Digital signage vs. printed posters: which one fits your business?
6 min read
Print isn't a bad choice — it's a bad choice when your offer keeps changing. This comparison measures what really decides between screen and paper: how many times a month you need to change the message.
What's the real difference between a screen and a printed poster?
The difference is the cost of changing the message. Print has a low cost per piece, but that cost repeats with every new version: redesign, print, install. A screen has an upfront cost and a monthly fee, but changing the content costs zero and is instant.
That's why the right question isn't which one looks nicer, but how many times a month what you show changes. A business that adjusts prices, rotates combos or runs daily promotions pays the printing cost over and over; one that always shows the same thing pays it just once.
The second difference is scheduling. A screen can show breakfast in the morning and lunch at noon without anyone touching it; a printed poster needs someone to physically swap it out.
How much does each option cost in Colombia?
Print costs per piece and per reprint, and that expense comes back every time you change something. A screen costs the hardware once — from $0 if you already have a smart TV, or COP $140,000 to $400,000 with an Android box — plus software from COP $129,000 per month plus 19% VAT.
| Item | Printed poster | Digital signage |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low per piece | COP $0 – $600,000 (hardware, one-time) |
| Monthly cost | Every reprint | From COP $129,000 + 19% VAT |
| Cost of one change | Paid again | $0 |
| Time for one change | Hours or days | Minutes |
The full breakdown of the digital side, including when the Pro plan at COP $397,000 per month plus VAT with up to 10 screens makes sense, is in how much it costs to put up a digital screen in Colombia.
How much time do you save with a digital screen?
In Displei.co's pilot in Colombia, businesses reported saving 3 hours a month per location compared to designing and printing signs weekly, and 2 minutes from idea to screen when publishing a promotion. These are pilot averages and results vary by location.
With multiple screens the difference multiplies. Tienda Aurora, in Cali, went from two days to five minutes to change the campaign across its three screens, because it stopped driving to each location to swap out signs. Laura Betancur, its owner, describes the shift as going from a logistics task to a publish button.
Reference estimate: figures from the pilot in Colombia. They vary based on the number of screens, how often you change content, and who manages it.
When is a printed poster still the better choice?
When the message is permanent. An "open" sign, business hours, restroom signage or a menu that hasn't changed in months work perfectly well printed and don't justify a monthly fee. Print also solves spots with no power outlet or internet.
- Fixed message all year: print.
- Prices, combos, promotions by day or hour: screen.
- No electricity or connection at that spot: print.
- Multiple locations that need to show the same thing at the same time: screen.
In practice, most businesses end up with both: print for the structural stuff, and a screen for what changes. If your case is a storefront or a store with seasonal campaigns, check out digital signage for retail.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a screen replace all the signage in a store?
- Not necessarily. It's a good fit for what changes — prices, combos, promotions — and print still makes sense for permanent notices like hours or space signage.
- How many changes a month justify a screen?
- When you change the message once a week or more, a screen usually pays off: each digital change costs $0 and takes minutes, while print gets paid for again.
- Can I use the TV I already have in the store?
- Yes. If it's a smart TV, the hardware cost is $0. If it's a regular TV, an Android box costs between COP $140,000 and $400,000, one-time.
- Does the screen need someone managing it every day?
- No. Content is scheduled by day and time slot, and the screen rotates on its own. In the pilot, 98% of publications were done without technical help.
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