How to start a 360 photo booth business: equipment, costs & pricing
360 booths have become a fixture at weddings, birthdays and brand events: guests step onto a platform, a camera arm circles them, and seconds later they're watching a slow-motion video of themselves on their phone. The setup is portable, the startup cost is modest compared with many event businesses, and the output is made for social media. Here's how to get started properly.
1. The equipment you need
- A 360 spin platform. A round base guests stand on with a motorised arm that holds the camera. Sizes are usually quoted in centimetres or inches of platform diameter — larger platforms fit more people but are heavier to transport.
- A camera device. Most operators use a recent iPhone or a GoPro-style action camera. A phone running booth software can record, apply effects and share without extra hardware.
- Lighting. Ring lights or LED light sticks mounted on the arm keep faces bright and slow motion sharp.
- A sharing station. An iPad on a stand where guests see their video and scan the QR code.
- Event dressing. Stanchions and ropes to manage the line, a backdrop, and optionally props.
- Transport cases and a reliable mobile hotspot for venues with poor Wi-Fi.
2. Realistic startup costs
Prices vary widely by country and quality. These ranges are a starting point for budgeting, not quotes:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| 360 spin platform | €400 – €3,000+ |
| iPhone / iPad (if you don't already own them) | €500 – €1,500 |
| Lighting | €100 – €500 |
| Stanchions, backdrop, props | €150 – €600 |
| Cases & transport | €100 – €400 |
| Software | €0 – €100+/month |
| Insurance, website, marketing | Varies by market |
Many operators start with a mid-range platform and the phone they already own, then upgrade once bookings come in.
3. Choosing booth software
Your software decides what guests actually receive, so test it at a real party before your first paid event. Look for:
- Smooth slow motion. Check how it handles your camera's frame rate. Read why 360 slow motion looks choppy to know what to look for.
- Fast delivery. Guests should get their video within seconds, by QR code, without installing anything.
- Offline reliability. Venue Wi-Fi fails. Captures must be saved on the device and sync later.
- Branding. Event names, overlays and music are what clients pay extra for.
- Fair pricing for how often you work: per-event passes if you're occasional, a plan if you're busy.
FotoSpinBooth was built around exactly this list — it's free to use during early access.
4. How to price your packages
Rental prices depend heavily on your local market, so research what other booths near you charge. Most operators sell time-based packages (for example 2, 3 or 4 hours) and add extras on top:
- Custom overlay or branded video template
- Music chosen by the client
- Online gallery for all guests after the event
- Extra hours, an attendant, props, or a backdrop
- Combined 360 + classic photo booth bundles
Price for your time, not just the hours on site: travel, setup, teardown and editing all count. A clear package page with a "from" price usually converts better than "contact us for a quote".
5. Winning your first bookings
- Make a demo reel. Film friends and family on the platform and post the best clips — the product sells itself on Instagram and TikTok.
- Set up a Google Business Profile with photos and ask every client for a review.
- Partner with venues and planners. Offer a free demo at a venue open day or wedding fair.
- List on wedding and event directories in your region.
- Brand every video. Your logo or handle in the overlay turns every guest share into advertising (with your client's permission).
6. Running a smooth, safe event
- Respect the platform's weight and people limits and keep an attendant beside it at all times.
- Mark a safe zone around the arm with stanchions so nobody walks into it.
- Test frame rate, light and sharing during setup, before guests arrive.
- Handle guest data properly. In the EU, guest photos are personal data under GDPR — tell guests how their videos are shared and stored, and delete them when no longer needed.
- Bring a backup: spare phone, power bank, cables and a hotspot.