Buyer Guide · Extensions and Sigma · Checked 25 October 2026

Need a Zoho Marketplace Developer? What to Build, How Listing Works and How to Hire

Before you hire a zoho marketplace developer, decide whether you need a private add-on for your own company or a public app that other Zoho customers can install. That one choice changes the review process, the paperwork, the support load and how you should pay. This guide explains both paths in plain words.

Start a Zoho CRM trial
Book a scoping call

Checked: 25 October 2026
Sources: Zoho Sigma help, Zoho Developer help and Zoho Marketplace, linked inline
By: Codroid Labs, a Zoho Partner and Zoho AI Enabled Partner

Short answer

Zoho extensions are built and hosted on Zoho Sigma, Zoho's extension platform. A private extension is installed through a confidential link and skips Zoho's manual review. A public one is listed on Zoho Marketplace after Zoho checks it. Hire someone who can show you a written scope, explain which path fits, and hand over the source code and admin access at the end.

Private Extension or Public Listing: What a Zoho Marketplace Developer Builds

In short: An extension is an add-on for a Zoho app; it can stay private to your company or be listed publicly on Zoho Marketplace.

People usually search for a zoho marketplace developer for one of two reasons. Some want a feature their own team needs, and nothing ready-made fits. Others want to sell an add-on to other Zoho customers. Requests posted in community forums often mix the two, which is why quotes come back so different.

Question	Private extension	Public Marketplace listing
Who can install it	Only people with the direct, hashed link (source)	Anyone browsing Zoho Marketplace (source)
Zoho review	No manual review; Sigma runs automatic checks (source)	Checked by Zoho's team before listing (source)
Review time	Published straight away (source)	Zoho's developer FAQ says two business days (source)
Selling	You can charge customers directly and send them an access link (source)	Free or paid; Marketplace payments go through Zoho (source)
Who owns it	The developer owns the extensions they build (source)	Same; so agree ownership in your contract

That last row matters for anyone paying a zoho marketplace developer. If you pay someone to build an extension, put in writing who owns the code and the Sigma workspace it lives in.

Zoho Sigma Basics for a Sigma Developer

In short: Sigma is Zoho's platform for building, testing, hosting and publishing extensions.

Zoho describes Sigma as an extension development platform. A sigma developer (often the same person as your zoho marketplace developer) writes the screens in normal web code (HTML, JavaScript and CSS) and uses Sigma functions for the work that runs on Zoho's servers. Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator widgets, small panels that show inside the app, also run on Sigma, per the same page.

Where you can build: Zoho lists CRM, Projects, Desk, Mail, Recruit, Creator, Books, Inventory, Billing, Sprints and others (source).
Two ways to work: the in-browser cloud editor, or a command-line toolkit on the developer's own machine.
Two kinds of extension: native ones that add features inside one Zoho app, and integration ones that connect a Zoho app to an outside service through a secure sign-in link (source).
Events: code can run when the extension is installed, updated or removed (source).

What a CRM Extension Can Include

In short: A CRM extension can bundle modules, fields, buttons, templates, functions, connectors and settings screens.

Zoho's extension guide groups the building blocks of a crm extension into customization, automation, templates and integration. In plain terms, this is the menu a zoho marketplace developer works from:

Building block	What it does for users	Source
Custom modules and fields	New places and boxes to store your data	Zoho Developer
Buttons, links, related lists, web tabs	One-click actions and quick access to other pages	Zoho Developer
Functions and workflow automation	Logic that runs on its own when records change	Zoho Developer
Email and inventory templates	Ready-made emails and print layouts	Zoho Developer
Connectors	A secure link to an outside service that uses the OAuth 2.0 sign-in standard	Zoho Developer
Custom variables	Saved values, such as an account ID, reused across the extension	Zoho Developer
Widgets and a settings widget	Custom screens inside CRM, plus a setup screen shown after install	Widget help

Some of these blocks only work on certain CRM editions. Ask your zoho marketplace developer to list which editions the finished extension will support, because the public listing form asks for this too (source).

Extension vs Custom Application vs In-Org Customization

In short: Use in-org setup for one company, an extension for something reusable, and Zoho Creator for a separate custom application.

Not every request needs zoho extension development. Use this table to pick the lightest option that works.

Option	Best when	Watch out for
In-org customization	Only your company needs it; fields, layouts, rules and functions set up directly in your Zoho account	Hard to copy to another account; document every change
Private extension	You want a packaged, versioned feature for one or a few accounts	You still own testing and updates
Public extension	Many Zoho customers have the same need and you want to list or sell it	Policies, listing assets, review, support and updates for strangers
Custom application on Zoho Creator	The process does not belong inside CRM at all and needs its own screens and data	A separate app to maintain and license

A good zoho marketplace developer will sometimes tell you that you do not need an extension. That is a green flag. For a wider look at build-or-buy choices, see custom development vs Zoho.

Zoho Marketplace Listing and Review Process

In short: Public listings need policies, images, a description and pricing, then a Zoho review; private ones skip manual review.

When a public extension is published from Sigma, Zoho asks for listing details before review. According to Zoho's publishing guide, these include:

Listing step	What you must provide
Primary	Category, privacy policy link, whether the app stores personal data (and which), terms of service link, and agreement to the Marketplace vendor agreement and GDPR policies
Prerequisite	Supported Zoho edition and installation type
Imagery	Icon, thumbnail and 1 to 4 screenshots
Summary	Tagline, description, key features, help document link and help video link
Pricing	Global availability, and free or paid with pricing details

After you submit, the extension goes into review and you track its status in the partner console (source). Zoho also publishes review guidelines, linked from its public and private extensions page. Budget time for policy pages and help content, not just code; a zoho marketplace developer should prepare these with you.

Packaging, Versions and Updates

In short: Each publish creates a new version; users pull updates, and public updates go back through review.

Packaging: the command-line toolkit can validate an extension against rules and pack it for upload (source). Uploaded zip files are limited to 250 files, each under 5 MB (source).
Versions: every publish creates a new version, and you can view earlier ones (source). Zoho allows up to 50 versions per extension for certain apps, after which old versions must be retired (source).
Public updates: a changed public extension goes back to Zoho for approval before users can install it (source).
Getting updates: users open the extension in their Zoho app and check for updates (source). Plan how you will tell customers; a good zoho marketplace developer writes release notes for each version.

How to Scope and Hire a Zoho Marketplace Developer

In short: Ask for a written scope, ownership terms and a test plan before any build starts.

Questions to ask any zoho marketplace developer before you sign:

Will this be private, public, or start private and go public later?
Which Zoho apps and editions will it support?
Which parts are configuration, which are Sigma code, and which need an outside server?
Who owns the source code, the Sigma workspace and any partner console account?
How will it be tested, and on which test accounts?
Who writes the privacy policy, terms and help pages for a public listing?
How are updates, bug fixes and Zoho review changes handled after launch?

Red flags when you hire a zoho marketplace developer: no written scope; a price before they know which path you need; refusal to hand over code; no plan for updates; or claims about the developer's status that you cannot check on Zoho's own pages.

Pricing models (we do not quote rates, because there is no official source): a fixed price for a clearly scoped first version, hourly for discovery or small changes, and a monthly retainer for updates and support after launch. Our guides on hiring a Zoho partner and choosing a Zoho API integration company cover the wider hiring checklist.

What Codroid Labs Does

Codroid Labs is a Zoho Partner and a Zoho AI Enabled Partner, recognised by Zoho after the AI Accelerator Series 2026. We help you decide between in-org setup, a private extension and a Zoho Creator custom application, then write the scope, build, test and hand over the code. If you want a public listing, we prepare the listing details with you and support the review. Call +91 7838402682 or email team@codroiditlabs.com.

Quick Answers

Does a private extension need Zoho review?

No manual review; automatic checks only (Zoho).

How long is public review?

Two business days, per Zoho.

What is Sigma?

Zoho's extension platform (Zoho).

Can I sell my extension?

Yes, free or paid (Zoho).

Zoho Marketplace Developer FAQs

What does a zoho marketplace developer actually do?

They plan, build, test and publish Zoho extensions on Sigma, either privately for one company or publicly on Zoho Marketplace.

Is zoho extension development the same as customizing my CRM?

No. In-org customization changes one account. An extension packages features so they can be installed, versioned and updated (source).

What can a crm extension include?

Custom modules, fields, buttons, templates, functions, connectors, custom variables and widgets (source).

What does a sigma developer need to know?

HTML, JavaScript and CSS for screens, plus Sigma functions for server-side work (source).

When is a custom application better than an extension?

When the process needs its own screens and data outside CRM, a Zoho Creator app is often simpler.

What do I need for a public Marketplace listing?

How does a zoho marketplace developer ship updates to customers?

They check for updates in their Zoho app; public updates are reviewed first (source).

Not sure if you need an extension?

Bring your idea. We will tell you the lightest option that works and write a scope you can compare.

Book a scoping call
Start a Zoho CRM trial

Related guides

Zoho references (checked 25 October 2026)