AWS partner paths compared

Five paths, one membership

You register in the AWS Partner Network through Partner Central, at no cost, then enrol in one or more paths.¹ Paths replaced the old Consulting and Technology partner types in January 2022.²

You can be on several at once. AWS's own example is a company on both Software and Services, with each path moving at its own pace.²

The paths side by side

• Services. For consulting, professional and managed services firms. Way in: the services tiers, Select, Advanced and Premier. APN fee USD 2,500 a year.¹³
• Software. For companies whose software runs on or works with AWS. No tiers. Way in: the Foundational Technical Review (FTR), which is free and valid for two years.⁴
• Hardware. For device makers. Way in: the Device Qualification Program, tested with AWS IoT Device Tester.¹
• Training. For firms that deliver official AWS Training. AWS is not taking new applications; existing partners can ask their PDM.⁶
• Distribution. For distributors, by invitation. Resellers don't join this path; they join the Solution Provider Program through a distributor.⁷⁸

Services: tiers and numbers

Select needs 4 accredited people and 3 launched opportunities. Advanced needs 8 people, 20 launched opportunities and a Partner Business Plan. Premier needs 20 people, 50 launched opportunities and three Competency, MSP or Well-Architected validations.³

MDF, Competencies and MSP open at Advanced. The full list is in what each AWS tier gets you.

Software: the FTR and what follows

The FTR checks your product against AWS best practices. Since June 16, 2026, you can submit a SOC 2 Type II report or a Well-Architected Framework Review, and Partner Central validates it in minutes. Partner Revenue Measurement has to be on.⁵

A passed FTR gives you the Qualified Software badge, a Partner Solutions Finder listing, funding eligibility, and the door to Competencies and ISV Accelerate.⁴

ISV Accelerate is where co-sell gets real. AWS asks for a general availability listing on AWS Marketplace, 5 launched and 15 qualified ACE opportunities in the last 12 months, at least USD 2,000 in recognized AWS revenue, and one person trained on co-selling with AWS. AWS account managers then get incentives to sell your product through Marketplace private offers.¹⁰

Programs that sit on top

• Competencies. On Services and Software. See the Competency glossary.
• MSP. For managed services firms at Advanced and up, with a third-party audit.¹¹³
• Solution Provider. For services partners who resell AWS through a distributor. New incentives started rolling out on January 1, 2026.⁹
• ISV Accelerate. For software partners ready to co-sell.¹⁰

Which path is yours

Follow the revenue. If you bill for people and projects, start on Services. If you sell a product with a licence or a subscription, start on Software.

Many firms do both: services first, then a product built from what they repeat for clients. Each path counts separately, so plan which one AWS should see you on first.