Mobile LED screens are used two completely different ways: as a short-term
hire for a campaign, or as a long-term asset mounted on a vehicle you own.
The right choice depends on how many days per year the screen will actually
run — and that single number decides the economics.
When renting a mobile LED screen makes sense
Rental is the lower-risk route when the screen is needed occasionally. It
suits:
- One-off campaigns — product launches, sports fixtures, festival
activations, roadshows lasting days rather than months. - Seasonal demand — a few weeks a year where an extra screen
justifies itself, with no storage or maintenance in between. - Testing a market — running a mobile DOOH pilot before
committing capital to your own unit. - No in-house technician — the rental supplier handles rigging,
power, content loading and on-site fault response.
When buying the screen is the better economics
Purchase wins once the screen runs often enough that cumulative rental
charges exceed the cost of ownership. It suits:
- Fleet operators running advertising as a business — the screen
is the revenue-generating asset, not a campaign cost. - Municipal or transit fleets on multi-year public information
contracts. - Owners of suitable vehicles who want the screen integrated once and
left in place. - Operators with a technician on staff who can handle routine
module swaps and power checks.
Cost structure: what actually differs
| Factor | Rental | Purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront spend | Low — day or week rate | Full capital cost of the screen |
| Running cost | Repeats every campaign | Power, data, occasional module repair |
| Availability | Subject to supplier stock and season | Always on your vehicle |
| Customisation | Standard sizes only | Built to your vehicle’s dimensions |
| Technical burden | Handled by the rental company | Yours, or under a service contract |
| Long-term unit cost | Rises with each booking | Falls with every month of use |
Rental rates vary widely by market, screen size and season, and purchase
price depends on pixel pitch, cabinet size and power system. Rather than
compare published figures, the practical approach is to price your actual
usage: number of running days per year × local rental rate, against
the amortised cost of owning.
What we supply
We manufacture the screen, not the rental service. Depending on how you
plan to run it, that means one of three configurations:
- Screen-only supply — cabinets, receiving cards, power and
control system, shipped for you or your local partner to mount. The lowest
cost route if you already have the vehicle and an installer. - Trailer-mounted screens — a complete unit on a road-legal
trailer with mast, generator or battery option. See our
LED advertising
trailers. - Truck-mounted screens — cabinets engineered for mounting on
your own truck body. See
truck LED display screens.
Note on vehicle supply: we supply screens and mounting hardware. We
do not supply truck chassis, cabs or complete vehicles, and we do not operate
a rental fleet. If you are searching for a company to hire a screen and driver
from, your local rental market will serve you better — if you want the
screen itself, that is what we build.
Specifications worth deciding before you ask for a quote
- Pixel pitch — how close the audience will be. Fine pitch
suits pedestrian and slow-traffic viewing; coarser pitch reads at distance
and costs less. See pixel pitch explained. - Brightness — daylight-readable output matters for any
daytime route; a screen specified only for evening use will wash out. - Power source — vehicle alternator, dedicated generator, or
battery pack. This drives both cost and how long you can run stationary. - Control and content — synchronous (live input) or
asynchronous (scheduled playlist over 4G). See our
cloud CMS. - Local compliance — road-vehicle display rules differ by
country and sometimes by city. Confirm the rules for your operating area
before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
Can one screen serve both rental out and my own fleet?
Yes, if it is built as a trailer or a demountable frame rather than
permanently bonded to one vehicle. That is a design decision to make at order
time, not something easily retrofitted.
How long does a screen last?
LED modules are rated in tens of thousands of hours, and individual modules
are replaceable without scrapping the screen. The practical constraint is
usually the power system and cabinet weatherproofing rather than the LEDs
themselves.
What is the minimum order?
A single screen is fine for a pilot. Volume pricing applies to fleet
rollouts — tell us the unit count and target market and we will quote
both.
Get a quote
Tell us three things and we will come back within 24 hours: intended
vehicle or trailer type, screen size or pixel pitch, and the country you
operate in. Use the WhatsApp button on this page or the
contact form.
Tell us the model, quantity and destination country. We send pricing back inside 24 hours.