Emily Clarke

What is a SaaS Integration?

Software as a service (SaaS) has allowed software and web developers to greatly expand access to software products over the last two decades. Today, SaaS products can be found all over the web, and from Fortune 500 companies to startups and small businesses, virtually anyone can take advantage of SaaS developments to become more productive.

Integrating SaaS Products

SaaS integration is the process of integrating a SaaS product into a digital space to connect users with a software product. An example of this may be when a point-of-sale SaaS product is created for payment processing. A small business owner can integrate this product into their website to allow customers to complete purchases on the site while using the SaaS product.

SaaS integrations enhance websites and offer access to features that traditionally needed to be custom-developed for companies. Some developers do offer customization for SaaS integrations, but this usually costs more. Despite the extra costs, however, it's still generally less expensive to have a developer customize an existing SaaS product compared to the cost of full custom development.

How is SaaS Integration Different From an API?

An application programming interface (API) is code that connects two or more applications or systems across the web. Integrating a SaaS product is similar, but with an API, you're likely to receive more detailed and customizable options. API integration usually requires more technical knowledge, while SaaS products often feature less customization but simpler integration. In general, APIs are used to connect complex systems to simpler ones or connect legacy systems to modern ones.

SaaS, on the other hand, often communicates with other SaaS products and provides an easy-to-use interface that is geared toward user experience. The back-end functions of a SaaS product may still be complex, but they are often more simplistic compared to those of an API. The point of SaaS is to provide access to software without a user having to purchase or program the software.

In the example provided above, the payment processing system within the point-of-sale product simply sends data to a payment processor. An API would handle the technical details of such a process, but a SaaS product would make it user-friendly.

Author Resource:-

Emily Clarke writes about integrating the API and related platforms services. You can find her thoughts at SaaS platforms blog.