The Zebra
The Zebra is a US insurance comparison marketplace that lets consumers compare side-by-side real-time quotes from 100+ carriers across auto, home, renters, pet, and life insurance, monetizing through carrier commissions and a licensed in-house agency operating nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Zebra does
The Zebra (legal entity Insurance Zebra, Inc., Delaware) is a US insurance comparison marketplace founded in 2012 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. Its core product allows consumers to complete a single form and receive side-by-side, real-time rate quotes from over 100 partner carriers across auto, home, renters, pet, life, and specialty insurance lines, with coverage spanning all 50 states. The platform's underlying technology draws on ZIP code-level rate filings from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global to deliver personalized quotes across all 34,500 U.S. ZIP codes, and has cumulatively generated over 74 million quotes.
The company operates a dual business model: a free-to-consumer comparison website plus a licensed in-house insurance agency (The Zebra Insurance Agency) with agents licensed in all 50 states. Services are monetized through commissions paid by insurance carriers when policies are purchased or quoted through the platform, with no fees charged to consumers. Distribution is digital-first, complemented by phone and chat agent support, with marketing driven primarily by organic SEO, content marketing (including annual State of Insurance reports), and earned media.
In July 2024, The Zebra acquired Marble, an insurance management platform, signaling a strategic move toward vertical integration across the policy lifecycle. The company has raised approximately $256.5 million in cumulative disclosed funding, with a $150 million Series D in April 2021 led by Hedosophia representing the largest disclosed round. Recent executive moves include the appointment of a Chief AI Officer, positioning large language models and conversational AI as a forward-looking capability investment.
The Zebra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Zebra
- Legal name
- Insurance Zebra, Inc.
- Website
- https://thezebra.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The Zebra is a US insurance comparison marketplace that lets consumers compare side-by-side real-time quotes from 100+ carriers across auto, home, renters, pet, and life insurance, monetizing through carrier commissions and a licensed in-house agency operating nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Zebra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insurance Comparison Marketplace
- NAICS
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Partner/Channel Enablement Portals for Insurers & Distributors (White-Label, Affiliate) (THALALAN)
Keywords
Where The Zebra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Zebra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Commission from Insurance Carriers: Insurance companies pay The Zebra a commission when a customer purchases a policy or gets a quote through the platform. The price customers pay is the same as buying direct, and no extra fees are charged to consumers. This commission-based model keeps the comparison tool free for shoppers.
- In-House Agency Services: Licensed in-house agents write policies for multiple insurance companies, earning commissions on policies sold through The Zebra Insurance Agency.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free comparison marketplace for consumers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Zebra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Zebra is an online insurance comparison marketplace where U.S. consumers enter their information once and receive real, side-by-side quotes from 100+ insurance carriers for auto, home, renters, life, pet, and other personal insurance lines across all 50 states. The platform also operates The Zebra Insurance Agency, a licensed in-house agency whose agents can write and service policies from multiple carriers via phone, chat, or online. Services are free to consumers, with revenue generated through commissions paid by carrier partners when policies are purchased through the platform.
Product overview
The Zebra is an insurance comparison marketplace operating as a dual product: (1) a consumer-facing comparison platform offering side-by-side quotes for auto, home, renters, life, pet, and other insurance types from 100+ carrier partners, and (2) an in-house licensed insurance agency that writes policies across all 50 states. The core value proposition is that users fill out one form to receive and compare multiple real quotes, then can purchase directly or receive agent support. The platform is free for consumers, monetized through carrier commissions. Key products include Auto Insurance Comparison (flagship), Homeowners Insurance Comparison, Renters Insurance, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance (via partner Embrace), and Other Insurance Types (ATV, boat, motorcycle, RV, small business, commercial auto). Supporting tools include a car insurance calculator, insurance guides, Ask an Agent feature, and annual State of Insurance research reports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Auto Insurance Comparison The Zebra's flagship side-by-side quote comparison service for personal auto insurance, enabling U.S. consumers to compare real quotes from 100+ carriers in a single view and purchase directly or with licensed agent support.
- Homeowners Insurance Comparison Side-by-side home insurance quote comparison tool partnering with top home and auto insurance companies across the US; users compare rates, coverage options, and company reputations.
- Renters Insurance Renters insurance comparison and quoting service covering personal property, liability, additional living expenses, and medical payments, with average cost of $19/month.
- Pet Insurance Pet insurance comparison service offered through partner Embrace Pet Insurance, providing quotes for dogs and cats across accident-only, accident and illness, wellness, and comprehensive coverage.
- Life Insurance Life insurance comparison marketplace offering term and permanent policies with coverage amounts from $50,000 to over $1 million, comparing quotes from carriers such as Ethos and USAA.
- Other Insurance Types Comparison Comparison services for additional personal and small-commercial insurance lines including ATV, boat, motorcycle, RV, travel trailer, property, small business, and commercial auto insurance.
- The Zebra Insurance Agency Licensed in-house insurance agency that writes policies for multiple top insurance companies, providing agents available by phone and chat to assist customers throughout the shopping and purchasing process.
- Car + Home Bundle Bundling product allowing customers to combine car and home insurance policies, providing a multi-policy discount opportunity.
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers can save an average of $482/year on home insurance
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Zebra
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Zebra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
The Zebra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MarblecoreThe Zebra announced the strategic acquisition of Marble, an insurance management platform, on July 29, 2024. This acquisition enhances The Zebra's technological capabilities and platform offerings in the insurance management space.
- 100+ Insurance CarrierscoreThe Zebra partners with over 100 insurance companies including Progressive, Liberty Mutual, The Hartford, Root Insurance, Allstate, Travelers, GEICO, Nationwide, USAA, State Farm, Farmers, and many others to provide comparison quotes. These carrier partnerships form the core of The Zebra's marketplace.
- Quadrant Information ServicescoreThe Zebra sources the latest ZIP code-level rate filings from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global for its Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool, which powers quote comparisons across all 34,500 U.S. ZIP codes.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Zebra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EverQuote: EverQuote operates an online insurance marketplace that connects consumers with auto, home, and life insurance providers. It is the most direct public competitor to The Zebra in the US auto insurance comparison and lead-generation space.
- Insurify: Insurify is an AI-driven insurance comparison and shopping platform covering auto, home, life, and other lines. It targets the same consumer use case as The Zebra and competes for the same carrier leads and SEO demand.
- Compare.com: Compare.com is an insurance comparison marketplace backed by Liberty Mutual that lets consumers compare auto and home quotes from multiple carriers. It overlaps The Zebra's core auto comparison offering and shares the carrier-commission model.
- Policygenius: Policygenius is an online insurance marketplace, strongest in life and disability insurance but also offering home and auto. It competes with The Zebra in the cross-line comparison and licensed-agent-assisted shopping experience.
- SmartFinancial: SmartFinancial is an online insurance comparison platform for auto, home, and other lines, operating on a carrier-commission model similar to The Zebra. It targets the same ZIP-code-level quote shopping behavior.
Broad incumbents
- NerdWallet: NerdWallet is a broad personal finance content and comparison platform with a sizable insurance vertical (auto, home, life). It overlaps with The Zebra on insurance SEO, lead generation, and editorial content, though it spans many financial products beyond insurance.
- LendingTree: LendingTree operates a multi-vertical comparison marketplace including insurance, lending, and credit cards. Its insurance comparison offering competes with The Zebra for both carrier relationships and consumer shopping intent.
- Bankrate: Bankrate (Red Ventures) is a major financial comparison and editorial site that aggregates insurance rates and carrier information. It competes with The Zebra for organic search demand in auto and home insurance.
- GEICO Direct / Progressive Direct: GEICO and Progressive are two of The Zebra's largest carrier partners and also operate major direct-to-consumer insurance shopping experiences. They represent the alternative channel that competes with aggregators for both consumers and carrier marketing budgets.
Emerging players
- CoverWallet: CoverWallet is a digital insurance platform focused on small business and commercial insurance, combining comparison with agent support. It overlaps with The Zebra's 'Other Insurance Types' commercial and small business offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Zebra social profiles
Digital presenceThe Zebra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Zebra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The Zebra subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Zebra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Zebra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Zebra
What does The Zebra do?
The Zebra is an online insurance comparison marketplace where U.S. consumers enter their information once and receive real, side-by-side quotes from 100+ insurance carriers for auto, home, renters, life, pet, and other personal insurance lines across all 50 states. The platform also operates The Zebra Insurance Agency, a licensed in-house agency whose agents can write and service policies from multiple carriers via phone, chat, or online. Services are free to consumers, with revenue generated through commissions paid by carrier partners when policies are purchased through the platform.
Is The Zebra a public or private company?
The Zebra is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Zebra founded?
The Zebra was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is The Zebra based?
The Zebra is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Zebra make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Commission from Insurance Carriers are the primary driver. The others are in-House Agency Services.
Who are The Zebra's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EverQuote, Insurify, Compare.com, Policygenius and SmartFinancial. Broad incumbents are NerdWallet, LendingTree, Bankrate and GEICO Direct / Progressive Direct. CoverWallet is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Zebra have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Zebra.
What industry is The Zebra in?
The Zebra's product category is Insurance Comparison Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THALALAN, Partner/Channel Enablement Portals for Insurers & Distributors (White-Label, Affiliate). Its NAICS code is 524210 and its SIC code is 6411.