PPlatformAppStores

Front App Marketplace

Helpdesk

FrontApp, Inc. · Service & helpdesk platforms

Best for: Vendors adding shared-inbox context and channel integrations for Front's collaborative-email customers.

Overview

Front's marketplace surfaces roughly a hundred integrations that plug into Front's shared-inbox and customer-operations platform. Developers pick from three building blocks: the Core API for reading and writing conversations, contacts, and comments; the Plugin SDK for embedding a custom side-panel app directly in the Front UI; and the Channels API for wiring new message channels into Front. Authentication is Bearer API tokens for single-company tools and OAuth 2.0 for public apps that other companies install.

Rate limiting is per-company and plan-tiered (from around 50 requests/minute up to 200 on Enterprise, with a separate partner-OAuth allotment). Distribution runs through the Front Integration Partner Program, which has Standard and Plus tiers granting a marketplace page, technical support, and co-marketing. Getting listed means submitting an integration form; Front tests it and, on approval, publishes a landing page and in-app listing. Choose Front when your buyers are collaborative support, success, and operations teams using Front as a shared inbox — it is a lighter-weight, partnership-driven ecosystem rather than a paid-app storefront with a revenue cut.

How to build & ship

  1. 1Create an app in the Front developer/partner area and decide which surfaces you need (plugin, Core API, Channel API)
  2. 2Build a plugin that embeds your web app in the conversation sidebar using the Front Plugin SDK
  3. 3Use the Core API (and webhooks) to read/update messages, contacts, inboxes, and comments, and the Channel API to bridge a messaging channel
  4. 4Authenticate via OAuth 2.0 for multi-customer access and test in your Front account
  5. 5Submit your integration through Front's partner form; Front tests it, then builds the App Store listing from your marketing details

Key APIs & SDKs

Front Plugin SDK
Front Core API (REST)
Front Channel API
Webhooks
OAuth 2.0

Integration types

Embedded app
Connector
Workflow action

Authentication & security

  • Primary auth: OAuth 2.0
  • Also supports: API key
  • Security review: Required
  • Integrations are submitted via a form, tested by Front, and approved before a marketplace landing page is created (lighter than enterprise review).
  • Front technically tests the submitted integration for correct behavior before publishing a dedicated listing, a lighter partner-driven review than the big enterprise stores (roughly a couple of weeks).
  • Core API defaults around 50 requests/minute and scales by plan (up to 200 on Enterprise), with per-resource burst limits.
Auth docs Store policies

Monetization

Free
Revenue share
Onboarding
None to list
Commission
No storefront cut; partners monetize their own SaaS and via referrals
Merchant of Record
Not applicable (Front does not act as MoR for third-party apps)

Pros & cons for builders

Pros

  • Three complementary APIs (Plugin, Core, Channel) cover UI, data, and channel use cases
  • Plugin SDK embeds a full web app directly in the agent conversation view
  • Partner process is relatively lightweight and collaborative

Cons

  • Smaller customer base than Zendesk/Intercom
  • Listing/launch depends on Front's partner team building the landing page
  • Less prescriptive tooling than CLI-driven ecosystems