Shital Gohil
Shital Gohil, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Styldod, is the creative force behind the company's products and services. A graduate of CEPT and NID, she brings over 15 years of experience in interior design, including leading design at Mahindra Odyssea. Since Styldod's inception, she has played a pivotal role in overseeing daily operations, partnerships, customer success, and marketing. Her innovative thinking and dedication ensure that Styldod consistently delivers high-quality experiences to its customers.
Virtual tours have completely changed howproperties are showcased online. Instead of relying only on photos or videos,buyers can now explore homes from every angle, right from their screen. Amongthe latest innovations in real estate marketing, 360 and 3D home tours have becomethe most popular tools for creating realistic and engaging viewing experiences.Both offer immersive ways for potential buyers to walk through a space andimagine living there, but which one truly sells better? Let’s jump into the blogand find out.
What Is a 360 Virtual Tour?
A 360 virtual tour is a digital way toexplore a space without actually being there. It lets viewers look around aroom in every direction using their phone, tablet, or computer. You can movefrom one area to another by clicking on different parts of the screen, almostlike you're walking through the place yourself. It's a simple and engaging wayto showcase properties online.
How Does a 360 Virtual Tour Work?
These tours are created by capturingpanoramic photos from different areas of the property. Each photo covers a full360-degree view of the space. These images are then stitched together usingspecial software to build a smooth walkthrough experience. The viewer can thenclick or tap to move through the rooms, getting a better sense of layout andflow than static photos provide.
Common Tools and Platforms
If you're looking to create a 360 virtualtour, here are some popular platforms that make the process simple andaccessible:
- Styldod: A modern platform that transforms regular property photos into interactive 360 virtual tours, perfect for real estate agents who want fast and affordable results.
- Kuula: A drag-and-drop tool used by many professionals to build and share virtual tours quickly without needing advanced skills.
- Matterport 360: Known for its high-quality visuals, it’s a reliable option for agents looking for detailed, immersive tours.
- CloudPano: Ideal for quick, budget-friendly tours that can be viewed on mobile and desktop.
- Klapty: A beginner-friendly platform that lets you build and publish 360 tours with very little technical knowledge.
Pros
- Affordable and quick to create since you can capture panoramas with a 360 camera or even a smartphone, stitch them with simple software, and publish the tour the same day without hiring specialised crews.
- They can be easily viewed on any device, whether it’s a phone, tablet, or laptop, without needing extra software or apps.
- Because the files are smaller and less demanding, the tours load quickly and don’t eat up too much data, making them great for users with slower internet connections.
Cons
- Limited depth perception because you are looking at flat panoramic images, so judging room size, clearance, and distances is harder and may lead to mismatched expectations during in-person visits.
- Less interactive or spatially accurate than 3D models since navigation is locked to fixed viewpoints and you usually cannot take true-to-scale measurements or view an auto-generated floor plan.
What Is a 3D Virtual Tour?
A 3D virtual tour is a digital version of areal-world space that lets you explore it online just like you would in person.Using 3D models combined with panoramic images or videos, these tours create asense of depth and scale, so you can walk through rooms, look around freely,and get a real feel for the layout. Unlike basic 360-degree tours, 3D virtualtours offer more realism and accuracy, making them useful in fields like realestate, architecture, and education where understanding the space matters. Youcan view them on a phone, tablet, or computer, making the experience both easyand immersive.
A 3D virtual tour is a digital version of areal-world space that lets you explore it online just like you would in person.Using 3D models combined with panoramic images or videos, these tours create asense of depth and scale, so you can walk through rooms, look around freely,and get a real feel for the layout. Unlike basic 360-degree tours, 3D virtualtours offer more realism and accuracy, making them useful in fields like realestate, architecture, and education where understanding the space matters. Youcan view them on a phone, tablet, or computer, making the experience both easyand immersive.
How Is a 3D Virtual Tour Created?
A 3D virtual tour creator uses specialisedtools like 360-degree cameras or LiDAR scanners to capture detailed visuals ofa real-world space. The process involves taking images from multiple spotsthroughout the property. These images are then uploaded to a platform likeMatterport or Kuula, which automatically stitches them together to build afully interactive 3D model. The final result looks and feels like a digitalreplica of the space, where viewers can click through, look around, and exploreevery corner. Once ready, the tour can be hosted online, embedded into awebsite, or shared easily through digital channels.
Pros
- Offers a highly realistic and immersive experience, letting viewers feel like they are truly inside the space and understand how it flows from room to room.
- Provides spatial accuracy, so users can measure walls, furniture clearances, or room sizes directly within the tour, which is helpful for planning or comparisons.
- Works especially well for luxury homes, larger properties, or commercial spaces where layout, scale, and fine details really matter to the buyer.
Cons
- Costs more and takes longer to produce since it often requires hiring a trained professional, using premium scanning equipment, and spending time in post-processing.
- Needs high-end software and sometimes faster devices to fully enjoy the experience, which may limit accessibility for users with older phones or poor internet connections.
360 Virtual Tours vs. 3D Virtual Tours: KeyDifferences
| Feature / Aspect |
360° Virtual Tour |
3D Virtual Tour |
| Type of Experience |
Gives a panoramic, photo-based view of a real space. The viewer can rotate the view and explore each area from fixed points. |
Creates a fully interactive, computer-generated version of the space. The viewer can move freely between rooms and view the layout in 3D. |
| Creation Method |
Made using 360-degree cameras or panoramic photography. Images are stitched together to form a complete view. |
Created using 3D modeling software or laser scanning technology to build a detailed digital replica. |
| Realism and Detail |
Shows the actual space as captured by the camera. Lighting, furniture, and décor appear exactly as in real life. |
Offers a simulated version of the property. Designers can adjust lighting, materials, and textures to show how the final version might look. |
| Navigation Style |
The viewer clicks through set points (hotspots) to move between rooms or areas. |
The viewer can move smoothly through the space using a joystick or navigation keys, similar to a video game experience. |
| Interactivity |
Limited interactivity. Mainly focused on viewing, not exploring. |
Highly interactive. Users can zoom, rotate, measure, or even change elements like wall colors or furniture in some versions. |
| Purpose and Use |
Commonly used in real estate, hotels, and showrooms to showcase existing spaces. |
Used in real estate development, architecture, and interior design to present under-construction or planned projects. |
| Technology Involved |
Relies mainly on panoramic cameras and stitching software. Requires less processing power. |
Uses advanced 3D rendering software, spatial mapping, and high computing power to create and display models. |
| Time and Cost to Create |
Quick to produce and relatively low-cost, as it uses photographs of existing areas. |
Takes more time and investment since it involves digital modeling and rendering. |
| Internet and Device Requirements |
Works on almost any device, including phones, tablets, and computers. Needs minimal bandwidth. |
May need faster internet and modern devices with good graphics capability for smooth viewing. |
| Customization Options |
Limited customization. The captured images cannot be easily changed. |
Highly customizable. Designers can modify layouts, textures, and even simulate different lighting or furniture styles. |
| Viewer Experience |
Offers a simple, photo-realistic walkthrough that helps viewers get a sense of space. |
Gives a more immersive and dynamic experience with depth, realism, and interactive movement. |
| When It’s Most Useful |
Ideal for showing ready properties, hotel rooms, retail stores, or event spaces. |
Best for pre-launch marketing, architecture visualization, or interior design projects that are still being planned. |
When to Choose 360 Virtual Tours?
360 virtual tours are perfect when you need fast, affordable, and widely accessible walkthroughs. They give viewers a clear, photo-realistic look at a space from fixed panoramic points. Use them when:
- Quick property showcases: Publish listings fast with interactive panoramas that let buyers explore without scheduling visits.
- Agents with multiple listings: Share full walkthroughs instantly so clients can compare properties at their own pace.
- Budget-friendly marketing: Get professional visuals without high videography or modelling costs; quick to produce and publish.
- Smaller homes and rentals: Ideal for apartments, studios, and rental units where layout clarity and speed of decision matter.
When to Choose 3D Virtual Tours?
3D virtual tours are best when realism, spatial accuracy, and immersive navigation are important. They recreate spaces in three dimensions and often include measurements, floor plans, and flexible viewing. Use them when:
- High-end or luxury properties: Showcase premium finishes, scale, and flow with a fully immersive experience.
- Under-construction or planned projects: Present proposed designs, finishes, and layouts before physical completion.
- Architectural and commercial projects: Provide accurate measurements and spatial understanding for clients and stakeholders.
- Design, staging, and customization needs: Let viewers change finishes, furniture, or lighting to visualise options and drive buying decisions.
Why You Should Choose Matterport 3D Virtual Tours Instead of Basic 3D Tours
If you're still using basic 3D or 360-degree tours to showcase your property, it's time to level up. Matterport 3D virtual tours aren’t just a bunch of stitched images placed in different rooms. They’re full digital replicas of real spaces, created using advanced 3D scanning and LiDAR technology.
With regular 360 tours, viewers are stuck looking around from a few fixed points. It’s more like clicking through photos than actually exploring the space. But with Matterport, users can move around freely, just like they would in real life. They can walk through the property, measure room dimensions, peek into corners, and understand how each space connects to the next. It gives them a real sense of flow, layout, and scale. Static images or simple panoramas just can’t do that.
At Styldod, we use Matterport’s industry-leading tech to bring your listings to life. Whether it’s a cozy home or a large commercial property, our virtual tours are built to impress. We also offer Matterport virtual staging to dress up empty or under-construction spaces with realistic furniture and decor. Buyers can instantly imagine what it would feel like to live or work there.
You get to choose from multiple professional design styles, and we deliver everything within 72 hours. It’s fast, polished, and helps you stand out in a crowded real estate market.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, both 360 and 3D virtual tours help you show your property in a way that photos just can’t. If you’re after something quick and simple, 360 tours get the job done without much fuss. But if you want to give buyers a real sense of the space, 3D tours offer that extra depth. It really comes down to what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to. Either way, giving people a way to explore from their screen is a smart step forward.
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