ZillaBooth 3.0 is officially here. This major update brings a mature, feature-complete experience designed for event professionals, venue operators, and casual hosts who need a reliable, self-running photo booth.
We built ZillaBooth with a focus on stability and ease of use. Whether you are managing a high-traffic brand activation or setting up an iPad at a wedding reception, ZillaBooth 3.0 turns your hardware into a polished kiosk that works while you host. The booth runs itself, so you can run the event.
Here is an overview of the new professional tools, our three user tiers, and the engineering that makes ZillaBooth the smart choice for your next event.
What’s New in Version 3.0?
Version 3.0 introduces a suite of powerful, thoughtfully engineered features designed to give operators complete control and peace of mind during live events.
- USB External Camera Support: For professional setups, you can now connect UVC-compliant USB webcams and DSLR cameras to your iPad. This provides a DSLR connection option with a clean, high-quality feed, giving you consistent framing independent of the iPad’s built-in camera.
- Event Readiness Dashboard: Ensure your hardware is ready before the doors open. The new live dashboard lets you proactively verify your battery, thermal state, storage capacity, and printer connectivity in one place.
- Ambient Device Status Alerts: Subtle live status chips on the iPad camera screen keep operators informed of low battery, overheating, or printer issues without interrupting the guest flow.
- Bluetooth Remote Shutter: Trigger photo captures seamlessly using standard Bluetooth remotes, volume buttons, or the new iPhone Camera Control button. It utilizes a unified shutter path to ensure flawless hands-free attendant operation.
- Custom Save Locations: Professional workflows require flexibility. You can now save individual photos and finished collages directly to external drives, Files folders, or iCloud Drive for instant editor access and same-night handoffs.
- Attention-Grabbing Shutter Button: Designed for unattended setups, an optional animated particle halo or swirling emoji ring around the iPad shutter helps draw guests in and maximize engagement.
Three Tiers Designed for Different Users
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, ZillaBooth is structured into three distinct tiers tailored to different types of users and use cases. With the 3.0 release, we are officially renaming our one-time purchase tier to Pocket to better reflect its intended use.
Core (Free)
ZillaBooth Core is designed for casual use and testing. It remains completely free to download, requires no account or login, and produces clean collages with zero watermarks.
- Classic Collages: Capture exactly four photos in sequence to automatically generate a 2×2 grid or 1×4 vertical strip.
- Automated Flow: Simple automatic countdown timers and full-screen flash for consistent illumination.
- Instant Sharing: Share or save your collage instantly using the native iOS share sheet.
Pocket (One-Time Purchase)
Designed for casual users and content creators who want a customizable photo booth experience right in their pocket. While it works beautifully on an iPad, Pocket is primarily envisioned for iPhone users.
- Custom Timing & Manual Capture: Adjust initial and between-photo countdowns, or switch to Manual Capture to take photos at a natural, human-paced rhythm.
- Creative Aesthetics: Apply professional black-and-white filters and add customized border spacing and colors.
- Automated Organization: Auto-save individual photos and collages directly to your library, and embed GPS metadata with geotagging.
- Custom Share Messages: Pre-fill the iOS share sheet with your own custom caption or event hashtag.
Pro (Monthly Subscription)
The Pro tier is aimed directly at pros and DIY users running events, parties, and permanently installed photo booths. It leverages all the custom controls of Pocket and adds a complete suite of event-grade tools.
- iPad Event Layout: Transform your iPad into a full-screen kiosk with an oversized shutter and dedicated collage review buttons.
- Integrated SMTP Email: Guests receive their collages in seconds via your own email domain. A persistent BCC feature seamlessly integrates with your marketing lists.
- Graphic Overlays: Import your own transparent PNG artwork for custom logos, borders, and brand themes. There is no proprietary template lock-in.
- Auto-Print: Connect to any AirPrint-compatible venue printer to instantly deliver 4×6 physical keepsakes.
- Booth Automation: Auto-Restart after idle periods, Keep Awake guidance, and a hidden settings button ensure your booth runs safely and independently all night.
Why ZillaBooth?
ZillaBooth 3.0 is built natively for iPhone and iPad using Apple’s AVFoundation framework. This ensures highly reliable captures, system-level performance, and an interface that feels instantly familiar to your staff and guests.
Most importantly, ZillaBooth respects your professional workflow. We believe in zero proprietary lock-in: use the hardware you already own, the email infrastructure you trust, and the branding your clients demand.
Download ZillaBooth 3.0 today and see how easy running a professional photo booth can be.
