Price of a 3D tour for business: what affects the cost and how to save

Wondering how much a 3D tour costs for your business? You are not alone. Many entrepreneurs want to use this technology for promotion, but are faced with the issue of pricing. In this article, we, the 360° Space team, will tell you what the 3D tour price consists of, what factors influence it and how you can optimize your budget.

Step 1: Determine the scale of the object

The first thing that directly affects the cost of a 3D tour is the size and complexity of the object. The larger the area, the number of rooms, floors, the more time is required for filming and subsequent processing. For example, shooting a small studio with an area of ​​30 m² will take a couple of hours, but a multi-story business center may require several days of team work.

We always study the layout in detail. If this is a 600 m² restaurant with several rooms and a kitchen, we allocate more shooting points and time for post-processing than for a small store. It is important to consider not only the total area, but also the number of individual areas that need to be shown on the tour.

Step 2: Select details and additional options

A simple 3D tour includes basic panoramic navigation. But often clients require more. For example, interactive points (hotspots) with photos, videos, text or links to products. This could be a menu in a restaurant, a description of exhibits in a museum, or characteristics of a product in a showroom. The more such elements, the higher the labor costs and, accordingly, the price.

Additional options such as voice acting, background music, virtual guide, integration with booking systems or e-commerce also increase the cost. We once did a tour for a hotel in Sochi, where the client wanted to add video reviews of guests directly to the panoramas of the rooms. This required additional installation and integration, which affected the final estimate.

Step 3: Filming technology and equipment

There are several approaches to creating 3D tours. We use professional panoramic cameras and technologies that provide high image quality. For some projects, especially when working with interiors, where maximum accuracy and measurement capabilities are needed, we use scanners like Matterport, which create not only panoramas, but also an accurate 3D model of the space. Using equipment like the Matterport Pro3 allows you to get a more detailed model, but also requires more time for shooting and processing, which is reflected in the price.

The choice of technology always depends on the client's goals. If you just need a beautiful overview, our panoramic cameras are enough. If a client from Kazan wants his construction company to be able to conduct virtual walk-throughs of the site with measurements, then Matterport is indispensable. We always select the optimal solution.

Step 4: Hosting and placement of the 3D tour

After creating a tour, you need to place it somewhere. We offer several options: (1) 360° Space cloud with high-speed servers and technical support - this is the easiest and most convenient way for most clients; (2) placement on the customer’s server, if the customer has its own infrastructure and specialists for support; (3) a standalone offline version for PC or a separate assembly for a VR headset that works without the Internet. For example, we were asked to create an offline version for the exhibition so that the tour could be shown without being connected to the network.

We do not use the term “unlimited hosting”, but we offer flexible hosting formats that allow you to choose the best option both in terms of cost and functionality. The cost of hosting a 360° Space cloud is usually included in the plan for a certain period or paid for as an annual subscription. Hosting on the client's server or offline version is a one-time payment for assembling and transferring files.

Step 5: Due Dates and Urgency

As with any service, urgency affects the price. If a project needs to be completed “yesterday,” this may require additional specialists or work outside of normal business hours, which will increase the cost. Planning ahead always helps save money.

st. Arkhipova

Nine-story building

Iskona Dacha on Yandex Maps

virtual tour of the villa

Loft House

High Life Residential Complex

Venue

Signalny 16

Typical mistakes that increase the price of a 3D tour

• Fuzzy technical specification: The lack of a clear understanding of what exactly is needed from the tour leads to modifications and alterations. Every change after work begins increases the budget.
• An attempt to save on quality: Choosing the cheapest offers often results in poor images, slow loading times, and lack of support. As a result, such a tour does not bring benefits, and the money is wasted.
• Unprepared object: Before filming, the room should be cleaned, arranged, and, if possible, decorated. If the team arrives at the site and it is a mess, they will either have to wait or return, which entails additional costs.
• Ignoring additional options: Ordering a basic tour, and then constantly adding “one button at a time” or “one more link” as the project progresses. It’s better to immediately think through all the necessary interactive elements.