Zillow discontinuing free Zillow Data API for SaaS products?

Question

I received a notification this week that Zillow is migrating all of their Zillow Data API accounts over to their Bridge Interactive Data API starting September 2020.   They stated that I needed to request access to the new Bridge Data API to get my new API token.

I requested access, but was rejected because I have a SaaS product.

I was told that Bridge API is not allowing API access for products that "live behind a registration wall, or are a part of a paid service."

I sent a follow up question asking whether Bridge API had a paid data service that I could pay to subscribe to, and they said "At this time, we do not offer Bridge access in any paid capacity."

Any other app developers running into this issue?

What data cost-effective data APIs are you utilizing for property data, recent sales, comps, etc?

Kyle Kufeldt · Answer

@David Robertson Thanks for the update. What are some of the paid solutions you are looking at?  When I was trying to find out more information about the new bridge data API, I also ran across a few but they seemed expensive for my purposes.  I don't mind paying for it but I need something affordable.

BTW, I love HouseFlippingSpreadsheets!  Been using it since you first released it and have been introducing it to a lot of other investors I work with.

Nate Astrup · Answer

zillow be petty like that.

Marcus Brown · Answer

@Kyle Kufeldt @David Robertson Who did you guys end up using?

David Robertson · Answer

@Kyle Kufeldt

Thanks Kyle, I thought the name sounded familiar!

Currently looking at Estated or Attom Data, but leaning toward Estated.

Estated's API is cheaper, has simple API documentation and a user friendly interface for testing the API outputs.

David Robertson · Answer

@Kyle Kufeldt

No, I received another notification this morning stating I have one month to transition to the new Bridge Data API by September 30th, but my initial application was still rejected.

It might be a blessing in disguise anyway.  Zillow was nice because it was free and provided the basic data we needed, but it looks like there are some other paid solutions that can provide additional owner information and data that can be beneficial to our users.

I'm just glad we didn't waste a bunch of time building out tools and solutions using the Zillow API to get the rug pulled out from under us.

I don't understand why Zillow would kick thousands of API users off of their API without having a paid data service readily available for SaaS companies?   I'm sure there are hundreds of SaaS companies that would have gladly paid to keep their Zillow Data API access.

Seems like a missed opportunity for Zillow and a boon for all the other data service providers out there...

Kyle Kufeldt · Answer

@David Robertson and luck with this?  Clock is ticking with just a few weeks left.  I use it for my own automation so it's not exactly the same use case but I haven't heard back on whether they will "accept" me to use the new API yet.

Zillow discontinuing free Zillow Data API for SaaS products?

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