Meh. Pretty good company. I mean, they’re legit and they’re not a scam company, but they used to be soooo much better back in the day when they first got started and had more personal “one-on-one touc... See more
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Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
I've invested through other platforms where I simply buy, purchase, and done—it's straightforward. With EquityZen, I reserve, pay, and then wait, only for most deals not to go through. That’s the fru... See more
Company replied
I have been looking at the Tektite Genome and it is a very advanced product that with stocks at Equity Zen and I would like too know more before I purchase the stocks which I am thinking very strong... See more
I have been using EquityZen for over 15 years. It is an extremely user friendly, efficient, and uses the latest technologies in providing pre IPO investment services. I have had the pleasure of work... See more
Company replied
Company details
Written by the company
EquityZen, a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, is a leading marketplace for pre-IPO investments, connecting shareholders of private companies with accredited investors. Through its category-leading technology and innovative approach, EquityZen delivers data-driven insights and tools that empower its 800,000 users to navigate the private markets with confidence. Having completed more than 51,000 private placements in nearly 500 private companies, EquityZen is on a mission to deliver “Private Markets for the Public.”
Contact info
1 New York Plaza, 12th Floor, 10004, New York, United States
- 8774906121
- support@equityzen.com
- equityzen.com
4.2
Great
367 reviews
Asks customers to review
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Replied to 69% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 month
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Stuck with shares I cannot sell!
Pros: Good website and fairly user friendly.
Cons: 5% fee when buying and when selling! Worse, you can only sell shares after at least a year and most of the time you have to own at least 2% of the fund in order to sell even then, which practically means that you're often stuck with shares that you cannot sell! You are forced to wait for either an IPO or an acquisition, and keep in mind that some companies remain private for well over a decade. At the very least, they should reduce the percentage requirement to 1%. I will update my review favorably if they do.
10 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EquityZen
Hi Danny,
Thank you for your feedback. Please note, the 2% threshold you're referring to is a tax concept derived from Publicly Traded Partnership (PTP) rules. There's a safe harbor provision where transactions exceeding 2% of the fund are not classified as PTP. Conversely, any sales in the fund amounting to 2% or less could inadvertently trigger significant tax consequences for all Limited Partners (LPs). This rule is a direct result of these taxation requirements, not an EquityZen-determined threshold.
Please reach out to us at support@equityzen.com for any assistance.
Outstanding world class service,
Outstanding world class service,
Prompt responses by email and direct cell phone numbers to your representative and to his boss too!
I’ve been using their services for over 15 years. Every concern or questions was answered right away.
You can not find any better pre IPO.
I have been using EquityZen for over 15...
I have been using EquityZen for over 15 years. It is an extremely user friendly, efficient, and uses the latest technologies in providing pre IPO investment services.
I have had the pleasure of working with EquityZen representative Mr. Benedict Portugal who has provided me with his direct cell phone number and extended a world class service.
Victor Abraham
Date of experience: July 09,
8 July 2025
I have been using EquityZen for over 15…
I have been using EquityZen for over 15 years. It is an extremely user friendly, efficient, and uses the latest technologies in providing pre IPO investment services.
I have had the pleasure of working with EquityZen representative Mr. Benedict Portugal who has provided me with his direct cell phone number and extended a world class service.
Victor Abraham
9 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EquityZen
Thank you, Victor, for your incredibly kind words and for being a valued EquityZen user. We truly appreciate your loyalty and feedback!
EquityZen - Real Zen Experience in Pre-IPOs
I work with multiple pre-IPO platforms, and I would rate EquityZen quite high. My experience on the EquityZen platform has been amazing. The website is very easy to work with, very nicely streamlined and easy to use. It makes it easy for me to select my investments and go ahead with it. Pretty much friction-free.
On top of it, my account representative Benedict Portugal is always there to support me on various deals. So we still need the human touch, and he is my human connection to EquityZen.
9 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EquityZen
We're thrilled to hear your EquityZen platform experience has been amazing – easy, streamlined, and friction-free. We also deeply appreciate your praise for Ben, who embodies our commitment to human support. Your feedback is truly valued!
I have invested in other platforms
I've invested through other platforms where I simply buy, purchase, and done—it's straightforward. With EquityZen, I reserve, pay, and then wait, only for most deals not to go through. That’s the frustrating part of the process. I don’t like having my money tied up for weeks just to be let down. On the other hand, I really like the express deals—they're fast and reliable.
25 June 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Thank you for your very honest feedback. We genuinely appreciate you sharing your experience, and we understand the frustrations that can arise from the private market investment process.
To provide some clarity on our standard deal timelines: Once we receive full investor commitments and close our fund, we approach the target company with our deal terms. You can typically expect a transaction to close 8-11 weeks from this point. Within this period, the company has a Right of First Refusal (ROFR)—their right to purchase the shares on the same terms as our offering. This decision period is typically 30 days but can vary. If the company exercises its ROFR, it prevents our purchase, and any transferred investment would be immediately returned.
On a positive note, we're so glad to hear you find our Express Deals fast and reliable! Your insights are incredibly valuable as we continuously work to enhance every part of your investment journey.
Reply from EquityZen
Thank you for the review!
Exited with my PLTR preipo
Exited with my PLTR preipo. And now recently invested in a couple more preipo companies.
23 June 2025
Reply from EquityZen
That's fantastic news! We're thrilled to hear about your successful exit with PLTR pre-IPO shares.
Efficient interactions online
21 June 2025
Reply from EquityZen
We constantly strive to make our platform user-friendly, and we appreciate your positive feedback. Please reach out to us at support@equityzen.com for any assistance.
Get a head start!
Equity Zen gives you unique insights on up-and-coming start-ups before they are officially listed. I encourage folks to check it out,
17 June 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you value the unique insights into up-and-coming startups that EquityZen provides, giving investors a look at companies before they're publicly listed. We appreciate you encouraging others to explore the platform!
EquityZen - preferred provider for NPO-Investments
EquityZen is my preferred provider for non-publicly offered Investments in interesting companies. Up-to-now everything fine.
2 June 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Thrilled to be your preferred provider for non-publicly offered investments! We're glad you find our companies interesting. Thank you for your positive feedback!
Supportive and Seamless from Start to Finish
I had never sold stock before, and EquityZen made the entire process smooth and easy to follow. From the beginning, their communication was clear, helpful, and transparent — I always understood my options and what to expect. Their dashboard kept me informed throughout the transaction, showing progress at every stage. After the sale, the team quickly handled all the paperwork, keeping the momentum going. I really appreciated how supportive and responsive they were at every step.
16 April 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Ensuring a supportive and responsive process, even after the sale, is a top priority for our team. Thank you for your fantastic feedback!
Great platform to invest in exciting…
Great platform to invest in exciting startups that are not yet public.
29 May 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Thank you for the review!
Reply from EquityZen
We appreciate your feedback!
Share purchase took long
I made payment for some shares back in February 2025 but the deal finally closed out in Late May 2025, almost 3 months later. That's very late. In that time at least one other offering in for those shares launched at a lower price. That's a little poor, in my opinion.
15 May 2025
Reply from EquityZen
Hi Yung-un,
You highlight two important differences between the private markets and the public markets -- time to close and pricing. We understand your concern about the time it takes to close deals. Private market deals often take longer than public markets due to complex external factors like legal diligence and corporate approvals, which are beyond our direct control.
While we typically expect transactions to close 8-11 weeks from when our fund closes, they can extend longer if the processes mentioned above extend. We also recognize your frustration about seeing a lower-priced offering during this period; private market prices can fluctuate. We do work diligently to price our offerings in line with market pricing.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at support@equityzen.com.
Pretty much a frictionless experience…
Pretty much a frictionless experience using their website. Solid sales and contract support teams if needed.
13 May 2025
Reply from EquityZen
We really appreciate this! It's great to know our website provided a frictionless experience and that our sales and contract support teams met your needs. Thank you for sharing, Bill!
My names Antonio de Jesus I had a great…
My names Antonio de Jesus I had a great look at the opportunity thank you my emails are
7 May 2025
Unprompted review
Marketplace is Bunk
If you list shares for sale on their marketplace, buyers can 'drop out' at any time. I've had 3 different transactions going, and they let the buyers drop out of each of them with no explanation. Not sure what kind of marketplace can exist like this, where contracts are not enforced, and buyers can drop out at will. At this time I cannot recommend this service, and will not be buying any more shares through them.
Update 6/27: 7 different transactions canceled due to buyers mysteriously "dropping out" -- what are the odds?
Update 7/11: Make it 8
Update 8/20: The 9th time was the charm, although I sold for 'barely' a profit after 2yrs in, it was indeed a profit. And for those reasons I'm updating my review here to satisfactory.
27 April 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EquityZen
Hi Erik, We sincerely apologize for the frustrating experience you've had with buyers dropping out of your transactions. We understand how disheartening it can be when a deal doesn't proceed as expected, and we regret that this has led to a negative perception of our service.
We're glad to hear that one of our sales associates was able to connect with you and help resolve your concerns. We aim to provide a reliable marketplace, and we're always working to refine our processes to better serve both buyers and sellers. Thank you for taking the time to share your honest thoughts.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at support@equityzen.com.
Great experience with purchasing pre…
Great experience with purchasing pre ipo shares. Very clear communication very happy with our purchase. We are looking for more opportunities.
29 April 2025
Zero Customer Service
Very quick to take your money for an investment but slow to pay you when you sell. It can take weeks and nobody ever answers their bogus customer phone line.
They don’t return messages left on their voicemail and their support emails take days to respond. There are other competitors out there that might be better.
15 April 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from EquityZen
Shamus,
We have requested more information from you so we can research the issues that you describe. Unfortunately, this hasn't been provided via the Trustpilot request system. We sincerely apologize for the frustrating experience with payout delays and our support responsiveness. We understand your concerns about the process and communication. We respond to every message and call we receive usually within 5 hours but no longer than one business day.
If this is not your experience, please reach out to us directly with your account details so we can investigate and resolve your specific issue. You can reach us at support@equityzen.com
Overall great experience!
This fund purchase was a great experience. The only thing that would have made it better is same-day confirmation of my wire transfer.
16 April 2025
Reply from EquityZen
That's fantastic! We're glad you had a great experience with your fund purchase and appreciate your feedback on wire transfer confirmation. We're always working to improve!
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