Matterport or Google Street View? A Comparison
Both technologies produce 360° tours, but they do different jobs. Do you need visibility or measurement? A clear comparison to help you decide.
Use the buttons below to get an AI summary of this article.
Matterport or Google Street View? A Comparison
This is where businesses researching virtual tours get stuck most often. Both names keep coming up, both say "360° tour," yet their prices and promises are very different.
The difference does not come down to technical details. They solve different problems.
What does a Google Street View tour do?
A Street View tour places your venue inside Google Maps and your Google Business Profile. When customers search for you on Google, your tour appears next to the photos on your business listing through the "See Inside" option.
In other words, the tour sits exactly where customers are already looking. You do not need to share a separate link or get anyone to click it.
Our archive holds 1,600+ business tours published this way, across 55+ provinces and 200+ districts. Together, these businesses have 1,077,330 Google reviews, which means the tours sit inside profiles that draw heavy search traffic.
What does Matterport do?
Matterport creates a 3D scan of the space. The result is not just an explorable tour; it is a model you can take measurements from and generate floor plans with.
For some jobs, that is a real advantage:
- Producing square footage and floor plans in real estate
- Measuring existing conditions in interior design
- Creating documentation for insurance and damage assessment
- Recording construction progress
However, a Matterport model is not published on Google Maps. It is a separate link that people only see if you share it.
The real difference: where does it appear?
| Google Street View tour | Matterport | |
|---|---|---|
| Appears on Google Maps | Yes | No |
| Opens from the Business Profile | Yes | No |
| Measurements and floor plans | No | Yes |
| Hosting | Hosted by Google | Usually subscription-based |
| Embedding on a website | Yes | Yes |
To sum up the table in one sentence: Street View delivers visibility, Matterport delivers measurement.
The difference in cost structure
A Street View tour is a one-time job. The shoot is done, the tour is published, and Google hosts it. There is no monthly fee.
Matterport models, on the other hand, are usually hosted with an ongoing subscription. If the subscription ends, the model may become inaccessible. This difference changes the total cost over the long run.
We explain how virtual tour pricing is calculated in our virtual tour pricing guide.
Which business should choose which?
When a Street View tour makes sense:
- Your customers search for you on Google (restaurants, cafes, hotels, clinics, stores, beauty salons)
- The goal is for new customers to see the venue and feel confident about it
- You do not want a fixed monthly cost
When Matterport makes sense:
- You need square footage, floor plans, or measurement output
- Properties in a real estate portfolio will be inspected remotely in detail
- There is a process that requires documentation, such as insurance, construction, or interior design
In areas like food and drink, retail, and healthcare, customers are not looking for measurements; they are looking for the atmosphere. That is why a Street View tour delivers more direct results in these industries. Our own archive leans the same way: 486 restaurants, 183 furniture showrooms, 202 cafes, and 125 stores.
Can you use both together?
Yes, and some businesses do exactly that: a Street View tour for visibility, and a separate 3D model for internal processes or detailed presentations. They are not alternatives to each other but different layers.
Where we stand
To be clear: G360 shoots as a Google Street View Trusted certified photographer. Matterport is not part of our production workflow.
We tried to write this article impartially for one reason: a business that picks the wrong technology loses both money and time. If what you need is measurement, it is better to hear that from us.
If what you need is visibility, read our guide on showing the inside of your business on Google Maps or browse our portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Street View tour appears on Google Maps and in the Business Profile and opens directly from search results. Matterport produces a measurable 3D model, but it is not published on Google Maps.
If customers search for the business on Google, a Street View tour appears right inside that search. A Matterport tour is a link that has to be shared separately.
Because Matterport creates a 3D scan of the space, distances can be measured. A Street View tour is based on panoramic images and is not meant for measurement.
If square footage and floor plans matter, Matterport has the edge. If the goal is to make a listing more visible, a Street View tour reaches a wider audience.
Matterport models usually require an ongoing subscription for hosting. A Street View tour is hosted by Google and does not require a separate monthly payment.
Yes. Some businesses choose a Street View tour for visibility and a separate 3D model for internal processes or detailed presentations.
It means tours shot by Google-certified photographers can be published on Google Maps with the 'See Inside' feature.
G360 shoots as a Google Street View Trusted certified photographer and integrates tours into Google Maps. Matterport is a separate platform and is not part of our production workflow.
A Professional Virtual Tour for Your Business
Give your customers an unforgettable experience with a 360° virtual tour.
Get a Free Quote