The sales team wants e-signatures. Finance wants invoices that don't need copy-paste. Support wants texting. Before anyone writes a line of code, a good Salesforce admin asks one question: is there already an app for that?
Most of the time, the answer lives on Salesforce AppExchange. This guide explains what AppExchange is, what changed when Salesforce renamed it AgentExchange in 2026, how to choose and install apps safely, and what software companies need to know before they publish their own.
Key Takeaways
- Salesforce AppExchange is Salesforce's marketplace for apps, components, agents, and consultants, and Salesforce says 91% of its customers use AppExchange apps.
- In April 2026, Salesforce merged AppExchange, Slack Marketplace, and the Agentforce ecosystem into one marketplace called AgentExchange.
- Every packaged app must pass Salesforce's security review before it can be listed.
- Test an app with "Try It" in a sandbox before you install it in production with "Get It Now."
- Check edition fit, pricing model, data footprint, and the uninstall path before you commit to an app.
- Software companies pay a $999 security review fee per attempt for paid apps and share 15% (ISVforce) or 25% (OEM) of revenue with Salesforce.
What Is Salesforce AppExchange?
Salesforce AppExchange is Salesforce's official marketplace where companies find, try, and install apps, components, AI agents, and certified consultants that extend Salesforce. Since April 2026, it operates under the name AgentExchange.
Salesforce describes it as a marketplace with more than 7,000 apps and 10 million+ installs. According to Salesforce, 91% of its customers use AppExchange apps, and 90% of the Fortune 500 do too (Salesforce, as of October 2026).
Three groups use it most:
- Salesforce admins and business teams looking for ready-made features, from e-signatures to invoicing
- Developers who need components or integrations to save build time
- Software companies (ISVs) that sell their products to Salesforce customers Think of AppExchange as the app store for your Salesforce org. The difference is that every packaged app installs directly into your org and works with your existing Salesforce data.
Is AppExchange Now Called AgentExchange?
Yes. In April 2026, at its TDX developer event, Salesforce combined AppExchange, Slack Marketplace, and the Agentforce ecosystem into one marketplace called AgentExchange. The appexchange.salesforce.com address now opens AgentExchange with the message "Salesforce AppExchange is now AgentExchange."
The merged marketplace holds 10,000+ Salesforce apps, 1,000+ agents, subagents, tools, and MCP servers, and 2,600+ Slack apps, according to Salesforce Ben. Salesforce also announced a $50 million fund to support partners building for the new marketplace.
For Salesforce customers, the basics stay the same. Existing listings, reviews, and installed apps carried over, and the security review still applies. Most people still search for "AppExchange," so this guide uses both names.
A Short History of AppExchange
AppExchange launched in 2006, and it started with a piece of advice. Steve Jobs told Marc Benioff that Salesforce needed to "build an application economy," according to the Salesforce blog.
Benioff also owned the "App Store" trademark and the appstore.com domain. When Apple launched its App Store in 2008, Benioff gave both to Apple as a gift. Twenty years later, the marketplace changed names again, this time to AgentExchange.
What Types of Solutions Are on AppExchange?
AppExchange offers packaged solutions you install in your org, API solutions that connect from outside, and listings for consultants and Slack apps. Salesforce defines the current solution types in its ISVforce developer guide.
If you want examples of popular picks, see our roundups of the best Salesforce AppExchange apps and the best AppExchange apps for communications.
How Does AppExchange Work for Salesforce Customers?
For Salesforce customers, AppExchange works in 5 steps: find an app, check its reviews and security status, test it in a sandbox, install it in production, and manage it over time.
Search and Filter by Need, Edition, and Industry
Start from the business problem, then search AgentExchange by keyword or browse by category, industry, and Salesforce product. Filters for edition, price, and rating narrow the list quickly. AgentExchange also supports semantic search, so plain-language queries such as "send invoices from opportunities" also return relevant results.
Read Reviews and Check the Security Review Status
Each listing shows a rating, written reviews, the publisher, the latest release, and supported editions. Packaged apps listed on AgentExchange have passed Salesforce's security review, which tests the solution for common vulnerabilities before it goes public (Salesforce Developers). Read the most recent reviews first, since older ones may describe a past version.
Test With "Try It" in a Sandbox
Use the listing's "Try It" option to install in a sandbox, or start a free trial when the vendor offers one. Salesforce's install guide notes that "Get It Now" installs in production only, while "Try It" is the route to a sandbox (Salesforce Developers). Test with real-looking data and the users who'll work with the app day to day.
Install the Package and Choose Who Gets Access
When the test goes well, click "Get It Now," agree to the terms, and confirm the install. In Enterprise Edition and higher, you choose who gets access:
- Install for Admins Only: only administrators get access at first, and you grant it to others later
- Install for All Users: every user gets access to the package's objects and features
- Install for Specific Profiles: you set access profile by profile Review the API access the package requests, then install. Afterward, configure the app, assign its permission sets, and assign licenses if it's a paid managed package.
Plan for Upgrades and Uninstalling
Most managed packages receive upgrades from the publisher, so check release notes before each update reaches production. If you ever remove an app, Salesforce lets you export the package data first. Uninstalling deletes the package's custom objects and the fields, rules, and buttons on them, and Salesforce blocks the uninstall if other components still depend on the package (Salesforce Help).
What to Check Before You Install an AppExchange App
A 4.9-star rating doesn't tell you whether an app fits your org. Before you install, run through these 6 checks.
Pre-install checklist:
- Edition and license fit: the listing supports your Salesforce edition, and you have the licenses the app needs.
- Pricing model: you know whether it's priced per user, per company, by site license, or by usage, and what happens at renewal.
- Data footprint: you know which custom objects and fields it adds and how its records affect data storage.
- External data flow: you know whether data leaves Salesforce, where it goes, and which compliance rules apply (GDPR, HIPAA, or industry rules).
- Vendor health: the listing shows a recent release, the vendor offers support, and reviews mention responsive help.
- Ownership: someone on your team will own configuration, upgrades, and user questions after go-live.
How Much Do AppExchange Apps Cost?
AppExchange app prices range from free to custom enterprise contracts, and each vendor sets its own price on the listing's pricing tab.
The most common pricing models are:
- Free: no charge, sometimes with limits on usage or features
- Freemium: a free plan with paid upgrades
- Per user per month: a common model for business apps
- Per company: one fee for the whole org, often with unlimited users
- Usage-based: priced by volume, such as messages, documents, or API calls Licensing works on 2 main models. A per-user license gives access to a set number of users, while a site license covers everyone in the org. Many vendors also offer a free trial with a time limit. For a live example of how prices compare in one category, see the comparison table in our guide to AppExchange communication apps.
Remember to budget beyond the listed price: Salesforce licenses the app requires, usage charges, and the time to configure, test, and train your users.
How Does AppExchange Work for ISVs and App Builders?
To sell on AppExchange, a software company joins the Salesforce Partner Program, builds a managed package, passes the security review, publishes a listing, and shares revenue with Salesforce. Here's the short version, with links to our detailed guides for each step.
- Join the Salesforce Partner Program as an ISV. Partners get access to the Partner Community, a Partner Business Org for licenses and orders, and the tools to build and distribute apps.
- Build the app as a managed package. Salesforce states: "Going forward we recommend that everyone use managed 2GPs to create new apps" (Salesforce Developers). Our AppExchange development guide covers planning, tech stack, and 1GP vs 2GP.
- Pass the security review. The fee is $999 per attempt for paid apps, and free apps pay no fee (Salesforce Developers). The review moves through submission verification, a testing queue, testing and validation, and results. See our guide on how to pass the AppExchange security review.
- Publish the listing in the Partner Console. The AgentExchange Partner Console is where partners create and publish listings, connect packages, start the security review, and track listing analytics (Trailhead). For tips on visibility, read how to get your app to the top of the Salesforce apps list.
- Choose a commercial model. ISVs choose between ISVforce and OEM (see the table below), then set pricing. Our guide to AppExchange pricing and monetization walks through the options.
- Manage licenses, support, and releases. After launch, you manage customer licenses, plan upgrades, and keep the listing current.
ISVforce vs OEM at a Glance
Source: Salesforce Help, Partner Program FAQ, as of October 2026. For a deeper comparison, see Salesforce OEM vs ISVforce, and for budgeting, how much it costs to build an AppExchange app.
How MagicFuse Helps Customers and ISVs With AppExchange
MagicFuse works on both sides of AppExchange: we help Salesforce customers choose and implement apps, and we help software companies build, secure, and launch them.
As a Salesforce Summit partner with 270+ Salesforce certifications, we've supported 15+ ISV products. Our work includes:
- Elements.cloud: we built a managed package that passed AppExchange security review and syncs very large Salesforce data volumes with Elements.cloud's platform. You may know its earlier product, Element Catalyst, from older AppExchange lists. Read the Elements.cloud case study.
- Limio: a managed package for B2B and B2C commerce management.
- ID-Pal: a managed package with two-way authorization between Salesforce and ID-Pal's identity verification platform.
- Riptide: Riptide Live Chat for Salesforce and a generative AI agent for live chat, delivered as a 2GP managed package. We also publish 3 AppExchange apps under our own brand. One of them, Magic Billing Hub, is a Salesforce-native app that creates branded PDF invoices from Opportunities, Orders, or Invoices, with multi-currency and tax support. It has a free plan for up to 10 invoices a month.
If you're planning your own app, see our Salesforce application development services.
FAQs
- What is Salesforce AppExchange used for?
Salesforce AppExchange is used to find and install apps, components, AI agents, and consultants that add features to Salesforce. Companies use it to cover needs such as e-signatures, invoicing, telephony, and data quality without building from scratch.
- Is AppExchange the same as AgentExchange?
Yes. In April 2026, Salesforce renamed AppExchange to AgentExchange and merged it with Slack Marketplace and the Agentforce ecosystem. Existing apps, reviews, and installs carried over, and appexchange.salesforce.com now opens AgentExchange.
- How many apps are on AppExchange?
Salesforce describes AppExchange as having more than 7,000 apps and 10 million+ installs. After the April 2026 merge, press reports counted 10,000+ Salesforce apps, 1,000+ agents and tools, and 2,600+ Slack apps on AgentExchange.
- Are AppExchange apps free?
Some are. AppExchange includes free apps, freemium apps with paid upgrades, and paid apps priced per user, per company, or by usage. Each listing shows its pricing on the pricing tab.
- Are AppExchange apps safe to install?
Packaged apps listed on AppExchange have passed Salesforce's security review, which tests them for common vulnerabilities. You should still test each app in a sandbox, review the API access it requests, and check where it sends data.
- How do I install an app from AppExchange?
Open the listing, choose "Try It" to install in a sandbox or "Get It Now" to install in production, agree to the terms, choose who gets access (admins only, all users, or specific profiles), and confirm. Then configure the app and assign permission sets and licenses.
- How much does it cost to publish an app on AppExchange?
Joining the Salesforce Partner Program is the first step, and paid apps pay a $999 security review fee per attempt, while free apps pay none. Salesforce then takes 15% of revenue under ISVforce or 25% under OEM, and ISVforce also offers a fixed yearly fee option. For build costs, see our guide to AppExchange app cost.
- How long does it take to build and publish an AppExchange app?
The timeline depends on the app's scope, the number of integrations, any data migration, how ready your org is, and your team's availability. The security review adds its own step before launch. For an estimate based on your product, contact MagicFuse.
