What goes into the price of a virtual tour?
A virtual tour price can refer to a single shoot, a software subscription, or a package that also includes listing photos and a floor plan. Compare the deliverables before comparing the dollar amount. A room-by-room 360 photo tour and a captured 3D model are different services, even when both are advertised as virtual tours.
There is no single reliable rate for every market and property. Ask for a quote based on the actual location, size, access arrangements, and required outputs. For example, Matterport describes its Capture Service pricing as dependent on space size. That is a reason to get a property-specific quote rather than budget from a generic national average.
Compare the same work on both sides
| Cost item | DIY tour | Photographer service |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Camera, support, spare battery, and storage, unless already owned. | Usually part of the service; confirm the capture equipment and resulting format. |
| Capture and preparation | Your travel, room preparation, capture, and quality checks. | Access coordination plus the quoted shoot; ask whether staging is included. |
| Processing | File transfer, stitching or export, upload, labels, and navigation. | Confirm what editing, scene selection, and tour assembly are included. |
| Hosting | Subscription while the property needs a live tour. | Ask how long the link stays live and who pays renewal fees. |
| Changes | Your time to retake scenes and update details. | Ask about reshoots, revisions, travel charges, and turnaround. |
| Ownership and delivery | Keep original files and backups under your control. | Confirm file delivery, reuse rights, account access, and transfer options. |
A worked DIY budget using explicit assumptions
This is a hypothetical planning example, not a market quote or a measured Houses360 job. Suppose you allocate $400 to a camera and support, expect to use them for 20 properties, and value two hours of your own work at $30 per hour. The equipment allocation is $400 / 20 = $20 per property; labor is 2 x $30 = $60.
If a $19 monthly hosting plan supports three tours you actually keep active that month, the equal hosting allocation is $19 / 3 = $6.33 per tour-month. One month of hosting gives an illustrative allocated total of $86.33 per property before tax, travel, repairs, and other expenses. If you host only one tour that month, allocate the full $19 instead. If a listing remains live for three months, budget its share of all three months.
Allocation spreads a purchase across expected use; it does not reduce the cash you need today. With these assumptions, buying the equipment and paying for one month of hosting requires $419 before tax, even if the cost allocated to one property is much smaller. Replace every assumed input with your own quote, measured time, and realistic usage.
| Illustrative input | Calculation | Allocated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment across 20 properties | $400 / 20 | $20.00 per property |
| Two hours of work | 2 x $30 | $60.00 per property |
| One month, three active tours | $19 / 3 | $6.33 per tour-month |
| Total with one month of hosting | $20 + $60 + $6.33 | $86.33, rounded |
Houses360 hosting costs and plan limits
At review on October 12, 2026, Houses360 lists a Free plan with one total tour slot and five 360 scenes per tour; Starter is $19 per month with three active tours and ten scenes per tour; Pro is $49 per month with ten active tours and unlimited scenes. Check the pricing page before purchasing because prices and limits can change.
For a first test, the Free plan lets you try a small tour. A larger home may need more scenes than that plan allows. Paid plans include analytics; Free does not. Include the number of simultaneous listings and the length of time each stays published when selecting hosting.
Questions to put in a photographer quote request
- Is this a 360 photo tour, a 3D model, a video walkthrough, or a combination?
- Which rooms and outdoor areas are included, and is there a size or travel surcharge?
- Does the price include still photos, a floor plan, hosted links, and an unbranded version?
- How long is hosting included, and what happens when that period ends?
- What are the reshoot and revision terms if staging or property details change?
- Can I obtain the original panoramic files and reuse them with another host?
When to do it yourself and when to hire
DIY fits an owner or agent who can prepare the property, review each panorama, and maintain the published tour. It becomes more predictable once you have a repeatable capture checklist and know your own processing time. Try one property before committing to a larger equipment budget.
Hiring can fit a short deadline, a demanding lighting situation, a property requiring a specific 3D deliverable, or a team that needs consistent outsourced production. Compare the provider quote with the full DIY cost, including your time. The lowest subscription price alone does not answer that decision.
Common questions
Turn your 360 photos into a shareable property link.
Use Houses360 to upload scenes, organize rooms, preview the tour, and share it when the listing is ready.