Purchase a SaaS offer in the Azure portal

This article explains the different options and requirements for searching, trying, and purchasing a software as a service (SaaS) offer from the Azure portal.

Requirements

• An Azure user account with access to an appropriate Azure subscription. This subscription is used for billing and for compartmentalization of your purchased cloud resources. To learn more about Azure subscriptions, see Create an additional Azure subscription.
• Permission to purchase from Microsoft Marketplace.

Here are the minimum required actions for a custom role defined at the subscription scope. These actions grant the user permission to create a SaaS resource but don't allow them to manage it:

"Actions": [
    "Microsoft.SaaS/register/action",
    "Microsoft.SaaS/resources/write",
    "Microsoft.SaaS/resources/read",
    "Microsoft.Resources/deployments/write",
    "Microsoft.Resources/deployments/validate/action",
    "Microsoft.Resources/deployments/read",
    "Microsoft.Resources/subscriptions/resourceGroups/read",
    "Microsoft.Resources/subscriptions/resourceGroups/write",
    "Microsoft.MarketplaceOrdering/offertypes/publishers/offers/plans/agreements/read",
    "Microsoft.MarketplaceOrdering/offertypes/publishers/offers/plans/agreements/write"
  ],

SaaS offers discovery in the Azure portal

In the Azure portal, there are a few ways to narrow your search to focus on SaaS offers.

From the home page, under Azure services, select + Create a resource or Marketplace. Or use the shortcut G + N anywhere in the platform.

• Narrow down results to SaaS offers by using the Offer Type filter, and then selecting SaaS.

• Use the Free trial filter to find SaaS offers that include at least one trial plan.

• Use the global search bar (located in the top navigation area) to find a specific SaaS offer.

Find a private SaaS offer by selecting the banner at the top of the Marketplace home page. Not all offers or plans are available in all geographies, and some might only appear for certain tenants.

The filtered view shows each available SaaS offer, represented by a title. Select one to see the product details page. This page includes the following sections:

• Overview: Details about the service, and marketing and learning materials.

• Plans + Pricing: Each offer includes at least one plan with different billing terms and payment options.

  • On the product details page, plans that include a trial are marked with a Free Trial badge or icon in the plan dropdown and in Plans + Pricing.

  • Review Trial Terms before subscribing. Trial terms can include duration, included usage, the paid plan and price after the trial, eligibility notes, and cancellation or conversion details.

• Usage Information + Support: Includes the publisher ID, offer ID, and plan ID.

• Rating and Reviews: Includes various evaluations of the specific SaaS offer.

Available billing models and contract durations for SaaS offers

Each offer has a pricing model associated with it: flat rate or per user. Each SaaS offer has one or more plans, and each plan price is a recurring fee. Here are the types of plans available:

• Monthly plans: You pay up front each month. Monthly plans can be configured as either flat rate or per user pricing. When the term ends, the plan renews automatically.

• Annual plans (single year): You can pay either monthly or annually up front. Annual plans can be configured as either flat rate or per user pricing. When the one-year term ends, the plan renews automatically.

• Multi-year plans: SaaS products can be offered by the publisher for a contract duration of up to five years. You can pay annually, or with flexible billing schedule (see below).

• Metered plans: Also known as usage-based plans, or pay-as-you-go plans. You pay according to units you consume. The units of measure are set by the offer's publisher with a price per unit. For example: number of API calls, number of emails sent, gigabytes of storage consumed, bandwidth consumed, and many more. Metered plans may or may not include a flat base-fee in addition to the usage costs. Products with base-fees will sometimes include a limited number of units to be consumed before the usage charges will kick in as overages. Metered plans have a contract duration that can be monthly, annual, or multi-year.

Special billing features

• Free trial: Some SaaS plans include a free trial. Trial duration and included usage vary by plan. For metered plans, the trial terms can include included quantities for one or more meters.

• Flexible billing: for annual or multiyear plans that are sold via private offers, a publisher can create a custom billing schedule per deal. Flexible billing is supported for both entitlement plans (flat fee or license-based) and metered plans. However, in case of metered plans, the flexible billing schedule will apply only for the base-fees (if exist), while the usage fees will be billed the regular monthly invoice cadence. SaaS products sold with custom billing schedule cannot be auto-renewed without a new private offer and a new billing schedule.

The SaaS purchase experience

To purchase a SaaS product, follow these steps:

1. Find the offer. In Microsoft Marketplace or Azure portal, find the SaaS offer you want to purchase.

2. Start the purchase. On the product details page, choose a plan and select Get it now or Subscribe. If you start from Microsoft Marketplace, Azure portal opens in the same browser after a redirect notice. Sign in to Azure portal if prompted.

3. Review basic details. Review or update the Azure subscription, SaaS name, plan, contract duration, price per billing frequency, user counts, subtotal, and auto-renew settings.

   1. The first eligible Azure subscription is preselected, and you can change it here or after purchase. The subscription must have a valid purchase method. You must have the required permissions on the subscription and on a resource group within it. The subscription billing country or region must be one where the offer is available.

   2. A default name is suggested for the SaaS subscription. You can change it before purchase to make it easier to identify later, but not after purchase.

   3. The plan you picked on the product details page is preselected. If you didn't select a plan, the default plan appears. Plans with trials show a Free Trial badge. Select compare plans to review and choose another plan, if desired.

   4. Select the contract duration and number of users, if applicable. The price and subtotal update based on your selections.

   5. Optionally, enable auto-renew for the subscription. If enabled, the free trial automatically converts to a paid plan unless you cancel. If disabled, you must upgrade to a paid plan to keep using the product after the trial ends.

4. Review advanced details. Review or update the Azure project details, resource group, resource group location, tags, and contact details.

   1. A new resource group and default resource group location are preselected, and you can change the resource group before or after purchase.

   2. Add tags to help find and organize your SaaS resource later. Azure supports up to 50 tags per resource and resource group. You can add tags during creation or to an existing resource. Learn more about tags.

   3. Review your contact details including name and email, which are shared with the seller after purchase. You can also provide an optional phone number.

5. Review Terms of use. Review the publisher’s legal terms and privacy statements, Microsoft’s standard contract, amendment, and Marketplace Terms.

6. Complete purchase. Select Complete purchase. If a required field is missing or a validation fails, the page shows the error and purchase cannot be completed until the issue is resolved.

SaaS subscription and configuration

After you select complete purchase, the SaaS purchase begins. This process can take up to a minute. Keep the browser window open until it finishes.

What happens next depends on the auto activation setting configured by the publisher for the plan you purchased:

• Auto activation on: The subscription activates automatically, and billing starts immediately. Continue to the publisher’s website to configure your account and access the software.
• Auto activation off: Billing starts after you configure your account on the publisher’s website. If you don't act within 30 days, the SaaS subscription is automatically deleted.

After purchase, go to the publisher’s site to configure your account and access your software. Microsoft isn't responsible for the publisher site’s content, security, or privacy practices.

You can manage your SaaS subscription from the SaaS page in the Azure portal. You can switch plans, update the number of users, adjust auto-renew, cancel or delete the subscription, change the Azure subscription or resource group, and more.

• When auto-renew is enabled, your trial automatically converts to a paid plan when the trial ends. If disabled, you must upgrade to a paid plan before the trial ends to continue using the product.
• You can check your subscription status by selecting notifications (bell).

Common error messages and solutions

These are common error messages you might come across during the process, along with common solutions:

• The plan [name of the plan selected] cannot be purchased on a free subscription.

  • Select a different subscription or upgrade your account. For more information, see Upgrade your Azure free account.

• Purchase has failed because we couldn't find a valid credit card, nor a payment method associated with your Azure subscription.

  • Use a different Azure subscription, or add or update current credit card or payment method information for this subscription. Then retry the purchase.

• Plan [name of the plan selected] of offer [offer name] by publisher [publisher of offer] is not available to you for purchase per the rules set by your IT Admin.

  • Contact your IT Admin.

• Plan [name of plan selected] of offer [plan selected] by publisher [publisher of offer] is not available to you for purchase due to private marketplace settings made by your tenant's IT Admin.

  • Contact your IT Admin.

• Purchase failed because requested billing term is empty or invalid.

  • Try to purchase a different plan or billing term.

• Purchase has failed because we couldn't verify your signing on legal agreement.

  • Retry. If the error persists, try to make the purchase by using a different Azure subscription, or contact support.

• Purchase of offer [offer ID] by publisher [publisher ID] has failed. This offer is currently not available for purchasing.

  • Try again later. If after an hour you keep getting this error message, contact support.

• Purchase of plan [plan ID] of offer [offer ID] by publisher [publisher ID] has failed. This plan is currently not available for purchasing.

  • Try again later. If after an hour you keep getting this error message, contact support.

• The client [email address] with object ID [Object ID] doesn't have authorization to perform action [Deployment Validation Action] over scope [Resource Group; Deployment Scope] or the scope is invalid.

  • You get this message if you don't have the right permissions on the Azure subscription or resource group. If access was recently granted, refresh your credentials. To deploy resources into a resource group, you must have at least contributor access. Check your access status under Resource Groups, and then Access Control. This shows who the owner is, and you can then ask that person to assign you as a contributor.

• Subscription used for this purchase doesn't allow Marketplace purchases.

  • Use a different subscription, or ask your administrator to change the definition for this subscription. Then retry the purchase.

• The Publisher [publisher ID] dooesn't make available offer: [offer ID], Plan [planId] in your Subscription/Azure account’s region

  • Choose another subscription associated with a different market and perform the purchase using that subscription

• Marketplace is not enabled for the Azure subscription [subscription ID]

  • Ask the tenant admin to enable the Marketplace toggle. See Enabling Azure Marketplace purchases

• Failed to load catalog product [modelName]-offer' in market

  Context: Your current subscription isn't permitted to purchase this product. Subscriptions with an Enterprise Agreement are not supported for certain geographies for this offer.

  • Action: select a different subscription associated with a different market and perform the purchase using that subscription

• Purchase failed because no valid payment method is associated with your Azure subscription [subscription ID]

  • Action: Select a subscription that has an active payment instrument and perform the purchase again

• This plan isn't available for purchase because it needs to be added to your tenant's Private Marketplace

  • Action: Contact your Marketplace Administrator and ask them to add and approve this product in your Private Marketplace. Once approved, you’ll be able to complete the purchase.

• The policy associated with this subscription [subscription ID] doesn't permit Marketplace purchases.

  • Action: ask your tenant admin to enable the Marketplace purchases.  For more information, see Enabling Azure Marketplace purchases.

• This offer [Offer ID] isn't available for purchasing under subscriptions belonging to Microsoft Azure Cloud Solution Providers

  • Action: The publisher hasn’t made this offer available for Microsoft Azure Cloud Solution Provider subscriptions. To purchase this offer, select a different subscription, and try again. 

• If you can't start a trial, review the inline error message. You might need to select a subscription with a valid payment method, choose a supported market, select a different plan, or contact your administrator if policy or eligibility settings block the trial.

For more information, watch the video tutorial at Purchasing a SaaS offer.

Related content

• Microsoft Marketplace billing and invoicing

• Private plans in Microsoft Marketplace