# Subscribe and Consume a Service

## Quick Start

For a brief overview check out [Consume a Service - quick overview](/quick-start/consume-a-service-quick.md)

## Overview

**Definition**: Subscriptions are the contractual and technical relationship between a Consumer and a Provider. By subscribing to a service the consumer enters a relationship with the providers which is defined by the details of the plan and the service.

<figure><img src="/files/KN08hANbbPNaGuBvhpsY" alt=""><figcaption><p>click image to enlarge</p></figcaption></figure>

Subscriptions are the central entity for consuming services on the marketplace. The subscription (and its unique ID) represent one relationship between a provider and a consumer.

**Technical integration:** For each subscription, there is a unique technical ID and Base URL on the marketplace. This means, the technical integration will always remain the same, even if commercial aspects of the contract change.

**Consumer clients:** Consumers can manage access to their subscriptions via consumer clients. These are separately defined authentication keys that can be freely assigned/unassigned to subscriptions. One or more consumer clients can be assigned to one subscription, e.g. for granting access to the same service for individual teams or different applications. One consumer client can also be assigned to multiple subscriptions.

**Plans:** Plans determine the technical and commercial aspects of a service. Different plans can have different prices, limits or transactions. When subscribing, the consuming partner can chose the best fitting plan. The plan can be changed later without breaking the integration if both, provider and consumer agree.


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