To apply for HubSpot app certification, your app must be listed on the HubSpot Marketplace for at least six months and have at least 60 active installs from HubSpot production accounts unaffiliated with your company. Until both are true, the "Certify app" button doesn't appear. After you apply, HubSpot's Ecosystem Quality team reviews security, reliability, usability and value, including a security questionnaire, a 95% API success rate and a demo video of at least three minutes.
For a SaaS company, certification is the step after a HubSpot integration is built and listed. It puts a "HubSpot Certified App" badge on the listing that buyers see before they install. It's also mandatory for HubSpot's top Technology Partner tier. Appnigma builds and lists native HubSpot apps for SaaS teams, and its marketplace apps projects include HubSpot listing review and certification support where an app is eligible.
Updated October 2026. Rewritten against HubSpot's current certification requirements. It corrects the recertification cycle (two years, not annual) and the review time (a response within 10 business days, not 2 to 4 weeks), and adds the 2026 changes. Those are active install enforcement from August 19, the OAuth 2026-03 endpoints, the uninstall endpoint, and the platform deadlines.
The two gates before you can apply
HubSpot's applying for certification page says you can't apply until your app has been listed for at least 6 months and has at least 60 active installs. The button lives under Development, then App Listings, then More, then Certify app.
- Six months listed. The clock starts when the listing goes live, not when you build the app. A listing needs only 3 active installs, so most teams list first and grow toward 60 during the wait.
- 60 active installs. HubSpot counts unique production accounts, unaffiliated with your organization, that show successful app activity in the past 30 days. App activity means OAuth-authenticated API requests, plus signed requests from webhooks and extensions such as app cards.
The bar was 6 installs until May 15, 2024, when HubSpot raised it to 60, per its community announcement. Recertification needs the same 60. HubSpot's certification requirements say an app that doesn't hold 60 active installs over the trailing six months loses its certified status.
Why your active install count can show fewer than you expect
Since August 19, 2026, the submission flow checks active installs, not total installs, per a HubSpot developer announcement. Three things lower the count.
- Only successful 2xx activity counts, meaning API calls HubSpot answered with a success status. An account whose calls return 4xx or 5xx errors for 30 days stops counting, even if the app is still installed.
- Developer accounts, test accounts, sandboxes and any account your team owns, free accounts included, are excluded.
- Installs on customer portals your team created or administers may be treated as affiliated. That one comes from a community answer, not a HubSpot page, but it explains why some teams see 0.
Check the count under Development, then Monitoring, for the last 30 days. Legacy apps show it under Development, then Legacy Apps, then Monitoring.
What HubSpot checks in the certification review
The certification requirements group the review into four areas. The table lists what each one asks for.
| Area | What the app must do |
|---|---|
| Security and privacy | Use OAuth with no copying of codes or tokens, request only scopes it uses, sit on a verified domain, pass a non-invasive vulnerability assessment, and complete a security questionnaire on encryption, access controls and token lifecycle |
| Reliability and performance | Keep an average API success rate above 95%, respect 100 requests every 10 seconds per account, use stable public APIs and a supported platform version, and have no certification rejection in the last six months |
| Usability and listing | Describe current functionality accurately, match pricing to your website, and publish setup docs with screenshots of each step, including the scope approval screen |
| Value | Hold 60 active installs and reply to every negative review |
Two requirements catch teams late. The app must call the Uninstall App endpoint, DELETE /appinstalls/v3/external-install, and the demo video must show a user disconnecting, the endpoint being called, and the app disappearing from Connected Apps. New certification submissions must also use the OAuth 2026-03 endpoints, such as POST /oauth/2026-03/token, per the same May 2026 changelog.
The demo video has its own rules on the applying page. It must run at least three minutes, cover install, setup, the main features, use inside HubSpot, disconnect and uninstall, and be submitted as a YouTube URL. HubSpot rejects promotional sales videos and won't review an app without the demo.
You can submit only one app at a time. If you submit two, HubSpot rejects them in order of submission.
2026 and 2027 deadlines that affect certification
Four HubSpot platform dates change what a certification or recertification submission needs. HubSpot's May 2026 changelog set them, and an app that misses one gets about 60 days to migrate while it's under review.
| Date | Change | What it means for certification |
|---|---|---|
| Already in effect | Legacy CRM cards no longer permitted for new certifications or recertifications | Migrate to app cards before you apply |
| October 31, 2026 | Legacy CRM cards fully deprecated | Every listed and certified app must have migrated |
| November 2, 2026 | Apps must be on a supported developer platform version | Apps in certification or recertification get about 60 days to migrate |
| March 2027 | v4 APIs become unsupported | Same 60-day migration window during review |
The changelog names 2025.2 and 2026.03 as supported versions. HubSpot's versioning page shows 2026.09 became available on September 8, 2026, after the changelog was written. Our guide to migrating legacy CRM cards to app cards covers the build side.
How long does HubSpot app certification take?
HubSpot responds to a certification request within 10 business days, and the whole review and feedback process should take no more than 60 days from the time feedback is shared, per the certification requirements. The longer wait is the six months of listing before you can apply.
If the review fails, you can reapply in six months, and HubSpot doesn't notify you when you become eligible again. So a request that goes in with known gaps can cost half a year. Fix what the requirements list before you submit, not during the review.
Why certification requests come back with feedback
HubSpot publishes the feedback its reviewers send, and the examples read like a list of the most common gaps. Each one below comes from the certification requirements page.
- Extra scopes. The app requests forms and content scopes but only calls the Contacts and Timeline Events APIs. Remove any scope the app doesn't use. Our guide to requesting only the scopes your app uses covers this.
- Rate limit errors. One example shows an 83% success rate over 30 days, mostly 429 errors. The fix is throttling to 100 requests per 10 seconds per account.
- Expired tokens. Requests sent with expired access tokens return 401 errors. Refresh tokens before they expire, and treat 100% 401s with a failed refresh as an uninstall.
- Calls a plan can't make. Contact Lists API calls against Marketing Hub Free accounts return 403 errors. Stop calling endpoints an account's plan can't use.
- Webhook failures. Webhook deliveries fail with 500 and 503 errors. HubSpot sends up to 150 webhook requests per second, so your server has to absorb that volume.
- Single-record pulls. Pulling contacts one at a time instead of using batch endpoints.
- Manual setup. Asking users to configure workflow webhook actions by hand instead of shipping custom workflow actions.
- Stale screenshots. Setup docs showing a scope screenshot that no longer matches the app's settings.
The first five all lower the API success rate, which is why a team at 94% rarely gets there by fixing one bug. Most apps need throttling, token refresh and plan checks together.
What certification gets you, and what it doesn't
The certification requirements list these benefits on top of a standard listing.
- A "HubSpot Certified App" badge on the listing.
- Inclusion in the "HubSpot Certified App" search filter, and eligibility for curated Marketplace collections.
- Badge and social images to announce it.
- Favorable consideration in HubSpot's partnership and amplification initiatives.
HubSpot doesn't document a general ranking boost in Marketplace search. Its 2026 Technology Partner Program guide says personalized recommendation sections use factors such as reviews, install rates and relevance, and that higher partner tiers may appear more often. Certification is preferred for the Leading tier and mandatory for Premier, with all partners evaluated against the full tier requirements from January 1, 2027. Our post on joining the HubSpot Technology Partner Program covers the tiers.
Certification is free. HubSpot says it charges no fee to list or certify an app, no fee for installs, and takes no revenue share.
Renewing certification every two years
Since August 5, 2025, certification lasts two years on a rolling basis and replaces HubSpot's earlier annual review. HubSpot sends notices starting 90 days before expiry. If you don't submit a renewal by the expiration date, the badge is removed.
HubSpot can also start a recertification at any time if the app falls out of compliance, and it works with you for up to 60 days to fix concerns. An app that loses certification stays listed on the Marketplace without the badge. Regaining it takes a new certification review, which is separate from a listing update.
How HubSpot certification compares with the AgentExchange security review
SaaS teams that list on both HubSpot and Salesforce meet two different reviews at different points. HubSpot certification is optional and comes after a listing. Salesforce's security review is a gate before a listing for managed packages and API solutions on AgentExchange (formerly AppExchange).
| HubSpot app certification | AgentExchange security review | |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | After 6 months listed, optional | Before public listing, for solutions subject to review, per How It Works |
| Install minimum | 3 active installs to list, 60 to certify | None documented |
| Security evidence | Security questionnaire, vulnerability assessment, 95% API success rate | Code Analyzer and Checkmarx reports for packages, DAST for external endpoints, false positive document, plus manual testing, per Test Your Entire Solution |
| Fee | None | A fee at submission for paid solutions, none for free ones |
| Typical timing | Response within 10 business days, up to 60 days from feedback | 1 to 2 weeks to verify, then 3 to 4 weeks for the first test (Salesforce's estimates) |
| Renewal | Recertify every two years | Risk-based periodic re-reviews, per Periodic Security Re-Reviews |
Our guide to the AgentExchange security review covers the Salesforce side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements to get an app certified on HubSpot?
Six months listed, 60 active installs from unaffiliated production accounts, OAuth, a verified domain, a 95% API success rate, a passed security questionnaire and vulnerability assessment, the uninstall endpoint, and a demo video of at least three minutes.
How many installs do you need for HubSpot certification?
60 active installs, meaning unaffiliated HubSpot production accounts with successful app activity in the past 30 days. Listing needs 3.
How long must an app be listed before certification?
Six months. The "Certify app" button doesn't appear until the app has been listed that long and has 60 active installs.
What counts as an active install?
A unique HubSpot production account, unaffiliated with your company, with successful 2xx app activity in the past 30 days. Developer, test, sandbox and team-owned accounts don't count.
How long does HubSpot certification take?
HubSpot responds within 10 business days, and the full review should take no more than 60 days from first feedback. A failed review means waiting six months to reapply.
What are the benefits of HubSpot app certification?
A certified badge, inclusion in the Certified App search filter, eligibility for curated collections, and favorable consideration in HubSpot partner programs. Certification is mandatory for the Premier partner tier.
Can you lose HubSpot certification?
Yes. Falling below 60 active installs over the trailing six months, missing the two-year renewal, or falling out of compliance can remove it. The app stays listed without the badge.
Is HubSpot certification free?
Yes. HubSpot charges no listing fee, no certification fee, no install fee, and takes no revenue share.
Can Appnigma help get our HubSpot app certified?
Yes. Appnigma builds native HubSpot apps for SaaS companies, prepares the listing, and supports HubSpot listing review and certification where the app is eligible. HubSpot decides certification.
Related Articles
- HubSpot Marketplace listing requirements and the full listing guide
- How to build a HubSpot app
- How to become a HubSpot app partner
- HubSpot Marketplace apps built for SaaS teams
Sources
- HubSpot Marketplace certification requirements, HubSpot Developers
- Applying for app certification, HubSpot Developers
- App Marketplace listing requirements, HubSpot Developers
- App listing and certification requirement updates for May 2026, HubSpot Developer Changelog
- Changes to Marketplace submission flow: how active installs are determined, HubSpot Community
- Active install requirement increase for app certification, HubSpot Community
- Developer platform versioning, HubSpot Developers
- Technology Partner Program tiers, requirements and benefits guide, HubSpot
- How the AgentExchange security review works, Salesforce Developers
- Test your entire solution, Salesforce Developers
- Periodic security re-reviews, Salesforce Developers
