In today's digital world, businesses are continuously looking for ways to improve their way of working, connecting with customers, and ways to grow more. Salesforce is a vital customer Relationship Management Platform( CRM) that helps businesses operate uniquely.
Companies can make the most out of Salesforce by teaming up with ISV ( Independent Software Vendors) and utilizing their customized solutions for your CRM. According to recent surveys, top Salesforce consultants predict that the global growth of Salesforce ISV will be more than $ 400 million by 2026. So now is the time to become a part of Salesforce ISV and see how it fulfills your business requirements.
This blog post is your ultimate Salesforce ISV guide and will help you understand more deeply about it. So, let us delve into the details and answer all your relevant queries in this blog.

Introduction to ISV: Let us know the basics
An independent software vendor is an individual or an organization that develops and sells Software that runs on cloud platforms like AWS and Salesforce AppExchange. Simply put, an ISV partnership is how companies market their applications to Salesforce customers using the AppExchange marketplace. The application can be as simple as a calculator app that opens within Salesforce or as complex as an event management app that can help you take tickets online, send out emails and surveys, etc. Salesforce consulting companies in India often play a crucial role in assisting ISVs with developing, customizing, and implementing their applications for the Indian market.
ISV apps are built on the Salesforce platform, so you can directly install these apps on your Salesforce Platform using AppExchange. Similar to SI partners, numerous ISVs depend on your business and goals.
Difference between SI and ISV
SI stands for system integrators. They are also known as consulting partners or Salesforce consultants who do consultation work to help you build and configure a Salesforce environment.
- So, an Independent Software Vendor ( ISV ) is for those who want to build and sell apps.
- A System Integrator ( SI ) is for those who wish to deliver their consulting services on Salesforce.com.
What is AppExchange?
The Salesforce AppExchange is a marketplace where Salesforce admins can choose and install solutions that fit the needs of their organization.
Salesforce consulting companies play a vital role in this whole Salesforce ecosystem. They offer expertise and services using which businesses can maximise their investment on this platform.
Understanding ISV Salesforce Partner and types
Initially, most of the ISVs used to sell their applications and softwares to the customer directly. However, they faced the challenge of scaling their business. To tackle the problem, the easiest way is to use ISV partnerships, particularly in Salesforce app development.
In short, you can collaborate with a trustworthy ISV to complete your work. It can be a simple or complex application, depending on your business needs. Several types of ISV partnerships are worth considering to increase the growth of your business. Let us understand them one by one.
Types of Salesforce ISV Partnerships
OEM Partnerships
OEM partnerships work by integrating software applications in existing suitable applications, particularly when discussing Salesforce Development. This collaboration will add value to your existing product by incorporating them with third-party apps. For example, the Integration of Google Maps with Uber to give exact directions to the customers.
Advantages of OEM partnerships
- This type of partnership reduces development costs and time
- It enhances the overall functionality of the app and hence increases the user experience
- OEM partnerships offer flexible manufacturing and production quality.
Reseller Partnerships
It is a type of partnership in which Salesforce developers sell products or Software to another company. Reseller partnerships significantly boost the business by enhancing their product by adding other Salesforce ISV Software. Simply put, another company ( a large one with an established customer base) sells the ISV software along with its products and services. The reseller earns a commission on each sale. This partnership helps buyers and resellers and works on the VAR model ( Value -Added-Reseller).
Example: One type of reseller partnership is between Adobe and Dell. In this partnership, Dell Technologies is a reseller to Adobe's popular applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro. Dell offers Adobe Subscriptions alongside its hardware products like laptops, desktops, and workstations. Adobe benefits from increased visibility and accessibility.
Benefits of Reseller Partnerships
- Customers get access to the global market.
- Reseller partnerships provide rapid growth to a business
- The reseller offers customer support and technical assistance required to understand the Software.
- Reseller partnership includes access to selling partners from trusted platforms such as Salesforce.
Payment Partnerships
Payment partnerships revolve around making payment procedures smooth in any Salesforce ISV developed by Salesforce ISV developers. Payment partnerships bring considerable trust and excellent user experience, which ultimately helps in business growth. Simply put, payment partnerships work when two companies offer customers a convenient and secure way to transact. One company in the partnership provides technology for processing payments, and the other company benefits by offering the payment method to its customers. In the context of Salesforce ISV, the payment partnership works by integrating payment processing capabilities into ISV applications built on the Salesforce Platform. Therefore, a correct payment partnership can help us develop a new revenue model through ISV.
Example: The payment partnership between PayPal and eBay. Paypal, a leading online payment platform integrated with eBay, an online marketplace offers its customers a smooth transaction experience.
Benefits of Payment Partnership
- Large-scale partnership opportunities include high-performance tools to manage vendors and merchants.
- Payment partnership adds more value to the merchant clients.
SaaS Partnerships
A SaaS partnership is the collaborative relationship between the ISV and the SaaS provider under the guidance of Salesforce Consultants. The partnership works as follows:
- ISV develops software applications.
- The SaaS provider will host the applications on the cloud.
- The collaboration between the two will ensure the seamless integration of ISV software and the SaaS platform.
- Both parties benefit as ISV gets recognition and access to a broad audience, and the SaaS platform can provide specialized Software on their platform.
Example: Collaboration between Salesforce, a leading cloud-based Customer Relationship Management platform, and Docusign, ISV, that provides customers the ability to sign the documents digitally.
Benefits of SaaS Investment Partnerships
- SaaS Investor Partnerships allow getting high capital raise to boost your business
- The business owner can build long-term relationships with venture capitalists to get more funds
- Partnership with these SaaS investors helps get advice or guidance on business development decisions.

How does the Salesforce ISV Partnership work?
Salesforce ISV partnership is the relationship between the third-party software vendors who develop and sell Software that works on Salesforce.
- Becoming a Salesforce ISV Partner: To become a Salesforce ISV partner, you must first apply and be accepted into the partnership program. You can take the help of top Salesforce consultants for this.
- Building and Selling Software on the Salesforce Platform: Once you are accepted into the program, ISV partners can make and sell Software that would integrate with Salesforce.
- Using Salesforce Resources and Tools: As a Salesforce ISV partner, you will get access to resources and tools like technical support to help build and sell your Software.
- Salesforce AppExchange: ISV partners can also list their Software on Salesforce App Exchange. This gives Independent Software Vendors access to the Salesforce Customer base.
- ISV Partner Development Funds: Salesforce provides ISV partners with development funds that can be used to test their apps on Salesforce. This can be done with the assistance of Salesforce Consulting Companies in India.
- Technical and Marketing Support: Salesforce provides technical and marketing support to ISV partners that help them to build, test and market their Software.
- Renewal and Certification: ISV partners can renew their partnership status annually, and their apps have to be certified by Salesforce every year to meet the quality standards.
- Revenue Sharing: ISV partners may be eligible to participate in revenue-sharing arrangements with Salesforce, depending on the terms of their partnership agreement.
In conclusion, the Salesforce ISV partnership can help many companies looking for business growth. However, it is necessary to choose Salesforce ISV integration partners wisely. Therefore, you should contact salesforce support services providing company like Astonous Our mission is to make a meaningful impact in the Salesforce ecosystem by delivering innovative Salesforce apps and Salesforce Consulting services that help our customers maximize their Salesforce investments.
Companies can make the most out of Salesforce by teaming up with ISV ( Independent Software Vendors) and utilizing their customized solutions for your CRM. According to recent surveys, top salesforce consultants predict that the global growth of Salesforce ISV will be more than $ 400 million by 2026. So now is the time to become a part of Salesforce ISV and see how it fulfills your business requirements.
This blog post is your ultimate Salesforce ISV guide and will help you understand more deeply about it. So, let us delve into the details and answer all your relevant queries in this blog.




