Castit as a Xibo alternative
Xibo is open source, and either Xibo hosts it for you or you host it yourself. Castit runs only in the cloud, and certified partners deliver and support it. Xibo suits teams that want their own servers or the source code; Castit suits teams that want nothing to host and a partner on call.
Xibo in brief
Xibo says it has been trusted for more than 20 years. Its CMS core is open source under the AGPLv3 license, and you choose between fully managed cloud hosting and hosting it yourself.
Its players are natively built for Android, Tizen, webOS, ChromeOS, Windows, and Linux. The Windows and Linux players are open source with no license cost, while the Android, LG webOS, and Samsung Tizen players are sold with a perpetual license. Players keep playing through network drops, proof of play is built in, and Xibo offers a 14-day free trial of its cloud plan. Xibo also sells through partners, with white-label reseller and distributor programs.
Based on Xibo's own website, checked on 6 November 2026. Products change, so check the details with Xibo before you decide.
Castit and Xibo side by side
What each company says on its own website, checked on 6 November 2026. To see all five alternatives in one table, go to Castit alternatives.
| Castit | Xibo | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Cloud only. Interested in self-hosting? Talk to us | Fully managed cloud hosting, or host it yourself |
| Software | A cloud service | CMS core open source under the AGPLv3 license |
| Players | Android, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Windows, Linux, the Web Player and the Castit Android player | Android, Tizen, webOS, ChromeOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Player licenses | One license per player: Essential keeps one free, Professional is priced on request | Windows and Linux players open source with no license cost; Android, LG webOS, and Samsung Tizen players sold with a perpetual license |
| Free option | Essential: 21 days of the complete product on up to ten players, then one player free with no end date | A 14-day free trial of its cloud plan |
| Setup and support | Certified partners install and support the screens, with Castit for second-line support | Partners, through white-label reseller and distributor programs |
| Offline playback | Yes, from local storage | Yes, players keep playing through network drops |
| Proof of play | Yes, by screen, date, and time | Yes |
What Castit brings
Castit comes with more than the screens, and with a partner nearby to install and support it.
- Certified partners scope the setup, install the screens, and come on site, with Castit behind them for second-line support.
- Wireless e-paper displays, for meeting-room doors, shelf edges, and the places a screen can't go, are managed from the same dashboard as the screens.
- Castit is part of GuideLites, whose platform also handles visitor registration and meeting-room booking, so one partner can deliver all three.
When Xibo may suit you better
If you want to host the software on your own servers, or you need the source code, Xibo's open-source CMS is built for that.
Its Windows and Linux players also carry no license cost. Castit runs only in the cloud, so there is no server for you to install or maintain. Interested in self-hosting? Talk to us.
Questions to ask both
The answers matter more than any feature list, so put the same questions to each.
- Do you want to host and maintain the software yourself, or not at all?
- Which players need a paid license, and which are free?
- Who installs the screens, and who answers when one fails?
- Do you need e-paper, room booking, or visitor registration on the same contract?
- What happens when the network drops?
Castit and Xibo: common questions
Can I host Castit on my own servers?
No. Castit runs only in the cloud, so there is no server for you to install or maintain, and certified partners deliver and support it. Interested in self-hosting? Talk to us. Xibo lets you choose between its managed cloud hosting and hosting its open-source CMS yourself.
Which players need a paid license?
On Castit, each player needs a player license: Essential keeps one free, and Professional is priced on request. Xibo's Windows and Linux players are open source with no license cost, and its Android, LG webOS, and Samsung Tizen players are sold with a perpetual license.
Does Castit keep playing when the network drops?
Yes. Screens keep playing from local storage during an internet outage and catch up when it's back. Xibo says its players keep playing through network drops too.
Can I try Castit for free?
Yes. Castit Essential, the free plan, starts with 21 days of the complete product on up to ten players, with no credit card, and then one player keeps running for free. Xibo offers a 14-day free trial of its cloud plan. See what Essential includes.
See Castit next to Xibo
Try it free. Take the setup you are weighing Xibo for and run the same screens on Castit.
21 days of the complete product on up to ten players, then one player stays free forever. No credit card needed. Prefer a guided tour? Book a demo.