StageHQ vs VirtuallyStage: the cheapest per photo against the one built by an agent
StageHQ is the cheapest pay-once option on the market: $19 for 20 photos, $39 for 100, $69 for 250 — $0.95 down to $0.28 a photo — in prepaid packs that never expire, removal on the same credits, staged in 15–30 seconds. VirtuallyStage is $35 for 8 ($4.38), also pay-once, also never expiring, about 15 seconds, with furniture removal on a separate purpose-built engine and up to 20 versions of each photo. On price alone StageHQ wins; the question is the photo.
StageHQ prices read from its own site on September 11, 2026. Comparison is informational — verify current prices on each site.
StageHQ vs VirtuallyStage at a glance
The short version for anyone deciding between the two.
| StageHQ | VirtuallyStage | |
|---|---|---|
| Who stages it | AI | AI |
| Pricing model | Prepaid packs, no subscription | Pay per photo, no subscription |
| Price | $19 / 20 photos ($0.95) · $39 / 100 ($0.39) · $69 / 250 ($0.28) | $35 / 8 photos ($4.38) · $99 / 30 ($3.30) · $249 / 80 ($3.11) · $999 / 400 ($2.50) |
| Unused photos | Never expire | Never expire |
| Turnaround | 15–30 seconds | About 15 seconds |
| Furniture removal | Included, same credits | Separate purpose-built engine · Included (1 credit) · $9 for 15 removal-only |
| Versions per photo | Not stated | Up to 20, across 8 styles |
| Free trial | 3 watermarked previews | — (pay per photo from $35, no subscription) |
| Disclosure help | Not stated | Rules for every province and US state, verified from primary sources |
StageHQ figures from stagehq.ai/pricing. VirtuallyStage prices from its pricing page. Checked September 11, 2026.
Table prices are USD for a like-for-like comparison. In Canada you pay in CAD — $35 for 8 photos ($4.38 each), $249 for 80, down to $2.50 a photo on the 400 pack.
What it costs at three volumes
The same maths for three kinds of agent, using the prices above.
| Agent | Photos / year | StageHQ | VirtuallyStage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lists 3–4 homes a year | ~30 | $39 (100 photos) | $99 (30 photos) |
| Lists 1–2 homes a month | ~120 | $39 + $19 = $58 | 4 × $99 = $396 |
| Team, 60+ photos a month | ~720 | 3 × $69 = $207 | 2 × $999 = $1,998 (800 photos) |
Table prices are USD for a like-for-like comparison. In Canada you pay in CAD — $35 for 8 photos ($4.38 each), $249 for 80, down to $2.50 a photo on the 400 pack.
When StageHQ is the right call
- Price. At every volume StageHQ is a fraction of the cost per photo, and its packs never expire either.
- Volume teams staging hundreds of photos a month where the per-photo price is the whole decision.
When VirtuallyStage is the right call
- Furniture removal on its own purpose-built engine, so the floor and wall behind the object come back clean.
- Up to 20 versions of each photo across 8 styles to show the seller.
- Built by a licensed agent around what holds up at a showing, with the disclosure rules for your board on the same site.
- The same room through both tools is below once the photos are in — that is the comparison that matters at this price gap.
This isn’t about credits or who’s cheapest.
A buyer’s first impression is the photos. If a room looks fake, they scroll past and never see anything else you wrote. You’re paying for photos that look real, present the home at its best, and give buyers a reason to come see it — that is what sells it. Open StageHQ's own gallery, open ours, and judge both the way a buyer will.
— Ali Annabi, working real estate agent and founder
Questions people ask about StageHQ
Is StageHQ cheaper than VirtuallyStage?
Yes, clearly — $0.28–$0.95 a photo against $2.50–$4.38. Both are pay-once and neither expires. If the price per photo is the only question, StageHQ wins it.
Then why pay more?
For the photo. A staged listing photo has one job: a buyer scrolling past has to believe the room. Judge that on the side-by-side rather than the price list — and on removal, VirtuallyStage runs a separate engine built only for that.
Do StageHQ credits expire?
No — its pricing page says they never expire. VirtuallyStage credits do not either.
Which is faster?
Both are seconds: StageHQ states 15–30, VirtuallyStage about 15.
Try it on your own photo
$35 for 8 photos, no subscription, credits never expire. About 15 seconds a photo, up to 20 versions of each, furniture removal on its own engine.
Sources
Checked September 11, 2026. Written by Ali Annabi, a RECO-licensed real estate agent in Toronto who built VirtuallyStage for his own listings.