What is Xibo Digital Signage?
Xibo Digital Signage is a cost-effective, flexible, and open-source digital signage platform that promises to adapt to the needs of any business. It supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Android, Tizen, and webOS, making it a versatile option for businesses looking to manage content across various types of screens.
Xibo touts its open-source roots, cloud hosting options, and customizable self-hosted solutions, but do these benefits justify the cost and effort? That’s where PosterBooking comes in, offering a simpler, more budget-friendly solution that delivers premium features without premium pricing.
Xibo’s Pricing: Good, But Not Great
Xibo positions itself as an affordable digital signage solution, but a closer look at the pricing reveals potential pitfalls:
- Professional Plan: $4.90 per display/month. This includes cloud hosting and basic help desk support but lacks priority features.
- Business Plan: $7.70 per display/month. Includes benefits like SAML support, priority help desk, and 6GB bandwidth.
- Enterprise Plan: $12.60 per display/month. For large businesses needing high priority support and extended audit logs.
- Self-Hosted Option: Available for tech-savvy users willing to handle their own server infrastructure, but comes with hidden maintenance costs and perpetual player licenses starting at $28 for Android and $85 for webOS/Tizen.
PosterBooking outshines Xibo by offering 10 screens completely free, not just for a trial period but forever. And when you need to scale up, PosterBooking charges only $6.5 per screen/month. For businesses managing more than a few displays, this represents significant savings, especially when compared to Xibo’s higher-tier plans.
No Licensing or Upgrade Fees
Xibo’s perpetual licenses and ongoing upgrade fees can accumulate over time. For example, upgrading a webOS/Tizen license costs $50.50. With PosterBooking, you won’t face any hidden fees—features like white-labeling, real-time content updates, and 4K resolution are included at no additional cost, even in the free plan.
Content Development
Xibo’s layout editor and web-based CMS make it easy to create and schedule content from anywhere. The platform supports multi-zone displays and interactive capabilities, but many features are gated behind higher-tier plans or require complex self-hosting setups.
PosterBooking matches Xibo’s capabilities with its own intuitive drag-and-drop interface and multi-zone layouts but takes it a step further by making these tools available right from the free plan. No need to pay extra or invest in a perpetual license to create beautiful, dynamic content that keeps audiences engaged.
Compatibility
Xibo offers compatibility across platforms such as Windows, Android, Tizen, webOS, Sony, and Philips. While this flexibility is beneficial, the commercial licenses for certain players (like webOS and Tizen) are expensive, making the deployment costlier as your network grows.
PosterBooking, however, supports commonly used, affordable devices like Amazon Fire Stick, Android, Windows, and Raspberry Pi, allowing businesses to deploy digital signage without hefty hardware expenses. Why invest in costly licenses when PosterBooking works seamlessly with existing hardware?
Support: Full Access vs. Limited Access
Xibo provides community support for its open-source offerings and help desk support for paid plans, with priority support available only to Business and Enterprise plan users. The self-hosted option further limits support to what you can handle in-house, potentially adding costs for server maintenance and troubleshooting.
PosterBooking changes the game by offering 24/7 live chat and email support to all users, whether you’re using the free plan or managing hundreds of screens. This continuous support ensures that your digital signage never misses a beat, providing peace of mind that Xibo’s tiered support simply can’t match.
Xibo Signage vs. PosterBooking
Xibo and PosterBooking differ in features and pricing. Xibo offers a 14-day free trial with monthly fees starting at $4.90, while PosterBooking provides 10 free screens and charges $6.5 per screen thereafter.PosterBooking lacks a cloud-based editor but offers white-labeling from its Basic Plan, unlike Xibo’s Enterprise-only option. PosterBooking also provides 24/7 support for all users, compared to Xibo’s limited options, and emphasizes broad hardware compatibility without proprietary restrictions
A comparison between Xibo and PosterBooking is shown below.
| Features | Xibo | PosterBooking |
| Free Screens | 14-day free trial | 10 Screens Forever |
| Pricing (monthly) | $4.90 (Pro), $12.60 (Enterprise) | $6.5/screen after 10th screen |
| Supported OS | Windows, Android, Tizen, webOS | Amazon Fire, Android, Raspberry Pi, Windows, Tizen, WebOS |
| Cloud-Based Editor | Yes | No |
| White-Labeling | Enterprise Plan only | Available from Basic Plan |
| Support | Community or limited paid plans | 24/7 email and chat (all users) |
| Hardware Flexibility | Supports multiple devices | Broad hardware support, no proprietary restrictions |
Xibo offers a robust, feature-packed digital signage solution with an appealing open-source aspect, but it’s often associated with hidden costs, complex licensing, and tiered support that restricts access to critical features. To make the most of Xibo, businesses may end up paying more than initially expected, especially when factoring in player licenses and support.
PosterBooking, on the other hand, simplifies everything. With 10 free screens, straightforward pricing, and all features—like 4K support, white-labeling, and real-time updates—available at no extra cost, PosterBooking delivers unbeatable value. No complicated licensing, no steep upgrade fees, just a seamless, affordable, and powerful digital signage solution.
Why Bright Horizons Moved From Xibo Digital Signage to PosterBooking
Running a nonprofit organization like Bright Horizons, which focuses on youth development, is all about communication and connection. We started with Xibo Digital Signage to keep our visitors and volunteers informed, but it didn’t take long for the costs to eat into our budget. The software’s complexity made it challenging for our volunteers to update content, and we often ended up with outdated messages or missing announcements. It was disheartening to see our vision for a welcoming, engaging space get buried under logistical challenges.
Switching to PosterBooking was nothing short of a miracle. The platform was so user-friendly that even our less tech-savvy volunteers could make updates effortlessly. The fact that it was free allowed us to redirect funds into vital youth programs. Suddenly, we had the power to showcase success stories, highlight upcoming events, and share motivational content in real time. Our visitors noticed the change, and our staff felt more energized and inspired. PosterBooking turned our digital signage from a frustrating obstacle into a tool that truly served our mission, making our nonprofit feel more vibrant and impactful.
FAQ About Xibo Digital Signage
1. What is Xibo, and how does it function?
Xibo is an open-source digital signage platform that allows users to create, manage, and display content across multiple screens. It offers a range of features, including scheduling and remote management. While Xibo provides flexibility, it may require more technical expertise to set up and maintain compared to user-friendly platforms like PosterBooking.
2. Is Xibo suitable for non-technical users?
Xibo offers extensive customization options, but its open-source nature means that users might need technical skills for installation and troubleshooting. PosterBooking provides a more straightforward, plug-and-play solution, ideal for users without technical backgrounds.
3. What types of content can I display using Xibo?
Xibo supports images, videos, web pages, and various widgets. However, integrating certain content types may require additional configuration. PosterBooking offers seamless integration of diverse content formats without the need for complex setups.
4. Can I schedule content in advance with Xibo?
Yes, Xibo allows for content scheduling, enabling automated updates across multiple screens. However, the scheduling interface might be less intuitive for some users, especially those unfamiliar with more technical platforms. PosterBooking, in contrast, offers an easy-to-use scheduling feature, making content management simple and straightforward for all users.
5. What hardware is compatible with Xibo?
Xibo supports a range of hardware, including Windows PCs, Android devices, and Linux-based media players. However, configuring the hardware might require technical know-how. PosterBooking ensures seamless integration with Amazon devices, offering an easier and more cost-effective setup.
6. Does Xibo offer customer support?
Xibo offers community support for its open-source version and paid support for its cloud-based solution. While the open-source community is active, direct support can be limited. PosterBooking provides 24/7 customer support, ensuring immediate assistance whenever needed.
7. Is there a free version of Xibo?
Xibo’s open-source version is free, but hosting and advanced features may require additional expenses. PosterBooking, on the other hand, offers a free plan with access to premium features, minimizing overall costs for users
For businesses that need flexibility, ease of use, and cost-efficiency, PosterBooking is the clear winner. Don’t settle for tiered limitations when you can have it all with PosterBooking.