When listing your SaaS product on AWS Marketplace, one decision stands above the rest: choosing the right fulfillment option.
This choice defines how your customers launch your product in their environment, and it directly impacts onboarding, security, and the long-term success of your listing.
Two Paths. One Critical Decision.
AWS Marketplace offers two fulfillment models for SaaS:
- Default Fulfillment URL: Best if your SaaS doesn’t require deploying AWS resources in the customer’s account. Post-purchase, customers are redirected to your own registration or login portal. It’s simple to implement, but limits automation and integration with AWS infrastructure.
- SaaS Quick Launch: Required if your SaaS needs to provision AWS resources (IAM roles, databases, etc.) in the customer’s account. This method uses AWS CloudFormation stacks for automated deployment, improves onboarding with guided steps, and manages secrets securely via AWS Secrets Manager.
Why This Matters
Pick the wrong model and you could face:
- Friction in customer onboarding
- Increased support overhead
- Security and compliance risks
- Poor customer experience and churn
Our Take
After helping dozens of companies navigate this, here’s what we recommend:
- Understand your architecture: Does your SaaS require AWS resource deployment in customer accounts? If yes, SaaS Quick Launch is non-negotiable.
- Keep it simple when possible: If your SaaS is accessed externally without AWS resource needs, the Default Fulfillment URL reduces complexity.
- Plan your onboarding flow carefully: For Quick Launch, invest time in CloudFormation templates and secrets management to ensure a seamless, secure customer experience.
- Test extensively: Validate every step of the customer journey before launch to avoid costly errors.
Final Word
This decision is foundational. Get it wrong, and you risk operational headaches and lost revenue. Get it right, and you unlock a frictionless path to customers on AWS Marketplace.
Not sure which model fits your product? Let’s talk. We’ll help you choose the path that sets you up for success. Get in touch with us!
