Current Per-Vehicle Photo Rates in 2025?

[KadeW]

Hey everyone,


I’m currently doing automotive photography for multiple dealership groups and uploading through vAuto. I’m being paid $7 per vehicle right now. I’ve been doing this for a while and have good working relationships with some major dealer groups in my area.


I was curious — for those of you either working in-house or contracting out vendor services —
➔ What are dealerships typically paying per vehicle for photos in 2025?
➔ If you’re a vendor or independent contractor, what are you currently charging per vehicle?


Trying to get a sense of where the market is at right now. Appreciate any feedback! Thanks.

 

[KadeW]

Also to add I shoot for 9 different dealers under the same automotive group I do 550 - 600 cars a month and I've had 90% of their inventory done for the past 4 months. I'm 24 been doing it for 4 years and considering starting my own LLC to make some more money. I have worked with two larges automotive groups holding strong relationships with both of them.

 

[Will G.]

I charge between $5 - $50/vehicle.
$5/veh for quick pre-recon shots, no more than 10 photos. $50/veh, 50+ photos per vehicle, staging for each exterior shot, includes social media, editing.

The more I charge the more time I spend on the vehicle staging and editing. Most franchise high volume dealers I have worked with "just want photos up" and don't care for quality. Some luxury and independents will pay more and will work with you to provide a staging area, indoor or outdoor. Those stores want quality and will ask for it. They are also active on social media and will pay for sessions.

Good luck
My work on my IG

 

[Ryan Everson]

Hey everyone,


I’m currently doing automotive photography for multiple dealership groups and uploading through vAuto. I’m being paid $7 per vehicle right now. I’ve been doing this for a while and have good working relationships with some major dealer groups in my area.


I was curious — for those of you either working in-house or contracting out vendor services —
➔ What are dealerships typically paying per vehicle for photos in 2025?
➔ If you’re a vendor or independent contractor, what are you currently charging per vehicle?


Trying to get a sense of where the market is at right now. Appreciate any feedback! Thanks.

$15-$20ish per vehicle is about the national average when hiring a company like DealerSpecialties, depends on whether you're also doing window stickers and video.

 

[KadeW]

I charge between $5 - $50/vehicle.
$5/veh for quick pre-recon shots, no more than 10 photos. $50/veh, 50+ photos per vehicle, staging for each exterior shot, includes social media, editing.

The more I charge the more time I spend on the vehicle staging and editing. Most franchise high volume dealers I have worked with "just want photos up" and don't care for quality. Some luxury and independents will pay more and will work with you to provide a staging area, indoor or outdoor. Those stores want quality and will ask for it. They are also active on social media and will pay for sessions.

Good luck
My work on my IG

View attachment 9496


View attachment 9497

View attachment 9498

View attachment 9499


View attachment 9500



View attachment 9501


View attachment 9502

View attachment 9503

Beautiful shots! Yeah when my dealer brought me on their main goal was getting the cars online as quickly as possible with solid images. I do 25-32 shots per vehicle and they also didn't want me to bother with a legit digital camera and have me using my 15 pro max, just to get them done and online quick. I do 550 - 600 cars per month at $7 per car and they bump it to $9 per car if I have 90% of their inventory photographed which I always do!

 

[KadeW]

$15-$20ish per vehicle is about the national average when hiring a company like DealerSpecialties, depends on whether you're also doing window stickers and video.

Yeah when my dealer brought me on their main goal was getting the cars online as quickly as possible with solid images. I do new vehicles so I don't do buyers guides or window stickers, I do 25-32 shots per vehicle and they also didn't want me to bother with a legit digital camera and have me using my 15 pro max, just to get them done and online quick. I do 550 - 600 cars per month at $7 per car and they bump it to $9 per car if I have 90% of their inventory photographed which I always do! They do the overlays through vAuto. Their previous large vendor struggled to hit 70% inventory photographed with very poor images due to turnover rates. Not a huge fan over the background overlay but the Director VP loves it so haha