Freedom251 › Digital Signage Software
GarlicSignage
What GarlicSignage is
GarlicSignage is a free, self-hosted digital signage CMS and media player built around SMIL playlists. Garlic-Hub runs in Docker on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup, and provides a media library, drag-and-drop playlist composition, multi-zone layouts, scheduling, and device management. Schedules can use dates, dayparts, recurrence, and event triggers. Fleet controls show device status and support remote publishing, refreshing, and screenshots where supported. REST API access and webhooks support workflow automation and device events. Garlic-Player downloads are listed for Android, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, macOS, iOS, and Windows, with playback features including synchronization, triggers, and remote control. Content can include images, video, audio, websites, text, HTML5, CSS, widgets, and colors. Widgets may run locally and fetch or cache data. The maker says it is free for any number of screens, including commercial use, with no subscription or per-device fees. The core uses AGPL-3.0 and widgets MIT.
Who it suits
GarlicSignage suits organizations managing digital signage across many screens that need self-hosted deployment, scheduling, multi-zone layouts, and device controls.
What it does well
- Free for any number of screens
- Supports commercial use
- Runs on many player platforms
- Offers Docker deployment options
- Provides REST API and webhooks
What to know first
- Garlic-Hub requires a Docker-capable server
- No user roles
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure
- Paid support is offered separately
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Any number of screens · commercial use included · no screen count limit | Free |
As garlic-signage.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
GarlicSignage provides a broad self-hosted signage CMS and player at no software charge, including commercial use and unlimited screens. Docker is required for Garlic-Hub, while Garlic-Player can run standalone from a SMIL playlist.
Facts from GarlicSignage's own pages
- API access
- Yes · garlic-signage.com, 22 Sept 2026
- CMS features
- Garlic-Hub provides a media library, drag-and-drop playlist composer, multi-zone layouts, scheduling, and device management. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Content and layouts
- Garlic-Hub supports a media library, multi-zone layouts, playlists, and scheduling by dates, dayparts, or recurrence. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Content types
- images,videos,audio,websites/text,HTML5,CSS,W3C widgets,colors · garlic-signage.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Deployment
- Garlic-Hub runs in Docker on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup, and requires a server that runs Docker. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Device management
- Garlic-Hub provides fleet status and remote actions including publishing, refreshing, and capturing screenshots where supported. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · garlic-signage.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Hosting
- Garlic-Hub runs in Docker and can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Garlic-Hub lists a REST API and webhooks for automating workflows and responding to publish and device events. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Interoperability
- Garlic-Hub exports standard SMIL playlists and is described as compatible with SMIL 3.0 players, including IAdea devices. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The maker states that the core uses AGPL-3.0 and the widgets use MIT, with no paid feature gates. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Media and layouts
- Garlic-Hub supports video, audio, images, and widgets in multi-zone layouts, with time-based schedules and event triggers. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- Garlic-Hub requires a Docker-capable server, while Garlic-Player can run standalone and read a SMIL playlist from a USB stick. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Offline playback
- Yes · garlic-signage.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Playback
- Garlic-Player supports multi-zone layouts, triggers, media synchronization, and remote control through command-line tools or a REST API. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Player platforms
- Garlic-Player downloads are listed for Android, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS, macOS, iOS, and Windows. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Pricing
- The maker says the software is free for any number of screens, including commercial use, with no subscription or per-device license fees. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Product
- GarlicSignage is a self-hosted digital signage CMS and media player that uses SMIL playlists. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Security and privacy
- The maker says the core uses AGPL-3.0, widgets use MIT, and the software has no telemetry, tracking, or ads. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Server requirement
- Garlic-Hub requires a machine that runs Docker, while Garlic-Player can run standalone and read a SMIL playlist from USB. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- Paid support, rollout planning, custom development, and SMIL integration work are offered by smil-control.com, while the maker says the full software remains ungated. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
- User roles
- none · garlic-signage.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Widgets
- Widgets are self-contained HTML5 applications that can run locally on the player and can fetch or cache data on a schedule. · garlic-signage.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where GarlicSignage stands on Freedom251
- Digital Signage Software#39 of 207