SoftwareApplication Schema (incl. SaaS)

By Amit Patel

SoftwareApplication schema describes an app or software product — its category, operating system or platform, price, and rating — and its WebApplication subtype covers SaaS, helping Google understand and enrich software listings. For app makers and SaaS companies it is the type that turns a product page into a recognizable software entity, potentially with a star rating in results. This reference covers the required fields, the SaaS subtype, and the rating rules it shares with Review.

What SoftwareApplication Does

It represents software as an entity with a category, platform, and pricing, so Google understands it is an application — and, with genuine ratings, it can earn a star-rated software listing.

It is the software analogue of Product: where Product suits physical or digital goods sold by price, SoftwareApplication describes apps and tools, including free ones. Choosing it signals “this is software” clearly.

The WebApplication Subtype for SaaS

For browser-based SaaS, use the WebApplication subtype and set applicationCategory appropriately — it tells Google the product runs in a browser rather than on a specific OS.

Native apps use SoftwareApplication with operatingSystem; web apps use WebApplication where the OS is effectively “any with a browser.” Pick the subtype that matches how the software is delivered, following the most-specific-type rule the cluster applies throughout.

Key Properties

The core fields are name, applicationCategory, and operatingSystem (for native apps); offers (with price, or a free indication) and aggregateRating are strongly recommended.

applicationCategory uses values like BusinessApplication or GameApplication. offers carries price and currency, or signals a free app. Ratings via AggregateRating can add stars. Validate with the Rich Results Test.

Rating Rules

SoftwareApplication ratings follow the same policies as Review: no self-serve ratings of your own product without real reviews, genuine and visible ratings only, honest counts.

A SaaS company inventing an aggregate rating for its own tool is exactly the self-serve violation Google penalizes. If you have real, visible reviews, mark them up; if you do not, leave the rating out rather than fabricating one. This honesty rule is the same across every rating-bearing type in the cluster.

Example Markup

A WebApplication (SaaS) example (shown as code):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "WebApplication",
  "name": "Example SaaS",
  "applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
  "operatingSystem": "Any",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "0",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  }
}
</script>

See JSON-LD vs Microdata for the format.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

SoftwareApplication (and its WebApplication subtype for SaaS) turns a software page into a clear entity with category, platform, and price — and, with real reviews, a star rating. Choose the right subtype, keep any ratings honest, and it strengthens how your software appears, the software-focused member of the schema cluster.