CoStar
Zillow
| Feature | CoStar | Zillow |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Contact sales | Free only |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | commercial-brokers, property-investors, asset-managers, appraisers | home-buyers, home-sellers, renters, real-estate-agents |
| Founded | 1987 | 2006 |
| Property Data | ✓ | ✗ |
| Market Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tenant Information | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comparable Sales | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mapping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Forecasting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Alerts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Property Listings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Home Valuations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mortgage Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| 3d Tours | ✗ | ✓ |
| Agent Matching | ✗ | ✓ |
| Market Data | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rental Listings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Saved Searches | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ CoStar Pros
- Most comprehensive commercial real estate database
- Detailed property and tenant information
- Advanced analytics and market forecasting
- Verified data with dedicated research teams
✗ CoStar Cons
- Very expensive subscription costs
- Primarily focused on commercial real estate
- Steep learning curve for new users
✓ Zillow Pros
- Largest real estate database in the US
- Zestimate provides instant home value estimates
- Free for buyers and sellers to browse
- Comprehensive mortgage calculator and pre-approval tools
- 3D home tours and virtual walkthroughs
✗ Zillow Cons
- Zestimates can be inaccurate in some markets
- Agent advertising can feel intrusive
- Some listings are outdated or already sold
The Verdict
CoStar is built for commercial brokers and property investors, with a focus on property-data and market-analytics. Zillow targets home buyers and home sellers and leads with property-listings and home-valuations.
Both tools use custom enterprise pricing — you'll need to contact sales for a quote, which makes direct cost comparison difficult.
Zillow has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. CoStar requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Zillow offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while CoStar takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.