OnSign TV vs Play: a fair comparison
OnSign TV
OnSign TV suits pro AV integrators, with apps, an SDK and bring-your-own hardware. Plans start near $20 per player, and support is ticket-first.
Play vs OnSign TV
Every project is different, so OnSign TV may win for some teams while Play wins for others. OnSign is known for integrator tooling, apps, and SDK depth. This page is a fairer read on Core / mid / enterprise stickers (about $20 / $25 / $35), ticket-first support, SDK versus editor workflows, and how those stack against Play's Essential / Pro / Ultimate plans (about $8 / $12 / $16)—so you can decide with the same checklist on both sides.
Pricing
OnSign markets itself for professional AV integrators and demanding projects—not as the cheapest public sticker in the category.
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From OnSign pricing: Core $19.99 per player per month; mid integrator-oriented tier $24.99 (2FA, player mask, monitoring mosaic); enterprise/compliance tier $34.99 (advanced protection, security review / pen-test support). Volume discount called out for 25+ players; annual prepay about 10% off; 14-day free trial widely documented. Do not mix old and new stickers.
Play: Essential / Pro / Ultimate about $8 / $12 / $16. Annual about 10% off. First screen free forever after approved review within 30 days. No limit on storage or traffic (Play FAQ).
Apples-to-apples: OnSign Core (~$20) versus Play Essential (~$8); mid (~$25) versus Play Pro (~$12)—ops features differ, demo both; top (~$35) versus Play Ultimate (~$16). For many SMB single-network buyers, OnSign's entry sticker is already near or above Play Ultimate. OnSign can still win on integrator tooling—just not on "budget alternative to Play" framing.
Storage: in our testing, storage was limited per player (about 1 GB per player). Play documents unlimited storage/traffic.
Support
OnSign: strong self-serve knowledge base and a ticket / contact portal model. Third-party review summaries commonly note that live chat / phone are thinner than some rivals—escalation is ticket-first. Reliability and support quality often score well once a ticket is open; immediacy is the gap.
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Play: live chat 24/7/365 plus phone during business hours (Play pricing FAQ).
Integrators with a named OnSign relationship may not miss chat. Operators who need a human when a mall screen dies at 10 p.m. should compare channels before buying.
Content Development
OnSign strengths: built-in editor (Blank Template), free templates, Google Drive compatibility, in-app image editing, royalty-free media, 100+ apps, custom apps via free SDK, complex/nested playlists, touch support, offline HTML—aimed at professional campaigns.
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Friction mentioned in reviews: desire for a live preview / shareable live view; playlist update paths can feel confusing; at hundreds of players, grouping / campaign supervision needs process discipline; some users want richer widgets / newsfeed customization.
Play: cloud slide/page editor with zones, plugins, conditions, sync, and Canva/Power BI-class paths so non-designers can publish without living in an integrator toolkit.
Fair claim: OnSign is often stronger for integrator-built custom apps and nested playlist complexity. Play is often simpler for in-house marketing teams editing slides weekly.
Compatibility
OnSign does not sell proprietary players; they help clients choose hardware. Documented compatibility includes Android stick / STB, Samsung SSP, LG webOS, Philips, BrightSign, Chrome OS, macOS, Linux, and related paths. Strong match for AV shops that already standardize on commercial players.
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Play is similarly BYO-first: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Fire / Signage Stick, BrightSign, Tizen, webOS, and more.
Neither side wins hardware freedom by default—both are license-first. Compare recommended hardware matrices and 24/7 rating of the devices you actually buy.
Teams
OnSign: unlimited users / team functionality is part of the story on accessible plans. SSO, 2FA, audit log, login tracking, session revoke, multi- versus single-session controls are packaged toward higher / Enterprise-class plans.
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Play: unlimited users, roles, and sub-teams (sub-teams and several automation tools on Pro-plus). Audit logs and deeper insights on Ultimate. SSO and 2FA on every plan (Play pricing FAQ).
If IT requires SSO and audit on day one, compare OnSign's top tier (~$35) to Play Ultimate (~$16)—not Core to Essential alone.
OnSign TV Digital Signage vs. Play Digital Signage: What are the Differences?
In the list below, we’ve made it easy to see the main differences between OnSign TV Digital Signage and Play Digital Signage: pricing, terms, and what each can and can’t do.
| Feature | Play Digital Signage | OnSign TV |
|---|---|---|
| Free screens | ||
| Pricing (monthly) | Monthly $8 Annually $7.20 | Core $19.99 Pro $24.99 Enterprise $34.99 |
| Supported OS |
|
|
| Country of origin |  USA |  Chile |
| Headquarters | USA |  Brazil |
| Established | 2013 | 2012 |
| Live chat 24/7 | ||
| Unlimited storage | ||
| Unlimited traffic | ||
| Unlimited users and teams | ||
| Cloud-based editor (like PowerPoint) | ||
| Templates | ||
| Multi-zone playlists | ||
| YouTube | ||
| Social media | ||
| RSS | ||
| Streaming | ||
| HDMI (video) input | ||
| Works offline | ||
| Emergency strategy setup | ||
| API | ||
| Analytics | ||
| Audit logs | ||
| SSO | ||
| Touch interactive content |
What We Learned Testing OnSign TV Against Play
Here at Play Digital Signage, we know every digital signage company feels different until you try it. We signed up, poked the UI, tested support, and read the plan matrix the way a buyer would.
What we liked: integrator-minded feature depth (apps, SDK, nested playlists); BYO hardware stance without forced proprietary players; reliable reputation in review sites for day-to-day playback; clear path from Core to compliance-oriented top tier.
What held us back relative to Play: entry sticker about $20/player versus Play Essential about $8; security and some monitoring extras concentrated on higher OnSign tiers; support model leans ticket/self-serve versus Play's 24/7 chat; live preview / multi-site update confirmation called out as friction in public reviews; storage/ops limits should be confirmed against current docs.
Who should pick which: Choose OnSign if you are an integrator or operator who wants app/SDK depth, monitoring mosaic-class tooling on higher plans, GPS/IoT-style triggers, and a platform tuned for large player fleets—and you are fine paying roughly the $20–$35/player public band. Choose Play if you want a lower entry sticker (~$8 Essential), 24/7 live chat, an all-in-one slide/zone editor for non-technical editors, unlimited storage/traffic, and multi-location sub-teams without buying the top OnSign tier only for security basics.
Run the same trial checklist: publish a multi-zone layout, add a second location user, test support response after hours, and confirm storage and security features on the plan you will actually buy.
Our customers love us!
- Organizations use Play to manage their screens.
- 2,500+
- Screens connected across businesses worldwide.
- 25,000+
- Average rating from 939 reviews on Capterra.
- 4.8 / 5
- Average rating from 273 reviews on G2.
- 4.7 / 5
Let's get you signed up.
Ready to see how easy it is to get content on your TVs? It's free to play around, and there is no credit card required, because we think our product speaks for itself!
