Comparison
CarShots vs SpinCar (now Impel)
SpinCar changed its name to Impel in 2022, and spincar.com now redirects to impel.ai. Here's how Impel's 360 WalkArounds and AI Virtual Booth compare with CarShots on price, terms and features.
The short answer
SpinCar (now Impel) is a good fit if you want 360 WalkArounds, OEM-endorsed feature content and Impel's other AI tools from one vendor, across a store, a dealer group or an OEM program. CarShots is built for dealers who want studio-quality photos from a phone with no hardware, for a flat monthly price.
CarShots vs SpinCar (now Impel) at a glance
SpinCar changed its name to Impel in March 2022, and spincar.com now redirects to impel.ai. Impel sells an automotive AI platform to dealers, dealer groups and OEMs; its Merchandising AI product (360° WalkArounds, AI Virtual Booth and Image Enhancement, Video Tour, Feature Tour) is captured with the Impel Capture phone app.
| Compared on | CarShots | SpinCar (now Impel) |
|---|---|---|
| How photos are captured | Your own phone, in the browser or the iOS app, with on-screen guides for each angle | Dealer staff shoot on a phone with the Impel Capture app Source |
| Turnaround | About 20 seconds a photo | Live on site and feeds in 15 minutes, per Impel Source |
| Background options | 20 curated studio, showroom, outdoor and scenic backdrops | AI Virtual Booth auto-replaces backdrops with brand-compliant settings Source |
| Video | A 15-second 360° walkaround video with voiceover and music | Video Tour auto-generated from 360 WalkAround content Source |
| 360 spins | No interactive spin; the walkaround video circles the car | 360° WalkArounds: exterior views, interior panoramas, close-ups Source |
| License plate blur | Not automatic; hide a plate with a one-line photo edit | Automatic license plate blurring, plus plate overlay options Source |
| Integrations | A CSV or XML inventory feed, or SFTP upload, for your website or DMS; or download the whole car as a zip | Syncs to 200+ websites and feed providers, including major marketplaces Source |
| Pricing | $50 a month for 333 photos (about 15¢ a photo); $10 for 67 more | Not published by Impel; from $99 per feature per month per Capterra Source |
| Contract | Month to month; cancel anytime | Term set per Order Form; auto-renews unless cancelled 90 days prior Source |
| Free trial | 7 days with 20 photos and a 360° video (card required) | Not published |
SpinCar (now Impel) facts checked October 20, 2026 from SpinCar (now Impel)'s own website, pricing page and terms; each links to its source. Prices are as published, in the company's own currency. Spotted something out of date? Email us.
Is SpinCar now Impel?
Yes. SpinCar changed its name to Impel in March 2022, and spincar.com now redirects to impel.ai. Impel sells an automotive AI platform to dealers, dealer groups and OEMs. Today its Merchandising AI product covers 360° WalkArounds, AI Virtual Booth and Image Enhancement, Video Tour and Feature Tour, all captured with the Impel Capture phone app.
So if you're looking up SpinCar pricing or a SpinCar alternative, Impel is the company you'd be talking to.
Impel's AI Virtual Booth vs CarShots backdrops
Both replace the background on photos your staff shoot on a phone. Impel's AI Virtual Booth auto-replaces backdrops with brand-compliant settings. CarShots has 20 curated studio, showroom, outdoor and scenic backdrops, and you use the same one on every car so your listings match. You can see each one on the same car on the car backgrounds page. For your own showroom or a branded background, email CarShots.
The packaging differs. Impel's Services Rider lists 360 WalkArounds as a required product for Image Enhancement and Background Editing. CarShots has one plan, and every photo comes back on a backdrop. If you're weighing a physical booth too, see how CarShots compares with a car photo booth.
360 WalkArounds vs a walkaround video
Impel's 360° WalkArounds are interactive: exterior views, interior panoramas and close-ups. Its Video Tour is generated automatically from that WalkAround content, and Impel says content is live on your site and feeds in 15 minutes.
CarShots doesn't make interactive spins. It makes a 15-second 360° walkaround video with voiceover and music from the car's photos, and the photos and video reach your site through a CSV or XML inventory feed or SFTP upload, with no direct integration. If a drag-to-spin viewer on your vehicle pages matters, Impel is the better fit. If you want clean photos and a short video without a spin product, see walkaround videos.
Why dealers switch from SpinCar (now Impel)
A published price
Impel doesn't publish prices on its own site. CarShots is $50 a month for 333 photos, about 15¢ a photo.
No auto-renewing term
Impel's service terms renew for the Order Form term unless you cancel 90 days before it ends. CarShots is month to month, and you can cancel anytime.
Backdrops without buying spins
Impel's Services Rider lists 360 WalkArounds as a required product for Image Enhancement and Background Editing. In CarShots, every photo comes back on a clean backdrop on the one plan.
When SpinCar (now Impel) may be the better choice
SpinCar (now Impel) may suit you better if:
- You want interactive 360 WalkArounds, with exterior views, interior panoramas and close-ups. CarShots makes a walkaround video, not a spin.
- You want plates blurred automatically. Impel describes automatic license plate blurring, plus plate overlay options; in CarShots you hide a plate with an edit.
- You want photos and video synced for you. Impel says it syncs to 200+ websites and feed providers, including major marketplaces; CarShots offers a CSV or XML inventory feed, or SFTP upload, for your website or DMS, but no direct integration.
How to switch
No install and no contract to sign. See pricing.
- 1
Try one car
Upload a photo of a car on your lot and pick a backdrop. No signup, no sales call.
- 2
Start the trial
7 days with 20 photos and a 360° video, enough to shoot your next arrivals from every angle.
- 3
Shoot new arrivals
Your team uses the guided shot list on the phones they already carry. Nothing to install on the lot.
- 4
Post the photos
Download one photo or the whole car as a zip and upload it where you post today.
FAQ
Is CarShots cheaper than SpinCar (now Impel)?
Impel doesn't publish prices on its own site, so the answer depends on your Order Form. Capterra lists a starting price of $99 per feature per month. CarShots is $50 a month for 333 photos, about 15¢ a photo, and 67 more photos cost $10.
Does SpinCar (now Impel) have a free trial?
Impel doesn't publish a free trial. CarShots has a 7-day trial with 20 photos and a 360° video (a card is required), and you can try a photo of your own car without signing up.
Can I use CarShots with my website provider?
Yes. CarShots gives you a CSV or XML inventory feed, or sends it by SFTP upload, so your website provider or DMS can pick up the photos and walkaround videos. There's no API or direct integration, and you can still download one photo or the whole car as a zip. Impel says it syncs to 200+ websites and feed providers.
Is SpinCar the same company as Impel?
Yes. SpinCar rebranded as Impel in March 2022, and spincar.com redirects to impel.ai. Its phone app is Impel Capture.
Does Impel blur license plates?
Impel describes automatic license plate blurring, plus plate overlay options. CarShots doesn't blur plates automatically: you hide one with a plain-words edit like "hide the license plate". For photos from anywhere, the free license plate blur tool blurs plates in uploaded photos.
Sources
Last verified October 20, 2026.
- spincar.com (301 redirect to impel.ai)spincar.com
- About Impel: company timeline (March 2022, SpinCar rebrands as Impel)impel.ai
- Impel Merchandising AIimpel.ai
- Impel 360° WalkAroundsimpel.ai
- Impel AI Image Enhancement and AI Virtual Boothimpel.ai
- Impel Video Tourimpel.ai
- Impel blog: AI Car Photo Background Removal (plate blurring)impel.ai
- Impel Service Terms & Conditions (updated 2/25/2026)impel.ai
- Impel Services Rider (updated 8/25/2025)impel.ai
- Capterra: Impel pricing listingcapterra.com
Keep reading
- The car photo booth alternative for dealershipsGet photo booth results without buying a booth. Shoot each car on a phone and CarShots puts it in a clean studio background in about a minute.
- Walkaround videos with voiceover, made from your phoneTurn a car's photos into a 15-second 360° walkaround video with voiceover and music, ready for your website, listings and social feeds.
- CarShots vs Glo3DComparing Glo3D and CarShots for dealer car photos: image quality, turnaround time, pricing, and setup. See which one fits your lot.
- CarShots vs SpyneComparing Spyne and CarShots for dealer car photos: image quality, turnaround time, pricing, and setup. See which one fits your lot.
- 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.
- Compare CarShots with other car photo toolsSide-by-side comparisons of CarShots with Spyne, Dealer Image Pro, FlickFusion, Phyron, Glo3D, SpinCar, autofox, CarCutter, Dealer Specialties and LESA.
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.