little not to like about ScreenCloud Digital Signage.

Raydiant Digital Signage

Founded in 2016, Raydiant Digital Signage has grown incredibly fast, already serving over 2,500 businesses and organizations. Although the software still has yet to catch up to more established names in the industry, Raydiant is certainly on the right track. Let’s take a look at what Raydiant Digital Signage is doing to warrant the hype.

Pricing

Raydiant Digital Signage offers two separate subscription rates, a 1-year prepaid rate, and a month to month rate. The 1-year prepaid rate is $49 per month or $588 for the year. The month to month rate is $59 per month. Additionally, Raydiant necessitates supplementary hardware that is priced at roughly $169.

Features

Raydiant Digital Signage possesses all of the features that make for a functional digital signage software. These features include automatic player updates, an inbuilt media library, remote display management, content scheduling, multi-screen support, and a video editor.

Storage System

Raydiant Digital Signage uses a cloud-based storage system. Therefore, users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage capacity.

Compatibility

Raydiant Digital Signage is a web-based software, which means the software is not compatible with any operating systems without a web browser and internet connection.

Extraneous Details

Most reviews note that the Raydiant customer service is excellent. Virtually none of the reviews speak negatively about the software, but some do take issue with the supplementary hardware. 

OptiSigns

Founded in 2016, OptiSigns may not have the client numbers to match the most popular digital signage software brands. 

However, OptiSigns has garnered the attention, and service, of several prominent Silicon Valley such as Uber, Apple, and Amazon. Let’s take a look at what OptiSigns offers that has earned this notoriety.

Pricing

There are two subscription rates that OptiSigns offers. The first is a monthly rate of $10 per month. The second is a 1-year prepaid rate, which is $9 per month, or $108 for the entire year.

Features

OptiSigns offers plenty of features that set it apart from its competition. In addition to common features like content scheduling, multi-user access, remote content management, screen grouping, and a media editor, OptiSigns also offers asset management integration and network reporting.

Storage System

OptiSigns uses a cloud-based storage system, which means users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage space.

Compatibility

OptiSigns is a web-based software, which means the software is OS agnostic and cannot be used without a web browser and internet connection.

Extraneous Details

Most of the reviews for OptiSigns are positive. Some of the negative reviews note the clunkiness in having to download a separate app just to get the OptiSigns app to start up. Ultimately, for its price, OptiSigns is certainly a viable digital signage software option.

Enplug Digital Signage

Enplug is one of the most well-known digital signage software brands in the world due to its unique company culture. 12 of the 37 total Enplug employees all live in the same house, which caught the attention of mainstream publications in 2013. Let’s take a look at what sets Enplug apart from its competitors, besides its unique company culture.

Pricing

Enplug features just one subscription rate for its software. The monthly rate for Enplug Digital Signage is $32, which comes out to $384 for the entire year.

Features

Enplug offers varying features to its users. There are countless templates that Enplug offers, including live social media walls that allow brands to display their live Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook feeds. Enplug also offers fully customizable color themes for your designs and content. Enplug even supports multiple display orientations

Storage System

Enplug Digital Signage uses a cloud-based storage system, meaning that users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage space.

Compatibility

Enplug Digital Signage is fully compatible with iOS, MacOS, Windows, and Android devices. 

Extraneous Details

As mentioned in the introductory section, Enplug is fairly well-known for its unique company culture. Additionally, Enplug Digital Signage has also garnered several awards, including the Startup Showdown (powered by TechCrunch).

Arreya Digital Signage Suite

Arreya Digital Signage Suite, founded in Iowa in 2013, has gradually begun to earn some recognition in the industry. Let’s take a look at what has led to Arreya Digital Signage Suite’s gradual success.

Pricing

Arreya Digital Signage Suite offers just one rate, regardless of how many devices you wish to use the software for. The rate for Arreya Digital Signage Suite is $69.50 per month.

Features

Arreya Digital Signage Suite possesses the features that a digital signage solution should possess. These include features such as a creative studio/editor, inbuilt templates, widget integration, content scheduling, and multi-user access.

Storage System

Arreya Digital Signage Suite uses a cloud-based storage system, meaning that users do not have to depend on their computer’s storage capacity.

Compatibility

Arreya Digital Signage Suite is a web-based software, which means that the software cannot be used on any operating system unless the system has access to the internet and a web browser.

Extraneous Details

Arreya Digital Signage Suite has excellent reviews for its customer service. Additionally, Arreya offers a 30-day free trial for anyone looking to try out the software.

Yodeck

Yodeck, like piSignage, is a digital signage software built on Raspberry Pi computers. However, unlike piSignage, Yodeck was developed by Flipnode, a San Francisco startup. Let’s take a look at the other various ways in which Yodeck stands out from piSignage and the rest of its competitors.

Pricing

There are two monthly subscription rates that Yodeck offers for its software. The standard subscription rate for Yodeck is $7.99 per month per display. The pro subscription rate is $9.99 per month per display.

Features

Yodeck possesses all of the features necessary to compete with the most popular brands of digital signage software. These features include automatic player updates, multi-screen support, content scheduling, remote display management, visual editor, and an inbuilt media library.

Storage System

Yodeck uses a cloud-based storage system, meaning that users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage capacity.

Compatibility

Yodeck is a web-based software, meaning that the software is only compatible with operating systems that possess a web browser and a reliable internet connection.

Extraneous Details

Yodeck has been on several noteworthy lists for exceptional digital signage software, including the Top 20 Digital Signage Software list of 2020 by Capterra. Additionally, Yodeck is often integrated with Raspberry Pi computers. 

Screenly

Screenly is another digital signage solution integrated into Raspberry Pi computers. It is considered the most popular Raspberry Pi-based digital signage software, with over 10,000 screens powered through its work. Let’s take a look at how Screenly achieved this popularity.

Pricing

There are two separate versions of Screenly, the regular version and an open-sourced version. The open-source version of Screenly is entirely free to use but has a maximum of one screen. The regular version of Screenly costs $29.95 per month per screen to use but enables multiple screens.

Features

Screenly possesses most of the features necessary to compete with the most popular digital signage solutions. Although it does not include the visual editor, Screenly does possess automatic player updates, remote display management, content scheduling, and an inbuilt media library.

Storage System

Screenly is a cloud-based system, which means users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage space.

Compatibility

Screenly is a web-based software, meaning that the software is only compatible with operating systems that possess a web browser and a reliable internet connection.

Extraneous Details

In addition to being the most popular Raspberry Pi-based digital signage solution, Screenly is also the original Raspberry Pi-based digital signage solution to grace the market.

piSignage

As one of the most affordable digital signage software options on the market, piSignage is often viewed as the perfect option for hobbyists and businesses that are looking for an entry point into the world of digital signage. 

Although this is certainly true, there are plenty of other facets to piSignage that make it a viable option for anyone with interest in digital signage.

Pricing

piSignage is one of the most affordable digital signage software options on the market, with just a $25 license fee and then a $20 annual fee.

Features

piSIgnage does not possess as many features as its competitors, still lacking a video editor and inbuilt media library. However, the software does come with 15 inbuilt layout templates and allows you to upload your own custom templates.

Storage System

piSignage uses a cloud-based storage system, meaning that users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage space.

Compatibility

piSignage is supported on Windows and Android, but the software is still not supported on macOS or iOS devices.

Extraneous Details

piSignage is the software product of Raspberry Pi, the largest computer manufacturer in the United Kingdom. Many Raspberry Pi computers are integrated with digital signage solutions due to their compact size, power, and reliability.

Sprinklr Modern Engagement

Sprinklr Modern Engagement, a digital signage solution that focuses far more on social media marketing and engagement, is the self-described first Unified Front Office for Modern Channels. The software company has certainly expanded greatly, with 24 offices in 16 countries. Let’s take a look at what has led to this success.

Pricing

Sprinklr Modern Engagement does not release its pricing information to the public, which likely means that it runs on the expensive side.

Features

Sprinklr possesses a myriad of social media-related features that are exclusive to the software. These features include social measurement, social analytics, social engagement, social sharing, social reporting, social listening, and social campaigns.

Storage System

Sprinklr is a cloud-based system, meaning that users do not have to rely on their computer’s storage space.

Compatibility

Sprinklr is a web-based software, meaning that the software is only compatible with the operating systems that possess a functioning internet connection and web browser.

Extraneous Details

Sprinklr was founded in 2009 and has since become a perennial candidate for Top 20 Social Media Management Software lists such as Capterra’s.

Final Thoughts

By the end of this article, you should know a little bit more about digital signage, how each digital signage software compares to its competitors, and which digital signage software is the right choice for you.

Ultimately, as long as you choose one of the digital signage solutions mentioned in this article, you will come away with an efficient, highly functioning software for your digital signage needs.