Salesforce Partner Tiers Comparison
Compare the four Salesforce partner tiers—Base, Ridge, Crest, and Summit—to understand capabilities, requirements, pricing models, and strategic benefits across the ecosystem.
BaseEntry
Entry-level tier for new partners
Lower annual fees (Growth markets: prorated quarterly)
New partners starting their Salesforce journey
RidgeMid
Mid-tier for growing partners
Moderate annual fees (market-dependent)
Partners with established practices seeking growth
CrestAdvanced
High-performance tier for advanced partners
Higher annual fees with certification requirements
Established partners with specialized expertise
SummitElite
Elite tier for strategic partners
Premium annual fees (highest in mature markets)
Leading partners driving enterprise transformations
Capability Matrix
Compare service offerings and technical capabilities across partner tiers
| Capability | Base | Ridge | Crest | Summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Implementations | ||||
| Multi-cloud Integrations | ||||
| Industry Solutions | ||||
| AI/Einstein Features | ||||
| Enterprise Transformations | ||||
| Co-marketing Programs | ||||
| Premier Support | ||||
| Beta Feature Access | ||||
| Innovation Labs | ||||
| AppExchange Featured Placement |
Tier Requirements & Scoring
Trailblazer Score requirements and performance metrics for each tier
| Requirement | Base | Ridge | Crest | Summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trailblazer Score | ≤249 points | ≥500 points | ≥750 points | ≥1,000 points |
| Customer Success (30%) | Basic metrics | Growing metrics | Strong metrics | Exceptional metrics |
| Innovation (25%) | Limited R&D | Moderate R&D | Significant R&D | Leading innovation |
| Growth (25%) | Starting growth | Steady growth | Strong growth | Market leadership |
| Impact (20%) | Local impact | Regional impact | Multi-region impact | Global impact |
| Certifications | Basic certs | 5+ certified | 10+ certified | 15+ certified experts |
| Annual Fees | Entry-level | Moderate | Higher + cert costs | Premium tier |
Geographic Distribution
Partner tier distribution across global regions (% of tier in each region)
| Region | Base | Ridge | Crest | Summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 15% | 25% | 35% | 42% |
| Europe | 20% | 30% | 32% | 35% |
| Asia Pacific | 40% | 35% | 25% | 18% |
| Latin America | 15% | 8% | 6% | 3% |
| Other | 10% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Key Insights & Recommendations
Tier Progression: Partners are reassigned quarterly based on Trailblazer Score performance. Summit status requires maintaining over 1,000 points across Customer Success (30%), Innovation (25%), Growth (25%), and Impact (20%).
Investment Considerations: Higher tiers require significant investment in certifications ($4,000-$6,000 per employee), with Summit partners needing 15+ certified experts. ROI comes from premium support, co-marketing opportunities, and access to enterprise accounts.
Market Dynamics: Growth markets (Southeast Asia, Latin America) have lower tier requirements and fees, while mature markets (North America, Europe) demand higher performance but offer greater revenue opportunities.
Future Outlook: AI capabilities and industry-specific solutions are becoming critical differentiators. Summit partners report 50% of revenue tied to AI-driven implementations, with Einstein GPT and Industry Clouds reshaping tier requirements.