A horizontal market is a market in which a product or service meets a specific need of a wide range of buyers across different sectors of an economy. Compare with vertical market.
The market for computer security services may be regarded as a horizontal market, because a broad range of industries and government sectors purchase services and software to protect their computers.
The markets for legal services and accounting services are other examples of horizontal markets.
The market for legal research software, by contrast, is vertical. The software is directed at the specialized requirements of the legal services industry.