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When a house goes on the market, it can be tough for prospective home buyers to imagine themselves living there when all they can view is an empty property. Without furniture and belongings, it’s difficult for buyers to see how their belongings could fit and thus realize the full potential of how the space could be used.
Real estate agents and home sellers often stage an empty property with new, temporary belongings. However, as digital real estate tools advance, more people have taken advantage of virtual home staging. Thanks to some of the best virtual staging companies, prospective buyers can see a property’s interior design potential through digital renderings with fewer limitations than traditional home staging. Virtual staging software offers the benefits of physical home staging from one of the best interior design services at a significantly lower price and with less work, straight from a smartphone, computer, or any other online-capable device.
- BEST OVERALL: BoxBrownie
- RUNNER-UP: Virtual Staging Solutions
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Stuccco
- BEST FOR RUSH DELIVERY: PadStyler
- BEST CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS: VHT Studios
- ALSO CONSIDER: VRX Staging
What to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Virtual Staging Companies
Bringing in an expert graphics editor to design a room using virtual decor is an easy way to entice prospective buyers and demonstrate the true potential of a home, even if the property is empty. For homeowners looking to work with a virtual staging company, here are some considerations to keep in mind.
Pricing
Each company structures its pricing differently. Some charge a lump sum for a predetermined number of photos, some structure their pricing per room, and others charge per photo. The price can vary greatly depending on the company.
The quality of photos can also vary depending on how much the seller is willing to spend. Those who choose a company that offers discounted rates may discover the quality of images they receive is less realistic or appealing than if they had spent more money with a pricier company. Browsing a company’s portfolio can help a seller understand the quality of work each company offers.
Image Customization
Sellers will want to consider how much control they want over their photo designs. While some customers may leave the design up to the experts, other customers may have a specific vision regarding the look and feel of the virtual home staging.
Before committing to a company, home sellers will want to understand how much control they will have in the photo rendering process. Some home staging companies allow customers to choose each piece of furniture that goes into the photos. Conversely, some customers may prefer to leave all the design decisions up to the company. Virtual staging even allows sellers to “upgrade” their appliances in photos and change their flooring digitally.
Turnaround Time and Image Revisions
When choosing a company, home sellers will want to ensure the company can deliver their required photos in a timely manner that fits their schedule. It is also essential to find out how (and if) the company handles image revision requests. Not every photo will capture the vision a seller had in mind; in those instances, a seller may want to have the image reworked to better suit the listing. Most of the best virtual staging companies allow customers to come back for unlimited free revisions should they feel the photos do not adequately suit their needs.
Additional Services
In addition to virtual staging, many companies will offer services such as 3D floor plans or renderings, allowing users to look around the entire property from their mobile phone or computer. Other services commonly offered include real estate photography, virtual renovations to clean up and enhance under-construction or unfinished properties, and photo editing to enhance a property’s visual appeal. Twilight photo editing is a particularly popular editing option, which adjusts color and contrast to make the image appear as if it were taken at twilight. This editing can make the home’s exterior look richer and more dramatic.
Virtual home staging isn’t limited to the inside of a home. Some companies offer virtual landscaping, which can demonstrate the potential for a property’s outdoor space. Virtual landscaping can include adding or removing pools, campfires, seating areas, and other outdoor fixtures.
Customer Support
When considering a virtual staging company, a customer will want to consider how each company handles questions about an order or a revision request. A seller will want to ensure the staging company can easily be reached—via telephone, email, or an online submission form—to get the results they are looking for.
It’s wise to read reviews and browse each company’s portfolio to get a thorough understanding of the work it does and the general response from customers. Customers can also ask for recommendations from family, friends, and colleagues and check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed.
Our Top Picks
Home sellers can discover the best virtual staging companies in the real estate industry—including the companies with the most affordable deals, the best for rush jobs, and the top choice for staging customization.
Best Overall
BoxBrownie
Pros
- Relatively affordable cost per image
- Relatively affordable comprehensive image-enhancement services
- Wide range of 9 distinct furniture styles available
- Wide range of additional real estate marketing services
- 24/7 customer support
Cons
- No virtual furniture catalog
- Pricing: $24 per image
- Turnaround time: 48 hours
- Image revisions: Unlimited free revisions within 2 months of original job
- Additional services: Image enhancement, image editing, item removal, floor plans, 3D renders, copywriting, virtual renovation, twilight photos
- Customer support: 24/7 by email, phone, and live chat
Why It Made the Cut: BoxBrownie is the top choice for virtual staging for real estate because of its affordability, unlimited revisions, the scope of projects, and superior customer support. Founded in 2014 as a photo-editing website, BoxBrownie is now an all-in-one digital destination for real estate agents, housing developers, professional photographers, and online retailers. Its wealth of services includes both residential and commercial real estate solutions. The virtual staging BoxBrownie offers is relatively affordable and photorealistic with a lightning-fast turnaround time. In addition to virtual staging, the company provides image enhancement and editing, 3D renders, floor plans, and copywriting. At only $24 per image and with unlimited free revisions within 2 months of the original job, BoxBrownie’s price is competitive. In addition, the company’s comprehensive image-enhancement services only cost $1.60 per image for a 17-step retouching and enhancement process. BoxBrownie provides 24/7 customer support by email, phone, and live chat. While BoxBrownie doesn’t offer a virtual furniture catalog, this virtual staging solution offers nine distinct furniture styles for users to choose from.
Runner-Up
Virtual Staging Solutions
Pros
- Generous bulk discounts available
- Relatively affordable 3D floor plans
- Clean, user-friendly website
Cons
- Purchase required to select design customizations
- Pricing: $75 to $99 per photo
- Turnaround time: 1 to 2 days
- Image revisions: Unlimited free revisions
- Additional services: 3D floor plans, virtual renovation, twilight photos
- Customer support: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST by email, phone, and text message
Why It Made the Cut: Virtual Staging Solutions’ easy-to-use website, loyal client base, and competitive pricing made it a notable contender for staging for real estate. Virtual Staging Solutions boasts over 10 years of experience and more than 100,000 properties virtually staged. Past clients include top names like Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s, Toll Brothers, and Keller Williams. Working with Virtual Staging Solutions offers several benefits; namely, the company provides generous bulk discounts, which is an uncommon feature in the industry. Virtual Staging Solutions also provides affordable 3D floor plans with rates of just $99 per floor level; for comparison, others in the industry range between $200 and $300 per level. While users will not get to see specific design customizations until after they’ve made their purchase, Virtual Staging Solutions’ easy-to-navigate website makes it simple for users to find the information needed and check out quickly.
Best Bang for the Buck
Stuccco
Pros
- Relatively quick 12- to 24-hour turnaround time
- Relatively low price for furniture removal and staging bundle
- Select furniture available for direct purchase
Cons
- Reviews displayed on provider site limited to 5-star reviews
- Pricing: $29 to $39 per photo
- Turnaround time: 12 to 24 hours
- Image revisions: Unlimited free revisions
- Additional services: Virtual landscaping, twilight photos, wall paint, item removal, image enhancements
- Customer support: Email, phone
Why It Made the Cut: Stuccco offers customers superior value in a virtual staging app. Stuccco delivers an intuitive interface for real estate professionals, homeowners, designers, and home goods manufacturers and retailers. The Kentucky-based company boasts a speedy turnaround time and professional-looking staged photos for a great price. Stuccco’s turnaround time remains one of the fastest in the industry—between 12 and 24 hours, with customers reporting most images returned closer to the 12-hour mark. Many companies charge separately for virtual staging and item removal, but Stuccco includes both at one low price for the customer. Stuccco even goes the extra mile by staging with purchasable items; customers or home buyers who like the furniture featured in the virtual staging photos can follow a link to purchase the piece on the retailer’s website. Customers who prioritize reviews in their decision-making process will discover Stuccco only has five-star reviews included on its website. Homeowners can research third-party review platforms to better understand the company’s offerings and overall customer experience.
Best for Rush Delivery
PadStyler
Pros
- Rush orders possible
- Generous bulk discounts available
Cons
- Purchase required to select design customizations
- Pricing: $23 to $34 per image
- Turnaround time: 12 hours for rush orders; 2 business days for non-rush orders
- Image revisions: Unlimited free revisions
- Additional services: 3D renders, virtual renovation, virtual landscaping
- Customer support: Email, phone
Why It Made the Cut: For real estate professionals who need rushed virtual property staging, PadStyler will deliver the fastest results with its option for same-day delivery. PadStyler, based in Austin, Texas, brands itself as “the Best Virtual Staging and 3D Architectural Rendering experts on the planet.” Virtual staging—including home staging, furniture replacement, kitchen revisions, remodeling, and landscaping—is PadStyler’s bread and butter. In use by CENTURY 21, Compass, and even Drew Scott from HGTV’s “Property Brothers,” PadStyler offers hundreds of design choices to virtually stage pictures and sell homes faster. The other side of PadStyler’s business focuses on architectural rendering and product modeling. PadStyler wins in the arena of fastest turnaround. If an agent or homeowner wants to get a listing up as fast as possible or needs virtually staged photos for an upcoming showing, PadStyler offers 12-hour rush orders. The company also encourages bulk orders by providing a generous bulk discount. While a purchase is required to select customizations, the website’s design catalog gives customers a sense of what they’re buying before committing to the service.
Best Customization Options
VHT Studios
Pros
- End-to-end photography and editing services offered
- Wide array of catalog items and styles
Cons
- Relatively high cost
- Image revision policy not specified
- Somewhat user-unfriendly website
- Pricing: $79 to $199 per room
- Turnaround time: 3 business days
- Image revisions: Not specified
- Additional services: Photography, floor plans, 3D renders, digital marketing, wall paint, twilight photos, item removal
- Customer support: Phone, text message
Why It Made the Cut: VHT Studios, a subsidiary of Matterport, provides customers with the best customization options for virtual luxury home staging. Recently acquired by 3D media company Matterport in July of 2023, VHT Studios excels at unique virtual customizations for luxury homes. It operates on the experience of photographing 10 million rooms and helping over 200,000 real estate professionals sell over $200 billion in properties since 1998. VHT Studios’ virtual staging allows customers to choose from its curated collection of furniture and decor options and offers end-to-end photography and editing services. It provides a vast array of items and styles, enabling agents and brokers to customize their listings to their potential clients’ tastes. While VHT Studios doesn’t indicate its image revision policy and has a somewhat unwieldy web experience and relatively high cost, the service allows customers complete flexibility with how they want the images to look and what furniture to feature. Additionally, VHT Studios has nationwide availability for real estate photography.
Also Consider
VRX Staging
Pros
- Relatively quick next-day turnaround time
- Relatively affordable prices for additional virtual services
Cons
- Purchase required to select design customizations
- Relatively limited information readily available online
- Pricing: $29 per photo
- Turnaround time: Next-day delivery Monday through Friday
- Image revisions: Unlimited free revisions
- Additional services: Item removal, twilight photos, wall paint, image enhancements
- Customer support: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST by email and phone
Why It Made the Cut: With a fast turnaround time, unlimited free revisions, and professional-looking real estate photos for an affordable price, VRX Staging deserves consideration. Although VRX Staging is relatively new to the virtual staging industry, the company has the unique advantage of being born from the heart of real estate—it was founded by former top-selling real estate agents and marketing experts. VRX Staging offers real estate photo virtual staging with several related services (such as item removal, paint color changes, and twilight photos) under its umbrella. Customers who need fast turnaround will want to consider VRX Staging; the company offers next-day delivery on ordered photos during the workweek. VRX Staging also provides affordable prices for item removal, twilight photos, and wall paint. Although customers can’t preview designs or furniture styles before purchase, the company offers unlimited free revisions, ensuring the final product will meet the customer’s needs. And while customers might not find answers to all their questions on the website, prospective clients can call customer service during standard working hours for additional information and customized support.
Our Verdict
BoxBrownie is our top pick for virtual staging companies because of its affordability, scope of projects, and unlimited revision policy. Its wealth of services benefit both commercial and residential real estate properties. Our runner-up pick, Virtual Staging Solutions, boasts 10-plus years of experience, competitive pricing, and a user-friendly experience.
How We Chose the Best Virtual Staging Companies
When choosing the best virtual staging companies, we conducted extensive research to find companies that offer an array of features and serve both commercial and residential clients. We considered pricing, turnaround time, additional services, revisions, and customer support.
Our top picks offer unique features to prospective clients, such as Virtual Staging Solutions’ bulk discounts and PadStyler’s rush-order options. Additionally, we made sure to include companies available nationwide so that all consumers can find an option on this list that will work for them. We also focused on companies with extensive experience to ensure the best services for home sellers and real estate agents.
Before You Hire One of the Best Virtual Staging Companies
Before hiring one of our picks for the best virtual staging companies, home sellers and real estate agents will want to consider their unique needs and budgets. For instance, some options are more expensive than others but come with bonus features and benefits. Some companies offer additional services, including 3D floor plans, virtual renovation, twilight photos, virtual landscaping, wall paint, item removal, and image enhancements. Home sellers and real estate agents will want to consider the turnaround times required for their situations and how they’d like revision requests to be handled.
Cost of Hiring One of the Best Virtual Staging Companies
The cost of hiring one the best virtual staging companies depends on a few factors, including whether the company charges per image or room and the number of revisions needed. Prices generally start at about $23 per image and can go up to $79 to $199 per room.
The Advantages of Hiring One of the Best Virtual Staging Companies
Virtual staging is a unique way to sell a property quicker, as owners can demonstrate a home’s full potential and easily allow would-be home buyers to envision themselves living there, regardless of its current appearance.
Generally, some of the best home staging services will cost a property owner roughly 1 percent of their home’s sale price. However, with virtual home staging, home sellers can receive services at a fraction of the cost within a faster turnaround window—all while taking advantage of a more extensive inventory of design options. Virtual staging often increases a home seller’s ROI, as they’re paying less in the selling process and showcasing their home in a way that increases its value and appeal.
- Virtual staging can represent a property to buyers in a better light by showcasing its full potential.
- As opposed to traditional home staging, virtual home staging can be done at a fraction of the cost, increasing the ROI for home sellers.
- There are many more design options available in virtual staging, as companies are not bound to a physical inventory of items.
FAQs
Finding the right virtual staging company to suit one’s needs can be challenging, as each home and client will have different needs and requests to fulfill. To help simplify the process, here are answers to some of the most common questions regarding virtual staging companies.
Q. Can I do virtual staging on my own?
There are no credentials or certifications required to use a virtual staging site, so if you have experience with photography, real estate, marketing, home staging, Photoshop, and photo editing, you may be able to stage your own home virtually. However, if you don’t have the experience (or the time), it’s best to leave the job to a professional to get optimal results.
Q. How much do virtual staging companies charge?
Typically, virtual staging companies will charge users anywhere between $23 and $ 79 per photo; however, that price can increase depending on factors such as the company chosen, the intricacy of the staging designs, and how quick a turnaround is needed.
Q. How much time do virtual staging companies need to create an image?
Most virtual staging companies return images within 12 hours to 3 days.
Q. Do virtual staging companies have customer support?
Yes, most virtual staging companies have customer support options. Options may include phone, text message, email, live chat, and fillable inquiry forms online. Some companies also offer forums and FAQ pages.
Q. Do virtual staging companies require up-front payments?
Yes, most virtual staging companies will require payment up front to process the photos.
