Atlassian is one of the world’s leading collaboration software companies. Its products, such as Jira, Confluence, and Trello, are used by hundreds of thousands of teams worldwide. And what’s great about these tools is their ability to expand their capabilities with in-house and third-party apps. The best part? You can find all these apps in one place—the Atlassian Marketplace.
It helps customers find software that seamlessly integrates with their existing tools and solves their unique problems. If you use Atlassian products and haven’t explored the Marketplace, this article is for you.
What is the Atlassian Marketplace?
Simply put, it’s a platform that contains all the third-party software compatible with its most popular tools. Think of it as a one-stop shop for all your Atlassian needs. It features more than 5,000 apps in over 30 categories. The list of supported products includes
- Jira
- Jira Service Management
- Confluence
- Bitbucket
- Fisheye
- Crucible
- Bamboo
- Crowd
- And more!
These app listings provide an in-depth view of each app. Including information such as functionality, product and hosting model compatibility info, pricing details, reviews, documentation and EULA links, and support contact information. The page also contains information regarding privacy and security: end-user data storage and management, Atlassian’s security compliance, and vendor’s privacy policies, to name a few. All in all, the app listing has everything you need to confidently explore and evaluate each app.
But the marketplace is more than just a space for customers to discover apps. It allows users to start a free trial and install apps for testing before committing to a subscription.
The platform is equally beneficial for vendors, just for different reasons. As Daniel Franz (the original Product Manager of the Marketplace) explains: “It wasn’t just a storefront and direct access to Atlassian’s customers. We built a legal and finance framework and offered a native licensing system, payment, invoicing, taxes, subscription renewals, etc. so developers could focus on the things they love, like building great plugins.”
Since its launch in 2012, the Atlassian Marketplace has helped countless vendors to scale and expand their customer base. In celebration of the platform’s tenth anniversary, Atlassian asked community leaders to share their thoughts on its impact. Here’s what they had to say.
Apps and vendors – the pillars of the Atlassian Marketplace
The Marketplace’s success relies on apps that expand Atlassian product capabilities. Companies developing and selling these apps are known as vendors or Marketplace partners.
Whether a vendor offers one app or 100, they have an equal opportunity to attract new customers. However, they all must follow specific guidelines set by Atlassian to list and sell their products in the Marketplace.
Atlassian has created a Partner Program for vendors who go the extra mile. It lets the potential customers know which vendors meet the certain security, support, and compatibility requirements set out by Atlassian. Some criteria include participation in the Bug Bounty Program and performing regular security self-assessments. The Partner Program offers three levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Then, there’s the Cloud Fortified badge. It clearly indicates that a Cloud app goes above and beyond in terms of data security, reliability, and support. Enterprise customers often prefer Cloud Fortified apps because they are optimized for large-scale instances and seen as more trustworthy.
Vendors benefit from the Cloud Fortified status too. It gives eligible apps greater visibility in the Marketplace and increases the chances of being recommended by the Atlassian sales team and Solution Partners.
The Marketplace is full of software solving all kinds of problems. Often, several apps provide similar solutions, making it difficult to choose the best one. The same can be said about the vendors.
How to choose the best app?
There are several criteria you can use to make the right choice. The first things many customers look at are the number of installs and the average app rating. Remember that the number of ratings is more telling than the rating itself. Compare the two examples below.
These stats present different stories. App 1 receives excellent ratings, but the data pool is smaller compared to App 2, which is more popular with a higher number of installations and reviews.
To dive deeper into customer feedback, check out the Reviews section. Also, make sure to read the app overview and dive into the app’s documentation to confirm if it solves your specific problem. When in doubt, you can always start a trial to find out for sure, as nearly every app on the Atlassian Marketplace offers a free trial.
Alternatively, you can reach out to Solution Partners and ask for recommendations. In fact, enterprises often employ Partners to implement apps on their behalf. That way, they don’t have to deal with the evaluation and installation; the Partners handle all that.
Apps are the reason why Marketplace is popular. But vendors play a huge role, too. The next chapter will explore vendors in greater detail.
How to choose a trustworthy vendor?
In many cases, the vendor’s reputation is as important as the app’s popularity. Users are more likely to try a new app built by a company they already know. When they do find a vendor that offers multiple apps, it can make their lives a lot easier. It’s even better when customers can streamline processes for future purchases.
Appfire, for example, has unified its end-user licensing agreement (EULA) for over 200 apps. As a result, customers can evaluate the licensing once, no matter how many apps they install.
Support is another important factor. When things go wrong or the user has a question about the app, it’s crucial they get a helpful answer quickly. So, it’s valuable for customers using multiple apps from a single vendor to have a single support portal. It enables them to manage all the support tickets in a single space and quickly reach Customer Service representatives who are well-versed in a wide range of apps.
Participation in Atlassian programs mentioned previously (Partner Program and Cloud Fortified status) is a testament to the vendor’s commitment to delivering reliable and secure solutions and quick response in case of any issues.
For instance, Silver Partners are bound by a 48-hour response time. Gold and Platinum vendors guarantee a 24-hour response time. If you’re looking for help fast, the higher-level Partners will be your best bet.
Find your solution with Appfire
If you have an Atlassian software problem, there’s a high chance that one of Appfire’s apps can solve it. Since our debut in the Atlassian ecosystem in 2005, tens of thousands of customers have used our apps to make work flow.
As a Platinum Marketplace Partner, we set the standard for data security, customer support, and app performance. With 200 apps (including 70+ Cloud Fortified apps) in the Marketplace and over 200,000 active installations worldwide, we help Atlassian users across various industries, use cases, and products.
Our comprehensive multi-app solutions tackle complex problems in IT Service Management, migration and management, and workflow and automation (with more to come!).
Want to know how Appfire can improve your Atlassian experience? Check out our solutions or reach out to one of our Solution Partners.
