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Manisha-Umbarje's avatar
Manisha-Umbarje
Brass Contributor
Jan 09, 2025

Transitioning SaaS Offers with Multi-Year Pricing from AppSource to Azure Marketplace

When a SaaS transactable offer on Microsoft AppSource includes a pricing plan for more than 1 year, the offer is delisted from AppSource and becomes available on Azure Marketplace. This is due to the platform's structure:

 

  1. AppSource primarily supports monthly or annual subscription models for SaaS offers. Any pricing model that exceeds 1 year (e.g., 2-year, 3-year plans) is outside the scope of AppSource’s transaction capabilities.
  2. When a SaaS solution introduces multi-year pricing, it is automatically transitioned to Azure Marketplace, which can accommodate longer-term contracts and subscription models (such as 2-year, 3-year, or longer terms).
  3. Azure Marketplace is designed for more complex transactions, including multi-year deals, and supports deeper infrastructure integration and contract management features compared to AppSource.

 

Thus, any SaaS offer that requires multi-year pricing terms will shift from AppSource to Azure Marketplace, where such transactions can be handled effectively.

 

appsource
azure
isv success
transactable apps
  • KyleCallahan's avatar
    KyleCallahan
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Mar 04, 2025

    While you are correct that Azure marketplace and AppSource storefronts support different selling experiences and are geared towards different types of customers, one correction is that multi-year durations such as 2-year and 3-year SaaS subscriptions are possible through offers on AppSource. There are several examples of this across solutions including Teams applications sold through linked SaaS offers. However, if the SaaS plan includes any Custom Meter dimensions, then you are correct, it would only be available through the Azure marketplace storefront as AppSource does not support Metering. 

  • anttikosunen's avatar
    anttikosunen
    Brass Contributor
    Jan 17, 2025

    Thanks for bringing this up Manisha-Umbarje. This is interesting...

    I thought the choice between AppSource and Azure Marketplace is driven by two factors: the nature of the offer and the target audience. Below is the complete answer from ChatGPT. 😀

    I assume ISV can thus select freely which marketplace to use. It would be interesting to hear from Microsoft how these two marketplaces differ in terms of monthly visitors etc. justinroyal is such information publicly available?

    Would be also great to hear experiences from ISVs who have an offer on both. Which one is the place to be?

     

    Microsoft AppSource

    • Best For: Business and productivity-focused applications.
    • Primary Audience: Business users and decision-makers.
    • Solution Types:
      • Apps or services that integrate with Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power BI, or the Power Platform.
      • SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions focused on business needs like CRM, ERP, analytics, or productivity.
      • Add-ins/extensions for Microsoft products like Office or Teams.
      • Consulting services related to Microsoft solutions.
    • Example Use Cases:
      • A Power BI dashboard template for financial reporting.
      • A Teams app for enhanced collaboration.
      • A Dynamics 365 CRM extension for custom workflows.
    • Goal: Target business decision-makers who are looking for ready-to-use business solutions.

    Azure Marketplace

    • Best For: Infrastructure, platform, and technical solutions.
    • Primary Audience: IT professionals, developers, and cloud architects.
    • Solution Types:
      • IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) solutions such as VMs, network appliances, or storage systems.
      • PaaS (Platform as a Service) offerings for developers, like APIs or middleware.
      • SaaS solutions that focus on IT, developer tools, or specialized services (e.g., AI/ML APIs, security, or DevOps).
      • Containers or software that can be deployed in Azure environments.
    • Example Use Cases:
      • A Kubernetes container for machine learning pipelines.
      • A virtual appliance for firewall and security.
      • A scalable database solution for high-performance analytics.
    • Goal: Target technical audiences who need scalable, customizable solutions for their cloud infrastructure.

    When to Use Both Platforms

    If your solution addresses both business and technical needs, you can publish it on both platforms to maximize visibility. For instance:

    • Business Focus: Publish on AppSource to target business decision-makers looking for pre-built integrations or services.
    • Technical/Cloud Focus: Publish on Azure Marketplace to reach IT teams looking for scalable infrastructure or deployment solutions.

    Key Considerations

    1. Target Audience: Business-focused (AppSource) vs. IT and developers (Azure Marketplace).
    2. Integration with Microsoft Services: Solutions tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 or Dynamics 365 fit better on AppSource.
    3. Deployment Model: Technical, infrastructure-heavy, or customizable solutions align with Azure Marketplace.
    4. Consulting Services: Publish on AppSource if they focus on Microsoft products like Dynamics 365 or Power Platform.

     

    • justinroyal's avatar
      justinroyal
      Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
      Jan 18, 2025

      Hi anttikosunen - thanks for your insights here! The info you asked about regarding traffic for AppSource vs. Azure Marketplace is not publicly available.

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