• What Are Virtual Tours?
• Comparing Matterport Virtual Tours vs PhotoUp
• The Results – Which Is Best?
• PhotoUp Makes Affordable Virtual Tours Easy!

Virtual tours have become a popular tool in real estate marketing and sales. 

Using virtual tours leads to better buyer experiences, happier sellers, and faster sales at higher prices.

There are dozens of virtual tour services. However, many don’t deliver the results that they promise. So, how do you decide which virtual tour provider to use? 

In this post, we will compare two major providers, Matterport vs PhotoUp, to see which virtual tours are best.

But first, let’s talk about what a real estate virtual tour is.

What Are Virtual Tours?

Virtual house tours are cutting-edge technology that provides potential buyers with a realistic online experience of almost any property using their phones, tablets, or laptops. 

These virtual tours give buyers the feeling of being in the property, allowing them extended access and prompting more serious interest in a listing.

Buyers and sellers love these tours. Why? Because they offer many benefits and conveniences, including:

• They save buyers time and effort by helping them narrow their search without having to visit every property in person
• Virtual tours are easier on sellers, reducing the disruption of in-person showings 
• Using virtual tours allows sellers and their agents to reach a larger pool of potential buyers
• And even better, virtual tours allow sales agents to highlight a property’s best features carefully

In case you’re wondering, virtual tours are highly effective sales tools. A Quicken Loans study found that nearly 50% of potential buyers would make an offer on a home based solely on a virtual tour.

Here are some other powerful virtual tour statistics to consider:

Now that you understand the benefits of virtual tours, let’s compare two leading providers – Matterport vs. Photo – to see which is best.

Comparing Matterport Virtual Tours vs PhotoUp

One of the better-known names in the real estate marketing industry, Matterport caters to high-end commercial and residential real estate brokerages and the tourism and hospitality industry.  

The company is based in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas, London, and Singapore. 

Founded in 2011, Matterport is best known for its virtual tours. But they offer a wide array of real estate visual marketing services, including:

• 3D architectural renderings
• Virtual staging
• Floor plans
• Single property websites
• Real estate advertising 

Several of their services are available through their easy-to-use mobile app.

Our other leading virtual tour provider is PhotoUp.

Created in 2011, PhotoUp is a global real estate marketing company with a highly skilled team of photo editors and designers in the Philippines. Their marketing and sales support team are in the US. 

Working with clients both large and small, PhotoUp offers a broad range of real estate marketing and sales services, including:

• Real estate photo editing
• Virtual house tours
• AI Virtual staging
• Single property websites
• And Property flyers

All right, now that we’ve introduced these two companies, we are going to compare their virtual tour services with the following in mind:

• Account creation & basic pricing
• Additional costs
• Virtual tour quality
• Turnaround time

So, let’s get our comparison underway. 

1. Account Creation & Basic Pricing

Matterport requires you to open a monthly account to use any of their services. In terms of their monthly service plans, here’s a pricing overview:

There are also enterprise plan options that provide more tours but for an additional cost.

PhotoUp also requires opening an account to use their services. It takes less than 5 minutes to open a PhotoUp account, which is free. 

To try PhotoUp’s services, you can create one virtual tour for free. Here are the pricing details:

PhotoUp uses a credit system for other marketing services, making payment as easy as possible. And there are discounts for bulk buying of credits.

The above is basic pricing for monthly plans and basic tour costs. However, we can’t stop our comparison simply by considering basic expenses, we also need to consider the issue of additional costs. 

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2. Additional Costs

This section in our comparison is essential. To use any one of Matterport’s standard virtual tours, you must purchase a Matterport 3D camera. 

Here are the camera pricing options:

• Pro2 Basic Camera – $3,395
• Pro3 Advanced Camera – $5995
• Pro3 Acceleration Kit – $7,995

But wait, there are other costs to consider as well. You’ll also need special battery packs, tripods, and other camera gear, which range from $149 to $199 per item.

Also, Matterport’s virtual tours, like most others, contain hotspots. Depending on the details of the hotspot, each one ranges from $25 to $79 per hotspot. 

Add-ons cost extra, ranging from $19.00 for floor plans to $2,000 for commercial virtual tours.

In contrast, there are no hidden or special additional costs for using PhotoUp’s virtual house tours. For example:

• PhotoUp’s virtual tour pricing is straightforward and easy to understand
• No special, expensive camera is needed
• Tour add-ons are highly affordable

As mentioned in the section above, PhotoUp’s Pro plan costs $99.00 per month for up to 50 virtual tours and 50 single property websites at any given time with unlimited hosting.

Next, we’ll turn our attention to comparing the quality of the virtual tours.

3. Virtual Tour Quality

Both Matterport and PhotoUp provide online samples of their virtual tours. And looking at them reveals that both companies do excellent work and offer attractive and realistic virtual tours.

The virtual tours of both companies feature hotspots, custom branding options, and the ability to add floor plans and other special features. 

Take a look at sample virtual tours from each provider.

Example of a Matterport Virtual Tour

Example of a PhotoUp Virtual Tour

4. Turnaround Time

Regarding turnaround times, the two companies significantly differ concerning how long it takes to get your finished virtual tour. 

For example, Matterport’s turnaround time depends on many variables: 

• First, you’ll need their special 3D camera, or you’ll need to order one
• Then you need to upload your video and images
• Matterport then takes about 24-48 hours to create the virtual tour and 3D model

In contrast, PhotoUp’s virtual tour turnaround times are as follows:

• Easily upload your images and video from any 3D camera
• Your virtual tour will be ready in around 5 minutes
• Tour add-ons and other features can be finished in 24 hours or less

Okay, our comparison is nearly complete. All that’s left to do is analyze our results.

The Results – Which Is Best?

Now that we’ve examined the virtual tours of both services, let’s review the results of these two platforms to see which one is the best.

Both Matterport and PhotoUp offer excellent services. And yes, Matterport can produce elaborate, highly detailed 3D renderings, models, and tours. But for a high price. 

And let’s be honest, most residential properties don’t require an expensive, high-end, complex virtual tour to sell quickly and for solid prices.

While the quality of both companies’ virtual tours is excellent, the significant differences are the cost and ease of use. For example, look at the following:

• A basic Matterport virtual tour can cost close to $4,000 once you add up the expense of the camera, equipment, and tour features
• PhotoUp offers 5 virtual tours for $29 a month or 50 virtual tours for $79 a month, and you can use any 360 camera, plus as many single property websites as a bonus

Again, consider these additional differences:

• PhotoUp charges much less for the same or similar services
• You don’t need to buy an expensive camera
• And PhotoUp also has the advantage in terms of production turnaround time, getting you finished, hi-res virtual tours a day or two faster than Matterport

Therefore, in terms of our areas of comparison — ease of use, turnaround time, and above all, price — we think PhotoUp is your best option.

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PhotoUp Makes Affordable Virtual Tours Easy

PhotoUp can create a professional and compelling virtual tour in as little as 5 minutes.

We make using virtual house tours as easy as possible:

You can add other tour features, such as floor plans or 3D virtual stagings, to your orders.

Work With PhotoUp for All Your Real Estate Marketing Needs

By now, you understand the many benefits of using virtual tours, including better buyer experiences, happier sellers, and faster sales at higher prices.

But don’t limit yourself to just virtual tours. PhotoUp offers a wide array of real estate marketing services to help grow your real estate business, including:

• Real estate photo editing
• AI Virtual staging
• Single property websites
• And Property flyers

So, do yourself a favor. Take the first step toward quicker and better sales today. 

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account, and we’ll help you take your real estate marketing to the next level.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post, Matterport vs PhotoUp, which virtual tours are best. Also, the additional free resources below are worth checking out:

• How to Create a Home Walkthrough Video (Quickest Way)
• Virtual Staging for Real Estate Listings (6 Best Providers)
• Is Virtual Staging Legal? Learn How to Disclose Virtual Staging
• 10 Benefits of Virtual Staging For Estate Agents
• How to Use Digital Curb Appeal to Help Sell Your Home for Top Dollar

• What Is a Matterport Camera?
• Downloading 360-Degree Images From a Matterport Camera- 7 Easy Steps
• Let PhotoUp Edit Your Matterport Images

Matterport cameras take 360-degree photos that are used to create virtual tours of properties for real estate marketing and sales. A Matterport camera is expensive – and so are its virtual tour editing services. 

Therefore, many Matterport camera owners seek less expensive virtual tour editing services.

But to use these less expensive editing services you’ll first need to know how to download your images from the Matterport camera.

So, in this post, we will show you how to easily download 360 images from a Matterport camera.

But first, let’s talk about what is a Matterport camera.

What Is a Matterport Camera?

A Matterport camera is a 3D camera for creating immersive virtual tours of real-world spaces. 

The camera uses advanced imaging technology to capture high-quality 3D scans of the environment, allowing users to virtually walk through and explore the space as if they were there in person.

Matterport cameras allow real estate sales professions to provide clients with more interactive and engaging experiences, including the following:

• 3D virtual tours of a property
• Detailed virtual floor plans
• Help with planning renovations

While the Matterport camera is quite useful, it is also quite expensive:

• Matterport Pro 2 Camera – $3,395
• Matterport Pro 3 Camera – $5,995

And using Matterport to edit the images and create 3D virtual tours also comes with a high price tag. Their monthly subscription services range from $9.99 (basic services) to $689 (enterprise solutions). 

Next, we will go through the steps required to download 360-degree images from a Matterport camera.

But before we learn how to do this, let’s first look at what a 360—degree snapshot looks like after downloading the file to your computer. 

Notice how the image is oddly warped – don’t worry, this is normal. All right, now let’s learn how to download these images. 

Downloading 360-Degree Images From a Matterport Camera – 7 Easy Steps

Downloading 360-degree images from a Matterport camera is a simple process that can be done using the Matterport Capture app. 

Following these 7 easy steps, you can quickly and easily download 360-degree images to your device’s camera roll or photo gallery. 

Step 1: Access the Matterport Capture App

To download 360-degree images from a Matterport camera, you will need to have access to the Matterport Capture app. The app is easy to find and is available for the following devices:

• iPhone, Mac computers, and any iOS-powered item
• Most smartphones and other laptops, and any other Android-powered items

Once you have downloaded the app, you will need to sign in using your Matterport account credentials.

Step 2: Navigate to the Space

Now that you are signed in to the Matterport Capture app, you will be taken to the dashboard. 

From here, you will see a list of all the properties, homes, and spaces you have created using Matterport. 

Locate the space that contains the 360-degree images you want to download and click on it.

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Step 3: Enter Edit Mode

To download 360-degree images from a Matterport camera, you will need to enter edit mode for the space. 

Click on the “Edit” button in the screen’s upper right-hand corner.

Step 4: Locate the 360-Degree Image

Once you have entered edit mode, you will be able to see all the images captured for the space. 

To locate the 360-degree image you want to download, you will need to look for the “360” icon. This icon looks like a circle with arrows pointing in all directions.

The 360 snapshot thumbnail will appear much wider than the rest of the image, with the 360-degree designation at the bottom right.

Step 5: Click on the 360-Degree Image

Once you have located the 360-degree image you want to download, click on it to open it in full-screen mode.

You don’t want to download the thumbnail image but the full-sized version.

Step 6: Download the Image

To download the 360-degree image from the Matterport camera, you must click on the “Download” button in the screen’s lower right-hand corner. 

Here are a few additional details about downloading these types of images:

• A 360-degree snapshot will download as a JPEG
• These images will save at 4,096 x 2,048 pixels by default, regardless of the capture device
• 360-degree snapshot image sizes will range from one to three MB depending on the content’s detail and scope 
• And 360-degree snapshots use the equirectangular projection method – this seamlessly transitions spherical images into 2D, flat pictures

The image will then be saved to your device’s camera roll or photo gallery.

Step 7: Repeat for Additional Images

If you need to download multiple 360-degree images from a Matterport camera, you will need to repeat the process for each image.

Additional Tips for Downloading 360-Degree Images From a Matterport Camera

Finally, here are a few additional tips for downloading 360-degree images from a Matterport camera:

• Make sure you have a stable internet connection before downloading images. This will ensure that the photos are downloaded quickly and without any interruptions
• If you are downloading multiple images, consider downloading them all simultaneously to save time
• Be sure to give each image a descriptive name when you save it. This will make it easier to identify the image later on
• Consider creating a separate folder to store your downloaded 360-degree images on your device. This will make it easy to keep them organized

And here’s one more tip for making the most of your Matterport camera – let PhotoUp edit the images and create your 3D virtual tour!

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Real Estate Photo Editing

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Let PhotoUp Edit Your Matterport Images

PhotoUp can take your Matterport camera’s 3D images and turn them into a high-quality 3D virtual tour more quickly and for less money than Matterport.

For example, compare these prices:

• A basic Matterport virtual tour can cost close to $4,000 once you add up the expense of the camera, equipment, and tour features
• PhotoUp offers 50 virtual tours for $79 a month with unlimited hosting. Best of all, you’ll even get access to 50 single property websites

PhotoUp can create a professional and compelling virtual tour in as little as 5 minutes.

These tours look fantastic, and they have the same features as a Matterport virtual tour, but only easier to use:

• No special camera needed –  Our service works with any 360 camera that shoots JPEGs
• AI enhancement –  Let AI enhance and perfectly blend your photo edges
• Simple pinning –  Customize your tour with easy-to-use image pinning for each scene
• You select the highlights –  You control what the buyer sees and can showcase a home’s amenities, updates, and unique features
• White Labeled –  Virtual tours can be white-labeled for a premium viewing experience

You can also add other tour features, such as floor plans or 3D virtual stagings, to your orders.

PhotoUp Is Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Real Estate Marketing Needs

And PhotoUp does more than 3D virtual tours. They offer a wide array of real estate marketing services to help grow your real estate business, including:

• Real estate photo editing
• AI Virtual staging
• Single property websites
• And Property flyers

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account, and we’ll help you put that expensive Matterport camera to good use while saving you money on all your virtual tours in the future. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post on how to download 360 images from a Matterport camera. Also, the additional free resources below are worth checking out:

• How to Create a Home Walkthrough Video (Quickest Way)
• Virtual Staging for Real Estate Listings (6 Best Providers)
• Is Virtual Staging Legal? Learn How to Disclose Virtual Staging
• 10 Benefits of Virtual Staging For Estate Agents
• How to Boost Marketing With a Single Property Website

• The Benefits of Real Estate Virtual Tours
• Matterport vs PhotoUp’s Alternative Virtual Tours
• Get Outstanding, Affordable Virtual Tours With PhotoUp

Matterport virtual tours are well-known among real estate marketing and sales professionals. However, they are expensive, and most sales agents don’t find them worth the cost. 

Real estate sales professionals seek quality, more affordable alternatives to Matterport.

Matterport virtual tours and renderings, while impressive, are more elaborate and too expensive for most residential or commercial properties.

Therefore, many real estate photographers and sales agents are looking for similar quality virtual tours that are less expensive. 

So, in this post, we will explore PhotoUp virtual tours: the more affordable Matterport alternative. But first, let’s talk about the benefits of real estate virtual tours.

The Benefits of Real Estate Virtual Tours

Virtual house tours rely on 3D photos and advanced editing techniques to provide potential buyers with a realistic online experience of almost any property using any smartphone, laptop, or other device. 

A virtual tour gives buyers an immersive experience of the listing, allowing them the feeling of being in the property.

Buyers like and expect these virtual tours because they help them narrow down the properties they want to see in person. 

There are many benefits and conveniences to virtual tours, including the following:

• Buyers have 24-7 access to the property without pressure to view the property quickly
• Virtual tours allow sales agents to highlight a property’s best features carefully
• Using virtual tours will enable sellers and their agents to reach a larger pool of potential buyers
• And even better, virtual tours are easier on sellers, reducing the disruption of in-person showings 

Real estate sales professionals increasingly use virtual tours, partly because buyers and sellers like them, but more importantly, because they effectively sell listings. 

A recent nationwide survey found that nearly 50% of potential buyers would make an offer on a home based solely on a virtual tour.

Here are some other powerful virtual house tour statistics to consider:

Now that you understand the benefits of virtual tours, let’s look at why more and more real estate photographers and sales agents are looking for affordable alternatives to Matterport. 

Matterport vs PhotoUp’s Alternative Virtual Tours

Matterport is a well-known name in the real estate marketing industry. 

They are best known for their 3D virtual tours and architectural renderings of homes, businesses, retail locations, and other commercial properties. 

Founded in 2011, Matterport offers a diverse range of real estate visual marketing services, including:

• 3D architectural renderings
• Virtual staging
• Floor plans
• Single property websites
• Real estate advertising 

In general, Matterport caters to high-end commercial and residential real estate brokerages and the hospitality industry.  

The company is located in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas, London, and Singapore. 

We’re comparing Matterport with PhotoUp, another leading virtual tour provider and global real estate marketing company. 

Launched in 2011, PhotoUp’s marketing and sales team is in the US, and they maintain a highly skilled team of photo editors and designers in the Philippines. 

Unlike Matterport, PhotoUp is comfortable working with clients both large and small, and they offer a broader range of real estate marketing and sales services, including:

• Real estate photo editing
• AI Virtual staging
• Single property websites
• And Property flyers

Now that we’ve introduced these two companies, let’s see how their virtual tour services compare with the following in mind:

• Account creation & basic pricing
• Additional costs
• Virtual tour quality
• Turnaround time

1. Account Creation & Basic Pricing

To begin working with Matterport, you need to open a monthly account. 

Here’s a general pricing overview:

• Free – no cost – allows for 1 active tour
• Starter – $9.99 a month — this allows one user to create up to 5 virtual tours but with limited sharing options
• Professional – $69 a month —  this plan allows up to five users to make up to 25 virtual tours with a few sharing options
• Professional plus – $129 a month – allows for 50 active virtual tours
  Business – $309 a month — this plan is designed for teams and allows for up to 100 virtual tours as well as the Matterport 3D video camera

There are also enterprise plan options that provide more tours but for an additional cost.

PhotoUp also requires opening an account to use their services. It takes less than 5 minutes to open a PhotoUp account, which is free. 

Here are the pricing details for PhotoUp’s alternative to Matterport virtual tours:

• For just $39 per month, PhotoUp provides 5 active virtual tours and 5 single property websites
• And the Pro plan costs $99.00 per month for up to 50 virtual tours and 50 single property websites at any given time with unlimited hosting

Those are basic pricing for monthly plans. However, we can’t stop our comparison simply by considering basic expenses, we also need to consider the issue of additional costs. 

2. Additional Costs

This part of our comparison is extremely important. 

You see, to use any of Matterpport’s virtual tours, you must purchase a Matterport 3D camera, which isn’t cheap. 

Here are the camera pricing options:

• Pro2 Basic Camera – $3,395
• Pro3 Advanced Camera – $5995
• Pro3 Acceleration Kit – $7,995

You’ll also need special battery packs, tripods, and other camera gear, which range from $149 to $199 each.

Matterport also charges extra for various features of its virtual tours. One example is hotspots. Depending on the details of the hotspot, each one ranges from $25 to $79 per hotspot. 

There are other add-on costs, ranging from $19.00 for floor plans to $2,000 for specialized commercial virtual tours.

So, now you see why real estate sales professionals are looking for affordable Matterport alternatives.

Fortunately, PhotoUp has no hidden or special additional costs for using their virtual tours. For example, look at the following:

• PhotoUp’s virtual tour pricing is straightforward and easy to understand
• This one is huge – there is no special, expensive camera needed
• Tour add-ons are highly affordable

And as we said in the previous section, PhotoUp’s Starter plan costs $39 per month for 5 active virtual tours and 5 single property websites. And the Pro plan costs $99.00 per month for up to 50 virtual tours and 50 single property websites at any given time with unlimited hosting.

Now, price is important, but so is quality. So let’s compare the quality of the virtual tours offered by Matterport and the alternative tours offered by PhotoUp.

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3. Tour Quality – Matterport vs PhotoUp’s Alternative Virtual Tours

After examining samples of virtual tours, it’s clear that both companies do excellent work and offer attractive and realistic virtual tours.

And both companies offer the same virtual tour features, including hotspots, custom branding options, and the ability to add floor plans and other special features. 

In fact, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between the quality of PhotoUp’s alternative to virtual tours compared to Matterport’s. 

Here, look for yourself at sample virtual tours from each provider.

Matterport Virtual Tour Example

PhotoUp Virtual Tour Example

3. Turnaround Time

In terms of turnaround times, the two companies significantly differ concerning how long it takes to get your finished virtual tour. 

For example, Matterport’s turnaround time depends on many variables: 

• First, you’ll need their special 3D camera, or you’ll need to order one
• Then you upload your video and images
• Matterport then takes about 24 – 48 hours to create the virtual tour and 3D model

In contrast, PhotoUp’s virtual tour turnaround times are faster:

• Easily upload your images and video from any 3D camera
• Your virtual tour will be ready in around 5 minutes
• Tour add-ons and other features that can be added in 24 hours or less

Okay, our comparison is nearly complete. All that’s left to do is analyze our results.

4. Our Results – PhotoUp – The Affordable Alternative to Matterport

Both Matterport and PhotoUp offer excellent services. In fact, it’s hard to tell the difference between the quality of their virtual tours. 

However, one significant difference between the two companies is the price. For example, look at the following:

• A basic Matterport virtual tour can cost close to $4,000 once you add up the expense of the camera, equipment, and tour features
• PhotoUp offers 50 virtual tours for $99 a month

Again, consider the following differences:

• PhotoUp is a considerably less expensive alternative to Matterport, charging much less for the same or similar services
• You don’t need to buy an expensive camera
• Finally, PhotoUp also has the advantage in terms of production turnaround time, getting you finished, hi-res virtual tours a day or two faster than Matterport

The bottom line? Why pay more for the same quality and service? PhotoUp’s virtual tours are an easy and affordable alternative to Matterport’s.

It's Time To Level-Up Your

Real Estate Marketing

Capture more leads with virtual tours and single property websites.

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Get Outstanding, Affordable Virtual Tours With PhotoUp

Why not start using this powerful alternative to Matterport now?

PhotoUp can create a professional and compelling virtual tour in as little as 5 minutes. And we make using virtual tours as easy as possible:

You can add other tour features, such as floor plans or 3D virtual stagings, to your orders.

By now, you understand the many benefits of using virtual tours, including better buyer experiences, happier sellers, and faster sales at higher prices.

So, do yourself a favor. Take the first step toward quicker and better sales today. 

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account, and we’ll help you take your real estate marketing to the next level.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post, PhotoUp, virtual tours: the more affordable Matterport alternative. And while you’re here, check out these other free resources:

• How to Create a Free Apartment 3D Virtual Tour
• How to Create a Home Walkthrough Video (Quickest Way)
• Virtual Staging for Real Estate Listings (6 Best Providers)
• Is Virtual Staging Legal? Learn How to Disclose Virtual Staging
• 10 Benefits of Virtual Staging For Estate Agents