Ownerly vs Zillow: Which real estate website should you use in 2025?

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that 43% of homebuyers began their home search online in 2024. This finding indicates the critical role that digital platforms play in the current real estate industry.

Platforms like Ownerly and Zillow are now well-known by property buyers and sellers. Over 300,000 people have used Ownerly to search for homes, while 70% of home buyers and sellers use Zillow’s services at some point during their real estate transactions. 

This article compares the two websites to help you choose the best one for your real estate needs. We look at how they measure up to each other based on user-friendliness, features, coverage area, property listing, affordability, the accuracy of their home value estimators, customer support, and ratings on review sites.

By the end of the article, we’ll let you know which option is better for buyers, sellers, and renters.

Ownerly vs Zillow: key differences at a glance

What is Ownerly?

Ownerly is a digital platform founded in 2018 that enables homeowners to track their property values over time. Users can access their properties' information on Ownerly, including home value estimates, nearby sale prices, and tax records. The website also provides information regarding mortgage and refinancing rates, estimated renovation costs, insurance plans, and personal loan providers.

The platform pulls such data from public records and charges you a fee for tracking it down on your behalf. You simply input a property address and wait for the relevant information to be gathered. 

Users use such information when selling their house, refinancing their mortgage, deciding how to renovate, or even checking out homes they’re interested in. 

It is important to note that Ownerly doesn't have an iOS or Android mobile app. However, the website is highly responsive.

Let’s now look at Zillow.

What is Zillow?

Zillow is a multi-functional real estate website that was founded in 2006. It is a subsidiary of Zillow Group, which also owns HotPads, Trulia, and StreetEasy. Zillow goes beyond what Ownerly offers by allowing property owners to list their homes for sale. Renters and buyers can also view available listings, while real estate agents can list rental properties. 

Over the years, Zillow has morphed into one of the largest real estate databases in the industry, with millions of homes listed. It is the leading real estate website in the United States in terms of visitor traffic. 

Zillow also offers several real estate-related services through its affiliates, Zillow Home Loans, Zillow Rentals, and Zillow Premier Agent. 

The platform allows potential home buyers to search properties by city, zip code, address, or neighborhood. Other personalization settings include narrowing your property search by suggesting specific home types, choosing a price range, and setting the number of bathrooms or bathrooms you want in a house. 

When it comes to selling, the best way to get started is to list your property on Zillow. There are two options: posting the home as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO) listing or doing so through a professional representative. Prospective buyers will then be able to view your property details, including its estimated value, based on the platform’s native valuation tool called Zestimate.

Zillow’s users have access to a responsive mobile app compatible with Android and iOS devices.

Ownerly vs Zillow: how to get started

Here’s a breakdown of how to get started with each platform.

Getting started with Ownerly

Ownerly’s clients must subscribe to a 7-day trial membership to access search results. 

Here are the steps involved in becoming a member:

• Sign in or create an account: Once you enter the Ownerly website, you’ll be prompted to sign in using an email address and password or a one-time login link. If you don't have an Ownerly account, you should create one by clicking on the ‘Join Today’ link at the top right corner of the sign-in page.
• Start searching: Enter your search criteria once you're done signing up. Use the search bar by entering your property’s city, address, or zip code.
• View property details: Once Ownerly gathers the necessary data, a report will be generated. You can now start reviewing details like the property value and historical sales data. Users can view and download 25 property reports with the trial plan. Make sure you cancel your membership if you don't wish to subscribe to the paid version.

Getting started with Zillow

Unlike Ownerly, Zillow does not ask for payment before customers use its features. The platform allows you to browse listings, view property details, and use the map feature without signing in.

However, create an account to use more advanced personalized features and save your search criteria. A Zillow account also allows you to begin receiving email notifications when new listings are posted.

Being a member lets you contact third-party lenders, real estate agents, and property managers. If you’re a seller, you can work with an agent so that they can post properties on your behalf. Another option is using Zillow’s For Sale by Owner (FSBO) option.

Other notable features you can utilize on Zillow include mortgage calculators, pre-approval tools, virtual home tours, and detailed neighborhood data.

Let’s now perform a more in-depth comparison between Ownerly and Zillow.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which is more user-friendly? 

Ownerly’s interface

Ownerly has a professional and easy-to-use interface that leans heavily towards providing users with detailed real estate information. Once you log into the website, you notice a search bar where you can enter an address, city, or zip code.

Towards the bottom of the home page, you'll find the "Browse House by State" section, allowing you to narrow your search. The section features a list of all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia (DC) displayed using their two-letter postal abbreviations.

Overall, Ownerly’s UI is clear and functional. The main positive is that it delivers detailed property and homeowner data. 

The downside is that there's little more you can do with the design other than retrieving real estate data.

Zillow’s interface

Zillow has an easy-to-use, simple, professional, and data-driven interface that caters to the needs of buyers, sellers, and renters. There is a search bar where you can input property addresses, neighborhoods, cities, or zip codes when searching for available homes.

The UI makes it easy to access essential features such as personalized home recommendations and tools like BuyAbility that help users estimate home affordability. It uses immersive photos and targeted suggestions to enhance the browsing experience.

There are also sections for real estate listings, mortgage rate information, and market trends.

Verdict

Zillow is more user-friendly than Ownerly. It has an uncomplicated navigation and provides interactive tools and personalized features for buyers, sellers, and renters.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which one offers better features?

Ownerly’s features

Ownerly’s features have been designed to help homeowners and buyers make informed real estate decisions.

Here are some of the notable features and tools:

• Property Search feature: Through this feature, Ownerly users can access real estate information by entering the property address, city, or zip code into the property search bar
• Property Deed Search: This feature allows Ownerly users to look up home ownership history and legal details
• Home Value Estimator tool: You can use this feature to see the approximate value of a home based on location, physical condition, and upgrades
• Mortgage Tax Deduction Calculator: This tool helps homeowners estimate potential tax savings by reducing their taxable income. It subtracts the mortgage interest and property taxes you've paid from the taxable income
• Reverse Mortgage Calculator: Homeowners and buyers use this feature to understand how much equity can be tapped for supplemental income

Zillow’s features

Zillow has a comprehensive set of features. 

These include:

• Property listings: Zillow’s property database houses millions of listings in urban and rural areas across the United States and Canada. The company aggregates them from Multiple Listing Services (MLSs), homeowner submissions, and agent information
• Value estimator (Zestimate): Zillow's proprietary home value estimation tool provides estimated home values based on public data, previous sales data, and district appraisal records
• Rentals: The platform has a dedicated section for rental listings.
• Zillow Home Loans: This tool provides users with mortgage calculators and pre-approval tools. These come in handy when you want to understand your budget and financing options
• Zillow Premier Agent: This service connects homebuyers and sellers with real estate agents
• Learning Center: Here, you’ll find educational resources, guides, and blog articles to help you understand various aspects of real estate
• Zillow Academy: These are courses and training resources for Zillow Premier Agents

Verdict 

Zillow’s extensive set of features gives it an edge over Ownerly.

Ownerly vs Zillow: comparing their coverage area?

Ownerly’s coverage area

Ownerly serves all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia (DC). The "Browse House by State" tool helps to narrow your search.

Zillow’s coverage area

Zillow operates in multiple American states and Canadian provinces. 

It is an excellent tool for finding properties in urban areas but less reliable in rural areas and for off-market properties.

Verdict

Ownerly provides better coverage than Zillow in the United States.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which has a more accurate home value estimator?

Ownerly’s valuation capabilities

The company’s property valuation model provides a relatively accurate estimate of a home’s market value based on automated valuation models (AVMs). 

The tool analyzes data like size, age, and location using professional-grade algorithms and then provides a range of property values. However, like other AVMs, it often fails to account for unique property features and renovations.

Zillow’s valuation capabilities

Zillow’s property value estimator (Zestimate) aggregates data from multiple sources. These include public data, user submissions, previous sales data, and district appraisal records. 

However, the company rarely appraises properties and often overlooks property upgrades and structural conditions. 

Verdict

Ownerly and Zillow have reliable home value estimators, but neither is perfectly accurate.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which one is more affordable?

Ownerly’s pricing 

Ownerly has two 7-day trial membership options:

• $1 Trial: This plan gives you viewing access to 25 property reports.
• $5 Trial: This plan lets you view and download 25 reports.

Once the trial membership ends, users are charged $34.99 monthly to access 25 reports. If you do not wish to be billed, cancel your subscription within the 7-day trial period. 

However, there are complaints on review websites such as Trustpilot about users still being charged after canceling their subscriptions. Such accusations are red flags you should know before sharing your payment information.

Zillow’s pricing

Zillow has a different pricing structure. The platform allows you to list properties for free, regardless of whether they are FSBO or agent-backed listings.

If you want to start listing premium rental properties, you pay a $29.99 one-time fee. 

There is a 5%–6% agent commission fee for sellers who work with agents through Zillow.

Verdict

Zillow is generally more affordable than Ownerly because it allows free listings and only charges a one-time fee for premium rentals.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which one offers better customer support?

Ownerly’s customer support

Ownerly offers several customer support options. The primary ones are the phone number, 1-888-212-8460, and the email address, support@ownerly.com. Others include the mailing address, PO Box 105168, Atlanta, GA 30348-5168, physical offices in New York, NY, a contact form, and live chat support.

Phone support is available daily from 6 AM to 11:30 PM EST, and live chat is accessible 24/7.

Zillow’s  customer support

Zillow expects landlords, homebuyers, homeowners, agents, lenders, renters, and home sellers to troubleshoot their problems through the website’s Help Center. 

If you need further assistance, you can submit a ticket through Zendesk.

Verdict 

Ownerly offers multiplatform support, while Zillow relies on its Help Center and ticket submission. Ownerly, therefore, provides better customer support than Zillow.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which one is better for home buyers?

Ownerly for home buyers

As a homebuyer, the intention is to buy property at the fairest price. Ownerly makes this easy by aggregating all the essential property information and presenting it to you at a fee. You can then use the home value estimator and property deed search to look up home ownership history, legal details, and the approximate value of a home. 

Zillow for home buyers

Zillow is one of the best platforms for buying or renting a home. 

Its database has over 160 million home listings, making it easy to find homes that meet your needs and preferences. You can search by city, address, zip code, and neighborhood and then narrow your search based on price and the number of bathrooms or bedrooms.

Rental property owners can use Zillow Rental Manager to list properties, screen potential tenants, and manage rent payments.

Verdict

Zillow is better than Ownerly for home buyers since it has a vast selection of property listings.

Ownerly vs Zillow: which one is better for home sellers?

Ownerly for home sellers

Ownerly is an important data point for home sellers. Use the platform to check your home’s price range before listing it as a “for sale by owner” (FSBO) property. The “Browse Properties by State” tool is a good place to start. 

Note: We recommend not relying too much on automated valuation models (AVM) such as these to set your property’s price. Yes, they can explain how much a house is worth. But, this is usually just a ballpark value estimate and might not be as reliable as professional appraisals.

Zillow for home sellers

As a Zillow seller, list your home and wait for prospective buyers to place their offers. It doesn't matter if it's an FSBO or agent-backed listing—it should automatically appear among the property listings.

Verdict

Ownerly is limited to providing property information. On the other hand, Zillow provides you with this same information but goes further and allows you to list and sell your home.

For this reason, Zillow is better than Ownerly for home sellers. In addition, it has a free and straightforward listing process.

Ownerly vs Zillow: reviews and ratings 

Ownerly’s reviews and ratings 

Ownerly has a poor rating of 2/5 from 150 reviews on Trustpilot. 76% of the reviews are rated 1/5. Most of these negative comments are about dishonest billing, such as being charged after canceling your subscription, a counterintuitive user interface, incorrect search results, and poor customer service.

One of the negative reviews we came across was Claire’s. She states that Ownerly’s interface is confusing and that the company should make it a bit more simplistic.

In the following review, Annalisa expresses dissatisfaction with Ownerly’s customer support. Even after trying to deregister from the platform with the help of a company representative, it was still impossible. 

Despite the numerous negative comments, some users are happy with Ownerly’s services.

For instance, Michael maintains that the information he obtained from the platform was comprehensive and accurate. 

Similarly, Ed highlights that Ownerly significantly reduced the time he required to gather real estate information.

Zillow’s reviews and ratings 

Zillow’s rating on Trustpilot is also poor (1.6/5 from 417 reviews).

Like Ownerly, 76% of these reviews are rated 1 out of 5.

Most reviewers are realtors and homeowners complaining about Zillow’s unresponsive customer service.

Look at Nicole’s lengthy review of her experience on the platform.

This review shows that Andrew, too, has had issues getting a response from Zillow’s customer service team.

Which one is better overall in 2025, Ownerly or Zillow?

Ownerly and Zillow serve different purposes. Therefore, choosing one over the other would depend on your needs and preferences.

Choose Ownerly when:

• You're looking for in-depth property information and valuation: The platform provides comprehensive insights like home value estimates, nearby sale prices, tax records, and renovation cost estimates
• You’re searching for properties across the entire United States: Ownerly has extensive coverage across all 50 states and DC
• You want multiplatform customer support: Ownerly offers various contact options, including phone, email, live chat, and a contact form
• You prefer AVMs: The website’s estimator is based on Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) that enable it to analyze property data before providing a range of values
• You're looking for financial tools: Ownerly’s tools, such as the Mortgage Tax Deduction Calculator and Reverse Mortgage Calculator, enable homeowners and buyers to make informed finance and tax decisions

Go for Zillow if you’re looking for:

• Comprehensive real estate features: Zillow provides property listings, rental options, mortgage calculators, a learning center, and tools for real estate agents
• User-friendliness: The website has an intuitive interface and provides personalized features and affordability tools
• Browsing property listings: The platform has over 160 million home listings. Users can search and filter properties based on specific criteria
• Rental options: Zillow has a dedicated section for rental listings
• Affordability: Zillow is generally more affordable than Ownerly. It allows users to list properties for free and charges a one-time fee for premium rental listings
• Connecting with agents: Zillow connects homebuyers and sellers with real estate agents through Zillow Premier Agent service. This service can be valuable if you're looking for professional guidance when buying or selling a house

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FAQs

Which platform provides more accurate home value estimates, Ownerly or Zillow?

Both home value estimators have their strengths, but neither can guarantee pinpoint accuracy due to the complex nature of property valuation. However, they both provide helpful ballpark figures that guide the property valuation process.

How does Zillow support real estate professionals?

The Zillow Premier Agent service connects agents with potential homebuyers and sellers. Agents can advertise their services and gain more skills through Zillow Academy.

Which platform is better for long-term homeownership planning, Ownerly or Zillow?

Zillow is better for long-term planning since it provides a wide range of real estate resources.