Zee Avi peaked at number 130 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart and number 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in 2009. The album sold 6,000 copies in the United States in its first two weeks of release according to Nielsen SoundScan.[7] The debut single "Bitter Heart" entered the Billboard Japan Hot 100 singles chart at number 82 and peaked at number 63 for two weeks.[8] To date, the album has sold over 300,000 units[9] and been certified Gold in Taiwan,[10] Singapore[9] and Malaysia.[11]
The Associated Press named Zee Avi one of the top 10 albums of 2009, taking the No. 9 spot.[12]