Google vs Matterport virtual tours
These two get compared constantly because the prices are close, but they solve genuinely different problems. Google is a discovery tool. Matterport is a measurement and inspection tool. Picking the wrong one is an expensive way to learn the difference.
The short answer
Choose Google virtual tours
- You want to be found by people searching nearby
- Footfall or local enquiries drive your business
- You want a one-time cost with no ongoing fees
- The space is understood by looking, not measuring
Choose Matterport 3D
- Viewers need dimensions and floor plans
- Property, offices or industrial space is involved
- People inspect remotely before travelling
- A dollhouse overview helps explain the layout
Side by side
Rows where both options are identical are left out, so what you see here is only what actually differs.
| Feature | Google Virtual ToursFrom £525 | Matterport 3D ToursFrom £550 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Getting found on Google | Property and precise spaces |
| Where it lives | Google Maps, Search and your site | Your website and listings |
| Shows on your Google Business ProfileAppears at the moment customers search for you | Included | Not included |
| One-time cost, no subscription | Included | £60/year hosting |
| Interactive hotspotsInformation points, images, video and links inside the tour | Not included | Basic tags |
| Dollhouse view and floor plans | Not included | Included |
| Measurements within the tour | Not included | Included |
| Get started | Find out more | Find out more |
Google gets you found. Matterport gets you understood.
A Google virtual tour publishes to Maps, Search and your Business Profile, which means it works on people who did not know you existed. That is its entire advantage, and for a shop, salon, gym or restaurant it is the one that matters, because the customer is deciding whether to walk through your door.
Matterport does not do that. What it does instead is produce a dimensionally accurate 3D model with a dollhouse view, floor plans and a measurement tool built in. Nobody stumbles across it, but anyone sent to it can inspect the space properly without visiting.
Where Matterport is worth the difference
Property is the obvious case. An agent, an applicant or an overseas investor can walk the building, check whether their furniture fits and pull dimensions off the model, which is the difference between a viewing that happens and one that does not.
It applies just as strongly to commercial and industrial space. We have captured City of London offices and manufacturing facilities where the measurement tool did more work than the imagery, because the people using it were space planning rather than browsing.
The honest cost comparison
Google tours start at £525 and Matterport at £550, so the shoot cost is close to identical. The real difference sits in what happens afterwards: a Google tour is a one-time investment with no subscription, while Matterport hosting is set out in your quote.
If you genuinely need measurements, that difference is trivially worth paying. If you do not, you are paying for a capability you will never open.
Questions people ask
Can I have both a Google tour and a Matterport tour?
Yes, and property clients often do: Matterport for the detailed inspection on the listing, and a Google tour so the office or development is discoverable on Maps. They can be captured on the same visit.
Are the Matterport measurements accurate enough to rely on?
They are accurate enough for space planning and for deciding whether something fits, which is what most people use them for. For construction-grade tolerances you would still want a measured survey.
Does a Matterport tour appear on Google Maps?
No. Matterport tours are embedded on your website and shared by link. If Maps visibility matters to you, that is what the Google tour is for.
Which is better for a retail store?
Google, in almost every case. Shoppers are deciding whether to visit, not measuring the shop floor, and the Maps placement is where the return comes from.
Still not sure which you need?
Our prices start at £435 and are based on your specific requirements. We endeavour to respond to all form submissions and email enquiries within 15 minutes.
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