HubSpot Announces the Technology Partner Program

As they announce here the Hubspot App Partner Program is becoming the Technology Partner Program.

The key change is the introduction of clear, structured tiers with transparent requirements and escalating benefits, along with real recognition for partners based on performance metrics like customer value, revenue influence, and quality standards.

New Tier Structure

HubSpot is implementing four partnership tiers (from entry-level to highest):

• Partner — Baseline level for joining and participating.
• Rising — Next step up, indicating growing impact.
• Leading — Advanced level with stronger performance.
• Premier — Top tier for the highest-performing partners.

Higher tiers unlock greater visibility in the HubSpot Marketplace, enhanced promotional opportunities, better support, potential revenue-related incentives (e.g., revenue share or referral rewards where applicable), and other recognition perks.

Why It’s Important

HubSpot’s platform thrives on its vast ecosystem of third-party integrations—apps, tools, and software built by technology partners that extend HubSpot’s CRM, marketing, sales, and service capabilities.

Previously, the program (often called the App Partner Program) lacked highly visible, merit-based progression paths with scaled rewards, making it harder for partners to understand how to grow their impact and earn proportional support from HubSpot.

This change introduces four transparent tiers—Partner (entry-level, achieved once your app is approved and live in the Marketplace), Rising, Leading, and Premier (the top tier)—based on objective, performance-driven criteria:

• Customer value (e.g., adoption, usage, and outcomes delivered to HubSpot users via the integration).
• Revenue influence (how much the app contributes to or drives HubSpot-related revenue, such as through co-selling, upsells, or expanded usage).
• Quality standards (integration reliability, certification status, support quality, etc.).

This creates a clear roadmap for progression, evaluated quarterly with notifications in the Developer Platform. Higher tiers unlock escalating benefits, such as:

• Greater Marketplace visibility and prominence (e.g., badges, priority filtering, featured placements).
• Enhanced promotional and co-marketing opportunities.
• Better partner support (e.g., named partner managers at Leading/Premier, joint business planning, prioritized access to advisory councils or champions).
• Stronger recognition and credibility, which helps partners attract more customers and stand out in a crowded integration landscape.

For HubSpot itself, this is important because it incentivizes higher-quality, high-impact integrations that drive long-term platform stickiness and growth—aligning partner success directly with customer success and HubSpot’s revenue ecosystem.

Why It’s Exciting

This feels like a genuine upgrade toward a more mature, meritocratic partner ecosystem:

• Transparency and predictability replace opacity—partners now know exactly what metrics matter and how to level up, reducing guesswork and frustration.
• Real, scaled rewards (not just symbolic badges) motivate investment in better integrations, deeper collaborations, and mutual growth. Top-tier Premier partners (like recent examples such as Aircall being highlighted as a Premier partner in early 2026 announcements) gain tangible advantages in co-selling, planning, and visibility.
• It signals HubSpot’s commitment to investing in its tech partner channel as a core growth driver, especially amid competition in the CRM/integration space. Partners who deliver real value get “real recognition,” which can lead to faster innovation cycles, more joint go-to-market efforts, and ultimately better tools for HubSpot users.
• For developers and SaaS companies, it’s motivating: achieving Rising → Leading → Premier becomes a clear milestone for business development, potentially boosting app installs, revenue share opportunities (where applicable), and strategic partnerships.

In short, this isn’t just a cosmetic rename or minor tweak—it’s a strategic shift that makes the program more fair, motivating, and value-aligned, exciting both current partners (who can now aim higher with clarity) and potential new ones (who see a rewarding path to elite status). It strengthens the overall HubSpot ecosystem by rewarding those who truly enhance the platform for everyone involved.