Free tool · prices checked October 2026
What will your renders cost? AI vs freelancer vs studio
Pick what you need: exterior and interior renders, a floor plan video or staged listing photos. The calculator compares Kispo's AI prices with published freelancer and studio rates, and it counts every AI attempt, not just the keepers.
Kispo prices use the Starter plan rate ($9 for 100 credits). Market prices are ranges from the sources listed below.
Your project
Price per item
The numbers the calculator uses, for one finished image or video. Kispo figures include the usual number of AI tries.
| What you need | Kispo (AI) | Freelancer or service | Rendering studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior renderone finished still image | $1.083 tries · Minutes | $300–$1,500Freelancer · About 1 week | $800–$3,0005–15 business days |
| Interior renderone finished still image | $1.083 tries · Minutes | $250–$1,000Freelancer · About 1 week | $600–$1,8005–15 business days |
| Make an existing render photorealone render you already have | $1.802 tries · Minutes | $300–$1,500Freelancer re-render · About 1 week | $800–$3,0005–15 business days |
| Virtual stagingone empty-room photo | $0.542 tries · About 30 seconds | $24–$30Staging service · 24–48 hours | — |
| Floor plan walkthrough videoabout 60 seconds | $28.082 tries · Under an hour | $1,200–$4,000Freelancer · 1–3 weeks | $4,000–$12,0003–6 weeks |
How the Kispo prices are worked out: exterior render: 4 credits per attempt; interior render: 4 credits per attempt; make an existing render photoreal: 10 credits per attempt (two AI passes); virtual staging: 3 credits per attempt; floor plan walkthrough video: 6 ten-second clips at 26 credits each, stitched together.
How to use the result
If the AI total is a small fraction of the freelancer total, use AI for options, concept work and listing photos, and keep the budget for the one image that has to be exact. Most practices end up using both: AI while the design is moving, and a studio once it is fixed.
For the full comparison, read AI rendering vs hiring a studio and how much AI rendering costs.
Common questions
How much does a 3D architectural rendering cost in 2026?
Published 2026 benchmarks put a freelance exterior still at $300–$1,500 and a studio exterior at $800–$3,000. Interiors run $250–$1,000 from a freelancer and $600–$1,800 from a studio. Complexity, landscaping and revision rounds move the price most.
How much does an AI rendering cost?
On Kispo one AI image attempt costs $0.36 at the entry plan's rate. You usually run a few attempts to get a keeper, so budget about $1.08 per finished image. New accounts can try it with 14 credits for $1, no subscription.
How much does a floor plan walkthrough video cost?
A 60–120 second animated walkthrough from a freelancer or studio typically costs $1,200 to $12,000, with about $4,000 as a common midpoint. On Kispo, a 60-second video made from six 10-second clips costs about $28.08 with two tries per clip. It is a reveal of the plan, not a modelled walkthrough with a custom camera path.
How much does virtual staging cost per photo?
Human-edited staging services list about $24–$30 per photo with a 24–48 hour turnaround. AI staging on Kispo costs $0.27 per attempt and returns in about 30 seconds.
When is a rendering studio still worth the money?
When the images are the product: an off-plan development sale, a set of views that must match exactly, anything a planning board or design review will scrutinize, or a client who is paying for visualization as a line item. For options, concept work and listing photos, AI is faster and cheaper.
Where the market prices come from
- FrameSixty, How much does 3D rendering cost in 2026
- MyArchitectAI, 3D rendering cost in 2026
- Maverickframe, 3D walkthrough animation cost
- Bella Virtual, BoxBrownie virtual staging review (Aug 2026)
Checked 31 October 2026. Several sources are vendors with their own price lists, so treat ranges as benchmarks.