7 Best Virtual Photo Booth Companies and Platforms

What Is a Virtual Photo Booth?

A virtual photo booth is a digital photo experience that guests can access from their own phone, tablet, or computer. Instead of stepping into a physical booth, participants typically open a link or scan a QR code, take or upload a photo, customize it, and receive a branded image they can download or share.

Virtual photo booths can be used for in-person events, hybrid events, remote audiences, and digital marketing campaigns because participation isn't limited to a single physical booth or location.

It's a Digital Photo Booth

You've probably been in and/or seen in-person photo booths. We're talking about the ones where your event guests and their friends hop behind a curtain, strike silly poses, and get a strip of photos. They're fun and help your guests save memories, right?

Well, a virtual photo booth is kind of like that. However, you don't necessarily have to worry about some of the pitfalls of physical photo booths Yes, we love them, but your guests may find it tough to wait in line, try to squeeze everyone in the friend group in, and then realize they'll have to split the crew up.

Also, your guests may still have memories of that thing that happened in 2020. That may make them a little uncomfortable about squeezing into a small space together.

Like a Photo Booth in Your Pocket

A virtual photo booth is like a photo booth in your pocket. Instead of needing a curtain box, your guests can just whip their phones out and access an online photo booth. They'll still get the fun photos and you won't have to worry about any germs or arguments.

Virtual photo booth experiences can take several forms, including browser-based booths, text-based experiences, hybrid event setups, and newer AI-powered photo experiences. The best format depends on how and where you want your audience to participate.

Text-Based Photo Booth

Have you ever hired a photo editor, sent them a picture, waited for them to edit it, and then received an edited photo back? Using a text-based photo booth feels like that. However, instead of, say, removing that old fling from a nice family holiday photo, what the photo booth adds is far more fun and positive.

How a Text-Based Photo Booth Works

Your guest will first need to grab a device that can send and receive picture messages first. They'll then use that device to snap a photo or grab a photo from their files. After that's done, they'll type in a number you give them, add the photo to the text, and send everything off.

In just a few moments, the text-based virtual phone booth will get to work. It will process the image and add a branded and/or event-based frame to it. After finishing the final composite, the photo booth will send it right back to your guest.

It's Sadly a Bit Limited

Unfortunately, unlike the other two photobooths in this section, a text-based photo booth can only edit photos. It can't make GIF image sequences (these usually equal three photos in a row) or boomerangs/bursts (short videos that loop back and forth) at this time. In addition, it can't apply props or stickers.

However, technology advances fast! Maybe in a year or two, we'll see the technology advance to the point where text-based photo booths can create gifs and bursts. They might even eventually be able to create holograms!

Web-Based Photo Booth

You can do pretty much anything on digital devices these days. The internet can give you access to endless amounts of information. Apps can do anything from making sound effects to teaching you how to play the guitar.

It should come as no surprise that a photo booth can exist online. Your guests don't even have to download an app. They just have to make one to two motions and they'll be on the webpage ready for their close

AI-Powered Virtual Photo Booths

AI has expanded what virtual photo booths can create beyond traditional frames, filters, and digital props. Depending on the platform, participants can now transform their selfies into campaign-specific characters, environments, professional portraits, or other personalized branded imagery.

For marketers, the advantage is personalization at scale. A single experience can give thousands of participants unique content while maintaining the branding and creative direction of the campaign.

When comparing platforms, look at how much control the provider offers over AI outputs, branding, participant experience, moderation, data capture, and reporting.

Link or QR Code Photo Booth Access

Virtual photo booth companies will give you a link and/or a QR Code. Either of these can help your guest access a webpage with the photo booth.

You can then post this link anywhere where your guest can see it. Perhaps you can place the QR code and/or link on a text or email that you send to your guests. You can also put it on your website, the event's promotional posters, and/or signs that the guests can easily find at the event.

Once they make it to the webpage, your guests will read a set of instructions. After they read these and feel ready, it'll be party time!

What's on the Web-Based Photo Booth?

Your guests can take timed selfies or friend group photos (friendies???) with the web-based photo booth. However, they're not limited to photos. They can also make a GIF with three successive photos or a boomerang (a short video that loops).

These don't have to be normal, boring photos or videos either. Your guests will have the flexibility to use a wide variety of props and virtual magic backgrounds. They can even add sticker avatars of their friends that already used the booth.

Once they're satisfied, they can send their special selfie to themselves via email. Then they can download it, print it, and/or send it anywhere or to anyone they wish!

For the Ones With Bad Hair, Skin, Etc. Days

Some of your guests might not feel up to taking photos at that exact moment (that's okay, we've all had those low self-esteem days). Luckily, they may not have to! Many virtual photo booth companies will allow guests to upload photos of days when they felt their best.

Hybrid Photo Booth

Having a hybrid photo booth at your event is like bringing everyone to a buffet for a meal. People who have a choice can go with whatever experience they want. People who don't have much of a choice can conveniently access what they need.

Say that you have an event that people can attend either in person or virtually. Both types of guests can use a virtual photo booth. However, some of the in-person guests may prefer to get a traditional photo booth experience.

In this particular situation, a hybrid photo booth can come in handy.

What Is a Hybrid Photo Booth?

A hybrid photo booth essentially offers the best of both worlds. When you order this experience, a photo booth company will give you both a webpage or text-based platform AND an in-person photo booth. For the latter, you can likely choose a camera in front of a background or the curtain boxes of yesteryear.

Your virtual attendees can access the web platform or send in a photo via text. They'll appreciate not having to miss out on such a fun experience.

In-person guests can use the in-person photo booth options. However, they may prefer using the virtual photo booth to take photos in front of their favorite parts of the event. Whatever they choose, they can still get some very cute photos.

Bring All Guests Together

In addition, your virtual guests don't have to feel they're as far away from the event as the North Pole is from the South Pole. There are plenty of options to make everyone feel like they're truly a part of your event.

For example, you can give your guests access to a real-time gallery. There, they can see their photos alongside everyone else's.

Another option is to create a virtual mosaic recap video or slideshow viewing. Your guests can watch this in their own time. They'll feel delighted as their photos pass by in the lineup.

Why Your Next Event Needs a Virtual Photo Booth

Are you still skeptical about the effectiveness of using a virtual photo booth for your event? Perhaps you think that the guests will benefit more from the photo booths than your company will. The truth is that there are plenty of ways that your company's marketing plan can benefit from a virtual photo booth.

Social Media Marketing

Let's face it: the social media using generations LOVE to brag about having fun. If they had fun at your event, they'll likely post photo booth photos to their social media. Everyone that sees these photos will likely see something related to your brand in the photo.

Forget about having to research the latest memes to make social media posts that appeal to generations that may not be your own! With an online photo booth, people from those generations will do that work for you. So you can spread the word about your brand and/or event via social media marketing while barely having to lift a finger.

Collect Marketing Information

Virtual photo booths can also create an opportunity for first-party lead capture. Depending on the experience, participants may choose to provide an email address or phone number to receive their content, join a mailing list, or opt in to future communications.

For brands and event marketers, this can turn participation into measurable engagement while providing useful campaign data such as total sessions, content created, shares, and opt-ins.

When comparing virtual photo booth platforms, ask what data can be collected, how consent is handled, what analytics are available, and how easily information can be exported or integrated with your existing marketing tools.

Associating Fun With Your Brand

Do you want an easy way to your guests' hearts? A photo booth can help you establish a positive emotional connection between your brand and your guests. They'll remember the fun time that they had using the photo booth and naturally connect your brand with this pleasant memory.

In addition, your guests may keep the photos that they made somewhere important. Every time they look at a photo, they'll be reminded of the fun they had at your event. The photo can also act as an advertisement as they'll think about your brand again.

Tips For Using an Online Photo Booth at Your Next Event

Of course, an online photo booth can be useless if you don't use it correctly. Below you'll find some tips on how to make your photo booth one your guests will remember. If you need more tips, you can go to this article on our blog.

Match Your Photo Booth's Theme With Your Event

Imagine going to an event that's all about farms and the photo booth is themed around the 1970s. You'd probably feel extremely confused in such a situation, right? Well, your guests will feel that way too if you mismatch your event and photo booth themes.

Make sure to customize the settings on your photo booth so that it matches your event's theme. This will include picking props, backgrounds, effects, etc. that the guests will use. If you do so, your guests won't feel like your brand is bad at organizing.

Get People Excited

Imagine making all these awesome finishing touches and...next to no one tries using your photo booth. Unfortunately, this can happen if you fail to announce that there's a photo booth at your event. You should also make sure to get people excited about the photo booth.

How can you do this? Make sure to inform guests about the photo booth on your event's webpage, promotional posters, etc. You can also tell them in a few words to a few sentences how much fun they can have using your photo booth.

Add Some Sample Photos

People especially want to have fun when they see others having fun. The best thing that you can do to ignite this desire is to get some sample photos. Then you can post them on the promotional material alongside announcements about the photo booth.

Get some of your workers who aren't that camera-shy to model for you. Make sure to show off a wide range of photo booth features when you take the photos. Future guests should be able to see examples of masks, props backgrounds, etc.

Make the Photo Booth Easy to Find

You shouldn't want to leave your guests clicking all around the event webpage like they're lost in a maze. Make sure that your text photo booth number, photobooth website link, or QR code photo booth link is easy to spot from the event homepage. Consider using an image (such as your example photos) to help guests spot your photo booth amid all other information.

If you're using a hybrid model, consider posting signage that points guests in the direction of your photo booth. You should also mark it on the event's map if one exists. As for the virtual aspect, you can put signs and/or posters with the QR code at places that can make for great photo ops.

Consider Offering Photo Souvenirs

Photo strips or printed photos can fade over time, fall off the fridge and get trampled on, etc. Once your guest loses or throws away your photo, you've lost that marketing opportunity.

Luckily, you can offer guests the opportunity to receive their photos in protective coverings. For example, you can have guests order prints of their photos in keychains, photo cubes, magnets, coasters, etc. You can put a link to such a store on the photo booth webpage or have it pop up after a person receives their photos via text.

Plus, a person will need to put their home address into the order form. This information can help you with learning about your target demographics.

Seven Best Virtual Photo Booth Companies and Platforms

Here are seven of the best virtual photo booth companies and platforms in no particular order. Feel free to explore these options as much as you want and compare them with our services.

1. Snapbar

Snapbar was founded by two brothers in 2012. The company's mission is to create photo and video products for brand connection and engagement. Their team powers aspects of user engagement at multiple events around the world.

Along with virtual photo booths, the brand also offers a virtual studio solution. This can help businesses create professional headshots of their workers. The brand also claims that they have more products on the way, so stay tuned!

2. Simple Booth

Simple Booth started as an app created in 2013. It was then turned into a hardware unit called the HALO. The business founders then created a web platform and from there launched the virtual version of their photo booth.

This virtual photo booth has a few different pricing plans. Each of them comes with its own set of features. One special feature, in particular, is the "data capture" feature that allows companies to collect data from individuals who use the photo booth app.

3. Fotospark

This Los Angeles-based company is a collective team of techies, artists, marketers, and photographers. The company offers a wide variety of gif, photo, video, and live-streaming solutions for events. They have worked with many Hollywood-based brands such as Universal and the Ellen DeGeneres show.

Their style, as they claim, is fun, friendly, and easy to work with. They also state that their solutions have been involved in over 1,500 events in the over 10 years that they've been in business.

4. Giggle and Riot

Giggle and Riot was created by a group of wedding photographers. The company offers a professional staff that wears appropriate attire and has a friendly demeanor. They also believe in going above and beyond the call of duty.

On top of this, the company loves to give back to its community. They often donate their services to various nonprofits throughout the year.

5. Brandmatic: The Photo Booth Guys

Brandmatic is a virtual photo booth solution created by the company The Photo Booth Guys. The business started in 2013 as a small business that served weddings. The Photo Booth Guys then expanded the business and created various backdrops and booths that could go anywhere.

These days, they're an international event business with a dedicated team. Team members include designers, event managers, and photo booth attendants. They serve a wide variety of events such as weddings, festivals, exhibitions, and more.

6. Studio Z

Studio Z is a photo booth company with multiple locations in cities like Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin. Along with their virtual photo booth experience, they also offer several different kinds of photo and video fun. These include camera arrays, green screens, selfie balls, prisms, and more.

The photo booths at Studio Z are also completely customizable. As the company claims, they are very adaptable and can customize everything to their client's needs and wants.

7. OMG Booth

The company behind OMG Booth is a rather small one with only about four employees. Still, their virtual photo booth offers much of what's expected. Their online experience offers plenty of special effects, customized branding, and social media integration.

On top of that, OMG Booth also offers immersive augmented and virtual reality experiences.

What to Look for in a Virtual Photo Booth Platform

Before choosing a virtual photo booth company, compare more than the photo effects. The right platform should fit your audience, campaign goals, brand requirements, and the level of support your team needs.

Consider:

• Ease of access: Can guests participate through a browser or QR code without downloading an app?
• Customization: Can the interface, photo outputs, backgrounds, and experience match your brand or campaign?
• AI capabilities: Does the platform offer AI transformations or personalized image generation if your campaign requires it?
• Lead capture: Can you collect participant information and manage marketing opt-ins appropriately?
• Analytics: Can you track participation, shares, content creation, and other campaign results?
• Sharing: Is it easy for participants to receive and share their content?
• Scalability: Can the experience support your expected audience and multiple locations if needed?
• Support: Is it self-service software, a managed experience, or something in between?
• Hybrid capabilities: Can remote and in-person participants contribute to the same experience or gallery?
• Integrations: Can captured data connect with the marketing or CRM tools your team already uses?

The best platform isn't necessarily the one with the longest feature list. It's the one that makes participation easy while supporting the outcomes your event or campaign needs.

Remember to Also Compare These Virtual Photo Booths With Ours

No matter what virtual photo booth company you decide to go with, you're sure to get a good experience. Virtual photo booths offer your guests a lot of fun and you'll get plenty of marketing opportunities in return. Make sure to carefully research all of your options so that you're certain you'll get the best type of photo booth and photo booth company for your needs.

And don't forget about us here at Outsnapped! No matter where you are in America, we can bring our services to you. Get a quote for our services on this page.

Choosing the Best Virtual Photo Booth Company

The best virtual photo booth company depends on what you need the experience to accomplish. A simple social event may only require an easy-to-use digital booth, while a national brand campaign may need custom creative, AI-generated imagery, lead capture, analytics, integrations, and support across multiple locations.

Before choosing a provider, identify the features that are essential to your campaign and ask to see examples of comparable work. Pay particular attention to the participant experience: if taking, receiving, and sharing a photo isn't intuitive, even the most advanced platform can struggle to generate engagement.

If you're comparing virtual photo booth companies for a corporate event, brand activation, or digital campaign, OutSnapped creates custom mobile-first and AI photo experiences designed around your brand, audience, and campaign goals.

Explore OutSnapped's Mobile-First Photo Experiences.