
Virtual Tours for Businesses: Matterport vs Bespoke Options
A practical guide to commercial virtual tours, comparing Matterport and bespoke non-Matterport options, with real examples from hotels, factories, showrooms, and offices.
Tour Formats
By Location
By Sector
Virtual Tours
Matterport 3D scanning, bespoke 360° tours, and Google Street View — for residential, commercial, hospitality, and heritage clients. UK-wide coverage, overseas on request.
Give clients, tenants, candidates and project teams a clear way to explore a space before they travel. I create Matterport digital twins, bespoke virtual tours and Google Street View photography for commercial spaces across the UK.
Most virtual tour providers sell the one format they happen to shoot. I produce all three: Matterport virtual tours, bespoke 360 tours and Google Street View photography. My recommendation is based on the space, intended use, hosting preference and budget. That can mean one customer-facing venue or a consistent capture plan for several UK locations.
Named UK projects show how the formats support real commercial decisions without relying on generic conversion claims.
Hurley House
Hospitality, Berkshire
Remote exploration for prospective wedding couples and event planners.
Read the case studyMKM Building Supplies
Trade and retail, Lincolnshire
A connected view of the trade counter and warehouse for customer orientation and staff training.
Read the case studyUK Circuits Factory
Manufacturing, Manchester
A remote way for clients and partners to understand the captured facility layout.
Read the case studyTrethowans
Bespoke 360°, Winchester
A custom non-Matterport tour for remote client and recruitment use across a multi-floor office.
Read the case studyNot all virtual tours are the same. Each format has different strengths, costs, and ownership models. Choose the right one for your business.
3D dollhouse view, built-in interactive layout view and measurements. Hosted by Matterport. Rightmove and Zoopla compatible. Best for estate agents and developers.
Fully branded, custom hotspots, no annual hosting fees. You own the tour outright. Best for hotels, care homes, wedding venues, and large commercial spaces.
Published directly to Google Maps and your Business Profile. One-off cost, no hosting fees. Best for boosting local search visibility.
I work with a wide range of commercial clients. Each sector page below includes dedicated virtual tour examples, pricing and case studies.
Hosted 3D models with dollhouse views, measurement tools and shareable links. A strong fit where navigation, layout and pre-visit understanding matter.
A boutique hotel in Berkshire with event spaces, bedrooms and hospitality areas. The Matterport tour was created so prospective wedding couples and event planners could explore the venue remotely before arranging a visit.
Loading 3D tour...
A connected 3D tour of MKM's trade counter and warehouse in Boston, Lincolnshire. The hosted model can support customer orientation and staff familiarisation with the captured branch.
Loading 3D tour...
A connected tour of UK Circuits' PCB and electronic manufacturing environment in Middleton. It gives remote clients and partners a visual introduction to the captured facility layout.
Loading 3D tour...
Priced by the size of the space, published upfront so you don't need to wait for a quote. The first 12 months of Matterport hosting are included; after that Matterport charges £99 per year to keep the tour live. Tours are typically live within a week of the scan.
Up to 1,000 sq ft
First 12 months hosting included
£249
1,000–2,000 sq ft
First 12 months hosting included
£329
2,000–3,500 sq ft
First 12 months hosting included
£429
3,500–5,000 sq ft
First 12 months hosting included
£549
Over 5,000 sq ft
Provided within one working day
Fixed quote
A more flexible approach for larger locations where Matterport's rigid scanning process isn't practical. No ongoing hosting fees, fully customisable, and you own the tour outright.
A bespoke non-Matterport virtual tour for Trethowans' Winchester office. This custom-built tour uses a flexible shooting pattern that works better for larger, multi-floor locations where Matterport's rigid scanning process isn't practical. No ongoing hosting fees, no monthly subscriptions, and the client owns the tour outright.
No ongoing fees
One-off payment, you own it forever
Better for large spaces
Multi-floor offices, venues, warehouses
Fully branded
Custom design to match your brand
A one-off cost with no annual hosting fees — you own the tour outright and can host it wherever you like. Priced by the number of scenes (the individual 360° viewpoints a visitor can move between).
Up to 6 scenes
Fully branded, custom hotspots, no ongoing fees
£449
Additional scenes
Added to any package
£40 per scene
Larger or multi-site projects
Provided within one working day
Fixed quote
A set of 360° panoramas published straight to Google Maps and your Google Business Profile, so anyone who finds your business on Google can click "See inside" before deciding to visit. It is the most affordable of the three formats, and Google hosts it free, permanently.
Found on Google
Published to Google Maps and your Business Profile, where people already search
No hosting fees ever
Google hosts the tour permanently at no cost to you
Local search signal
A verified tour tells Google your business is real and active
A Street View tour for Thai Square in Bayswater, published straight to Google Maps. Diners can look inside before booking, and the tour sits in the restaurant's Google Business Profile alongside its opening hours and contact details.
Loading Street View tour...
A commercial office space in Reading, published to Google Maps so prospective clients and visitors can explore the building before they arrive.
Loading Street View tour...
A one-off cost based on the size of your premises, with no annual hosting fees. The shoot itself usually takes one to two hours and the tour is typically live on Google Maps within five to ten working days.
Small venue
Up to 10 panoramas
£269
Medium venue
10–20 panoramas
£399
Large venue
20+ panoramas
From £549
Not sure which of the three formats is right for your business? Here's a quick comparison.
| Feature | Matterport | Bespoke 360° | Google Street View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting fees | £99/year after first 12 months | None — one-off payment, you own it | None — Google hosts it free, permanently |
| Best for | Properties & smaller spaces (up to ~10,000 sq ft) | Larger locations, multi-floor offices, venues | Local search visibility for customer-facing premises |
| Scanning method | LiDAR camera, fixed scan points | Flexible photography, custom hotspots | 360° panoramas linked into Google's own viewer |
| 3D dollhouse view | Yes — full 3D model | No — 360° panoramic navigation | No — panorama-to-panorama navigation |
| Measurement tool | Yes — built into Matterport | No | No |
| Turnaround | Confirmed with your quote | 5-7 working days | Live on Google Maps in 5-10 working days |
| Branding & customisation | Limited (Matterport UI) | Fully customisable to your brand | None — it uses Google's viewer |
| Where it lives | Matterport hosting, embeds on your site | Your own hosting, you own the files | Google Maps & your Business Profile, plus an embed |
From hotels and retail to manufacturing and professional services, virtual tours solve real business problems.
Give clients, partners and stakeholders a connected view of the space before they decide whether an in-person visit is needed.
Matterport shows how rooms and departments connect, while the built-in measurement tool can support approximate planning checks.
Use virtual tours for onboarding new staff, health & safety walkthroughs, and contractor briefings without disrupting operations.
Use the same direct link and website embed for client review, recruitment, sales material or events while the tour remains hosted.
Based in the South West but available nationwide. Recent projects in Berkshire, Lincolnshire, Winchester, and across the Midlands.
I confirm the capture plan, expected on-site time, delivery timing, travel and hosting terms with the quote.
Send the site locations, approximate floor areas, intended use, target date and whether you need still photography as well. I will recommend Matterport, bespoke 360° or Google Street View and quote travel, hosting and delivery timing upfront.
Everything you need to know about commercial virtual tours.
Matterport tours use a LiDAR camera to create a full 3D model with dollhouse views and measurement tools. They're ideal for smaller to mid-sized spaces. Non-Matterport tours use flexible 360° photography with custom hotspot navigation, making them better for larger locations, multi-floor offices, and venues where you want full brand control and no ongoing hosting fees.
If you need a detailed 3D model with measurement tools (e.g. for a showroom or small venue), Matterport is the better choice. If you have a larger space, want full brand customisation, or prefer a one-off cost with no hosting fees, the non-Matterport option is more suitable. I'm happy to advise based on your specific needs.
It depends on the size. A typical retail unit or small office takes 1-2 hours. A large warehouse, factory, or multi-floor building can take half a day. I'll always give you a time estimate before the shoot so you can plan around it.
Yes. I'm based in Weston-super-Mare and cover the South West regularly, but I work across the whole of the UK for commercial projects. Recent scans have taken me to Berkshire, Lincolnshire, Winchester, and various locations across the Midlands. Travel is quoted upfront with no hidden costs.
Absolutely. Both Matterport and non-Matterport tours come with embed codes that work on any website. The non-Matterport option can also be fully branded to match your site design.
Matterport tours include 12 months of hosting, then £99/year to keep them live. Non-Matterport tours are a one-off payment with no recurring fees — you own the tour outright and can host it wherever you like.
A Google Street View tour is a set of 360° panoramas published directly to Google Maps and your Google Business Profile, so anyone who finds your business on Google can click 'See inside' before visiting. It is the cheapest of the three formats and Google hosts it free, permanently, but it uses Google's viewer rather than an immersive branded walkthrough. Many businesses run a Street View tour for search visibility alongside a Matterport or bespoke tour on their own website.
Street View photography is a one-off cost based on the size of your premises: £269 for a small venue of up to 10 panoramas, £399 for a medium venue of 10 to 20 panoramas, and from £549 for larger venues needing 20 or more. There are no annual hosting fees because Google hosts the tour on their own infrastructure.
A verified Street View tour is a positive local SEO signal — it tells Google your business is real, active and worth showing to nearby searchers. It is not a ranking guarantee, but it is a worthwhile part of a local search strategy, and the tour also appears alongside your opening hours, reviews and contact details in search results.
Help families explore your care home from anywhere in the UK. A Matterport virtual tour builds confidence and pre-qualifies visitors before they ever step through the door.
Care home photography & virtual toursBased in the South West, I cover the whole of the UK for commercial virtual tour projects — and I'm happy to travel overseas. The pages below are dedicated location guides; they are not the limit of my coverage.
Clifton, Harbourside, South Bristol & North Somerset
City centre, surrounding villages & North East Somerset
Cardiff, Newport, Barry & the Vale of Glamorgan
Taunton, Bridgwater, Minehead & Exmoor
Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud & the Cotswolds
Swindon, Chippenham, Devizes & Marlborough
Exeter, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe & North Devon coast
Restaurants, offices, hotels & institutions across Greater London
Thames Valley offices, hotels, venues & showrooms
Professional services, independent schools & care homes
Healthcare, barn & wedding venues, schools & hotels
Heritage attractions, research workspace, hotels & schools
Trade counters, showrooms, industrial & agricultural premises
Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield & surrounding areas
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Swansea & nationwide rural estates
International projects welcome — get in touch to discuss travel and logistics
Tell me about the sites, spaces and people who need to use the tour. I will recommend the right format and provide a clear UK-wide quote.
Professional photography that helps your property stand out. Fixed prices, no hidden fees, no fuss.