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Vistapane vs per-screen cloud signage
Most cloud signage services charge for every screen, every month. Vistapane is one yearly license per server, with unlimited screens and no per-screen fees. Here is how the two compare for an office, with the math shown.
How the pricing works
Per-screen cloud signage
- A typical rate is about $9 per screen per month
- Every lobby TV, hallway screen and break room display adds to the bill
Vistapane
- $1,490 per year for your first server. $990 per year for each additional server. Unlimited screens. Quote for 5 or more servers.
- No per-screen fees. The price doesn't change as you add screens.
- Every update released during the year is included, plus help getting started
- Optional maintenance and support: Essential $99/month or Premium $249/month, per server, cancel any month
- Optional installation: remote setup $499, or on-site from $1,500, quoted by location and number of screens
Tell us about your building and we'll send a quote for your license and any support or installation within one business day.
What it costs over time
Per-screen cost is screens × $9 × 12 months, using a typical rate rather than any one vendor's price. Vistapane is one server license at $1,490 a year, whatever the number of screens. Over 3 years that's 3 × $1,490 = $4,470.
| Screens | Per-screen cloud, 1 year | Vistapane, 1 year | Difference, 1 year | Per-screen cloud, 3 years | Vistapane, 3 years | Difference, 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 × $9 × 12 = $1,080 | $1,490 | Per-screen costs $410 less | $3,240 | $4,470 | Per-screen costs $1,230 less |
| 25 | 25 × $9 × 12 = $2,700 | $1,490 | Vistapane costs $1,210 less | $8,100 | $4,470 | Vistapane costs $3,630 less |
| 50 | 50 × $9 × 12 = $5,400 | $1,490 | Vistapane costs $3,910 less | $16,200 | $4,470 | Vistapane costs $11,730 less |
| 100 | 100 × $9 × 12 = $10,800 | $1,490 | Vistapane costs $9,310 less | $32,400 | $4,470 | Vistapane costs $27,930 less |
For signage alone, the two cost the same at about 14 screens ($1,490 ÷ $108 a year per screen). Below that, a per-screen plan costs less. Above it, every screen you add widens the gap. On a per-screen plan, going from 10 screens to 100 adds $9,720 a year. With Vistapane, the license stays $1,490. Your 150th screen costs the same as your first.
The table covers the license only. Optional support and installation are listed below.
An office example
An office with 20 screens and 10 meeting rooms with screen sharing, on per-screen plans:
- Signage: 20 × $9 × 12 = $2,160 a year
- Casting: 10 rooms × about $120 a year = $1,200 a year
- Total: $3,360 a year
With Vistapane, the same office pays $1,490 a year for one server license, which covers every screen, room sign and screen share. Add remote setup and the first year is $1,490 + $499 = $1,989. Essential support, if you want it, adds $1,188 a year.
Optional Vistapane extras, if you want them:
- Remote setup, one time: $499
- On-site setup, one time: from $1,500
- Essential support: $99 × 12 = $1,188 a year
- Premium support: $249 × 12 = $2,988 a year
Each server needs its own license. If you have several offices, each with its own server, your first server is $1,490 a year and each additional server is $990 a year. For 5 or more servers, ask us for a quote.
Meeting rooms are included too
Per-screen signage often covers only signage. Conference room screen sharing usually means a casting box or a yearly fee in every room, at about $120 per room per year, and room booking panels are often another product.
With Vistapane, one server license covers every screen, room sign and screen share on that server:
- Screen sharing: presenters open one web page in Chrome or Edge, pick the screen and type the PIN shown on the TV. Nothing to install.
- Meeting room signs: any Android 7.0 or later tablet shows today's bookings from your Microsoft 365 room calendars. Book a free room or end a meeting early from the door.
What you get
| Per-screen cloud signage (typical) | Vistapane | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per screen, per month | $1,490 a year for your first server, unlimited screens |
| Where it runs | The vendor's cloud | One Windows 10 or 11 PC on your network |
| Where your content lives | The vendor's servers | One folder on your server. Copy it for a complete backup. |
| If the network drops | Depends on the vendor's player | Displays cache content and keep playing, then reconnect on their own |
| No internet at all | Usually not supported | Works fully offline with an offline license |
| Signage | Playlists, layouts, schedules | Playlists, layouts with a main zone, sidebar and ticker, schedules by day, time and date range, operating hours |
| Wireless screen sharing | Usually a separate product or box | Included. Pick the screen, type the PIN, share. |
| Meeting room signs | Usually a separate product | Included, on Android tablets with Microsoft 365 room calendars |
| Emergency alerts | Varies | Included. Full-screen alerts or banners on every screen, a group or one screen. |
| Adding a screen | Another monthly line on the bill | Install the 1.3 MB player and enter the pairing code |
| Rollout to many PCs | Varies | Silent install with Intune, Group Policy or your RMM tool |
| Hosted option | Yes | Not yet. A hosted option is planned. |
For IT managers
- The server is one Windows 10 or 11 PC that stays on. It prints the address of your admin page, for example
http://vistapane-server:8080/admin. - Display PCs find the server on the network by themselves and only need internet access to show YouTube or public web pages.
- Vistapane Player installs silently:
VistapanePlayer.exe --install --quiet --server vistapane-server:8080 - Protect the admin with a code from an authenticator app, plus single-use recovery codes.
- Screen sharing goes straight from the laptop to the display over your network. The Vistapane server only connects the two.
For office and facilities managers
- Upload images, videos and PDFs, arrange them into playlists and schedule what plays in the lobby, hallways and break room.
- Put the visitor welcome on the lobby screen for the next hour, then let the schedule take back over.
- Show clocks, live weather, countdowns, announcements and dashboards.
- Screens go dark when the building closes.
- Room signs are green when free and red when busy, readable from down the hall.
- Run it from your phone.
When per-screen cloud may suit you better
We would rather you pick the right tool. A per-screen cloud service may be the better choice if:
- You have only a few screens and need signage only. At about $9 per screen per month, a per-screen plan costs less than a $1,490 server license below about 14 screens. If you also need screen sharing or room signs, compare those costs too.
- You don't want to keep a PC running. Vistapane needs one Windows PC on your network that stays on. A cloud service needs none.
- Your screens are spread across many small sites with no local IT. Each Vistapane server covers the screens on its network, and each site with its own server needs its own license.
- You need a hosted service today. Vistapane runs on your own network. A hosted option is planned but not available yet.
- Your displays can't run a small Windows PC or Chrome or Edge. Vistapane displays use one of those.
Questions office buyers ask
How much is the Vistapane license?
$1,490 per year for your first server. $990 per year for each additional server. Unlimited screens. Quote for 5 or more servers. The price doesn't change as you add screens to a server.
Is there really no limit on screens?
None. A server license covers every display, room tablet and screen share that server runs. If you have several sites, each site with its own server needs its own license.
How long does a license last?
A year. Every update released during that year is included. We send a renewal invoice about 30 days before it ends.
Does Vistapane need an internet connection?
Not for your content. Everything runs on your local network, and display PCs only need internet access to show YouTube or public web pages. The server checks its license with us every few minutes and stays licensed for 30 days if it loses its connection. It also uses the internet for Microsoft 365 room calendars and the weather and RSS widgets. For networks with no internet at all, Vistapane works fully offline with an offline license.
What happens if the server or network goes down?
Displays keep playing their last content, even after a reboot. When the server comes back they reconnect on their own and pick up any changes.
Do I need a support plan?
No. Every license includes updates and help getting started. Essential ($99/month) and Premium ($249/month) are for teams that want us to keep the system up to date and watch it for them. They're monthly, and you can cancel any month.
Can you set it up for us?
Yes. Remote setup is $499: on a video call, we set up the server, install the player on your display PCs, pair every screen and get your first playlist running. On-site setup starts at $1,500. We come to you, set up the server, display PCs and room tablets, then train your team.
Can we replace the casting boxes in our conference rooms?
Screen sharing is included with every license. Presenters open one web page in Chrome or Edge, pick the screen and type the PIN shown on the TV. The laptop and display need to be on the same network, so guest Wi-Fi that isolates devices won't work.
Can our meeting rooms show their bookings?
Yes. Any Android 7.0 or later tablet becomes a room sign showing your Microsoft 365 room calendars. Optional check-in releases rooms nobody showed up for.
Can we show dashboards?
Yes. Power BI reports published to the web, Grafana and most intranet pages work well. Some sites, such as Google and many banks, block being shown inside other pages.
Do emergency alerts replace our fire alarm?
No. Emergency alerts are for on-screen messages and don't replace fire alarms, mass notification or other life-safety systems.
Can we try it before we pay?
Yes. When you ask for a quote, we send a trial key so you can set it up on your own screens first. Pay the invoice when you're ready, by card or bank transfer, and your key keeps working.
Get a price for your office
Tell us how many screens and meeting rooms you have. We'll reply within one business day with a price for your server license and any support or installation you want.
Rather email? Write to hello@vistapane.com.