Understanding Account Types in AWS Marketplace

When setting up and managing your presence in AWS Marketplace, it's essential to understand the various types of accounts available and how they can be structured within AWS Organizations. This guide provides an overview of the key account types and best practices for organizing them.

AWS Marketplace Account Types

1. Master Account (Management Account)

The Master Account, also known as the Management Account, is the central account in your AWS Organization. It is responsible for managing billing and access permissions across the entire organization. This account holds the authority to create, manage, and link member accounts, providing a single point of control for all administrative tasks.

2. Member Accounts

Member Accounts are individual AWS accounts that are part of an AWS Organization. These accounts are linked to the Master Account and can be used to isolate workloads, environments (such as production and staging), or different business units. Member accounts benefit from centralized billing and policy enforcement managed by the Master Account.

3. Organization Accounts

AWS Organizations is a feature that allows you to centrally manage multiple AWS accounts within a hierarchical structure. This feature enables you to create and organize both Master and Member Accounts, streamlining account management, billing, and access control across your organization.

4. AWS Marketplace Specific Account

A specialized account for managing AWS Marketplace activities should be set up as a Member Account within your AWS Organization. Linking this account to your Master Account ensures consistent management of billing and permissions (see below for full instructions.)

Why Should You Set Up a New AWS Account for Your Marketplace Listings?

When listing your products on the AWS Marketplace, we recommend setting up a separate AWS account. Here’s why:

• Better Organization: Keep your marketplace activities separate from other business operations for easier management.
  
  
• Clear Financials: Track and manage costs specifically related to your marketplace listings without mixing them with other expenses.
  
  
• Enhanced Security: Control access and permissions more effectively, ensuring only authorized users can manage your listings.
  
  
• Simplified Auditing: A dedicated account makes it easier to audit and report on your marketplace activities.

Setting up a new account helps streamline and secure your AWS Marketplace experience.

How to link a New Seller Account with a Master Billing Account

Using AWS Organizations, you can link the new AWS account (seller account) to your master billing account (payer account). This allows your master account to manage billing for both accounts. Follow these steps to link your New Seller Account to Your Master Billing Account:

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the payer account.
2. Search for Accounts and choose 'Invite accounts (AWS Organizations feature)'.
3. Enter the email address for the new seller account and send the invitation.
4. Sign in to the new seller account and accept the invitation to join the organization.
5. Once linked, your master account will handle all billing for the new seller account.