Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model where a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the internet, rather than requiring the customer to install and run the software locally. It is one of three main categories of cloud computing, alongside infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS).

SaaS is closely related to earlier delivery models like the application service provider (ASP) model and on-demand computing, which worked on a similar principle of accessing software remotely instead of owning it outright.