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Zillow API access: choosing the right data connection

Was the Zillow API discontinued? What replaced the retired free API, which official Zillow data programs remain, and how to choose access for your app.

4 min read

Updated

Is there a Zillow API?

Zillow Group publishes a developer directory with several data and integration programs. There is no single access decision that answers every use case: listing feeds, public records, mortgage integrations and property estimates are different products. Start with the data you need and the permissions your application requires.

PropertiesAPI is an independent service that returns property and listing information from a Zillow link, property ID or US address. It is not an official Zillow API, is not affiliated with Zillow, and does not grant access to Zillow partner programs. This guide explains where that distinction matters. We sell the independent lookup service discussed here.

Was the Zillow API discontinued?

The original one was. The free Zillow API that developers used for years, with a ZWSID key and calls such as GetSearchResults, GetDeepSearchResults and GetZestimate, was retired years ago (the migration guide linked below gives the dates). Code that still calls those endpoints gets errors instead of data, and tutorials, plugins and spreadsheet add-ons written before then usually describe that retired API. Check the date of any guide before following it.

Zillow still runs data programs, but not as a self-serve key. Its developer directory groups the current offerings by area, such as listings, public data, rentals and Zestimates, and says some are available to the public and others only to partners. Zillow's page for its Zestimate data program describes it as intended for commercial use cases by businesses, with access requested through a form. Read the current page for each program, because eligibility and terms differ.

If you maintain an application built on the retired calls, the practical question is which of your fields still have a source. Our migration guide maps each legacy call and field to a current JSON endpoint and lists what has no replacement, such as comparable sales and Zestimate ranges. PropertiesAPI reads the public Zillow page for a property you name; it is an independent service, not a continuation of Zillow's API.

Separate lookup from discovery

A lookup begins with a known property. A discovery workflow starts with a place or filter and asks for matching properties. Do not assume a property-detail endpoint also provides every listing in a ZIP code, a licensed MLS feed, or a bulk historical database.

Write a one-sentence requirement before comparing providers. For example: “Our application needs the current listing status and available property facts for addresses our users already supplied.” That is a narrower requirement than “We need a complete market feed.”

  • Known Zillow link or address: evaluate a property lookup endpoint.
  • Licensed MLS distribution: investigate the relevant official feed and its approval terms.
  • Regional market trends: evaluate aggregate datasets and their release schedules.
  • Historical research: establish the required dates, event types and completeness separately.

Verify the data contract before signing up

Choose a small set of properties that represents the actual application: a house, a condo with a unit number, a rental and an off-market home. Check which fields are returned and which are absent. Keep estimates, asking prices and completed sale prices separate in your acceptance checklist.

For PropertiesAPI, the property response is JSON with a data object and a meta object. Fields that are unavailable can be null, and collections such as photos or priceHistory can be empty. A successful HTTP response therefore does not mean every field your application wants is present.

Treat access and usage rights as separate checks

Working credentials establish technical access. They do not establish permission to republish photos, distribute listing content, or present an estimate as an appraisal. Review the source terms, the API terms and the requirements of your particular use.

The official Zillow developer directory is a starting point for official programs. Follow the current page for the specific offering, because eligibility and terms can differ. For an independent lookup, read the response documentation and data-rights page before deciding how results will appear to your users.

Use a short evaluation checklist

Record the input, returned identity, collection time, missing fields and error behavior for each evaluation case. Avoid turning one successful request into a claim about coverage or throughput. Your acceptance criteria should describe the actual user experience when a record is incomplete or a lookup fails.

  • Confirm that the returned address and property ID refer to the intended home.
  • Check whether the response is cached and retain its collection timestamp.
  • Test missing estimates, empty histories and incorrect credentials.
  • Keep keys on a server and review the current plan limits.
  • Choose a next step based on your use case, not on a generic “Zillow API” label.

Sources and documentation

Product details checked against the linked documentation on October 29, 2026. Code and sample inputs are illustrative unless stated otherwise.

Written by PropertiesAPI, an independent property data service. We are not affiliated with Zillow. Source data may be incomplete or change over time.

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