The world of digital signage software can often seem complex and overwhelming. There are so many choices and it is hard to understand which choice is right for your business. One of the latest trends that adds to this is the release of "free" digital signage software. Free sounds pretty good when trying to manage your budget, but is "free" really worth the price?
You get what you pay for
With free digital signage software, the best case scenario is that you get what you pay for. These platforms are often difficult to use and not reliable. You may be able to figure out how to get these systems to do some of what you are looking to do, but do they offer the stability that your business requires?
Our testing team ran a variety of these platforms through the ringer to see how they perform basic every day tasks. The outcome was mostly frustration as these systems don't make it very easy, and often times don't do what you want them to do.
What happens when "free" goes away?
At the end of the day, nothing in life is truly free. At some point, these companies are going to need to make money in order to support and grow their platform. There are two scenarios that could come out of using free digital signage software. Scenario one is that the company starts charging for the service, and you have already invested time and effort into deploying the software. The second scenario is the company goes out of business because they are unable to afford to support the platform anymore.
Either way, you are at the mercy of a company that does not have a sustainable business model. If you are using your digital signs for mission critical communication such as digital menu boards, then you are putting your business at risk by using one of these free digital signage platforms.
The bottom line
Digital signage software doesn't need to be very expensive, but "free" should be looked at with a high level of skepticism and concern. Evaluate all of your options carefully before investing your valuable time and effort.
