Getting Started with Databricks Marketplace
Databricks Marketplace is an open marketplace where data providers can publish and distribute data products, AI assets, and applications to thousands of Databricks customers worldwide. This page covers what you need to get set up as a provider.
For the underlying data sharing protocol that powers Marketplace, see the OpenSharing section.
Prerequisites
Common requirements
All Marketplace providers require:
- Databricks account: Premium tier or above
- Unity Catalog: Required for governance, sharing, and entitlement management. See Set up Unity Catalog.
Marketplace-specific requirements
- Marketplace Admin role: Assign the Marketplace Admin role to users who will manage provider profiles, listings, and fulfillment
- Technical validation: Pass a technical validation to confirm you can share data via OpenSharing before your first listing goes live
For step-by-step Marketplace setup, see List your data product in Databricks Marketplace.
Metastore selection
Your Unity Catalog metastore is the foundation for all Marketplace operations. Choose carefully — this metastore manages shares, recipients, listing configurations, and consumer request routing.
If you delete or replace your Marketplace metastore, you may lose the ability to manage existing listings and fulfill consumer requests. Designate a dedicated, persistent metastore and ensure it's maintained with appropriate backup and governance policies.
Choosing your distribution model
Public Marketplace
Public listings are discoverable by all Databricks users browsing marketplace.databricks.com. This is the highest-visibility option for reaching new customers.
Apply through the Databricks Data Partner Program for program benefits and listing support.
Best for:
- Expanding your audience and brand recognition
- Reaching new customers across industries
- Monetizing data products at scale
Private Exchange
Private Exchange listings are visible only to customers you explicitly allow, based on their metastore sharing identifier. They don't appear in public search results.
Best for:
- Pre-commercial or early-access data products
- Controlled distribution to specific customers
- Internal data catalogs for enterprise teams
Direct OpenSharing
Share data directly with known recipients without publishing to Marketplace at all. You manage shares, recipients, and access through Unity Catalog.
Best for:
- Sharing with existing customers or partners
- Internal data sharing across business units
- Known recipients with established agreements
See the OpenSharing section for full guidance on direct sharing.
What's next
- Complete MCP Marketplace validation to validate your MCP listing
- Complete OpenSharing validation to confirm your sharing setup before going live
- Explore OpenSharing to understand the asset types you can share and how direct sharing works