Remember when Salesforce was just a tool for managing customer relationships? Now, it’s a central platform for everything from operations and service to analytics and automation. But even with all of its built-in functionality, most organizations quickly find themselves wanting more. More automation, more integrations, and more flexibility.
So Salesforce built AppExchange. As of 2025, AppExchange offers more than 9,000 apps, components, and services. Those solutions have been installed over 13 million times by businesses across industries. According to Salesforce, 90% of Fortune 500 companies are using AppExchange in some capacity. That level of adoption isn’t a coincidence. It’s a reflection of how deeply integrated the marketplace has become in how companies use Salesforce.
That said, browsing the listings and actually choosing the right solution are two different things. With so many options, it’s easy to get stuck comparing features or second-guessing how a tool might fit into your existing setup. This is where working with a Salesforce AppExchange development company can really help.
A team that’s already familiar with the platform and the ecosystem can point you toward what works, help avoid common missteps, and focus on getting real results, not just adding more tools.
What Is AppExchange? And What Can You Find There?
AppExchange is Salesforce’s own marketplace for tools and templates that are built specifically to work within the Salesforce platform. Rather than building custom features from scratch, teams can choose from thousands of ready-made solutions that plug in quickly and solve real business challenges.
The marketplace focuses on enterprise use cases. Apps go through a review process for security and platform compatibility, and many can be installed and configured with minimal setup. It’s this combination of trust and ease that has made AppExchange such a widely used part of the Salesforce ecosystem. You’ll find:
- Managed Packages: Vendor created and supported apps. They come with version updates, documentation, and built-in safeguards, which makes them a dependable choice for long-term use.
- Unmanaged Packages: These give you full visibility into the code and more room to customize. They’re useful for development teams or admins looking to experiment or tailor something to fit a very specific use case.
- Industry-Focused Solutions: Many apps are designed around the unique needs of sectors like healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and education.
- Consulting & Expert Services: AppExchange isn’t just software. You’ll also find listings for certified Salesforce partners who can help with planning, customization, and integration.
- Lightning Components & Bolt Templates: These are visual and structural building blocks that help speed up development when customizing the Salesforce interface.
- Flow & Automation Templates: Pre-built logic for streamlining routine processes without needing custom code.
Oh, and there’s the Appy Bobcat too – there to answer any questions you might have while you’re sorting through your options.
Choosing Solutions That Match Your Industry
Every company uses Salesforce a little differently. A nonprofit running fundraising campaigns won’t have the same priorities as a tech company trying to scale customer success operations. That’s why AppExchange includes a wide range of tools built with specific industries in mind.
In healthcare, organizations often look for solutions that are HIPAA-compliant and integrate with care coordination tools. Some apps even connect directly with Health Cloud to support patient engagement and treatment tracking.
Financial services teams need to think about risk, compliance, and client reporting. Many of the most-used tools in this space help automate Know Your Customer (KYC) checks or track audit trails for regulatory review.
Retail and consumer brands might want to connect point-of-sale systems, personalize marketing outreach, or track inventory. There are dozens of options that do just that, many with built-in dashboards that let your sales and support teams stay on the same page.
Salesforce offers some guidance through its industry “cloud” solutions and featured app categories. But even with those tools, navigating AppExchange can take time, especially if you’re new to the platform or working with complex processes.
That’s where a partner like Routine Automation can help. They bring experience across industries, which means they can quickly recommend apps that match your needs. More importantly, they can adapt those tools to your team, rather than expecting your team to change for the tool.
How to Choose the Right AppExchange Solution
Finding the right app on AppExchange isn’t just a matter of reading the top reviews and clicking “Install.” There are a few key things to look at before you commit to anything, especially if you’re planning to roll it out to a larger team or integrate it into live workflows.
Start with reviews, but read them with context. A 5-star app for a 20-person startup might not scale the same way in a 1,000-user org. Pay attention to who’s leaving the reviews and whether their use case is similar to yours.
Next, check the app’s compatibility. Some are built for specific Salesforce editions or rely on features like Service Cloud or Experience Cloud. Others may not play nicely with heavily customized orgs.
Here are a few questions to help narrow your search:
- Is there a free trial or sandbox install available?
- Does the app receive regular updates?
- Is it compatible with the Salesforce edition you’re using?
- Does the vendor offer support or implementation help?
- How much access will the app require in your org?
Security is another big one. Look for apps that have passed Salesforce’s security review, and if your business handles sensitive data, don’t be afraid to ask vendors about their privacy policies or compliance certifications.
What Are Salesforce Labs and Packages?
If you’ve browsed AppExchange for a few minutes, you’ve probably come across apps from Salesforce Labs. These are internal projects built by Salesforce employees, and often offered for free. While they aren’t officially supported in the same way commercial products are, they’re generally reliable and built with good practices in mind.
Now, about packages.
Every app on AppExchange is offered as either a managed or unmanaged package. That label makes a big difference in how the app behaves in your org.
- Managed packages are developed and maintained by the app provider. You’ll get version updates, feature improvements, and bug fixes. You can’t see or edit the source code, but you’re also less likely to break anything accidentally.
- Unmanaged packages are open and editable. You can use them for prototypes, code samples, or free utilities. But when you install them, the provider can’t update or patch them remotely, so you’re responsible for maintenance.
Managed apps are can be safer for some environments, especially if you want something stable and supported. Unmanaged apps make more sense if you want to explore how something works or tweak it for a highly customized setup.
How AppExchange Solutions Affect Salesforce Limits
Every Salesforce org comes with certain limits, things like the number of custom objects you can create, how many API calls you’re allowed per day, or how much data you can store. When you install an AppExchange app, especially one that includes custom components, it can affect those limits. But the impact depends heavily on whether the package is managed or unmanaged.
If the app is offered as a managed package and it has passed Salesforce’s security review (which is required for public listings), then the custom tabs, objects, and apps it includes won’t count against your organization’s standard feature limits. It also won’t count against any contractual license limits, like the number of custom apps allowed under your Salesforce agreement. That’s a big reason why most production-ready solutions are managed.
However, some limits still apply. For example, if the app adds custom fields to a standard object, those fields do count toward the object’s field limit, even in a reviewed managed package.
On the other hand, unmanaged packages are a different story. Everything they add: tabs, objects, apps, fields, will count against your org’s limits, whether or not the package passed a security review.
One point worth noting – there’s no limit on the number of apps you can install. Just remember, every app adds something new to your system, and that leads to more complexity.
Installing an AppExchange Solution
Installing an app from AppExchange is usually pretty simple, but there’s still some care involved if you want things to go smoothly.
Start by logging into your Salesforce environment. When you’ve found an app that looks like a good fit, hit “Get It Now”. You’ll be asked whether you want to install it in a production org or a sandbox. If there’s any doubt, choose the sandbox. It gives you a safe place to try things out without touching live data or users.
Salesforce will walk you through the basic steps: reviewing what the app will add (custom objects, tabs, permissions, etc.), confirming access levels, and approving the install. The process is usually quick. But installation is really just the beginning.
Once the app is in place, you’ll need to:
- Configure any settings the app requires
- Connect it with existing workflows or automation
- Assign access to the right people on your team
Here’s where it’s easy to overlook something important: not everyone should have full access to every app. Salesforce gives you a few tools for managing this:
- Profiles let you set broad access levels based on role or department
- Permission sets offer a more targeted way to grant access without changing someone’s profile
If the app includes custom objects, tabs, or dashboards, those can (and often should) be restricted to certain users. The goal is to match access to responsibilities, not just titles. Giving someone more permissions than they need can create data issues or lead to confusion, while locking users out of what they need slows everything down.
Making the Most of AppExchange
AppExchange opens the door to a more flexible, more efficient version of Salesforce, one that’s tailored to the way your organization actually runs. Whether you need a single app to automate a small task or a fully integrated set of solutions for multiple departments, the options are there.
But choosing apps isn’t about chasing features. It’s about finding tools that solve the right problems, with the least amount of friction. That sometimes means working with a company that’s been through it all before – an implementation partner.
Remember, the real value of AppExchange isn’t in how many apps you install. It’s in how well they work together to support your team’s goals.
