Digital signage statistics get recycled online more than almost any other category. The same handful of round numbers (29.5% sales lift, 400% more views, 35% shorter wait times) get copied from page to page for years, often with no traceable original source. For this report we went back to the primary research wherever possible: market research firms, peer-reviewed studies, and named industry data providers. Where estimates genuinely vary between sources, we show the range rather than picking whichever number sounds best.
Last updated August 2026.
Market size: how big is the digital signage industry?
Independent market research firms do not agree on a single number for the global digital signage market, largely because they define "digital signage" differently (some include hardware only, others include services and content) and use different forecasting models. Here is what several major firms currently estimate for 2026:
| Research firm | 2026 market size estimate | Forecast CAGR |
|---|---|---|
| Mordor Intelligence | ~$29.95 billion | 8.28% (to 2031) |
| 360iResearch | ~$30.47 billion | 8.04% (to 2032) |
| MarketsandMarkets | ~$21.07 billion | 6.6% (to 2032) |
| Coherent Market Insights | ~$33.20 billion | 8.0% (to 2033) |
| Technavio | ~$12.4 billion added 2026-2030 | 10.5% |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Takeaway: estimates for the 2026 global market cluster loosely in the $21-33 billion range, with most firms projecting continued high-single-digit to low-double-digit annual growth through the early 2030s. Treat any single "the market is worth exactly $X" claim with some skepticism. The honest answer is a range, not a point estimate.
Digital out-of-home advertising spend
Unlike overall market-size estimates, U.S. ad spending figures are tracked more consistently by EMARKETER, benchmarked against Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) data.
- U.S. out-of-home advertising spend surpassed $9 billion for the first time, according to OAAA reporting via EMARKETER, and is forecast to reach roughly $10.48 billion by 2028, growing 3-4.8% annually.
- EMARKETER projected a 3.6% lift in U.S. OOH ad spending for 2026, partly driven by election-year and major-event advertising.
- Programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) spend is projected to reach approximately $1.2-1.35 billion by 2026.
- In-store retail media, screens inside physical stores functioning as an advertising channel, is expected to drive the majority of DOOH growth between 2025 and 2029.
First time U.S. out-of-home advertising spend passed nine billion dollars (OAAA via EMARKETER).
Projected U.S. OOH spend, growing roughly 3-4.8% per year.
Programmatic digital out-of-home buying, the fastest-moving slice of the channel.
Range across five research firms, not a single point estimate.
Does digital signage actually increase sales?
This is the most-cited and most-recycled statistic in the industry, so it is worth looking at the actual research rather than a secondhand number.
The most rigorous recent study
A 2026 field study published in the *Journal of Marketing* (Herhausen, de Jong & Grewal) analyzed 237 real advertising campaigns and roughly 30 million shopper visits across in-store digital signage deployments. Featured products saw an average 8.1% increase in purchase likelihood: a meaningful, statistically robust lift, but notably smaller than the round 29-33% figures that circulate on marketing blogs. The effect was strongest for impulse-driven, lower-priced and enjoyment-driven products, and stronger on weekends, later in the day, and during favorable weather. Importantly, the study found no evidence that digital signage simply pulled forward future sales; it appeared to generate genuinely new purchases.
The older, widely cited study
A 2010 Nielsen consumer study on in-store digital screens (reported by trade outlet Digital Signage Today) found that four out of five brands studied saw sales increases of up to 33%, and unprompted brand awareness rose meaningfully compared with static signage benchmarks. This is the likely origin of the "33% sales increase" figure still widely quoted today. It is a real study, but it is now over 15 years old, predates most of today's content and hardware technology, and used a smaller, more concentrated sample than the 2026 field study above.
Reported sales lift from in-store digital signage
Our take: the honest range for a well-designed deployment promoting featured products sits somewhere between the conservative 8% figure from the large modern study and the more optimistic older estimates. Actual results vary heavily by industry, content quality and placement. See real numbers from our own projects at E Display case studies.
Adoption trends by industry and region
- Retail remains the largest single vertical for digital signage deployment by most industry estimates, though healthcare, education, corporate and hospitality are all cited as faster-growing segments as those sectors catch up on adoption. See in-store examples at E Display retail digital signage ideas.
- The restaurant industry continues investing in customer-facing technology: the National Restaurant Association's 2026 State of the Industry survey found roughly 60% of operators consider their technology adoption to be "in the mainstream", with on-premises ordering, marketing and back-office functions most affected. Menu boards are the usual entry point: digital menu boards.
- North America and Asia-Pacific are consistently identified as the largest and fastest-growing regional markets respectively, driven in North America by retail and corporate deployment and in APAC by urbanization and public-sector wayfinding and transportation projects.
In-store retail media
Screens sold as an ad channel are expected to drive most DOOH growth through 2029.
Healthcare and education
Wayfinding, wait times, room schedules and emergency alerts are catching up fast on adoption.
Restaurants and QSR
Menu boards and drive-thru screens remain the highest-volume single use case.
Cheaper players
Low-cost media players and included hardware keep lowering the cost per screen.
How we built this report
Digital signage statistics pages are one of the most heavily SEO-recycled content categories online. The same figures get copied from site to site, sometimes attributed to sources that are vague, outdated, or do not actually exist as cited. We deliberately kept this report shorter than competing "200+ statistics" pages, because we would rather publish 15 numbers we can trace to a real, named source than 200 numbers of uncertain origin. We update it annually as new market data and research become available.
If you want to turn these numbers into a budget for your own project, our cost guide at digital signage cost guide breaks down first-year cost per screen, and you can model your own estimate with the calculator at digital signage budget calculator. Current software rates are on digital signage pricing at $8 per screen per month with a free media player on a new yearly license.
How big is the digital signage market in 2026?
Major research firms estimate the 2026 global digital signage market at roughly $21-33 billion, with forecast growth in the high single digits to low double digits annually through the early 2030s. The range exists because firms define the market differently, so treat any single exact figure with caution.
Does digital signage really increase sales by 30%?
Probably not on average. The largest modern study, a 2026 Journal of Marketing field study of 237 campaigns and about 30 million shopper visits, found an average 8.1% increase in purchase likelihood for featured products. The widely quoted 33% figure traces back to a 2010 Nielsen study with a smaller sample and much older technology.
How much is spent on digital out-of-home advertising?
U.S. out-of-home advertising spend has passed $9 billion and is forecast to reach roughly $10.48 billion by 2028 according to OAAA data reported by EMARKETER. Programmatic DOOH specifically is projected at about $1.2-1.35 billion in 2026.
Which industry uses digital signage the most?
Retail is still the largest single vertical by deployment volume, with restaurants and quick-service chains a close second through menu boards. Healthcare, education, corporate and hospitality are growing faster from a smaller base.
Are digital signage statistics you read online reliable?
Often not. Many popular figures are recycled without a traceable source or come from studies more than a decade old. Check whether a statistic names the research firm or journal, the sample size, and the publication year before using it in a business case.
What does digital signage cost per screen?
Software commonly runs about $8 to $30 per screen per month depending on the platform and tier. E Display is a flat $8 per screen per month and includes a media player with a new yearly license, so the main variable cost is the display itself and installation.
Want numbers for your industry, not the internet's?
Talk to E Display and we will share what we actually see across our own deployments in retail, restaurants, healthcare and offices.
Still choosing a vendor? Compare digital signage platforms head to head, run your own numbers with the digital signage budget calculator, or see our digital signage pricing at $8 per screen per month with a free media player.
