Both help buyers picture a home as lived-in. They differ enormously on cost, speed, and what they can (and can't) do.
Staged homes consistently help buyers picture a property as their future home, which is why so few listings go to market fully empty anymore. The question is usually cost and timeline, not whether to stage at all.
A stager brings in real furniture and decor, typically for the duration of the listing. It photographs and shows in person exactly as staged, which is its biggest advantage — buyers walking through the home see the same staged rooms as the photos. The tradeoffs are cost (often $1,500-$4,000+ per listing) and lead time, since scheduling delivery and pickup can take days.
Furniture and decor are added digitally to photos of an empty or lightly furnished room, after the shoot. It's dramatically cheaper — usually single-digit dollars per photo — and results come back in minutes rather than days. The tradeoff is that it only affects photos; anyone touring the home in person still sees it empty, so it works best for listings where photos are doing most of the work upfully (early online interest, out-of-town buyers) or where a quick, low-cost refresh matters more than an in-person staged walkthrough.
Virtually staged photos need to be disclosed as such on most MLS platforms, usually with a visible label or a note in the listing remarks — see our MLS photo requirements guide for more. Reputable virtual staging tools include a disclosure option for exactly this reason.
For vacant listings on a tight budget or timeline, virtual staging is usually the practical choice. For higher-end listings where in-person showings matter as much as online photos, traditional staging still has the edge. Some agents use both — traditional staging for the rooms buyers will walk through most, virtual staging for secondary spaces.
37 Visuals partners with StageBolt for virtual staging — vacant rooms staged or decluttered in under 60 seconds, from about $9 per photo.