Social media and our desire for instant sharing have made photo booths a staple at various events. From weddings and birthdays to corporate events and graduations, photo booths add a touch of fun and create lasting memories.
But as event planners and celebrants start considering this addition, one question inevitably arises: how much does a photo booth cost?
It costs between $400 and $1000 to rent a photo booth for a party or event. And a standard hourly rate of $100–$400 applies to most photo booths. This cost can change depending on several factors such as type of photo booth, duration of the rental, photo booth company terms, and additional features.
In this article, we’ll explore the average costs of different photo booths available on the market. Again, we’ll help you discover:
- The various types of photo booths available and their average rental costs
- The factors that affect the overall cost of photo booth rentals
- Additional expenses that might not be included in the base price but impact your photo booth cost
- How and where to get the best deals on photo booth rental services
SelfieBooth Co. – Your Go-To Photobooth Rental
SelfieBooth Co. is a reputable company for photo booth rentals. Having elevated over 5,000 events in the US, we have what it takes to enhance your event.
We have a range of photo booth options suitable for any occasion, from intimate parties to grand celebrations.
- Original Open Air Selfie Booth: It has a professional camera and studio lighting which deliver instant, high-quality photos.
- Glam Selfie Booth: Known for ‘Kardashian-style’ photos with a custom beauty filter for glamorous shots.
- Digital Selfie Station: A sleek, brandable digital photo booth designed for effortless self-service and brand engagement.
- 360 Video Booth: Creates dynamic, all-around snapshots or videos, capturing every smile and candid moment.
In addition to photo booths, SelfieBooth Co. has a variety of backdrops to match the theme and style of your event
Reach out to SelfieBooth Co. for a personalized quote and take your event to the next level. Also, our transparent pricing helps you make an informed decision.
But don’t take it from us, see what our happy customers had to say about our services:
“A must-try! We went with SelfieBooth Co for our event, and it was a blast! Quick responses and super friendly. The booth stole the show! Our guests had the best time snapping pics. Choosing Selfie Booth Co was a game-changer for our event. Fun, easy, and totally worth it!“—Erika Gliebe, Verified Customer
“I 10/10 recommend SelfieBooth Co. for your event. My guests LOVED the booth. The picture quality was better than I expected. The attendants were so helpful and fun. I’m obsessed! Can’t wait to have the booth at my future events.”—Myia Kerr, Verified Customer
Types of Photo booths
Photo booths have evolved since their early days, where they offered simple black and white photo strips. Today, they’ve transformed into a fun and interactive way to capture memories at all sorts of events.
Here are some of the popular photo booth styles, along with their advantages and disadvantages, and average costs.
Open-Air Photo booths
As the name suggests, an open-air photo booth is usually set in open areas without any enclosures such as walls or curtains. It typically consist of a camera, a stand, a backdrop, and sometimes a lighting setup.
The open layout makes it perfect for:
- Larger groups: The lack of space limit means even your whole wedding party or graduation crew can squeeze in for a memorable shot.
- Creative posing: With more freedom to move, guests can strike fun poses and use props creatively, allowing their personalities to shine.
- Adapting to the venue: With no fixed footprint, these photo booths can be set up in various spaces.
- Adding ambience to the event: Guests interacting and laughing around the booth creates a lively and social vibe.
Pros and Cons of Open-Air Photo booths
Pros of open-air booths include:
- Easy to set up and use because you only need Wi-Fi and an electric outlet.
- Customization with different backdrops. For example, you can brand an open-air booth with your company logo and colors, enhancing brand awareness.
- They can accommodate large groups due to their lack of enclosures. This makes them perfect for weddings and corporate events.
Cons of open-air photo booths include:
- Less privacy compared to enclosed booths.
- May require more space and additional lighting for optimal photo quality.
Cost of Open-Air Photo Booths
Open-air photo booth rentals cost is between $400 and $1000. It’s more affordable due to its minimal setup.
Traditional Enclosed Photo Booths
Traditional enclosed photo booths are the classic, booth-style setups that offer privacy and a controlled space for taking photos. They are also called “old school photo booths” due to their long history and the nostalgic experience they offer.
To explain, the 1925 “Photoman” resembles the modern-day enclosed photo booth. That means its design has been informed by the original century-old model.
Enclosed booths are suitable for weddings and formal events where guests might appreciate privacy.
Pros and Cons of Enclosed Photo Booths
Other than the retro feel and look, other pros the enclosed photo booths include:
- Privacy: Guests can enjoy their photo moments of privacy because of a curtain or door. This makes it perfect for intimate poses.
- Consistent photo quality: Controlled lighting makes photos to be evenly lit.
- Space-efficient: Their compact size (about 6′ x 4′) makes them ideal for venues with limited space.
Cons of enclosed photo booths include:
- Space limitations can restrict the number of people in each photo.
- The privacy aspect can make them less interactive than other photo booths such as open-air.
Cost of Enclosed Photo Booths
These booths tend to be on the pricier side due to their size and the technology used. You can expect to pay anywhere from $450 to $1,200 for a rental.
Mirror Photo booths
Mirror photo booths feature a full-length mirror that doubles as a touch-screen interface, guiding guests through the photo session.
They’re perfect for parties focused on social engagement—the interactive features encourage sharing.
Pros and Cons of Mirror Photo booths
Mirror photo booths offer unique advantages with their interactive features such as:
- Interactive animations: The mirror has playful animations, on-screen graphics, and even personalized messages that encourage guests to strike poses.
- Digital props and effects: Guests can add virtual props, signatures, silly emojis, and colorful backgrounds directly on the mirror’s touch-screen.
- Instant feedback: The mirror display provides instant feedback that allows them to see their photos with fun additions.
However, mirror photo booths can be limiting because they are generally designed for smaller groups of five to six people. They also require a power source, which may be pricier than other options.
Cost Mirror Photo Booths
Their advanced technology and novelty make them a bit expensive, with prices ranging from $800 to $1,200 or more.
Selfie Stations
These are simplified photo booths that involve a tablet or a smartphone where guests can take selfies using the device’s camera.
The typical setup of selfie stations include:
- Smartphone or tablet: Mounted on a tripod for stability
- Ring light or lighting setup: To ensure bright, flattering photos
- Backdrop: Can be a themed backdrop, a decorated wall, or even a scenic view
- Fun props: Hats, signs, glasses, and more to add playful personalization
Pros and Cons of Selfie Stations
Advantages of selfie stations include:
- They’re highly portable and easy to set up anywhere
- Their attendant-free operation makes it easy for guests to enjoy the experience independently
- They often have social media integration for instant sharing
- They are environmentally-friendly because they don’t offer photo printing option
The cons of selfie stations include:
- Photo quality may vary depending on the device used.
- Although designed for the digital social sharing age, they may not appeal to guests who want physical prints of photos.
Cost of Selfie Stations
These are budget-friendly options with cost as low as $300 to $650 for an event.
GIF Booths
Unlike standard photo booths that produce still images, a GIF booth captures several photos in quick succession and compile them into fun, looping animations. It’s perfect for events where you want to capture the energy, laughter, and spontaneous moments.
It is a popular wedding photo booth. You’ll also find it at corporate events and brand activations where creating a buzz on social media is a key objective.
Pros and Cons of GIF Booths
GIF photo booths offer several advantages that can enhance any event:
- Instant sharing: Guests can share their GIFs immediately via email or social media, helping to spread the word about your events.
- Customization options: They come with various customization options, including branded overlays and digital props, allowing you to tailor the experience to your event’s theme or brand.
- Data capture: These booths can capture useful data such as email addresses or social media handles, which can be used for marketing.
- Dynamic and fun: GIFs capture movement, personality, and those hilarious in-between moments that still photos might miss.
While GIF booths can be a fun and interactive addition to events, they have a few cons such as:
- Quality limitation: GIFs typically have a 256-color limit, which can reduce the quality of detailed images. This makes them less vibrant than full-color photos.
- No physical Prints: Unless connected to a separate printer, GIFs mainly exist digitally.
- File size: GIFs can be larger than photos, so storage and sharing might require planning if you’ll have a lot of guests using the booth.
Cost of GIF Booths
The cost for GIF booths is similar to open-air booths, ranging from $400 to $1000.
360-Degree Photo Booths
These booths capture a 360-degree view around a person or group for an interactive experience. They capture snapshots or videos, not photos.
With 360-degree photo booths, guests stand on a raised platform while a camera arm rotates around them, capturing a short video clip from all angles.
But here’s an interesting part. These videos are often enhanced with slow-motion effects which create a dramatic and cinematic feel.
The 360-degree photo booths are suitable for weddings, fashion shows and other events where displaying movement is important.
Pros and Cons of 360-Degree Photo Booths
Here’s a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of 360-degree photo booths.
Pros of 360-degree photo booths include:
- Unique and memorable experience: 360-degree videos create an immersive way to capture the energy and excitement of an event.
- Crowd-pleaser: Guests are drawn to the interactive nature of the booth, making it a guaranteed hit at events.
- Highly shareable content: The videos are perfect for social media, enhancing the visibility of your event beyond the day itself.
- Customizable: Add music, overlays, and slow-motion effects to personalize the videos and match your event’s theme.
Cons of 360-degree photo booths include:
- They are a pricier option compared to other booth types.
- The platform and camera setup require a larger footprint than traditional photo booths.
- Processing the 360 videos can take slightly longer, potentially creating long queues.
Cost of 360-Degree Photo Booths
Being a unique and immersive experience, the 360-degree photo booth cost between $1000 to $2,500 in most photo booth companies.
Factors Influencing Photo Booth Rental Prices
Photo booth rental costs vary widely. Budget-friendly options start around $400, while premium packages can reach $1000 or more. The average cost falls around $700.
The hourly rate typically costs between $100 and $400. With most events being up to four hours.
The main factors that affect photo booth rental prices are:
Photo Booth Type
The type of photo booth you choose; open-air, enclosed, mirror, selfie station, or 360-degree determines its cost. For To recap, the average prices for the different types of photo booths are as follows:
- Open-air photo booth: $400–$1000
- Enclosed photo booth: $450–$1200
- Mirror photo booth: $800–$1200
- Selfie stations: $300–$650
- GIF photo booth: $400–$1000
- 360-degree photo booth: $1000–$2500
Rental Duration
Photo booth rental companies offer packages based on how long you will need the booth. The longer the event, the higher the cost.
For example, a 2-hour rental might cost between $350 and $750 while a 4-hour rent could be priced at $400 to $1100.
There’s also an extra cost of between $100 to $200 for each additional hour beyond the standard package.
The Event’s Location
The cost of photo booth rental increases if the company needs to travel a notable distance to the event. Also, if the event is in a high-demand area such as a metropolitan city, the prices will increase.
The also increases if the event is in a remote or hard-to-reach area. This is because additional transportation and setup costs may be required.
Additional Features
When renting a photo booth, the base price covers only the essential features such as:
- The photo booth itself (setup and breakdown)
- A photo booth attendant to assist guests (for photo booths such as the 360-degree)
- Unlimited photo strips for the duration of the rental
- A selection of props for guests to use
- A standard backdrop
- Digital copies of all photos taken during the event
However, to enhance your event and create an even more personalized experience, many photo booth companies include the following add-ons (which come at an extra cost):
- Customized props: Expect to pay between $40 and $100 for a prop box.
- Photo guest album services: Suitable for guests to leave photos and messages. These services can cost about $50 to $150.
- Personalized photo Strips: Customizing photo strips with names, dates, or event themes can cost between $30-$50.
- Custom backdrops: Prices for these can range from $100–$400.
- Social media sharing: This feature can add $50–$250 to your cost.
- GIF/boomerang capabilities: These can cost between $50–$200.
- Green screen: You’ll add between $50–$350 to get a green screen photo booth.
Tips for Finding the Best Photo Booth Rental Deals
Getting the best deal for a photo booth rental requires some research and planning. The goal is to find the perfect option—from a photo booth rental company—that’s within your budget and meets your event’s needs.
Here are some tips to help you find the most cost-effective options:
- Get quotes from multiple photo booth companies and compare their prices. Use this as a first step to narrow down to a few options within your budget.
- Look for discounts for early booking, non-peak times, and weekday events.
- Check if you can save money by bundling the photo booth rental with services like event photography or DJ, from the same company.
- Negotiate with the vendor if you’re organizing a large event and will be needing multiple booths and services.
- Book early to secure a better rate and ensure the availability of the photo booth.