Photo booth alternative
The car photo booth alternative for dealerships
Photo booths give you clean, consistent photos, but dealers report paying $30,000 or more to install one, and only cars that drive in get shot. CarShots gives you the same studio look from a phone, anywhere on the lot.
- ~20 secper photo
- 20studio, showroom and outdoor backdrops
- 15-sec360° walkaround videos
- 15¢a photo on the monthly plan
Photo booth results without the booth
Seamless studio walls, a clean floor and soft light, from a photo taken where the car was parked. Pick the same backdrop for every car and your inventory looks like it came out of one booth.
- Before
Aston Martin DB11Coupe · Gray Studio 
BeforeMcLaren GTSports car · White Studio 
BeforeBMW M5Sedan · Marble Showroom
What a car dealership photo booth really costs
At 20 photos a car, CarShots costs about $3.00 a car. A $30,000 booth would have to shoot about 10,000 cars to get down to that, before service fees, staff time or the floor space it takes.
| Photographer | Photo booth | CarShots | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $12–$15 per car, as dealers report it[1] | $30,000–$68,700 to install, plus service fees[2] | About $3.00 a car for 20 photos ($50 a month for 333 photos) |
| Time | Waits for the photographer's next visit | Each car is driven into the booth | About 20 seconds a photo, wherever the car is parked |
| Consistency | Depends on the photographer, the light and the weather | Very consistent: same room, same light | Same backdrop and guided angles on every car |
| Hardware | None for you; the photographer brings it | A booth, lights, cameras and floor space | The phone you already carry |
- [1] Dealers on DealerRefresh report about $15 per car for 10–15 photos, and $12 per car for 25–30 photos (March 2026). Source, checked October 20, 2026.
- [2] Dealers on DealerRefresh reported about $30,000 for a booth and a $68,700 installed quote for a turnkey studio, plus monthly service fees (2018). Source, checked October 20, 2026.
360 photo booth vs phone capture
Booths with a turntable can shoot interactive 360 spins. CarShots doesn't make interactive spins. It makes a 15-second 360° walkaround with voiceover and music, from the same photos you shoot for the listing, and the camera circles the car the way a shopper would.
Phone capture also goes where a booth can't: the back row, the service drive, a trade-in that just arrived, or a car at an auction. How walkaround videos work.
0:00
Front angle
0:05
Driver side
0:10
Rear, passenger side
0:15
Back to the front
When a booth still makes sense
A high-volume franchise store with a dedicated photo lane, staff to run it and buyers who expect interactive spins can get a lot out of a booth. Every car comes out of the same room under the same light.
For most stores, the numbers are hard to justify. CarShots gives you consistent studio photos with the same guided angles on every car, without the build-out, and you can cancel anytime.
Driver side · 2 of 8Step back until the whole side fits. Keep the phone level with the door handles.
Switch in a day
No install, no training day. Here's the whole rollout.
- 1
Try one car
Upload a photo of a car on your lot and pick a studio backdrop. No signup.
- 2
Start the trial
7 days with 20 photos and a 360° video, enough to shoot your next arrival from every angle and film it.
- 3
Shoot where the car is
Your team follows the guided shot list on their phones. No booth slot to wait for.
- 4
Post the photos
Download one photo or the whole car as a zip and upload it to your website, DMS and Marketplace.
One simple plan
$50 a month covers 333 photos, about 15¢ each. That's about 16 cars a month at 20 photos a car, with no contract and no hardware to buy.
CarShots Monthly
$50a month
7-day free trial with 20 photos and a 360° video. Card required. Cancel anytime.
- 333 photos a month, about 15¢ a photo
- About 16 cars a month at 20 photos a car
- All 20 curated backdrops
- 15-second 360° walkaround videos with voiceover and music
Photo booth questions
How much does a car photo booth cost?
Dealers on the DealerRefresh forum have reported about $30,000 for a booth and a $68,700 installed quote for a turnkey studio, plus monthly service fees. Get current quotes from booth vendors, since prices vary by size and features.
Do I need a booth for consistent photos?
No. Consistency comes from the same angles and the same background on every car. CarShots gives you both: guided angles on your phone and the same backdrop from our 20, every time.
Can CarShots match my booth's background?
If your booth uses a plain studio look, the Gray, White, High-Key or Dark Studio backdrops come close. If you want your exact room or branding, email us about a custom background.
Does it work outdoors in bad light?
Yes. CarShots replaces the background and evens out the light, so a car shot on an overcast day or in harsh sun comes back looking like a studio photo. Shoot in daylight when you can for the cleanest paint and glass.
Keep reading
- Change the background of any car photoRemove and replace car photo backgrounds in seconds. Studio, showroom, or white backgrounds with realistic shadows, reflections, and wheels. Try it free.
- The AI car photo editor built for dealer inventoryEdit car photos for your whole inventory: new backgrounds, light and glare fixes, plates hidden on request, and the same framing on every car. Try it free.
- Simple pricing for dealer-quality car photosStart with a free trial, then one simple monthly plan with photos included. No hardware, no photographer, and no long contract.
- CarShots vs SpyneComparing Spyne and CarShots for dealer car photos: image quality, turnaround time, pricing, and setup. See which one fits your lot.
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- CarShots vs SpinCar (now Impel)Comparing SpinCar (now Impel) and CarShots for dealer car photos: image quality, turnaround time, pricing, and setup. See which one fits your lot.
- How much does car dealership photography cost?Compare the real cost per car of photographers, photo booths, and AI car photography, plus how many photos each listing needs.
Studio-quality photos of every car, from your phone
Try it on one of your own cars, free and without signing up. When you're ready, the 7-day trial includes 20 photos and a 360° video.