Billboards vs Street Furniture vs Place-Based: Which OOH Format Fits?
Updated 2026-10-11
Out-of-home advertising comes in three broad families, and they work very differently:
- Roadside billboards reach large numbers of drivers at a distance.
- Street furniture (bus shelters, benches, kiosks) reaches drivers and pedestrians up close at street level.
- Place-based media reaches people inside specific venues, like gas stations, gyms, malls, elevators and EV charging stations, often while they wait.
The right choice depends on whether you need reach (lots of people), proximity (people near your business) or attention (people with time to look). Here is how they compare.
Side-by-side comparison
This compares the three big families. For all 14 individual formats, see types of billboards and OOH advertising.
| Roadside billboards | Street furniture | Place-based | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examples | Bulletins, posters, digital billboards | Bus shelters, benches, kiosks | Gas pumps, gyms, malls, elevators, EV chargers |
| Typical impressions | About 465,000 (poster) to 1.2 million+ (bulletin) per 4 weeks in a big metro | About 250,000 to 475,000 per shelter per 4 weeks | Smaller audiences per screen, but longer viewing time |
| Viewing time | A few seconds at speed | Seconds to minutes, often at a red light or bus stop | Minutes: pumping gas, waiting, charging |
| Distance | Far | Close | Very close |
| Typical cost | $250 to $30,000+ per 4 weeks | $150 to $300 per bench per month; about $500 to $6,500 per shelter per 4 weeks | Often bought by CPM or network package |
| Best for | Broad awareness, directions | Neighborhood reach, pedestrians | Reaching a specific audience in a specific moment |
Impressions are the estimated number of times people notice an ad. Billboard figures are from Blue Line Media's Los Angeles rate table. Shelter figures are based on Blue Line's estimate of 9,000 to 17,000 impressions per shelter per day (Blue Line Media). Your numbers will vary by market and location.
1. Roadside billboards
What they are: large static and digital signs along highways and major roads. The standard bulletin is 14' x 48'; posters and junior posters are smaller boards on main streets. See billboard sizes.
Impressions: the highest per unit. In Los Angeles, Blue Line Media lists a bulletin at about 1.21 million impressions over 4 weeks, a digital bulletin at about 1.54 million, and a poster at about 465,000 (adults 18+).
Cost: about $250 per 4 weeks for a rural board to $25,000 or more in top metros. Los Angeles bulletins run about $5,500 to $14,000 per 4 weeks. Full breakdown in how much a billboard costs.
Limitations:
- Seconds of attention. Drivers see the ad briefly at speed, so you get about seven words.
- Distance. No detail, no QR codes, no fine print.
- Location rules. Many cities restrict new billboards, so the best spots are scarce and expensive.
- Production for static. Vinyl printing and installation add cost to each new design.
Top companies: Lamar Advertising, Clear Channel Outdoor, Outfront Media, Adams Outdoor and Reagan Outdoor, plus hundreds of independents. See the 25 largest billboard companies.
2. Street furniture
What it is: advertising built into the streetscape: bus shelters, benches, newsstands, information kiosks and digital city panels.
Impressions: Blue Line Media estimates 9,000 to 17,000 impressions per bus shelter per day, roughly 250,000 to 475,000 per 4 weeks. Benches are measured by the traffic past them; Waverly Media notes daily vehicle counts of about 5,000 to more than 45,000 at its bench locations.
Cost:
- Benches: about $150 to $300 per bench per month in published rate cards. See bus bench advertising.
- Bus shelters: about $600 to $900 per 4 weeks in small and midsize markets, and $3,000 to $6,500 in high-income areas or for digital shelters, according to Blue Line. Big-market programs often carry minimum spends of $5,000 to $15,000.
Limitations:
- Smaller reach per unit. You usually need several units to cover an area.
- Placement is set by the city. Shelter and bench locations follow transit routes and city contracts, so you can't always get the exact corner you want.
- Content rules. City contracts often restrict certain categories of ads.
- Big-city minimums can be steep.
Top companies: JCDecaux, a global leader in street furniture; Clear Channel Outdoor; Outfront Media; Intersection, known for LinkNYC kiosks in New York; and bench specialists Bus Bench Ads, Waverly Media and US Bench.
3. Place-based media
What it is: screens and posters inside or at specific venues: gas station pumps, convenience stores, grocery and retail centers, malls, gyms, office elevators, bars, airports and EV charging stations. Most place-based media today is digital. See what is DOOH?
Impressions: place-based screens reach fewer people per screen than a highway billboard, but they reach them up close and for longer. Gas station audiences, for example, typically spend 3 to 5 minutes at the pump and fuel 1 to 3 times a week (Place Based Media). Networks are measured per play, based on how many people are in the viewing area, so buyers usually compare place-based networks by CPM and total network reach rather than per-screen impressions.
Cost: usually sold as network packages or by CPM, often programmatically. Pricing depends on the venue, audience and how many screens you buy.
Limitations:
- Smaller audience per screen. You need many locations to build reach.
- Venue rules. Hosts like retailers and building owners may restrict ad categories.
- Measurement varies. Methods differ by network, so ask how impressions are counted.
- Fragmented market. Lots of specialized networks, each with its own sales team.
Top companies:
- JOLT Charge (OOHGuide listing) pairs EV charging with digital advertising screens. In late 2025 JOLT acquired the Volta Media Network from Shell, adding thousands of EV charging and digital out-of-home sites in up to 34 states and 64 designated market areas, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth (Charged EVs). Screens sit at places people already visit, such as malls, restaurants, travel hubs and retail centers, reaching shoppers on the way in and drivers while they charge. Disclosure: OOHGuide's founder works at JOLT Charge.
- Captivate runs screens in office building elevators.
- Zoom Media reaches gym and fitness audiences.
- The Westfield Network sells digital screens in shopping centers.
- Branded Cities and Orange Barrel Media run large urban digital displays and spectaculars.
Filter the company directory by "Place-based" to see all 35 place-based operators we track.
Which format should you choose?
| Your goal | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Reach a whole metro quickly | Roadside billboards |
| Direct drivers to a nearby location | Roadside billboards near the exit |
| Saturate a neighborhood around your store | Benches and bus shelters |
| Reach pedestrians and transit riders | Street furniture and transit |
| Reach shoppers near the point of purchase | Place-based screens at retail centers and EV chargers |
| Reach a specific audience (commuters, gym-goers, office workers) | Place-based networks built for that audience |
| Test OOH with a small budget | Benches, or a small place-based or digital package |
Many campaigns combine formats: billboards for reach, then street furniture or place-based screens near the point of sale to close the loop.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between billboards and street furniture?
Billboards are large roadside signs seen from a distance at speed. Street furniture is advertising on bus shelters, benches and kiosks at street level, seen up close by drivers, pedestrians and transit riders.
What is place-based advertising?
Place-based advertising is out-of-home media inside or at specific venues, like gas stations, gyms, malls, elevators and EV charging stations, where people spend time and can see the ad up close.
Which out-of-home format has the most impressions?
Roadside billboards deliver the most impressions per unit. A Los Angeles bulletin is estimated at about 1.2 million impressions over 4 weeks. Street furniture and place-based screens reach fewer people per unit but closer and often for longer.
Which out-of-home format is cheapest?
Bus benches are usually the cheapest per unit, at about $150 to $300 per bench per month. Place-based networks can also be bought in small packages.
Get quotes for any format
Browse operators by city or request quotes and choose the format you want. We match you with up to 3 operators.
Sources
- Blue Line Media, Los Angeles billboard advertising
- Blue Line Media, Bus Stop Shelter Advertising
- Waverly Media, bus bench advertising cost
- Bus Bench Ads, pricing
- Place Based Media, Gas Station Advertising
- Charged EVs, JOLT to acquire Volta Media Network from Shell