As a real estate agent, chances are that you have already found yourself in need of photo editing software to furnish a few rooms so that they look better on property listings. Just Google a phrase like “virtual staging software,” and you’ll find numerous tools. However, while giving you many choices, the abundance of such tools makes it difficult to pick the right one, especially if you are new to the field.
That’s why we have prepared the ultimate list of the top 10 virtual staging tools that you should stick somewhere in plain sight so that the next time a property comes across your desk, you don’t find yourself scratching your head.
Let’s start by putting these software next to one another and take a look at their main features and pricing.
AI HomeDesign
If you want an easy-to-navigate virtual staging software that can stage any room in any style and comes with fair pricing, AI HomeDesign is the tool you’re looking for. Virtual staging with AI HomeDesign means:
- No manipulation of house fixtures;
- Multiple designs for all room types;
- Rendering done in under 30 seconds; and,
- Only $0.24 per photo!
Each rendering generates three furnishings so that the user can explore different design options. Plus, regenerations are free and unlimited! If you’re not satisfied, push the AI as many times as you want to get the photo you’re looking for.
But that’s not all!
A perfect virtual staging software must have other features that you might need when preparing your photos for listing. Such features include item removal, photo enhancement, day-to-dusk, etc. If you virtually stage one room with AI HomeDesign, you can apply all the following changes to the same photo for free:
- Declutter furnished rooms;
- Enhance your photo’s quality; and,
- Replace a whole set or a single piece of furniture.
Apart from real estate agents, interior designers, architects, and builders will find our tool useful for their projects. AI HomeDesign has a whole different set of features that enable one to:
- See a house/room with different wall types;
- Change the floor of a room;
- Experiment with different ceilings;
- Change the backsplash; and,
- See the final look of an under-construction building.
Last but not least, AI HomeDesign has a team of professional virtual stagers that you can rely on for staging unusual spaces, uniquely shaped rooms, or those luxury properties that just need that little extra oomph!
Virtual Staging Ai
Virtual Staging AI is a user-friendly virtual staging software that instantly furnishes vacant spaces. You can test this tool by staging a bedroom or living room for free, but you need to purchase a plan to see how it stages other room types. Like AI HomeDesign, it provides three different furnishings in a single render. You can also use Virtual Staging Ai to declutter your spaces.
REimagineHome
Another virtual staging tool that has proven reliable is REimagineHome. The quality is outstanding, but with each rendering, you get only one furnishing.
However, there are two minor issues with REimagine. First, it does not stage outdoor areas such as patios or decks. That can potentially leave your listing visuals wanting more. Second, it occasionally changes the color of the walls or removes appliances, which, if not called for, can be rather frustrating. But, overall, if your photo is well-lit, you can achieve excellent results with just three or four renders.
Room Planner
Room Planner is available for iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows. On their website, you can learn a great deal about the tool and its different applications but to test it, you must purchase the app and install it on your device. A free trial of just a few photos certainly wouldn’t go amiss.
With Room Planner you can:
- Design floor plans;
- Furnish vacant spaces;
- Create 360 panorama;
- Create 3D walkthroughs;
- Arrange furniture; and,
- Restyle your place.
Overall, Room Planner does a good job of furnishing empty rooms but the fact that there is no free trial may deter certain users from trying it out while alternatives exist!
Apply Design
Apply Design has certain features that distinguish it from other virtual staging tools in our list. Regarding room types, like some of the other tools in our list, it can stage all types of rooms. However, what astonishes the user is the variety of styles that Apply Design offers!
Depending on the room type you choose, Apply Design presents you with a dozen styles that you may have never heard of! To give you a glimpse, here are some of the living room styles:
- Clybourn
- Maxwell
- Nova
- Theo
- Lydia
- Hedda
With this virtual staging software, the same kind of design variety can be found for other room types as well. Another thing you might find interesting about Apply Design is its “Preferences” feature that enables one to decide on the inclusion/exclusion of certain elements such as curtains, tabletops, plants, or TVs. These two features provide users with greater flexibility, allowing for more customized and refined designs.
While it’s commendable that Apply Design considers so much customization and freedom for users, there are two significant drawbacks to consider.
First, the cost is quite high: $10 bucks per photo! This rate is definitely not affordable for everyone, especially if you’re dealing with more than a few properties at a time. Secondly, the app takes 9 to 15 minutes (sometimes much longer) to render a single image. When factoring in the time required to select styles and additional features, a real estate agent may have to spend several hours preparing photos for just one listing!
Stager AI
Stager AI offers two types of virtual staging. The Auto-Staging option, as the name implies, doesn’t require much from the users. All they need to do is upload a photo of the space and select the style. The rest is done by the system.
The Add Element option allows the user to choose the layout and add the furniture items one by one. You can also mask separate items and remove or replace them with other objects. Other services you might find useful on Stager AI include:
- Floor Replacer;
- Wall Painter;
- Lawn Replacement; and,
- Sky Replacement.
Overall, Stager AI is a good virtual staging software but, after a few try-outs, we can say that its Add Element feature doesn’t seem to function very well; it sometimes fails to place the items in the selected spots.
VisualStager
While certain virtual staging tools are merely copying other ones, VisualStager is among the very few that have developed unique features toward greater user freedom.
Instead of immediately furnishing the space, VisualStager enables the user to adjust the lines, calibrate the brightness, select the lighting source and direction, and then stage the place.
This software has its weaknesses, too. In addition to rather steep prices and charging an additional amount for removing the watermark on the rendered photos – which is a real metaphorical punch to the gut – VisualStager has been criticized for having a rather disorganized furniture catalog. Also, furniture items on VisualStager look a bit too unrealistic.
RoomGPT
Sign in to RoomGPT with your Google account, and it will give you three credits, meaning you can stage three rooms for free. You can design all types of rooms, and for that matter, in the most common design styles. It takes a minute or so for the app to furnish your place, so time-wise, RoomGPT does a good job.
One thing that you should remember about RoomGPT is that it sometimes makes drastic changes in the structure of the place, especially if the photo is of low quality. With high-resolution photos, users usually get satisfactory results.
The tools introduced above allow one to stage various spaces. The two software in the following, namely HomeStyler and Foyr, help users learn to sketch floor plans and then furnish them in a digital space. Thus, these two virtual staging software offer a different type of experience that, unlike real estate agents, interior designers and architects are more interested in.
HomeStyler
Though virtual staging is not the main service provided by HomeStyler, it does offer some features for creating and visualizing staged spaces within its broader suite of design tools. As a matter of fact, HomeStyler has several design features that help one plan and refine interior layouts, experiment with different furniture arrangements, and visualize decor choices in a realistic 3D environment.
Using HomeStyler, an interior designer responsible for designing a newly-built apartment, for example, could create a 3D model of the place and try various designs on it to come up with the most functional one.
Similarly, architects can use HomeStyler to draft detailed floor plans and visualize how different architectural elements and materials will look in a space. This helps them refine their designs, present ideas to clients more effectively, and make informed decisions about structural and aesthetic changes.
Foyr
Like HomeStyler, Foyr equips users with a bunch of design tools that allow individuals to simulate a 3D model of any space and create the best design possible. The Foyr Neo feature helps you create floor plans and organize design elements easily. Unlike tools such as AutoCAD and CAM, Foyr Neo has a simple interface and requires no previous knowledge.
Please keep in mind that, with large projects that have multiple floors, Foyr may not give you the best result. Some also argue that it does not integrate well with other CAD packages! But as long as you’re concerned with designing ordinary average-sized spaces, it might work just fine!
Now’s High Time You Used Virtual Staging!
When searching for virtual staging software, you’ll encounter numerous tools, each offering a variety of features. Depending on your use, one tool may prove more beneficial than others. For instance, a real estate agent might find AI HomeDesign or Virtual Staging Ai particularly useful, as these options require minimal effort and save time.
On the other hand, an interior designer may prefer HomeStyler or Room Planner, as these tools cater to their specific needs. It all boils down to your needs, budget, and goals, as well as the features offered by different virtual staging software. Consult this product review whenever you’re stuck between several choices.
