Complete Padstyler Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Updated January 17, 2023 01:36 PM By Matt Langan

PadStyler is a software company that provides virtual staging services, 3D floor plans, and architectural renderings. They are one of the most well-known virtual staging companies, but are they right for your needs? To help you decide, we're going to cover the following:

• PadStyler Pricing and Services
• Quality of PadStyler's Virtual Staging Designs
• Pros and Cons of PadStyler
• PadStyler Alternatives
• Comparison of PadStyler and Stuccco

Not sure what virtual staging is? Read our definitive guide on virtual staging.

PadStyler's Pricing and Services

PadStyler lists many services on the website, but doesn't include pricing for all of them. Although they mention services like Virtual Furniture Replacement, Virtual Kitchen Vision, Virtual Landscaping, 3D Rendering, and Virtual Remodeling there is no pricing information.

The primary services listed are:

• Virtual home staging: $79 per photo, discounts with bulk orders listed below
• 3D floor plan: $199 per floor
• 3D Rendering: Price on request
• Virtual remodeling: Price on request

Quality of PadStylers's Virtual Staging Designs

In our full comparison of the best virtual staging companies, PadStyler received a mediocre design score. Virtually staged photos should look extremely realistic and be staged strategically to show the full potential of any space.

Unfortunately, PadStyler's designs are neither the most realistic-looking nor have the most strategic staging. Let's look at a few examples.

In this kitchen design, the table, chairs, and rug do not look completely realistic--it's easy for viewers to see that those items were added digitally.

Even more importantly, the item choices and placement do not fit the space at all. In fact, the actual kitchen and the island are completely covered up by the table and chairs.

Virtual staging should help potential buyers or renters get an accurate understanding of how the space feels with the right furniture, and this image has the opposite effect. The viewer's eye is drawn to the backs of the chair and the legs of the chair and table, which are extremely distracting.

Here's one more example:
 

In the original photo of the vacant space, you can see the entire living and dining space. This should be a great opportunity to showcase the space. Instead, the staged photo focuses your attention on the kitchen table and chairs. The fireplace is barely visible.

To learn the most important real estate photography tips, read How to Take Photos for Virtual Staging.

Another problem with this example is the large bulky item on the left side of the photo, awkwardly cropped out. Again, it's a distracting item that doesn't add any true value from the perspective of a potential buyer.

In many of PadStyler's virtually staged photos, their focus seems to be on the staged furniture instead of on what will actually increase the sale price of a property.

In comparison, here is one example of a virtually staged photo from Stuccco:

Not only do all of the digital furnishings look completely realistic, they are also placed strategically. When this image is seen by a potential buyer, it doesn't distract them with an awkwardly place table and chairs--it highlights the overall beauty of the space.

Pros of PadStyler

Here are the top three best features of PadStyler.

1. Bulk Discounts

PadStyler's virtual staging prices are not one flat fee. If you purchase an individual photo, the regular price is $79. However, as you order a higher number of photos at once, the per-photo price decreases. Most properties need more than one room virtually staged, so this is a helpful option to decrease costs.

However, the drawback to this is that you have to order at least eight photos to get the price down to $49 per photo (a total of $232 before taxes). At Stuccco, the price starts at just $29 per photo before bulk discounts.

2. Money-Back Guarantee + Unlimited Revisions

PadStyler offers a money-back guarantee and unlimited revisions with all orders, which is an important element of virtual staging. However, you may want to reach out to PadStyler's customer service before ordering to be sure that they are available. Since other customers have had trouble reaching them, you wouldn't want to get stuck waiting for a revision.

3. 3D Renderings and Floor Plans

PadStyler is one of the few digital staging companies to offer 3D floor plan services. Although this can be an expensive service, it's necessary for commercial or residential buildings that are in the process of being built.

These features make PadStyler a good choice for commercial real estate professionals or agents marketing new construction.

Cons of PadStyler

Even though PadStyler is a well-known staging company, there are a few things you should take into consideration before placing an order. These are the four biggest drawbacks:

1. No Clear Turnaround Time

It's important for virtual staging companies to specify the deadline for the staged images. After all, real estate listings require a lot of planning and often need to move quickly. But PadStyler does not specify the turnaround time.

You can pay an additional fee of $19 per photo to get your photos back in 12 hours--however, that option is pricey and only available on weekdays.

2. Expensive Pricing

It's hard to look at the quality of PadStyler's virtual staging designs and match them with the prices. PadStyler charges up to $79 per photo, which is almost three times the price of Stuccco's virtual staging.

Plus, virtual staging pricing only applies when you're sending in photos of vacant spaces. If you need to have furniture pieces or clutter removed, you'll be paying a much higher price for “virtual remodeling."

 

For $79 per photo, you're receiving a lesser design quality and don't have a deadline for the photos. These two cons of PadStyler are worth serious consideration.

3. Poor Customer Service

Unfortunately, many PadStyler customers have had major trouble getting in contact with any members of PadStyler's team. This is an especially big problem when it comes to getting the money-back guarantee or revisions that you were promised.

Here are a few examples of bad reviews that customers left on Trustpilot:

“Paid big money to have a listing virtually staged and was promised them within 24 hours of purchase. I"m still lacking four of the photos and keep getting nothing but excuses and a rude attitude from everyone I talk to."

“I have tried to reach out 8-9 times with my issues with no call back. They lie and lie. Once they have your money, you are screwed! No, there is no money back guarantee."

“I have requested changes and they just send the photos back with one small thing changed and the rest the same. The scale is off. The items placed on shelves were off to the side so that they weren't even on the shelves but sort of floating."

4. Product Catalog is 100% Digital

Like all other virtual staging companies, the furniture and decor that PadStyler places in the properties are simply digital renderings. While this can still be used to successfully sell properties, it has to be done with skill. Otherwise, there are big risks when you're not using to-scale furniture to stage a room.

On the other hand, it's extremely powerful when all furniture and decor that is used to stage a space is based on actual items available from retail providers. Essentially, that means that buyers could take the virtually staged space and recreate it exactly!

Stuccco is the only virtual staging service that provides this. Learn more about online interior design.

PadStyler Alternatives

Now that you have all the facts about PadStyler, let's compare it with the best virtual staging company: Stuccco!

Here are some of the most important features of Stuccco virtual staging:

• $29 per virtually staged photo
• Membership options available to unlock discounts
• Guaranteed 24-hour turnaround time
• Unlimited revisions
• 24/7 customer support
• Money-back guarantee
• Images staged by professional interior designers
• Customer ratings of 5/5
• The only virtual staging company that enables buyers to turn virtually staged designs into reality via Stuccco online interior design
• Named the best Virtual Staging company of 2021 by The Spruce

Comparison of PadStyler and Stuccco

Get the step-by-step instructions to place an order on Stuccco. It takes less than five minutes, and you'll receive staged photos within 24 hours.

Ready to see the impact of virtual staging on your business?Place your order now.

Read our other virtual staging company reviews:

• BoxBrownie Review
• Virtual Staging Solutions Review
• VHT Studios Review
• VRX Staging Review
• Styldod Review