Features · Updated October 11, 2026

Zillow features, tested by audience

A tour of what Zillow offers, grouped by the job you are trying to do, with our notes on where each tool is strong or thin.

Search, maps and alerts

Search is Zillow’s core. You draw or type an area, filter by price, beds, baths, home type and more, and get a map and list. Saved searches send alerts when something new matches. Each listing page carries photos, a price history, a tax history, nearby schools and a monthly payment estimate.

Zestimate and Rent Zestimate

The Zestimate is Zillow’s automated estimate of a home’s market value. On listed homes it uses listing price, description and comparable sales; off the market it leans on public records such as tax assessments and prior sales, plus user-submitted facts and market trends. A Rent Zestimate does the same for monthly rent.

Reported median error is small for homes on the market and several times larger off the market (see the sanity-check tool). Treat it as a starting point for a conversation with an agent or an appraiser, not an offer price.

Rentals and Rental Manager

Zillow Rentals lets renters search, save and apply. For landlords, Zillow’s Rental Manager page describes free listing, free tenant screening for landlords (renter history, income verification, credit and background checks) and free rent collection, with a paid Premium listing for extra exposure. Pricing for Premium has been reported at $29.99 for up to 90 days; confirm the current price in the posting flow.

Agent tools

Agents can advertise through Premier Agent, which routes buyer and seller inquiries to paying agents. A newer, invitation-only route called Zillow Preferred (formerly Flex) has no up-front lead cost and charges a success fee at closing. Zillow also describes a suite called Zillow Pro for agent business tools.

Zillow Home Loans

Zillow Home Loans is Zillow’s mortgage lender and offers pre-approval and rate quotes inside the app. You are free to shop other lenders, and you should compare at least a few quotes before choosing.

Photos, 3D tours and Showcase

Many listings include professional photos, floor plans or 3D tours. Zillow Showcase is a premium presentation that agents can buy for a listing. Quality varies by listing; the media is as good as the agent who provided it.

Where it falls short

• Estimates off the market can be well off, especially for unusual homes or thin markets.
• Data lag. Status changes can take time to appear and some listings are stale.
• Inquiry routing. Contact buttons may connect you with a paying advertiser rather than the listing agent.
• Limited control for owners. You can claim your home and correct facts, but the estimate is Zillow’s.

Features at a glance