How Much Does It Cost to Design a Billboard?

You’ve got big ideas, so it only makes sense to broadcast them to a big audience. No matter what you want to share with the world, the things that matter to you can be seen by many—if you put what matters to you on a billboard. We know it may sound a bit intimidating and even expensive to design a billboard but that is Formetco Digital comes in to help. We’ll walk you through the pricing logistics that come with producing a billboard so that you’ll feel confident that you can create a billboard. 

Several factors contribute to the price of a billboard: the primary expenses are design costs, material costs, installation costs, and billboard rental costs.

First, the design costs usually range anywhere from $150 to $500 an hour. If you want your billboard to be eye-catching, then you probably want to enlist professionals to design it for you. Sure, you could do it yourself, but it’s always easier to outsource that job—because you’re busy enough as it is. You’re going to have to find a freelancer or an agency that aligns with your vision, so your price will vary, depending on the designer you end up working with. 

The material costs can also add up. The most standard material to make a billboard is vinyl, which costs $1 to $1.50 a square foot. However, billboards don’t have to be made of vinyl in today’s modern world. Billboards can be digital, which do not have any associated costs for conventional materials. 

Next, you have to account for installation costs. Sometimes, an installation fee is included in your monthly rate, but if not, you will have to pay for the billboard itself to be installed. It takes labor to install a billboard, so you’re going to have to compensate someone for that work. 

The cost that will probably be the most substantial for you is the cost to rent the billboard. Usually, the billboard’s rental fees will be billed every month, but that’s not always the case—so check and see depending on your location. The cost to rent a billboard varies on account of several factors. To name a few, the cost fluctuates depending on if the billboard is digital or vinyl and depending on where the billboard is located. 

Usually, a physical vinyl billboard costs about $750 a month—at the least—and $14,000 a month—at the most. This is an extensive range, and it’s always possible that the price of your billboard won’t fall into this range. If you’re thinking about purchasing a digital billboard, your price range will be different. Usually, a digital billboard costs about $1200 a month—at the least—and $14,000 a month—at the most. Again, that range is flexible, so it’s always possible that your billboard will cost more or less than that price.

You might be wondering: what makes the price fluctuate so much? That’s a good question. There are multiple reasons why the cost of a billboard fluctuates to rent. One factor that changes the rental price is the location of the billboard. For example, if your billboard is located in a place that is known to receive a lot of traffic, then the cost to rent a billboard in that location will probably be higher than it would be in a low-traffic area. Also, your price will change depending on the cost of living in your billboard’s area. Due to these factors—and more—the cost of renting a billboard is unfixed. 

Like with all things, you can produce a quality billboard or produce a billboard that comprises quality for a lower price. Some companies sell their most deluxe design packages for 3x the price of their most basic design packages. Before you endeavor to create a billboard, think about how much you want to pay, and think about how high quality you want your billboard to be. You might be wondering if it’s worth it to pay the extra price for, say, a digital billboard. But when you take into consideration the fact that a digital billboard is dynamic—in other words, the designs can change—most people find that the perks of a digital billboard are worth it. Sure, a vinyl billboard will turn heads, but if you have a digital billboard, passersby will be able to see your design in different ways each time they pass. 

It is estimated that there are approximately 425,000 to 450,000 billboards scattered along American highways. It is also proven that billboards are effective because the Media Group determines that billboard advertising is one of the best ways to spread the word about a cause. If you’re contemplating purchasing a billboard, sure, costs will be involved. But ultimately, if you’re passionate about your brand, investing in a billboard will guarantee that you will be able to spread information to thousands of people. At Formetco Digital, we’re committed to helping people from all fields because we want to see what you care about on a billboard. We encourage you to contact us today because you can’t get started if you don’t take the first steps. We can’t wait to help you make your billboard a reality.