A person is sitting on a couch working on a laptop. A person is sitting on a couch working on a laptop.

Drive profitability as a Cloud Solution Provider

Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners deliver personalized, end-to-end services, driving deeper engagements and customer success. These partners are positioned to capture the $661 billion* market opportunity among small and medium enterprise customers. To become a CSP partner, your organization will need to meet specific requirements. Read on to learn if our CSP opportunities are right for your business.

Already a CSP partner? Sign in below.

Sign in to CSP page

Serve as a trusted advisor to your customers

CSP partners go beyond reselling licenses to build stronger customer relationships and unlock sustainable growth. New CSP direct bill partner applications will again be accepted starting October 1, 2025.

Cloud Solution Providers work with customers at every stage of their engagement to ensure their solutions meet the customer’s unique needs. Benefits of becoming a CSP partner include:

  • Valuable revenue opportunity. Drive growth through new and recurring revenue by aligning with Microsoft commercial solution areas to meet customer needs.
  • Stronger customer relationships. Provide cloud solutions that streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction.
  • Cloud and AI innovation. Create and sell differentiated products and end-to-end solutions for customers in any scenario and in every industry on an extensible platform.
  • End-to-end ownership. Own the end-to-end customer engagement and provision, bill, and support Microsoft services for your customers.

Serve as a trusted advisor to your customers

CSP partners go beyond reselling licenses to build stronger customer relationships and unlock sustainable growth. New CSP direct bill partner applications will again be accepted starting October 1, 2025.

Cloud Solution Providers work with customers at every stage of their engagement to ensure their solutions meet the customer’s unique needs. Benefits of becoming a CSP partner include:

  • Valuable revenue opportunity. Drive growth through new and recurring revenue by aligning with Microsoft commercial solution areas to meet customer needs.
  • Stronger customer relationships. Provide cloud solutions that streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction.
  • Cloud and AI innovation. Create and sell differentiated products and end-to-end solutions for customers in any scenario and in every industry on an extensible platform.
  • End-to-end ownership. Own the end-to-end customer engagement and provision, bill, and support Microsoft services for your customers.

Become an indirect reseller

Accelerate your go-to-market with less complexity and cost

Indirect resellers work with distributors (formerly indirect providers) who offer tools and resources to help them manage their customer relationships. While indirect resellers maintain a relationship with Microsoft, they purchase from a distributor who collaborates with them on customer support and billing. This model is recommended for most partners.

To become a CSP indirect reseller, your organization needs to be part of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and to enroll as a CSP reseller. If you’re not yet part of the AI Cloud Partner Program, you can enroll in the program and then apply for CSP authorization. Then, you must connect with a distributor and meet the CSP eligibility requirements. Explore the links below to learn more and get started on your CSP journey.

Review criteria

Become a direct bill partner

Take charge of the customer lifecycle

Direct bill partners own the end-to-end customer engagement, including presales and post-sales support. In this model, partners purchase cloud and on-premises offers from Microsoft and sell them directly to customers. Partners who have developed the required infrastructure and capabilities—as well as custom solutions—may apply for this option, which allows them to manage customers autonomously.

To become a CSP direct bill partner, your organization needs to be part of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and apply for CSP direct bill authorization. If you’re not yet part of the AI Cloud Partner Program, you can enroll first in the partner program and then apply for CSP direct bill authorization. To be authorized as a CSP partner, you’ll need to meet a series of specific eligibility requirements, including infrastructure, revenue, purchasing a support plan, and offering at least one managed service or customer solution application. Explore the link below to learn more about these requirements.

Please note that no new CSP direct bill applications will be accepted until October 1, 2025.

Review requirements

Upskill

Grow your technical and sales capabilities

Tap into training and certification resources that empower you to best serve your customers. Choose from a wide range of topics and formats to develop the skills you need to personalize your managed services, sell more effectively, and become a leader in your industry.
Sharpen your skills

Commercial solution areas

Excel in areas of high customer demand

Commercial solution areas represent your greatest opportunities to scale to meet customer needs. Each area features go-to-market solution plays that help focus your sales efforts on key personas and business outcomes.
Drive demand

Differentiate

Capture the CSP opportunity with a Solutions Partner designation

Attain a Solutions Partner designation to stand out in the marketplace. Showcase your technical capabilities, highlight your record of customer success, and demonstrate your ability to serve as a trusted advisor. Starting October 1, 2025, direct bill partners will need any Solutions Partner designation to qualify for CSP authorization—and indirect resellers can attain a designation to differentiate their organizations in the marketplace.
Showcase your capabilities

Marketing resources

Drive customer engagement with ready-to-go marketing resources

Capture and close leads with fresh weekly campaigns—available at no cost to Microsoft partners. Microsoft Digital Marketing Content OnDemand empowers you to optimize your digital marketing strategy, deepen current engagements, and win new customers.
Access free campaigns

Advanced support

Find a powerful support plan that works for you

Microsoft offers the expert support you need to drive your business forward. Compare the benefits of available plans to determine the best fit for your organization—and note that direct bill partners are required to have an active Advanced Support or Premier Support plan.
Choose a plan

Grow your technical and sales capabilities

Tap into training and certification resources that empower you to best serve your customers. Choose from a wide range of topics and formats to develop the skills you need to personalize your managed services, sell more effectively, and become a leader in your industry.

Sharpen your skills

Stand out with a Solutions Partner designation

Attain a Solutions Partner designation to stand out in the marketplace and fulfill certain CSP authorization requirements. Highlight your record of customer success and demonstrate your ability to serve as a trusted advisor.

Showcase your capabilities

Find a powerful support plan that works for you

Microsoft offers the support you need to drive your business forward. Understand the CSP requirements and compare the benefits of available plans to determine the best fit for your organization.

Choose a plan

*Microsoft estimates based on IDC data, October 2024. Throughout this page, $ refers to US dollar (USD).