Zillow: scrapers and the official API, compared

Route map

Each line is one way to get Zillow data; each stop is a field you probably need. Green lines are catalogue Actors, ranked by the published formula.

Which route for which job

The catalogue Actors for Zillow return different records. "Only this route" lists the published fields no other Actor in this table returns, which is usually what decides the choice. Cost is the published per-result rate; start events and platform usage are extra.

Field matrix: who returns what

Every tool with a published output schema, against the 9 fields most Zillow jobs need. A dot means the field name appears in the schema; rows can still leave it empty.

Field dictionary: the exact keys

The same core field has a different key in each Actor's output. Map these before you merge datasets; a dash means the published schema has no matching key. Need a field that is not listed here, such as email? Search every Zillow Actor by field.

Download this comparison: CSV · JSON (every tool with a published schema, matching keys per core field, price and score).

All 17 tools, scored

Catalogue Actors link to their detail pages; the score (0 to 100) is the published formula, identical for every tool. Other Store tools follow in their own table, for reference. Price is the published primary-result rate per 1,000 (the Free-plan rate where the price is tiered; higher Apify plans pay less); start events and platform usage are excluded.

Other Store tools, for reference

Scored with the same published formula and listed for comparison only; this site does not link or recommend them.

What to check before you choose

Housing researchers use Zillow listings to compare asking prices, rental availability and property characteristics. Regional research datasets support a different task: tracking market trends across places and reporting periods.

Choose listing extraction for property-level work, open-house extraction for scheduled showings and research tools for regional trends. Property-manager directories and mortgage-rate tools provide separate records rather than additional listing fields.

Checklist

• Keep price, zestimate and rentZestimate separate. The listing schema describes an asking price, an estimated property value and an estimated monthly rent.
• Confirm the record's identity and scope. The listing documentation allows zpid to represent a property or a building, while the open-house tool describes a record for each scheduled showing.
• Check units and geography before combining outputs. Listing sqft describes living area, while research output uses fields such as regionType, metric and unit.

Where the data is incomplete

The listing extractor describes property-history collection, but the published field list does not identify history records or their dates. It defines price as a listing price.

Regional research values also describe a different scope from individual properties and need to retain their geography and reporting date.

Official API route

Terms and personal data

Property data may carry broker and MLS restrictions even when it appears on public listing pages. Check Zillow's terms and the reuse permissions for the data you collect. This is general information, not legal advice.

Read Zillow's terms. Keep to public data, do not bypass logins or access controls, and check whether personal data is involved before you collect it. The can-I-scrape checklist walks through it.

How to start

1. Open the recommended Zillow tool in the comparison and choose a supported public listing search from its input documentation.
2. Select a small area and the supported listing status needed for your research, then start the collection.
3. Inspect the dataset's property links, addresses, prices and status information against the published schema before collecting a wider area.

Call Zillow Upcoming Open House Finder by City or ZIP from code

The example input uses the Actor's published defaults; set your own Zillow query before you run it. You need an Apify API token.

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run_input = {
    "locations": [
        "Austin, TX"
    ],
    "dateFilter": "any",
    "includeDetails": True,
    "includeAgentContact": False,
    "maxItems": 1,
    "timeZone": "America/New_York"
}

run = client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/zillow-upcoming-open-house-finder-by-city-or-zip").call(run_input=run_input)
if run is None:
    raise RuntimeError("The Actor run was not found.")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

import { ApifyClient } from "apify-client";

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: "<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>" });
const input = {
    "locations": [
        "Austin, TX"
    ],
    "dateFilter": "any",
    "includeDetails": true,
    "includeAgentContact": false,
    "maxItems": 1,
    "timeZone": "America/New_York"
};

const run = await client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/zillow-upcoming-open-house-finder-by-city-or-zip").call(input);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/nimbryxo-studio~zillow-upcoming-open-house-finder-by-city-or-zip/run-sync-get-dataset-items"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{"locations":["Austin, TX"],"dateFilter":"any","includeDetails":true,"includeAgentContact":false,"maxItems":1,"timeZone":"America/New_York"}'

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=nimbryxo-studio/zillow-upcoming-open-house-finder-by-city-or-zip",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Questions people ask

More on Zillow

• Error fixZillow 403 Forbidden: why listing requests get blocked
• Country comparisonUS real estate data: five listing sources compared
• Topic groupReal estate data: every website compared
• ToolWhich Zillow route fits your job?
• ToolZillow cost by Apify plan, rows and runs

Related websites

• Realtor.com1 Actor
• Redfin1 Actor
• Apartments.com1 Actor

Sources

• Zillow Upcoming Open House Finder by City or ZIP on Apify Store
• Zillow Distressed Property Finder by City or ZIP on Apify Store
• Zillow For-Sale, Rent & Sold Listing Extractor on Apify Store
• Zillow Daily Mortgage Rate & Lender Quote Scraper on Apify Store
• Zillow Market Trends Scraper on Apify Store
• Zillow Property Manager Directory by City on Apify Store
• Zillow data access (partner / Bridge) documentation
• Zillow terms