CURATOR NOWvsROCKBOT

Rockbot is an all-in-one utility bundle. We're a team of music curators and technologists.

Rockbot started as a customer-request jukebox and expanded into a four-product suite: music, digital signage, TV, and a retail media ad network. Bundling everything under one vendor is a real strategy, but their music competes internally with three other revenue lines. Activaire is hyper-focused on music: 27 years, working DJs, and thousands of scenes built for the high-stakes environments our customers run.

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At a glance Curator Now Rockbot
Background music✓ Core product✓ Available
Human curation depth1,000+ business scenes, 27 yrsLibrary-based
Digital signageNot offered✓ Yes (+cost)
TV contentNot offered✓ Yes (+cost)
Retail media / adsNot offered✓ Yes (revenue share)
Zone control✓ Multi-zone✓ Multi-zone
Dayparting✓ Automatic✓ Available
Sonos integration✓ Native✓ Available
Starting priceStarting at $35/zone/month$25/zone/month + add-ons
Contract termsMonthly (browser/Sonos); 1–3 yr EnterpriseAnnual standard
Ads in music stream✓ Never✓ Never
FocusMusicMusic + Media Suite

Feature by feature.

Feature Curator Now Rockbot
Core Operational Focus 100% Dedicated Audio Architecture. Every product call and update is built strictly to engineer better brand soundscapes. Diluted Multi-Product Generalist. Music actively competes for engineering resources with digital signage, TV, and ad networks.
Why Curator Now

Music is the main service, not a module.

A team that does this. And only this.

Rockbot’s music competes internally with signage, TV, and ad-network engineering. For Curator Now, every single product call and development cycle is in strict service of superior audio. 

Pricing that doesn't punish features.

Rockbot’s base, plus messaging, plus request features, stacks fast. Curator Now’s Pro tier is a flat $50/zone/month, messaging included, no surprise add-ons.

Rockbot lets customers DJ. We let the brand control the room.

Rockbot began as a customer-request jukebox, great for sports bars. Wrong fit for a design-led retail floor or hotel lobby where music is part of the brand.

When Rockbot is the right call (we'll say it)

If you want one vendor for music + signage + TV + retail media, or you run sports bars where customer song requests are part of the experience, Rockbot's bundle fits. For brands where the music is the message, not the platform, Curator Now is the right call.

Questions people ask.

What does Rockbot do?+

Rockbot is an in-store media platform offering background music, digital signage, TV, and retail media advertising, positioned as a unified media suite for restaurants and retailers.

Rockbot vs Curator Now: which is better for chains?+

If you want one platform for music, signage, TV, and retail media, Rockbot has the broader product set. If you want music to be the best it can be, human-curated across 1,000+ scenes, Curator Now is the music-first choice.

Does Rockbot include retail media advertising?+

Yes. Rockbot includes a retail media advertising layer as part of its platform. Curator Now does not, music plays uninterrupted, no ads, no brand interruption.

Is Rockbot fully licensed?+

Yes. Rockbot includes commercial music licensing. Curator Now also includes full ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR licensing on all plans.

Music that's actually designed.

27 years building scenes for the spaces our customers run. Flat per-zone pricing with messaging included on Pro.

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