Honest comparison
Studio shoot vs AI product photos
From someone who's used both. AI doesn't replace everything — but for most online sellers, the cost and time of a shoot are the bottleneck. Here's where the line actually falls.
| Factor | Studio shoot | AI product photos (Jlily) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per photo | Typically ~$280–$420 (models/props extra) | Per-photo credits, from $9/mo |
| Time to result | 3–7 days: book, shoot, retouch | Seconds to minutes after upload |
| Edits / retries | Reshoots cost more time and money | Unlimited versions from one photo |
| Quality | Most accurate for real texture & detail | Ad-ready, with high creative freedom |
| Multi-channel sizes | Manual resize and re-layout | Coupang/Naver/Instagram sizes in one pass |
| Best for | Hero key visuals, luxury main cuts | Fast SKU turnover, ad creative testing |
* Costs are estimates for the Korean market and vary by vendor and setup.
Verdict
There are moments a shoot still wins
For a brand's hero key visual, or a luxury product where texture is the whole point, a studio is still better. But for the everyday work — launching new SKUs fast, fitting each channel's size, testing several ad creatives — AI cuts time and cost dramatically. Using both is the realistic answer.
Before you pay for a shoot, try making it
Free credits on signup. See output first — no card.