New to AWS partnering? Every way in, by role
Joining the AWS Partner Network is free, and AWS Partner Central agents now guide new partners from registration to ready to sell. Which way in fits depends on whether you sell software, services, resale or hardware. This page shows every entry path, what each asks for, and one company's first 90 days.
For a head of partnerships at a company new to AWS partnering, across software, services, resale and hardware.As of
What does it take to join?
| Step | What AWS asks | Applies to | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Join the AWS Partner Network (APN) | What AWS asksRegister your organization in AWS Partner Central, in the AWS Management Console | Applies toAny | CostNo cost |
| Accept the APN Customer Engagements (ACE) terms | What AWS asksAccept the terms in the Partner Central Sell tab, share opportunities through ACE Pipeline Manager, then become ACE eligible to receive AWS referrals | Applies toAny | CostNo fee stated |
| Foundational Technical Review (FTR) | What AWS asksSubmit an existing SOC 2 Type II audit report or a Well-Architected Framework Review. Results come within minutes, and approval lasts two years | Applies toSoftware | CostNo cost |
| Services Partner Tier, Select | What AWS asks4 accredited people (2 technical, 2 business), 2 AWS Foundational Certified, 2 AWS Technical Certified, and 3 launched opportunities worth at least $1,500 in monthly recurring revenue | Applies toServices, Resell | Cost$2,500 a year in APN fees |
| Marketplace seller setup | What AWS asksVerifications, tax and payment setup. The onboarding agent guides you through them | Applies toSoftware, Services | CostNot stated |
AWS describes the tiers as built for consulting, professional, managed and value-added resale organizations, so a software-only company may start with the Software Path instead.
Which ways in fit your company?
Every way in is listed below, including ones that rarely matter to a new partner. Program names are AWS's own.
Get registered and ready
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Partner Network and Partner Paths | What it gives youFree to join, then enroll in Software, Hardware, Services, Training or Distribution paths in Partner Central | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Sequence: joining comes before every path below |
| AWS Partner Central onboarding agents | What it gives youFill your profile from your company website, point to next steps, and guide verifications, tax and payment setup until you can create Marketplace listings. Run in the Partner Central console | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Sequence: follows registration; you can stop and see what remains |
| APN Customer Engagements (ACE) | What it gives youShare opportunities with AWS and receive AWS referrals once eligible | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Sequence: join the APN and accept the terms first |
Which of these come first depends on whether you already have a company website AWS can read and whether anyone on your team will register opportunities.
Sell software and services through AWS Marketplace
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Technical Review | What it gives youA “Qualified Software” badge and a Partner Solutions Finder listing, free, valid two years | Role it needsSoftware | Works with others?Sequence: join the APN first |
| AWS Marketplace listing | What it gives youThe onboarding agent builds a listing from your website in minutes and, for existing listings, suggests improvements | Role it needsSoftware, Services | Works with others?Sequence: seller setup (tax, compliance, payment) comes first |
| Professional services listing fee | What it gives youA 0.5% listing fee on professional services private offers, down from 2.5%, and 0% when services sit in a qualifying multi-product solution with another paid subscription | Role it needsServices, Software | Works with others?Sequence: needs a professional services listing first; existing offers keep their original terms |
Whether Marketplace pays off for you depends on whether your buyers already purchase through AWS, whether you hold a security report or architecture review, and whether you sell services alongside software.
Services, resale, hardware, training and distribution
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Services Partner Tiers: Select, Advanced, Premier | What it gives youRecognition for services firms; each tier asks for more people, certifications and launched opportunities than the one below | Role it needsServices, Resell | Works with others?Sequence: Select comes before Advanced and Premier |
| AWS Solution Provider Program | What it gives youResell AWS services and manage customer billing | Role it needsResell, Services | Works with others?Check with AWS: the page lists no criteria beyond joining the APN |
| AWS Device Qualification Program (Hardware Path) | What it gives youA route to qualify your device with AWS | Role it needsHardware | Works with others?Check with AWS: no combination rules stated |
| AWS Training Path | What it gives youTraining Partner status for firms that sell, deliver or build in AWS training | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Check with AWS: no combination rules stated |
| AWS Distribution Path | What it gives youAuthorized Distributor status for firms that recruit and support resellers | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Check with AWS: no combination rules stated |
Which of these fit depends on the roles you play with customers, how many certified people you already have, and whether you sell AWS itself or something built on it.
What could the first 90 days look like?
Illustrative. A 25-person software company with a small implementation team, new to AWS. This is one order, not an AWS timeline; yours depends on your context.
- First 30 days
Register and start the reviews
- Register in Partner Central and let the onboarding agent fill the profile from the company website
- Accept the ACE terms
- Gather a SOC 2 Type II report or a Well-Architected Framework Review and submit the Foundational Technical Review
- Days 31–60
Finish setup and list
- Finish verifications, tax and payment setup
- Create the first Marketplace listing from the website
- Start sharing opportunities through ACE Pipeline Manager
- Days 61–90
List services and check the tier
- List the implementation work as a professional services offer, and test whether pairing it with a paid subscription qualifies for the lower fee
- Count certified people against the Select tier's requirements before deciding whether the services side needs a tier
AWS has the paths. Playmaker finds yours.
You’ve just seen how much AWS offers: programs, funding, listings, specialists and the many ways they combine. All of it is real, and much of it can run at the same time. Which of it fits your company depends on your tier, your roles and your deals.
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Frequently
asked questions
The short answers for new AWS partners. Playmaker shows you the rest in 3 minutes.
Joining the APN is free. FTR has no cost. The Select services tier carries APN fees of $2,500 a year.
AWS describes them as separate paths with different entry routes: FTR for software, Services Partner Tiers for services. The pages do not say whether one company can hold both, so check with AWS.
The June 2026 announcement states no price and no eligibility rules beyond registering.
AWS says results come within minutes, either approval or steps to close gaps.
The AWS pages do not mention other partners' programs either way. Playmaker shows how your paths combine across partners.
Sources
The AWS pages this page reads, all accessed Nov 1, 2026. Program names and terms belong to AWS.
- AWS, Partner Paths
- AWS, ACE
- AWS, Foundational Technical Review
- AWS, Services tiers
- AWS, Solution Provider
- AWS, Partner Central agents guide new partners
- AWS Partner Network blog, new agentic capabilities from registered to ready to sell
- AWS, professional services listing fee
- AWS, multi-product solutions fee
AWS, AWS Marketplace and AWS Partner Network are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. WorkSpan is not affiliated with or endorsed by AWS.
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