Suger

What Is a Cloud Marketplace

Understand what a cloud marketplace is, how it works, why selling through one benefits software vendors, and what each cloud requires before you can list.

Overview

A cloud marketplace is an online platform where cloud customers discover, purchase, and manage a variety of cloud-based services and solutions from multiple vendors in one centralized location. These marketplaces act as a one-stop shop for businesses and individuals seeking software, infrastructure, and other services to support their cloud computing needs.

How a Cloud Marketplace Works

Cloud marketplaces operate on a similar model to traditional online marketplaces, with some characteristics tailored to cloud services.

  • Catalog of services — Marketplaces feature a catalog of offerings from various vendors, including software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solutions.
  • Search and discovery — Buyers can search for specific services or browse categories to find relevant offerings. Filters and sorting help them narrow options by criteria such as pricing, features, and customer ratings.
  • Product details — Each listing provides detailed information about the service, including its features, pricing plans, system requirements, and customer reviews. This helps buyers evaluate and compare options before deciding.
  • Trial and purchase — Many marketplaces offer free trials or demo versions so buyers can test a product before committing. Once a buyer selects a product, they can purchase it directly through the marketplace.
  • Integration and management — After purchasing, buyers can typically manage the service from the marketplace dashboard, including provisioning resources, configuring settings, and monitoring usage and performance.
  • Billing and payments — The marketplace handles billing and payments on behalf of both buyers and vendors. Buyers can view billing history, manage payment methods, and receive invoices through the platform.

Benefits of Selling Through a Cloud Marketplace

Cloud marketplaces offer advantages for both buyers and the vendors selling on them.

For your buyers

  • Convenience — Centralizing a wide range of cloud services in one place makes it easy to discover, compare, and purchase solutions without visiting multiple websites or dealing with separate vendors.
  • Choice and flexibility — Buyers can access a diverse selection of services from different vendors, find the best fit for their needs and budget, and switch between providers or combine services as requirements evolve.
  • Streamlined procurement — Businesses can source and manage cloud services through the marketplace, reducing administrative overhead, speeding up deployment, and helping ensure compliance with company policies.

For you as a vendor

  • Visibility and exposure — Participating in a cloud marketplace gives you exposure to a large and diverse customer base, helping you reach new customers, increase brand visibility, and generate additional revenue streams.
  • Simplified billing — The marketplace handles billing and payments on your behalf, so you can focus on delivering value to customers while it takes care of invoicing and collecting payments.

Summary

A cloud marketplace is a centralized platform that connects buyers with a wide range of cloud-based services and solutions from multiple vendors. By offering convenience, choice, and flexibility, these marketplaces play a key role in simplifying how cloud resources are procured and managed — and give software vendors a streamlined path to reach new customers and grow revenue.

Marketplace Listing Requirements

Before you can list a SaaS product on the AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud marketplaces, you must complete each provider’s onboarding prerequisites. Each marketplace has its own account setup, legal, tax, and payout requirements that you must satisfy before you can publish a listing. Complete the prerequisites for the marketplaces you plan to sell on, then use Suger to create and manage your listings and offers across all of them.

AWS Marketplace Requirements

To list your products on the AWS US cloud marketplace:

  1. Create a new child AWS account for marketplace transactions (recommended).
  2. Ensure the account has permissions to create roles and stacks, enroll in the Commerce Analytics Service, and configure financial services.
  3. Create your AWS Marketplace Management Portal account.
  4. Agree to the AWS Terms of Service.
  5. Complete your Company Public Profile, Tax, and Banking information in AWS Marketplace Management Portal > Settings > Public Profile & Payment Information.

For more details, see the AWS Marketplace seller documentation.

Azure Marketplace Requirements

To list your products on the Azure cloud marketplace:

  1. Create an account in Partner Center and sign in with your company account.
  2. Add the Commercial Marketplace program in Settings > Account Settings > Identifiers > Publisher tab.
  3. Verify your Microsoft Partner Center Legal Info and Payout and Tax Profiles.
  4. Associate your Microsoft Entra ID with your new Partner Center account in the Tenant tab.

For more details, see the Azure Marketplace offer setup documentation.

GCP Marketplace Requirements

To list your products on the GCP cloud marketplace:

  1. Join Google Cloud Partner Advantage.
  2. Sign up as a Cloud Marketplace Vendor in Partner Advantage. GCP typically reviews this in 1-2 weeks.
  3. Submit an architecture diagram that meets GCP’s requirements.
  4. Complete the Solution Validation form and get access to the Google Producer Portal. The GCP team can assist with this step.

For more details, see the GCP Marketplace partner documentation.

Once you’ve met these requirements, you can create and manage your listings and offers across all three marketplaces from the Suger Console. If you run into issues or need help with onboarding, contact our support team at support@suger.io.