People who want Zillow data in a spreadsheet often start by looking for an API, because an API is the standard way for one system to request data from another. The short answer is that there is no public Zillow API you can connect to Google Sheets today. The longer answer explains why, and what the realistic alternatives are.
What an API is, and why it would be ideal
An API (application programming interface) is a defined way for a program to ask a service for data and receive it in a structured form. If Zillow offered an open listings API, a Google Sheets script could request "all listings in this ZIP code" and write the results into rows. No browser, no copying.
This is why the question comes up so often. It is the correct technical solution, if it is available.
What happened to the Zillow API
Zillow did once offer public APIs that individual developers could sign up for, including endpoints for property details and Zestimates. These were retired on September 30, 2021. Applications that depended on them had to find another data source.
Today, Zillow Group lists its data products on its developer site. They cover several areas: MLS and broker listings, Zestimates, public records, neighborhood data, rentals, mortgages and agent reviews. The important point is who they are for:
- Listing data from MLSs (multiple listing services) is provided through Bridge Interactive, a Zillow Group company. Access to MLS data generally requires authorization from the MLS itself, and the platform is invite-only. This means it is designed for brokers, MLS members and technology companies working with them.
- The Zestimates API is described as being for "commercial use cases by businesses." You request access through a form that asks for your company and your intended use.
- Other datasets have their own approval processes and terms.
In other words, these are business partnerships, not a sign-up-and-go service. An individual investor, agent or home buyer who wants listings in a spreadsheet is generally not the intended user.
Options that remain
If the official route is not available to you, there are four realistic options. They differ in cost, effort and risk.
1. Google Sheets import functions
Google Sheets includes IMPORTXML and IMPORTHTML, which fetch a web page and extract parts of it. They work well on simple pages.
On Zillow they usually fail. Zillow builds its pages with JavaScript, and these functions download the page without running that code. Zillow also tends to block automated requests. The typical result is an error or an empty cell.
2. Third-party data APIs
Several companies sell access to Zillow data through their own APIs, usually priced per request. You can call these from Google Sheets with a short Apps Script.
Two points to consider before choosing this route:
- These services are not Zillow. They collect the data themselves, and the terms under which they do so are their own. Read them.
- They require some programming. You need to write and maintain a script, handle an API key, and pay per request. For a developer this is reasonable. For most spreadsheet users it is more than they want to take on.
3. Copying by hand
This always works and costs nothing, but it is slow and error-prone. It is fine for a few properties and impractical for more.
4. A browser extension that writes to Google Sheets
A browser extension takes a different approach. Instead of asking Zillow's servers for data, it reads the page you are already viewing, after it has loaded in your browser. It sees the same information you see, and it can send that information to a Google Sheet.
This is not an API in the technical sense, and it is important to understand the difference:
| An API | A browser extension | |
|---|---|---|
| Who fetches the data | A program, automatically | You, by opening a listing or a search |
| Can it run unattended? | Yes | No, you must be on the page |
| Programming required | Yes | No |
| Scale | Thousands of records | What you can browse |
If you need to collect every listing in a region every night without anyone at a computer, you need an API or a data vendor. If you are looking at listings anyway and want the data in a sheet instead of copying it, an extension fits that workflow better.
Where Listing2Sheets fits
Listing2Sheets is the fourth option. It adds a "Send to Sheets" button to Zillow listing pages and search results. Each export appends a row to a Google Sheet you choose, with each field in the column you assigned. It uses Google's drive.file permission, which means it can only access the spreadsheets you select, not the rest of your Drive.
It does not run in the background, and it does not collect listings you have not opened. It is a faster way to record what you are already reviewing.
Summary
There is no public Zillow API for individual users. The public API was retired in 2021, and Zillow's current data products are offered to businesses and MLS partners through an approval process. Google Sheets import functions usually fail on Zillow's pages. Third-party data APIs work but require programming and per-request fees. For people who browse listings and want the data in a sheet, a browser extension that writes into Google Sheets is the practical option.
To see how that works step by step, read How to Export Zillow Listings to Google Sheets.