Unlimited Screens Digital Signage: What It Means and Costs
Unlimited screens digital signage means the software license does not charge you for each display you add. You pay for the software by channel or plan, then connect as many TVs, tablets or monitors as your locations need. With SignStream, the SIGNSTREAM NETWORK plan is $10 per month per channel, and you can deploy that channel on unlimited screens at no extra charge. The costs that remain are the ones outside the software: the screens themselves, mounting, a reliable internet connection and the time to build good content.
This guide explains what “unlimited” should cover, what it does not, how a multi-screen network is managed, and how to budget for one.
TL;DR
“Unlimited screens” means no per-screen software fee. Pricing is tied to channels (a channel is a stream of content), so adding a lobby, a locker room or a tenth location does not raise the software bill.
Our plans are $10 per month per channel (SIGNSTREAM NETWORK) and $105 per month per channel (CUSTOM CHANNEL), with unlimited screens on each.
Hardware, installation and Wi-Fi are separate costs, but our apps run on smart TVs and tablets, so you can often use screens you already own.
One dashboard, on any phone or browser, lets you update, schedule and coordinate every screen at once.
The same network can earn money: an ad exchange lets you cross-promote with nearby businesses and sell space on your own screens.
Table of Contents
What “unlimited screens” actually means
Most digital signage software has historically been priced per screen, sometimes called a per-device or per-license fee. That model is simple for a business with one TV in a waiting room. It becomes expensive the moment you want screens in the entrance, the café, the pool deck, the pro shop and the front desk.
An unlimited-screen model flips the logic. You pay for what you publish, not for where it appears. In our platform the unit of pricing is the channel. A channel is a playlist of content with its own schedule, such as “Group Fitness Classes,” “Dining Room Menu” or “Member Announcements.” Any number of screens can be tuned to that channel, and they all update together.
Here is a practical example. A country club wants the same event calendar on eight screens across the clubhouse, plus a separate menu channel for the grill room and the snack bar. That is two channels. At the SIGNSTREAM NETWORK rate of $10 per month per channel, the software side is $20 per month, whether the club has ten displays or forty.
What unlimited does not mean
Be clear with yourself about the edges of the term, because every business reads it a little differently:
It is not free hardware. Screens, mounts, cabling and media players (where needed) are purchased separately.
It is not unlimited channels. The price is per channel. If you want distinct content for distinct audiences, each is a channel.
It does not remove the need for a stable internet connection at each location. Screens pull content from the cloud, so the connection matters more than raw speed.
It does not write your content for you. Good screens still need good messages, which is why we also offer content and design help.
This honest framing is how to compare plans. Ask any provider three questions: what is the unit of pricing, what is included at that price, and what do I buy elsewhere?
How connected screens work across locations
A cloud signage platform separates two jobs. The first is control: you log in from a phone, tablet or computer, build content, and assign it to a channel. The second is playback: each screen runs an app or player that checks in with the cloud and shows whatever its channel says.
Because the control layer lives online, location stops mattering. A franchise owner in one state can change a limited-time offer and see it appear on screens in every store. A tourism group can push a seasonal event to screens in hotels, visitor centers and restaurants across a region. An office administrator can post a building notice without walking floor to floor.
Our cloud-based platform for smart TVs is built around this idea. You can see the full flow, from setup to publishing, on our page about how the platform works remotely.
The hardware-agnostic advantage
Unlimited screens only helps if connecting a screen is cheap and easy. We designed our apps to be hardware agnostic: they run on smart TVs and tablets, so you are not locked into a proprietary box for every display. In many cases a business can start with TVs it already has on the wall.
Where a display has no smart TV capability, a low-cost streaming player is the usual bridge. We handle hardware and screen installation as a service for businesses that would rather not do it themselves.
What you need to run a multi-screen network
The setup list is short.
Displays. Commercial-grade screens are built for long daily run times, which suits lobbies and restaurants. Consumer TVs are common in smaller deployments. Pick what fits the environment and the hours.
An app or player on each screen. For us this is the smart TV or tablet app, so there is no special computer to configure.
A steady internet connection. Screens fetch updates from the cloud. Consistency matters more than headline speed, so put screens near good Wi-Fi or use a wired connection where you can.
A content plan. Decide which channels you need, who owns each one and how often it changes.
One person responsible. A single owner per channel keeps messaging consistent.
No technical background is required to run this. The interface is designed so that a front-desk manager or a restaurant owner can publish a change in minutes.
Updating, scheduling and coordinating content
The daily value of a network is not in having screens. It is in changing what they say without friction. These are the core controls.
Real-time updates
Change a menu price, swap a class, or mark an item sold out, and every screen on that channel updates. You can do it from a phone while you are away from the building. That is the difference from a USB stick or a printed sign.
Scheduling
Schedule content by day and time. Breakfast shows until late morning, lunch takes over, happy hour starts at the right moment. A gym can show the morning class lineup before the first session and flip to evening classes in the afternoon. Content can be queued ahead of time, so a weekend promotion appears and ends without anyone touching it.
Templates
Templates keep screens consistent. You fill in the details, such as the item, the price or the event, and the layout takes care of itself. For menus specifically, see our guide to digital menu board design.
Dynamic QR codes
A dynamic QR code lets a screen send viewers to a sign-up form, a booking page or an offer, and you can change the destination without redesigning the slide. It turns a passive display into a response channel.
Analytics
Analytics show what is performing, so you can adjust. If a promotion does not move anything, replace it. If a class schedule slide gets attention, give it more airtime.
Coordinating people as well as screens
A network with several sites also needs the people behind it to line up. Staff schedules, content approvals and opening hours all feed what ends up on screen, and this overview of multi-location scheduling is a good starting point for keeping several sites in step.
Where connected screens earn their place
The industry association AVIXA lists typical digital signage uses such as menu boards in quick-service restaurants, promotional screens in retail stores, wayfinding in airports and hospitals, corporate lobby displays and video walls in stadiums and entertainment venues. Unlimited screens makes each of these cheaper to roll out across a whole property. Here is how it plays out for the businesses we serve.
Business | Typical screens | Typical channels | What changes most often |
Country club | Clubhouse, grill room, pro shop, pool, locker rooms | Events, dining, member news | Events, daily specials |
Restaurant | Menu boards, entrance, waiting area | Menu, specials, promotions | Prices, availability |
Fitness center | Front desk, studios, cardio floor | Class schedule, offers, announcements | Classes, instructors |
Office | Lobby, break rooms, elevators | Company news, visitors, safety notices | Announcements |
Retail | Endcaps, windows, checkout | Promotions, flash sales | Offers, pricing |
Franchise | Every location | Brand campaigns, local offers | National promotions |
Tourism network | Hotels, attractions, visitor centers | Events, attractions, deals | Seasonal events |
Restaurants
Menus change: ingredients run out, prices shift, specials rotate. Digital boards let you fix all of that in one edit. Our getting started guide for restaurants walks through the first setup.
Fitness centers and clubs
Real-time class schedules keep members informed when a studio changes or an instructor swaps. One of our fitness clients reported a 25% rise in class attendance after implementing screens. Results vary by business, but it shows what visible, current schedules can do for participation.
Retail and franchises
Promotions are most effective when they are timely and located where decisions are made. Retail teams can look at how to display in-store promotions digitally, our retail promotion checklist and examples of flash sale displays. Franchise owners can push a campaign to every location while still allowing local variations.
Tourism groups and offices
Tourism organizations can connect screens across many independent businesses, so a visitor in a hotel lobby sees what is on at the museum and the restaurant down the street. Offices use the same tools for announcements, visitor greetings and building notices.
What costs remain
Planning a budget is simpler when you split it into four parts.
Cost | Who pays | Notes |
Software | Subscription | $10 per month per channel (SIGNSTREAM NETWORK) or $105 per month per channel (CUSTOM CHANNEL), unlimited screens on each |
Displays | Purchase | Use existing smart TVs or tablets, or buy new |
Installation | One-time | Mounting, cabling and setup; we offer hardware and screen installation as a service |
Content | Ongoing | Do it yourself with templates, or use our content and design and ongoing management services |
We do not publish prices for installation, content and design or ongoing management, because they depend on the size and shape of the project. You can see what each service includes on our how it works page, and the plan details are on the pricing page.
Choosing between the two plans
SIGNSTREAM NETWORK at $10 per month per channel suits most businesses that want to publish menus, schedules, announcements and promotions to every screen. CUSTOM CHANNEL at $105 per month per channel is for when you want a channel built to your specific needs. If you are unsure, start with the lower tier for your main channel and talk to us about the rest.
Turning screens into revenue
Unlimited screens also means unlimited ad inventory. Our ad exchange marketplace lets you cross-promote with other local businesses and earn money from your own screens. A gym can feature a nearby smoothie bar, the smoothie bar can feature the gym, and each pays or earns through the exchange. Learn more about how to advertise directly with local businesses.
For organizations that want to run a network under their own brand, such as a tourism board or an association, we also offer white label software.
Our perspective on unlimited screens
We built SignStream around a simple belief: the number of screens you want should never be decided by a software bill. When pricing is per screen, owners hold back. They put a display at the front desk and skip the café, the gym floor and the locker room, even though those are the places members and customers spend their time. With unlimited screens, the question changes. You stop asking “can we afford another screen?” and start asking “where would a message help?” That is a better question, and it leads to better communication. We also think the screens should work for you. That is why the ad exchange sits inside the platform. A screen that only costs money is a line item. A screen that promotes your own offers, supports your neighbors and can earn advertising income is an asset. Pair that with hardware-agnostic apps and an interface anyone on your team can use, and a small business can run the kind of network that used to need an IT department. DKS
Get started with SignStream
If you manage a club, restaurant, gym, office, store, franchise or tourism network, we can have your first channel live quickly. Start with the plan that fits, add screens as you see where they help, and use the dashboard to keep everything current from anywhere.
See plans and pricing, or book an on-site consultation if you would like help planning screens, placement and content.
A simple rollout plan
Most businesses get the best results by growing in stages rather than all at once.
Week one: one channel, a few screens. Pick the message that changes most often, such as the menu, the class schedule or the event list, and put it where people wait or walk past.
Weeks two to four: add placement. Use what you learn from analytics and staff feedback to add screens in the highest-traffic areas. Because screens are unlimited, this costs nothing in software.
Month two: add a second channel. Separate audiences deserve separate messages. Members, guests and staff rarely need the same content.
Month three: add revenue. Open the ad exchange, offer space to neighboring businesses and use your own screens to promote partners.
Ongoing: assign ownership. One named person per channel, a short review each week and a standing rule on who can publish.
This staged approach keeps content fresh. The most common reason a signage network underperforms is not the technology but stale content, and a clear owner per channel solves it.
FAQ
Does unlimited screens mean I can connect any number of TVs?
Yes. Our channels can be deployed on unlimited screens at no extra charge. You pay per channel, not per display, so adding another TV to a channel does not change the software price.
Do I need special hardware?
Not necessarily. Our apps run on smart TVs and tablets, so many businesses start with screens they already have. If you want help with mounting, cabling and setup, we offer hardware and screen installation as a service.
How much does SignStream cost?
SIGNSTREAM NETWORK is $10 per month per channel, and CUSTOM CHANNEL is $105 per month per channel. Installation, content and design, and ongoing management are separate services without a published price. Our pricing page has current plan details.
Can I manage screens in several locations from one place?
Yes. You can update, schedule and coordinate content from any phone or browser, and changes appear on every screen assigned to that channel, wherever it is located.
Can my screens earn money?
Yes. Our ad exchange marketplace lets you promote other local businesses and sell advertising on your own screens, so your network can contribute revenue as well as communicate.
Sources
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