Digital Signage in the UK — A Buyer's Guide for 2026

This guide is for UK organisations buying digital signage for the first time: cafés, shops, schools, surgeries, gyms and offices. It covers what to buy, what it costs in pounds and the UK-specific points that general guides leave out.

What you are actually buying

A working setup has three parts.

1. A screen. A TV or commercial display.
2. A player. A stick, box, tablet or computer that shows the content, unless the TV can do it by itself.
3. Software. A cloud dashboard for uploading, scheduling and monitoring.

If you are new to the subject, start with what digital signage is.

Hardware: what to buy in the UK

Reuse first. A TV already on the wall is the cheapest screen you will ever buy.

Consumer or commercial? A consumer TV from any high-street or online retailer is fine for a screen that runs during opening hours indoors. Commercial displays cost more and are worth it for shop windows in direct light, long running hours and sites where the warranty must cover business use. Check the warranty wording: some consumer TV warranties exclude commercial use.

Players. Android TV boxes and Fire TV sticks are sold everywhere in the UK and cost little. For a screen that must restart by itself after a power cut, choose Android TV in kiosk mode.

Mounting. Use a bracket rated for the TV's weight and fixed to a suitable wall. In public buildings, think about height, trailing cables and whether the screen narrows a corridor or escape route.

Software pricing in pounds

Most signage software is priced in US dollars, per screen, per month. Your card provider converts the charge, so the pound figure moves a little with the exchange rate.

onday prices by account, not by screen:

Pound figures are approximate. Plans are billed in US dollars.

For comparison, per-screen platforms list from around $8 to $20 for each screen each month. Ten screens at $10 each is $100 a month. The cost guide sets out the comparison in full.

When you compare quotes, ask each supplier three questions: is the price per screen or per account, is VAT included, and is there a minimum term?

UK points to check

TV Licence. You need a TV Licence to watch or record live television, or to use BBC iPlayer, on any device. Showing your own signage content does not need one. If a screen in a staff room or waiting area also shows live TV, the premises need a licence.

Music. Playing music in a business, including music in videos on your screens, generally requires TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. Silent content avoids this.

Data protection. Screens are public. Do not show personal data about customers, patients, pupils or staff without a lawful basis and their knowledge. Photographs of identifiable people need the same care on a screen as on a website.

Food information. Food businesses must be able to provide allergen information. In England, larger businesses must also show calorie information at the point of choice, which includes menu boards. Check current Food Standards Agency and government guidance for your nation and business size.

Outdoor and window screens. A screen inside a shop window is usually treated differently from an illuminated sign fixed outside, which may need advertisement consent. Ask your local planning authority before installing anything external, and check your lease.

Accessibility. Under the Equality Act, service providers should make reasonable adjustments. For signage, that means readable type, good contrast and not relying on a screen as the only way to give essential information.

Running costs

A TV uses electricity for every hour it is on. Two habits keep the bill down:

• Switch screens off outside opening hours. On Android devices, onday timers can turn a screen off in the evening and on in the morning.
• Lower the brightness in rooms that do not need shop-floor levels.

Typical UK setups

A café with one menu screen. Existing TV, one streaming stick, free plan. Cost: the stick.

A primary school. Reception, hall and staff room screens on existing TVs, office staff as Editors. Pro plan.

A GP surgery or dental practice. Waiting-room screen with opening times, service information and health campaigns. Free or Pro.

A retailer with eight shops. A window screen and an in-store screen at each: sixteen screens. Business plan, one login for head office.

See how schools, restaurants and cafés and retailers use onday.

A buying checklist

• Count screens now and in two years
• Confirm which existing TVs can be reused
• Price software at both screen counts
• Check whether pricing is per screen or per account
• Test on one screen for a fortnight
• Confirm who will update content each week
• Check music, data protection and food-information duties
• Turn off TV power-saving timers

Start with one screen

onday is operated from London and free for one screen. Create an account, pair a TV you already own and see whether it suits you before spending anything. See pricing.