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How Much Do Headshots Cost? 2026 Prices
Short answer: A professional headshot session with a photographer typically costs about $200–$400 in the US. Thumbtack puts the national average at $304, with typical prices from $216 to $427. Retouching, extra outfits, hair and makeup, and travel can add to that. On Headshots.so, AI headshots cost $29, $45 or $69, paid once, for 54, 96 or 150 portraits. Prices checked October 18, 2026.
This is not a quality-war essay. It is a cost breakdown for people who need a current portrait for LinkedIn, a CV, and a company directory, and who want to know when a photographer is still worth the invoice.
How much does a photographer charge for a professional photo in 2026?
Plan on about $200–$400 for a typical headshot session in the US, then add travel and time off. Entry sessions in smaller markets sit near the bottom of that range. City studios, branding directors, and hair-and-styling packages sit at the top. You usually leave with a handful of retouched frames, not a hundred variations the same afternoon.
Recruiters on LinkedIn decide in seconds. The photo has to look like you this year. Paying studio rates every time your haircut or role changes is how a “simple headshot” becomes a recurring line item.
What does the appointment actually cost once you count the calendar?
A studio visit is rarely 20 minutes on site. You travel, wait, shoot, travel back, then wait again for retouching. That is half a day for many professionals — time you are not in deals, interviews, or deep work. If your hour is billable, the sitting fee is not the expensive part. AI headshots remove the travel line: ten selfies at home, results in about 15 minutes.
Headshot prices by option
| Option | Typical price | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY phone photo | $0 | As many tries as you like, with your own light and editing | A quick update when you have good light and someone to hold the phone |
| AI headshots (Headshots.so) | $29, $45 or $69, paid once | 54, 96 or 150 portraits from about 10 selfies, in about 15 minutes on Basic. Other AI services set their own prices. | LinkedIn, your CV, the company website and matching team photos |
| Photographer session | About $200–$400 (national average $304) | A session with a photographer. The number of edited photos depends on the package. | Directed shoots, on-location portraits, press photos |
| Studio session with retouching | Top of the range and up. Thumbtack’s high-end average is $427. | A longer session, more outfits and retouched files. Some packages add hair and makeup. | Personal branding, actors, executives |
| On-site corporate, per person | About $100–$200 per person, plus travel | The photographer comes to your workplace and photographs your team there | Teams that want everyone photographed on the same day |
Photographer prices are national figures from Thumbtack and Bark. Local prices vary.
What do AI headshots cost on Headshots.so in 2026?
Starter is $29. Basic is $45 (sale from $55). Premium is $69. Basic gives you more looks for LinkedIn, CV, and Slack, typically ready in about 15 minutes after you upload around 10 selfies. You get a commercial license. Models are deleted after 30 days. Your photos are stored encrypted in the EU. There is a 7-day refund if you have not downloaded.
Headshots.so is built in Denmark, not assembled as another US mill with unclear hosting. Over 18,000 customers have generated more than 1.25 million portraits. The rating is 4.7/5 on Trustpilot. More than 750 companies have used the same pipeline. Questions go to hey@headshots.dk.
Studio vs Headshots: what do you actually buy?
A photographer sells direction in the room — light, posture, a single signature frame. Headshots sells speed, price, and volume. For LinkedIn and a CV, volume is the job: one calm resume crop, one warmer networking portrait, maybe a third for your speaker bio. The table below uses live 2026 prices, not a vague “from $99” banner.
| Studio photographer | Headshots.so | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $200–$400 (US average $304) | Starter $29 / Basic $45 / Premium $69 |
| Time | Travel + session + retouch wait | About 15 minutes for Basic |
| Number of images | Usually a small retouched set | Dozens of portraits across multiple styles |
| Refund | Uncommon after the shoot | 7 days if you have not downloaded |
| Travel | Yes — studio or on-site visit | None. About 10 selfies from home |
Team headshots: cost per person
Headshots.so charges $45 per person, and the price drops as the team grows: 10% off from 6 people, 15% from 11, 20% from 26 and 25% from 51. Everyone gets 96 headshots, and you can lock backgrounds and outfits so the whole team matches.
| Team size | Headshots.so per person | Headshots.so total | Photographer at $100–$200 per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 people | $45 | $225 | $500–$1,000 |
| 10 people | $40.50 | $405 | $1,000–$2,000 |
| 15 people | $38.25 | $573.75 | $1,500–$3,000 |
| 30 people | $36 | $1,080 | $3,000–$6,000 |
| 50 people | $36 | $1,800 | $5,000–$10,000 |
| 100 people | $33.75 | $3,375 | $10,000–$20,000 |
The photographer column uses Bark’s range for corporate headshots of about $100–$200 per person, before travel and extra retouching. Real quotes vary, and some photographers price team shoots per session instead.
Hidden costs to ask about
- Retouching. Editing is often an extra fee, so ask whether it’s included.
- Extra outfits and time. The number of outfit changes and the length of the shoot both affect the price.
- More photos. The number of downloads affects the price. Ask how many edited photos the package includes.
- Hair, makeup or a stylist. These are extras that change the total.
- Travel. If the photographer comes to you from far away, travel costs can be added to the quote.
- Usage rights. Check that the package covers how you’ll use the photos, for example on your company website or in ads.
- Your own time. Booking, getting there and the session itself.
- Next year’s update. A new photo means a new session.
On Headshots.so the price includes a full commercial license, with no subscription and no extra fees.
When should you still book a photographer?
Book a photographer when you need directed branding, an on-location story, press, hair and styling, or group and event coverage. AI will not move a key light, reset a shoulder, or photograph a leadership team in a glass lobby. Keep the studio for those moments. Use Headshots when you need a current LinkedIn and CV portrait without burning a morning and a three-figure sitting fee.
- Directed personal branding and campaign work
- On-location portraits where the space is part of the frame
- Press and keynote, with live art direction
- Hair, makeup, and styling on the day
- Group, event, and reportage coverage
How do you get a professional photo from 10 selfies?
Take about 10 clear, recent selfies in different light, upload them on Headshots.so, pick styles, and wait around 15 minutes. No booking thread, no commute, no small talk under strobes. Use the same face on LinkedIn and your CV so recruiters recognize you. Teams that want matching backgrounds pay $45 per person, with 10–25% off from 6 people (see the table above), on Headshots for teams.
- Shoot ~10 selfies — sharp face, no sunglasses, no heavy beauty filter
- Choose a pack and styles that match your industry tone
- Download the frames you will actually publish
FAQ
How much does a professional headshot cost in 2026? A photographer session in the US typically costs about $200–$400 (Thumbtack’s national average is $304), plus travel and time off. Headshots.so starts at $29 for a full set from about 10 selfies.
What do Headshots.so packages cost? Starter $29, Basic $45 (sale from $55), Premium $69. Basic is typically ready in about 15 minutes. Team pricing starts at $45 per person, with 10–25% off from 6 people.
When is a photographer still the better buy? Directed branding, on-location work, press, hair and styling, and group or event coverage. AI is the faster, cheaper path for LinkedIn and CV refreshes.
How long does it take, and what do I upload? Most sets are ready in about 15 minutes. Upload around 10 selfies with a clear face and mixed lighting. Skip group crops and heavy filters.
What if I do not like the results? 7-day refund if you have not downloaded. Photos stored encrypted in the EU, models deleted after 30 days, commercial license. Support: hey@headshots.dk.
Get the photo without the studio invoice
Skip the sitting fee and the half-day. Create professional headshots on Headshots.so — from selfies to usable portraits in about 15 minutes, from $29.
Sources
- Thumbtack, How much do photographers charge? Last updated January 22, 2025, checked October 18, 2026. Headshot photography: national average $304, typical range $216–$427. Also the source for the price factors: outfit changes, shoot length, number of downloads and extras like a makeup artist or stylist.
- Bark, Headshot Photography prices 2025, checked October 18, 2026. $100–$230 per hour (average $150), corporate headshots $100–$200, team shots $280–$400 per session. Also the source for editing as an extra fee and travel costs.
- Headshots.so pricing, October 2026.
