TVpilot vs Xibo · prices checked 26 October 2026
Xibo alternative
without a server to look after
Xibo is the best-known open-source digital signage platform: you can host its CMS yourself for free or rent it as Xibo Cloud. People looking for a Xibo alternative usually want the same control with less work: no server to update, no player licences to buy, and a Raspberry Pi that just works. TVpilot is hosted for you and can import your Xibo library automatically. Here is an honest comparison, including when Xibo is the better choice.
Free plan, no credit card required. Paid plans from €5 a month.
The short answer
Xibo gives you two routes: host the open-source CMS on your own server at no licence cost, or use Xibo Cloud from $4.90 per display per month after a 14-day trial. Its Windows player is free and open source; the Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen players need a one-time commercial licence, and Xibo says no Raspberry Pi model is suitable as a player. TVpilot is hosted only, free for 1 screen, €5 a month for 3 screens, and runs on a Raspberry Pi with one command. Xibo is stronger for self-hosting, native players on commercial displays and complex multi-region layouts; TVpilot is simpler to run and moves your Xibo playlists over automatically.
The monthly bill
What TVpilot and Xibo cost per month
The cheapest paid plan that fits the number of screens, before VAT, as each vendor publishes it.
1 screen
Free plan, forever, no credit card
Xibo Cloud, per display
3 screens
Starter, 3 screens included
Xibo Cloud, $4.90 per display
10 screens
Starter: 3 included + 7 extra at €2
Xibo Cloud, $4.90 per display
25 screens
Pro: 10 included + 15 extra at €2, every Premium feature
Xibo Cloud, $4.90 per display
Xibo figures use the Xibo Cloud price of $4.90 per display per month that Xibo's pricing page showed on 26 October 2026. Hosting the Xibo CMS yourself has no licence fee, but you run the web and database server, and the Android, webOS and Tizen players need a one-time licence each. Amounts in the currency each vendor publishes, before VAT.
Side by side
TVpilot vs Xibo at a glance
Prices checked on 26 October 2026, features on 1 November 2026, on Xibo's own website. Plans change, so check the current terms before you decide.
| TVpilot | Xibo | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 1 screen, forever, 250 MB storage, no credit card | No hosted free plan. The CMS is free if you host it yourself; Xibo Cloud has a 14-day trial with 2 players |
| Pricing model | Per plan with screens included; extra screens €2 a month | Xibo Cloud per display per month; self-hosted, a one-time licence per commercial player |
| Paid price | €5/month for 3 screens, €29/month for 10 with Premium | Xibo Cloud from $4.90 per display/month; Android player licence $28 one-time |
| Hosting | Hosted by TVpilot in the EU; nothing to install on a server | Xibo Cloud, or the open-source CMS on your own server |
| Raspberry Pi | Yes, one command, with HDMI-CEC TV power scheduling | No: Xibo's own FAQ says no Raspberry Pi model is suitable |
| Other players | Amazon Signage Stick, Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast, iPad, any browser | Windows (free, open source), Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen (paid licences), Linux on 64-bit Intel or AMD |
| Layouts and data | Designer with widget boxes for split screens; live plugins | Layouts with regions, campaigns, DataSets and interactive actions |
| Support | Help center and email support; priority support on Business | Help desk on Xibo Cloud and paid licences; community support for open source |
| Switching | Imports Xibo media and playlists automatically with the Switch to TVpilot plugin | Not applicable |
What really differs
Hosted for you, or hosted by you
Xibo's biggest strength is choice. You can download the open-source CMS and run it on your own web and database server, which keeps every file inside your own network and costs nothing in licences. You then look after the server, the backups and the updates yourself, with community support for the open-source edition. Or you rent Xibo Cloud, where Xibo hosts the CMS for you.
TVpilot is hosted only. There is no server to install, patch or back up: you sign in, add a screen and start. The flip side is that TVpilot cannot be self-hosted. If your organisation requires the signage software on its own servers, Xibo fits and TVpilot does not.
What you pay
On Xibo Cloud you pay per display: $4.90 a month on the price its pricing page showed on 26 October 2026, so 10 displays come to $49 a month. Self-hosted, the software itself is free, but most players need a one-time commercial licence (the Android player is $28) and the server and your own time are on top.
TVpilot is free for 1 screen, forever. Starter is €5 a month with 3 screens included and €2 for each extra screen, so 10 screens cost €19 a month; Pro is €29 a month with 10 screens and every Premium feature. Live plugins, the Designer and AI Studio are included, so there are no extra modules to buy.
Players: commercial displays or a Raspberry Pi
Xibo has native players for Windows (free and open source), Android, LG webOS and Samsung Tizen, plus a Linux player for 64-bit Intel or AMD computers. That makes it a good fit for commercial displays with a built-in system on chip. Xibo's own FAQ is clear about the Raspberry Pi, though: no model is suitable as a Xibo player.
TVpilot is the opposite. The Raspberry Pi is a first-class player: one install command sets up kiosk mode, auto-start, a watchdog that restarts the player within about 10 seconds, and HDMI-CEC to switch the TV on and off on a schedule. TVpilot also runs on the Amazon Signage Stick, a Fire TV Stick with the TVpilot app, Android TV and Chromecast with Google TV through a browser, and any smart TV or computer that opens a player URL. It has no native Tizen or webOS app; those screens use their built-in browser.
Layouts, data and everyday content
Xibo is built for flexible layouts: regions on a canvas, campaigns, DataSets for tabular data, interactive actions and proof-of-play statistics. It rewards people who like to configure things in detail.
TVpilot aims at the everyday work of a small business: playlists of images, video, web pages and PDFs, per-slide schedules with expiry dates, a calendar per screen, a Designer with widget boxes for split screens, AI Studio, and live plugins for weather, news, reviews, calendars, Power BI and shop dashboards such as Shopify, bol.com, Mollie and SumUp. Proof of play and video walls up to 4×4 are built in on paid plans.
Honest advice
Which one should you pick?
Choose Xibo if
- Your organisation wants the signage software on its own servers, or needs open-source code it can change.
- Your screens are commercial Samsung Tizen or LG webOS displays and you want a native player on them.
- You build complex layouts with many regions, DataSets and interactive actions.
- You have the in-house skills to run and update a web and database server.
Choose TVpilot if
- You do not want to host, patch or back up a server.
- You want to use a Raspberry Pi, with the TV switched on and off over HDMI-CEC.
- You want one free screen and a plan with screens included instead of player licences.
- You want live business data on screen without building it yourself.
- You want your Xibo playlists moved over automatically.
Moving from Xibo to TVpilot
Xibo has an automatic import. The Switch to TVpilot plugin reads your Xibo library and copies your photos and videos as original files, rebuilds your playlists with the same order and durations, and brings web pages over too. It works with Xibo Cloud and with a CMS you host yourself, as long as TVpilot can reach its address over the internet.
In your Xibo CMS, open Applications, click Add Application, tick Client Credentials and save, then copy the Client ID, the Client secret and the address of your CMS into the plugin. Layouts with several regions stay behind; rebuild those in the Designer with widget boxes. Then install TVpilot on each screen and pair it once: your playlists are already waiting.
More on moving your content: switching to TVpilot. Every plan and what it includes: TVpilot pricing. Fourteen platforms side by side: digital signage software pricing compared.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hosted alternative to Xibo?
TVpilot is hosted digital signage software: no server to install or update, free for 1 screen with 250 MB storage and no credit card. Xibo Cloud is Xibo's own hosted option, from $4.90 per display per month after a 14-day trial.
Is TVpilot open source like Xibo?
No. TVpilot is hosted software and cannot be self-hosted. You get a central dashboard, automatic player updates and support instead of running the software yourself. If self-hosting is a hard requirement, Xibo is the better fit.
Can I import my Xibo playlists into TVpilot?
Yes. The Switch to TVpilot plugin connects to Xibo Cloud or your own CMS with Client Credentials and copies photos and videos, playlists with their order and durations, and web pages. Layouts with several regions stay behind.
Does TVpilot run on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes. One install command sets up kiosk mode, auto-start, a self-healing watchdog and HDMI-CEC TV power scheduling on any Raspberry Pi with Raspberry Pi OS with a desktop. Xibo's own FAQ says no Raspberry Pi model is suitable as a Xibo player.
Does TVpilot have a native app for Samsung Tizen or LG webOS?
No. Samsung and LG smart TVs open TVpilot in their built-in browser, or you connect a player such as an Amazon Signage Stick or a Raspberry Pi to the HDMI port. Xibo sells native players for Tizen and webOS.
What does TVpilot cost?
TVpilot is free for 1 screen with 250 MB storage, forever and without a credit card. Starter is €5 a month with 3 screens included, Pro €29 a month with 10 screens and every Premium feature, and Business €99 a month with 25 screens. Extra screens cost €2 a month on Starter and Pro. Paying yearly gives 2 months free. Prices exclude VAT.
Also see
- Switch to TVpilot
- Raspberry Pi digital signage
- Smart TV signage
- Pricing compared
- Yodeck alternative
- OptiSigns alternative
- Screenly alternative
- ScreenCloud alternative
- Rise Vision alternative
- NoviSign alternative
- Fugo alternative
- piSignage alternative
- OnSign TV alternative
- Revel Digital alternative
- Xogo alternative
- AbleSign alternative
- Samsung MagicINFO alternative
Sources
Xibo's own pages, read on 1 November 2026 (features) and 26 October 2026 (prices). TVpilot facts come from the product itself. Xibo is a trademark of its owner; TVpilot is not affiliated with Xibo.
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