Rightmove vs Zoopla: Which Is Better for Sellers?

If you are selling a home in the UK, your property will almost certainly appear on Rightmove, Zoopla, or both. These two portals dominate the online property market and are where the vast majority of buyers begin their search. But are they equally effective for sellers? Does it matter which one your agent uses? And is there anything you can do to improve your listing's performance once it is live?

This guide compares Rightmove and Zoopla from a seller's perspective, covering market share, visitor numbers, listing features, and what actually drives views and offers. We also look at OnTheMarket as a third option and explain what sellers can realistically control when it comes to portal performance.

Market share: Rightmove vs Zoopla in numbers

Rightmove is the clear market leader. According to SimilarWeb data, Rightmove consistently accounts for approximately 86% of all UK property portal traffic, making it the single most visited property website in the country. Zoopla, including its sister site Primelocation, takes roughly 10% of the market. OnTheMarket holds a smaller share but has been growing since its acquisition by CoStar Group in 2023.

These figures make a clear point: if your property is on Rightmove, it is reaching the largest possible audience of UK buyers. That does not mean Zoopla is irrelevant — far from it. A listing on Zoopla still reaches millions of potential buyers and, in certain areas, Zoopla's audience can be particularly engaged. But in terms of raw reach, Rightmove is the portal that matters most.

How estate agents choose which portals to use

As a seller, you do not choose which portals your property appears on — your estate agent does. Portal subscriptions are a significant business cost for agents, and the choice of which portals to use is part of the agent's overall marketing strategy.

The majority of high-street estate agents in England and Wales subscribe to both Rightmove and Zoopla. According to Propertymark (the professional body for estate agents), dual-portal advertising is standard practice for most established agencies. Many also list on OnTheMarket as a third channel.

However, not all agents take the same approach. Some smaller independent agents or online agents may list on only one portal to keep costs down. Before you instruct an agent, always ask:

• Which portals do you advertise on? — Confirm that your property will appear on at least Rightmove and ideally Zoopla as well.
• Are portal fees included in your commission? — Some agents charge separately for premium listings or additional portals.
• Do you offer premium listing upgrades? — Ask about Featured Property on Rightmove or Featured Listing on Zoopla, and whether these are included or extra.

For a detailed breakdown of what agents charge and how fees are structured, see our guide on estate agent fees explained.

Listing features: what each portal offers sellers

Both Rightmove and Zoopla allow agents to upload photographs, floor plans, written descriptions, EPCs, and virtual tours. The core listing format is similar on both portals, but there are differences in how listings are displayed and what additional features are available.

Rightmove listing features

• Lead image and gallery — the lead image is crucial, as it determines whether buyers click through. Rightmove displays this prominently in search results alongside the price, address, and key facts.
• Floor plan — Rightmove reports that listings with a floor plan receive significantly more enquiries. It is displayed as a dedicated tab alongside photos.
• Property description — agents can write detailed descriptions with key features highlighted at the top.
• Nearby sold prices — buyers can view recently sold prices for similar properties in the area, which influences their perception of value.
• Featured Property — a premium upgrade that places your listing above standard results and adds a “Featured” badge. According to Rightmove, this can generate up to four times more detail views.
• Premium Listing — a mid-tier upgrade with a larger photo in search results and increased visibility, sitting between a standard listing and Featured Property.

Zoopla listing features

• Estimated value range — Zoopla displays an automated valuation alongside listings, which can work for or against you depending on whether the estimate aligns with your asking price.
• Running costs estimate — Zoopla shows estimated monthly costs including mortgage, council tax, and utilities, giving buyers a fuller financial picture.
• Area guides — detailed neighbourhood data including demographics, transport links, and school information, which helps buyers unfamiliar with the area.
• Featured Listing — Zoopla's equivalent of Rightmove's premium upgrade, offering enhanced visibility in search results.
• Primelocation cross-listing — properties listed on Zoopla automatically appear on Primelocation, which targets the higher end of the market.

Both portals also support video tours and 360-degree photography, though these features are only effective if the content is professionally produced. A poorly shot video can do more harm than good.

Photography standards and how they affect views

Regardless of which portal your property appears on, photography is the single most important factor in determining how many buyers click on your listing. Both Rightmove and Zoopla display a lead image in their search results, and buyers make split-second decisions about whether to click based on that image alone.

Rightmove's own research shows that listings with professional photography receive significantly more views and enquiries than those with amateur images taken on a phone. The same applies on Zoopla. Yet many sellers leave photography to their agent without checking the quality of the images before they go live.

Before your listing goes live on any portal, review the photographs critically. Are the rooms well-lit? Do the images show the property at its best? Is there a good mix of interior, exterior, and garden shots? Our guide on house staging tips explains how to prepare your property for the camera, and our guide on how to write a property listing covers how to pair strong images with compelling copy.

Premium listing options: are they worth it?

Both Rightmove and Zoopla offer paid upgrades that give your listing greater visibility. The question sellers often ask is whether these upgrades are worth the extra cost.

Whether a premium listing is worthwhile depends on your circumstances. In a competitive market where dozens of similar properties are listed in the same area, a Featured Property listing on Rightmove can help yours stand out. In a quieter market where your property is one of only a few available, the standard listing may generate enough interest on its own.

Ask your estate agent for their honest recommendation. A good agent will know how premium listings perform in your specific area and price bracket. Be wary of agents who push premium upgrades as standard without explaining the likely benefit — in some cases, the cost is better spent on better photography or a more competitive asking price. For more on pricing strategy, see our guide on pricing your house to sell.

OnTheMarket: the third option

OnTheMarket launched in 2015 as an agent-backed alternative to Rightmove and Zoopla. Its original proposition was lower fees for agents, with the expectation that savings would be passed on to sellers through reduced commission. In 2023, OnTheMarket was acquired by CoStar Group, a US-based property data company, which has since invested in growing the platform's audience and technology.

While OnTheMarket's traffic remains well behind Rightmove and Zoopla, it is a free bonus for sellers whose agents already subscribe. If your agent lists on OnTheMarket alongside the two larger portals, you gain additional exposure at no cost. It should not be your sole portal, but as a supplement to Rightmove and Zoopla it adds incremental value.

Does portal choice affect your sale price?

There is no evidence that listing on one portal over another directly affects the price a property achieves. Sale prices are determined by the local market, the property's condition and features, the strength of buyer demand, and the skill of your estate agent in negotiating offers.

What portals do influence is the size of your audience. A property listed on Rightmove reaches the most buyers. A property listed on both Rightmove and Zoopla reaches even more. And a property with strong photography, a clear description, and an accurate price converts that audience into viewings and offers.

In short, the portal is the distribution channel, not the price driver. The factors that genuinely influence your sale price — correct pricing from the outset, professional presentation, and effective buyer management — are within your control regardless of which portal your listing appears on. For practical advice on maximising your price, see our guide on how to sell your house fast.

What sellers can actually control

One of the most common frustrations sellers express is feeling powerless once their property is listed. The agent manages the portals, the portals control the algorithms, and the buyers decide whether to click. But there is more within your control than you might think.

Photography and presentation

You control how your property looks before the photographer arrives. Decluttering, cleaning, staging, and ensuring good lighting can transform your listing photographs. Our guide on house staging tips provides a room-by-room breakdown of what to focus on. Professional photography is worth insisting on if your agent does not offer it as standard.

The listing description

While your agent writes the listing, you can review it before it goes live. Check that the description is accurate, highlights the property's strongest features, and includes the kind of specific, factual detail that buyers find useful. Vague superlatives like “stunning” and “must-see” add nothing. Specific facts like “refitted kitchen with integrated appliances, 2024” or “0.4 miles to the station” do. See our guide on how to write a property listing for a detailed breakdown.

Pricing strategy

Both Rightmove and Zoopla use search filters based on price bands. A property listed at £305,000 will not appear in searches filtered to a maximum of £300,000. This means your asking price affects not just how attractive the listing is, but who actually sees it. Pricing at or just below common thresholds (£250,000, £300,000, £500,000) can significantly increase the number of buyers your listing reaches. For more on this, see our guide on pricing your house to sell.

Responding to feedback

If your property is not generating viewings or offers, ask your agent for the portal analytics. How many views is the listing getting? How does that compare to similar properties in the area? If views are low, the issue is likely the lead image, the price, or the listing description. If views are healthy but enquiries are low, the listing may not be giving buyers enough information to take the next step. If viewings are happening but offers are not, consider whether a price reduction is needed or whether presentation during viewings could be improved.

Getting sale-ready beyond the listing

A strong portal listing drives viewings, but viewings only convert into completed sales when the legal and administrative side of your sale is in order. The biggest cause of delay and fall-throughs after an offer is accepted is conveyancing — specifically, waiting for sellers to complete property information forms, ordering searches, and resolving title issues.

Preparing your legal pack before you list means that when a buyer comes forward, you are ready to move immediately. Your solicitor can issue the draft contract pack without delay, searches are already underway, and any issues have been identified and addressed before they can threaten the transaction. This is exactly what Pine helps sellers do: get the legal side sale-ready while you focus on presentation, viewings, and the portal listing.

Sources and further reading

• Rightmove — Portal advertising products and seller guidance (rightmove.co.uk)
• Zoopla — Listing features and property data tools (zoopla.co.uk)
• OnTheMarket — Portal features and agent listing information (onthemarket.com)
• SimilarWeb — UK property portal traffic analysis and market share data (similarweb.com)
• Propertymark — Estate agent standards and portal advertising guidance (propertymark.co.uk)

Frequently asked questions