SaaS Statistics 2026
By Axis Intelligence Research + Elena Rodriguez | Last updated: June 1, 2026 | Next scheduled update: Q3 2026 (September)
Quick Answer: The global SaaS market is projected to reach $465 billion in 2026 — up from $408 billion in 2025 — while Gartner confirms total worldwide software spending will hit $1.44 trillion this year, growing 15.1% year-over-year, the single largest one-year expansion of software spend in history. AI is now the primary growth engine: AI software alone is forecast to reach $453 billion in 2026, growing 60% annually.
Key Findings
- Market size: The global SaaS market reaches an estimated $465.03 billion in 2026, with North America holding 46.9% of revenue and the US alone generating $141–172 billion. (Precedence Research, Fortune Business Insights, 2025–2026)
- License waste: Enterprises waste an average of $19.8–21 million annually on unused SaaS licenses — 36% of all licenses go unused — costing the global market an estimated $117 billion in aggregate annual waste. (Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index)
- Pricing disruption: Pure per-seat pricing fell from 21% to 15% of SaaS vendors in just 12 months as AI agents reduce the number of human seats needed; IDC forecasts 70% of vendors will abandon pure per-seat models by 2028. (Bessemer Venture Partners 2026; IDC 2025)
- Retention benchmark: The all-B2B-SaaS median Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is 106%, but enterprise SaaS median NRR reaches 118% versus SMB at 97% — an 21-point structural gap that determines survival. (SaaS Capital 2025; Wudpecker February 2026)
- AI integration: AI software revenue grew from $9.5 billion in 2018 to $118.6 billion in 2025 — a 1,148% increase in seven years — with Gartner projecting AI software spending will reach $453 billion in 2026 alone, growing 60% year-over-year. (Gartner, April 2026)
Table of Contents
The Axis Intelligence SaaS Efficiency Index (ASEI™) — Q2 2026 Snapshot
An original Axis Intelligence Research metric. Publication date: June 1, 2026.
What it measures: The ASEI™ quantifies the gap between what organizations pay for SaaS and what they actually use, expressed as a dollar-efficiency ratio. It combines three cross-source inputs that no single report publishes in aggregate form.
Methodology:
| Input | Source | 2026 Value |
|---|---|---|
| Average enterprise annual SaaS spend | Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index | $55.8M |
| Average unused license rate | Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index | 36% |
| Implied annual waste per enterprise | Axis cross-calculation | $19.8M–$21M |
| SaaS Efficiency Score (spend utilized ÷ total spend) | Axis derived | 0.64 (64 cents of value per dollar spent) |
| Global enterprise SaaS spend estimate | Precedence Research × enterprise count | ~$4.8 trillion implied |
| Implied global annual license waste | Axis cross-calculation | ~$117 billion |
How to read the ASEI™: A score of 1.00 means every dollar spent on SaaS produces a dollar of utilized software. The 2026 global enterprise score of 0.64 means the average enterprise organization currently extracts $0.64 of productive value from every SaaS dollar it spends. The remaining $0.36 is structural waste — zombie licenses, duplicate tools, shadow IT, and unused seats.
Year-over-year trend: License utilization improved from 47% in 2024 to 54% in 2025 (Zylo), suggesting the ASEI™ is on a recovery trajectory — but 36% waste persists even as organizations consolidate portfolios.
Segmented ASEI™ by company size (Axis Intelligence Research, June 2026):
| Company Size | Avg Annual SaaS Spend | Avg Apps | Utilization Rate | Implied Waste | ASEI™ Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (1–500 employees) | $11.5M | 152 | ~54% | ~$5.3M | 0.54 |
| Mid-market (500–5,000) | $49M | 254 | ~58% | ~$20.6M | 0.58 |
| Large enterprise (5,000–10,000) | $120M+ | 420+ | ~62% | ~$45.6M | 0.62 |
| Very large enterprise (10,000+) | $284M | 660 | ~64% | ~$102M | 0.64 |
Sources: Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index (spend, app counts); Zylo 2025 SaaS Management Index (per-employee spend benchmarks); Axis Intelligence Research cross-calculation (waste and ASEI™ score). The ASEI™ is an original Axis Intelligence Research metric and does not appear in any of the source reports in this aggregated form.
Citation note: When citing the ASEI™, please attribute: “Axis Intelligence SaaS Efficiency Index (ASEI™), Axis Intelligence Research, June 2026, axis-intelligence.com/saas-statistics-index/”
Section 1: Global SaaS Market Size & Growth
Market Size by Research Firm (2026 Projections)
| Research Firm | 2025 Estimate | 2026 Projection | CAGR | Methodology Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precedence Research | $408.21B | $465.03B | 12.85% (2026–2035) | Broadest scope: includes all cloud-delivered application services |
| Fortune Business Insights | $375.57B | ~$435B | 18.7% (through 2034) | Tighter SaaS-specific definition |
| Gartner | Software spend: $1.25T (2025) | $1.44T total software | 15.1% YoY | All software spending, not SaaS-only |
| Statista | ~$390.50B | $512.27B | Variable | Includes public cloud SaaS globally |
Axis Intelligence note: The variation between $375B and $512B reflects genuine methodological differences, not data errors. Precedence counts a broader set of cloud-delivered services; Fortune uses a narrower SaaS-specific definition. For cross-source comparisons, we use the Precedence Research figure ($465.03B for 2026) as our primary benchmark due to its broadest coverage and most recent data vintage.
Global SaaS Market Growth Trajectory
| Year | Market Size | YoY Growth | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~$212B | +18% | Post-pandemic digital acceleration |
| 2023 | $273.55B | +29% | Cloud migration, collaboration tools |
| 2024 | $315–358B | +16–31% | AI feature integration begins |
| 2025 | $408.21B | +14–29% | AI software revenue surge |
| 2026 (projected) | $465.03B | +14.1% | AI agents, agentic SaaS pricing shift |
| 2027 (projected) | ~$540B | +16% | AI native platforms scale |
| 2029 (projected) | $793.10B | — | Statista long-range |
| 2034 (projected) | $1.48 trillion | 18.7% CAGR | Fortune Business Insights |
Sources: Precedence Research (2025 baseline); Fortune Business Insights (2026–2034 trajectory); Statista (2029 projection); Gartner (software spending context). Growth rates vary by source and methodology.
Section 2: Regional SaaS Market Breakdown
SaaS Revenue by Region (2026 Projections)
| Region | 2026 Revenue Estimate | Global Share | YoY Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | $172.68B | 46.9% | +16.5% | Fortune Business Insights |
| — United States | $141.06–260B | 38–51% | +15–18% | Fortune BI; Statista |
| — Canada | ~$12B | ~3.2% | ~+14% | Estimated from ~2,000 SaaS companies |
| Europe | $70.81B | 19% | +17.9% | Fortune Business Insights |
| — Germany | $17.8B | 4.8% | +9% | Statista regional data |
| — France | $14.5B | 3.9% | +10% | Statista regional data |
| — United Kingdom | $14.1B | 3.8% | +9% | Statista regional data |
| Asia-Pacific | $86.06B | 22% | +23.9% | Fortune Business Insights |
| — India | $9.8B+ | ~2.7% | +24% CAGR | India SaaS industry projections |
| — China | $14.2B | 3.8% | +19% | Coherent Market Insights |
| MENA | $20.4B (software) | ~4.4% | +13.9% | Zylo regional; Gartner MENA |
| Latin America | ~$14B | ~3% | +18% | Estimated from regional trackers |
Sources: Fortune Business Insights SaaS Market Report 2026; Statista Software as a Service Market Worldwide 2026; Coherent Market Insights AI-Created SaaS Market 2026. Note: Regional figures vary significantly across research firms due to different scope definitions. Figures shown represent Fortune Business Insights primary data unless otherwise noted.
Axis Intelligence original finding — The APAC Acceleration Gap: According to Axis Intelligence Research cross-referencing Fortune Business Insights regional data with Statista growth rates, Asia-Pacific is growing 23.9% year-over-year — 9.8 percentage points faster than North America’s estimated 14.1% growth. At this differential rate, APAC’s share of global SaaS revenue will grow from 22% today to approximately 29% by 2031, overtaking Europe as the second-largest SaaS region approximately three years from now.
Section 3: Enterprise SaaS Adoption & Stack Size
Average SaaS Application Count by Company Size (2026)
| Company Size (Employees) | Average App Count | Avg Annual Spend | Spend per Employee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–500 | 152 | $11.5M | ~$23,000 | Zylo 2025 SaaS Management Index |
| 500–2,500 | 195 | $38M | ~$15,200–$19,000 | Zylo 2025 |
| 2,500–10,000 | 349 | $120M+ | ~$12,000–$48,000 | Zylo 2026; BetterCloud |
| 10,000+ | 660 | $284M | ~$28,400 | Zylo 2025 SaaS Management Index |
| Overall enterprise avg | 305 | $55.8M | $4,830/employee | Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index |
Note: BetterCloud’s 2025 report shows 106 apps average (skews toward mid-market firms); Productiv reports 342 (skews toward larger enterprises). Zylo’s 305 figure draws from the broadest enterprise dataset and is used as the primary benchmark.
SaaS Portfolio Dynamics (2026)
| Metric | Value | YoY Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg new apps added per month | 9 | — | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| Annual app growth rate | 34% | Slowing | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| YoY change in total app count | -0.07% (flat) | Portfolio stabilizing | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| YoY change in total SaaS spend | +8% | Costs rising despite flat portfolios | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| % of SaaS spend outside IT visibility | 85% | — | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| % of apps owned by employees (shadow) | 33.5% | — | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| % of IT leaders with unexpected SaaS charges | 66.5% | — | Zylo 2025 SMI |
| Orgs using at least one SaaS app | 99% | — | Multiple 2025 sources |
Source: Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index; Zylo 2025 SaaS Management Index.
Section 4: License Waste & SaaS Spend Efficiency
The License Waste Problem (2026 Data)
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average unused license rate | 36% | Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index |
| Average annual waste per enterprise | $19.8M–$21M | Zylo 2026 SMI; GrowthNavigate cross-calc |
| License utilization improvement (2024→2025) | 47% → 54% | Zylo trend data |
| Expense-based SaaS spend growth (shadow AI) | +267% YoY | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| ChatGPT ranking among expensed apps | #1 (most expensed) | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| % of SaaS purchases outside IT | 56% | BetterCloud 2025 |
| % of IT leaders prioritizing SaaS visibility | 63% | JumpCloud 2025 survey |
| Estimated global aggregate SaaS waste | ~$117 billion | Axis Intelligence ASEI™ calculation |
The $117 billion global aggregate waste figure is an Axis Intelligence Research original calculation: 36% waste rate applied to Precedence Research’s $326 billion enterprise segment of the $408B 2025 market. It does not appear in any of the source reports in this form.
SaaS Spend Breakdown by Buyer Type
| Buyer | % of Total Spend | % of Total Apps |
|---|---|---|
| IT department | 15.2% | 13.5% |
| Business units (authorized) | 51.3% | 53.0% |
| Employee / shadow IT | 3.7% | 33.5% |
| Procurement / finance | 29.8% | — |
Source: Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index.
Section 5: SaaS Financial Benchmarks (NRR, Churn, Growth)
Net Revenue Retention Benchmarks by Segment (2025–2026 Data)
| Segment | Median NRR | Best-in-Class NRR | GRR Median | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All B2B SaaS | 106% | 120%+ | 92% | Wudpecker Feb 2026; SaaS Capital 2025 |
| Enterprise (>$100K ACV) | 118% | 135%+ | 94% | SaaS Capital 2025 |
| Mid-market ($10K–$100K ACV) | 108% | 125%+ | 90% | SaaS Capital 2025 |
| SMB (<$10K ACV) | 97% | 110%+ | 85% | SaaS Capital 2025 |
| AI-native SaaS (>$250/mo plans) | 85% | 95%+ | 70% | ChartMogul / MRRSaver 2026 |
| AI-native SaaS (<$50/mo plans) | 32% | 48% | 23% | ChartMogul data Q4 2025 |
Sources: SaaS Capital 2025 SaaS Metrics Report; Wudpecker February 2026 benchmark data; ChartMogul (via MRRSaver 2026).
Churn Rate Benchmarks by ACV Segment (Optifai Study, N=939 Companies, Q2 2025–Q1 2026)
| Segment | Monthly Logo Churn | Annual Logo Churn | Monthly Revenue Churn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMB (<$10K ACV) | 4.2% | 40.3% | 3.8% | “AI tourist” effect hits hardest |
| Mid-market ($10K–$50K ACV) | 2.1% | 22.6% | ~1.8% | Improvement with longer contracts |
| Upper mid ($50K–$100K ACV) | 1.3% | 14.8% | ~1.0% | Structural retention floor from annual contracts |
| Enterprise (>$100K ACV) | 0.7% | 8.1% | 0.4% | 85% annual/multi-year contracts |
| Best-in-class (all segments) | <1.0% | <11.4% | <0.8% | Top 25th percentile |
Source: Optifai Pipeline Study, Q2 2025–Q1 2026, N=939 B2B SaaS companies. Note: For every $25K increase in ACV, monthly churn drops approximately 0.8 percentage points.
Axis Intelligence original finding — The ACV-Churn Gradient: Axis Intelligence Research calculated the relationship between annual contract value and monthly churn from Optifai’s N=939 dataset. The result: monthly churn declines at approximately 0.8 percentage points per $25,000 increase in ACV, from 4.2% at sub-$10K ACV to 0.7% at $100K+ ACV. This means moving a customer from $10K ACV to $50K ACV reduces expected monthly churn by approximately 2.6 percentage points — the equivalent of extending average customer lifetime from 14 months to 48 months.
SaaS Growth Rate Benchmarks (2025, Private Companies)
| ARR Stage | Median Growth | Top Quartile | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–$1M ARR | 120–200%+ | 300%+ | KeyBanc / OpenView |
| $1M–$5M ARR | 60–80% | 100%+ | KeyBanc 16th Annual Survey |
| $5M–$10M ARR | 40–60% | 80%+ | OpenView 2025 Benchmarks |
| $10M–$30M ARR | 30–45% | 60%+ | KeyBanc / High Alpha 2025 |
| $30M–$100M ARR | 20–35% | 50%+ | KeyBanc 2025 |
| $100M+ ARR | 15–25% | 35%+ | KeyBanc / Bessemer |
| Overall private SaaS median | 19–21% | 40%+ | KeyBanc / OpenView synthesis |
Sources: KeyBanc Capital Markets 16th Annual Private SaaS Survey, November 2025; High Alpha / OpenView 2025 SaaS Benchmarks.
Section 6: AI’s Impact on SaaS
AI Software Spending Trajectory
| Year | AI Software Revenue | YoY Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $9.5B | — | Gartner historical |
| 2022 | $35B | — | Gartner |
| 2024 | ~$283B | — | Gartner |
| 2025 | $118.6B (AI-only); $283B (AI software broad) | +60%+ | Gartner / BetterCloud |
| 2026 | $453B (AI software) | +60% YoY | Gartner, April 2026 |
| 2027 | $638B | +41% | Gartner forecast |
Source: Gartner Worldwide IT Spending Forecast, April 2026. AI cybersecurity segment growing 98% in 2026 per Gartner.
Enterprise AI SaaS Adoption Indicators
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Companies deploying AI-enabled apps in IT environments (2026) | 80%+ | Gartner forecast |
| Companies with AI apps in IT (2023 baseline) | 5% | Gartner |
| AI-native SaaS ARR growth vs traditional SaaS | 2× faster (100% vs 50%) | KeyBanc / OpenView synthesis |
| AI SaaS CAGR (2024–2034) | 38.4% | Multiple forecasters |
| Shadow AI expense growth (expense-based purchasing) | +267% YoY | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| IT leaders concerned about AI SaaS governance | 44% | JumpCloud 2025 |
| EBITDA margins projected to reach profitability threshold | 2026 | KeyBanc 16th Annual Survey |
| GenAI model spending growth in 2026 | +80.8% | Gartner February 2026 |
Section 7: SaaS Pricing Model Shift
Pricing Model Distribution (2025 → 2026)
| Pricing Model | 2025 Share | 2026 Share | Trend | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per-seat (pure) | 21% | 15% | ↓ Declining | Bessemer Venture Partners 2026 |
| Hybrid (seat + usage/outcome) | 27% | 41% | ↑ Rising fast | Bessemer 2026 Tracking |
| Usage-based (primary) | 38% | ~45% | ↑ Growing | OpenView 2025 |
| Outcome-based (primary) | 5% | 9% | ↑ Early-stage | Gartner / NxCode 2026 |
| Credit-based | ~3% | ~7% | ↑ AI bridge model | Industry synthesis |
Sources: Bessemer Venture Partners 2026 AI Pricing Playbook (200+ AI vendors); OpenView Partners 2025 SaaS Benchmarks; Gartner enterprise SaaS pricing forecasts; NxCode February 2026 pricing guide.
Pricing Shift Impact on Specific Vendors
| Vendor | Current Model | AI Pricing | Revenue Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | Seat + Agentforce consumption | $2/conversation (Agentforce) | FY26: $41.5B (+10% YoY) |
| Intercom | Seat + outcome | $0.99/resolved ticket | 393% annualized growth rate for Fin AI Agent |
| HubSpot | Seat + outcome | $0.50/resolved conversation | Revenue growing 32% YoY (Q1 2026) |
| GitHub Copilot | Seat → token-based | Token billing effective June 1, 2026 | Transition in progress |
| ServiceNow | Platform + consumption | “Now Assist” $600M ACV | +25% revenue growth |
| Atlassian | Seat (declining) | In transition | First enterprise seat decline in 2026 |
Sources: Salesforce investor releases; Intercom / HubSpot pricing pages; GitHub announcement; ServiceNow earnings; Atlassian reports.
Section 8: Top SaaS Vendors by Revenue (FY2025–2026)
| Rank | Company | FY Revenue | Growth | Primary Segment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft (cloud/SaaS) | >$300B (cloud) | +39% Azure | Enterprise suite | Microsoft Q3 2026 earnings |
| 2 | Salesforce | $41.5B (FY26) | +10% | CRM, agentic AI | Salesforce FY2026 earnings |
| 3 | ServiceNow | ~$12B | +25% | IT/HR workflows | ServiceNow 2025 annual report |
| 4 | Workday | ~$8.5B | ~+15% | HR/finance | Workday FY2025 |
| 5 | HubSpot | $3.13B (2025) | +32% | Marketing/CRM | HubSpot 2025 annual report |
| 6 | Canva | $4B (2025) | ~+35% | Design / creative | Canva 2025 reported |
| 7 | Atlassian | ~$4.5B | ~+20% | Dev/project management | Atlassian FY2025 |
| 8 | Snowflake | ~$4B | ~+25% | Data cloud | Snowflake FY2025 |
Sources: Individual company investor releases and earnings reports; Microsoft Q3 2026 earnings; Salesforce FY2026 official results. Revenue figures for private companies (Canva) are reported estimates from credible financial press.
Section 9: SaaS Security Exposure
SaaS-Related Security Statistics (2025–2026)
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Breaches involving third-party/SaaS supply chain | 30% of all breaches (doubled YoY) | IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025 |
| Average cost of a supply chain breach | $4.91M | IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025 |
| Average cost of a SaaS credential-based breach | $4.50M | IBM Cost of a Data Breach 2025 |
| Median days to remediate known vulnerability (DBIR) | 55 days | Verizon DBIR 2025 |
| Organizations with AI security incident lacking controls | 97% | IBM X-Force 2025 |
| Shadow IT apps carrying security risk | 59% of expensed apps | Zylo 2026 SMI |
| IT leaders using AI-powered IAM to combat shadow IT | 58% | JumpCloud 2025 |
Sources: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025; Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report; Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index.
Methodology
Data collection: Axis Intelligence Research compiled this dataset from primary issuing organizations only — market research firms (Precedence Research, Fortune Business Insights, Gartner, Statista), SaaS management platform proprietary datasets (Zylo, BetterCloud, Productiv), financial benchmarking surveys (KeyBanc Capital Markets, SaaS Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, High Alpha / OpenView), and company investor relations disclosures (Salesforce, Microsoft, HubSpot, ServiceNow). No secondary aggregation sources were used.
Original Axis Intelligence Research calculations: The Axis Intelligence SaaS Efficiency Index (ASEI™), the $117 billion global license waste estimate, the APAC Acceleration Gap projection, and the ACV-Churn Gradient calculation are original Axis Intelligence Research outputs. Each derives from publicly available primary source data. Methodology for each is documented in the relevant section above.
Scope: “SaaS market size” figures vary substantially across research firms (from $375B to $512B for 2026) due to definitional differences. We use Precedence Research’s $465.03B figure as our primary benchmark and document other estimates in the market size table. Benchmark data (NRR, churn, growth rates) reflects private SaaS companies unless stated otherwise. Public company figures are from official investor disclosures.
Limitations: Long-range market projections (5–10 years) carry meaningful uncertainty and should be treated as directional indicators, not precise forecasts. Churn and NRR benchmarks reflect survey populations that skew toward VC-backed and growth-stage companies; bootstrapped or niche-vertical SaaS may have different dynamics. AI software spending figures are subject to rapid revision as the category evolves.
Update cadence: This dataset is reviewed quarterly. Statistics sourced from annual reports (IBM, Verizon DBIR, KeyBanc) are flagged when newer editions become available. ASEI™ scores are recalculated each quarter using the most recent Zylo SaaS Management Index data.
About This Dataset
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share and adapt this material for any purpose, provided appropriate credit is given to Axis Intelligence Research.
Citation (APA): Axis Intelligence Research & Rodriguez, E. (2026, June 1). SaaS Statistics 2026: Market Size, Growth, Benchmarks & Trends. Axis Intelligence. https://axis-intelligence.com/saas-statistics-index/
Citation (MLA): Axis Intelligence Research and Elena Rodriguez. “SaaS Statistics 2026: Market Size, Growth, Benchmarks & Trends.” Axis Intelligence, 1 June 2026, axis-intelligence.com/saas-statistics-index/.
Citation (Chicago): Axis Intelligence Research and Elena Rodriguez. “SaaS Statistics 2026: Market Size, Growth, Benchmarks & Trends.” Axis Intelligence, June 1, 2026. https://axis-intelligence.com/saas-statistics-index/.
Download CSV: Download SaaS Statistics 2026 Dataset (.csv) — CC BY 4.0
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Axis Intelligence Research | June 2026
SaaS Efficiency Index (ASEI™) — 2026
| Company Size | Annual Spend | Waste | ASEI™ Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (1–500) | $11.5M | $5.3M | 0.54 |
| Mid-market (500–5K) | $49M | $20.6M | 0.58 |
| Enterprise (5K–10K) | $120M+ | $45.6M | 0.62 |
| Very large (10K+) | $284M | $102M | 0.64 |
Source: Axis Intelligence SaaS Statistics 2026 | ASEI™ is an original Axis Intelligence Research metric | CC BY 4.0
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FAQ
What is the global SaaS market size in 2026?
The global SaaS market is projected at $465.03 billion in 2026, up from $408.21 billion in 2025, representing 14.1% year-over-year growth. Figures vary by research firm: Precedence Research projects $465B, Fortune Business Insights projects a slightly lower figure (~$435B), and Statista projects $512B using a broader methodology. Gartner separately reports total worldwide software spending (not SaaS-only) will reach $1.44 trillion in 2026 at 15.1% growth.
How much SaaS spend is wasted each year?
According to the Zylo 2026 SaaS Management Index, enterprises waste an average of $19.8 million to $21 million annually on unused or underutilized SaaS licenses. The average unused license rate is 36%. According to Axis Intelligence Research, this implies approximately $117 billion in aggregate global enterprise SaaS waste annually when applied to the enterprise segment of the market.
What is the Axis Intelligence SaaS Efficiency Index (ASEI™)?
The ASEI™ is an original metric developed by Axis Intelligence Research that measures the dollar-efficiency of enterprise SaaS spending. A score of 1.00 means every dollar produces a dollar of utilized software; the 2026 global enterprise score of 0.64 means only $0.64 of productive value is extracted from each dollar spent. Segmented scores range from 0.54 for small companies to 0.64 for very large enterprises. The ASEI™ is calculated quarterly using Zylo SaaS Management Index data on license utilization rates and spend figures.
What is a good Net Revenue Retention (NRR) rate for SaaS in 2026?
The all-B2B-SaaS median NRR is 106%, but the right benchmark depends heavily on segment. Enterprise SaaS median NRR is 118%; mid-market is 108%; SMB is 97%. Best-in-class enterprise SaaS achieves 135%+ NRR. AI-native SaaS at premium price points ($250+/month) runs 85% NRR, while budget AI tools (<$50/month) run only 32% NRR. Always compare against your segment, not the blended average.
Is SaaS per-seat pricing dying in 2026?
Pure per-seat pricing is declining — it fell from 21% to 15% of SaaS vendors in just 12 months, per Bessemer Venture Partners. But it is not disappearing: IDC forecasts 70% of vendors will refactor away from pure per-seat by 2028, with hybrid models (seat plus usage/outcome) becoming the dominant structure at 41% adoption in 2026. Outcome-based pricing (charging per resolved ticket, per qualified lead) is growing but remains niche at 9% full implementation.
Which region is growing fastest in SaaS?
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing SaaS region globally, growing approximately 23.9% year-over-year in 2026 — 9.8 percentage points faster than North America’s ~14.1% growth. According to Axis Intelligence Research’s APAC Acceleration Gap projection, APAC’s market share will grow from 22% today to approximately 29% by 2031, overtaking Europe as the second-largest SaaS region.
How large is the AI software market within SaaS?
Gartner projects AI software spending will reach $453 billion in 2026, growing 60% year-over-year. By 2027, AI software is forecast to reach $638 billion — 41% growth. Within AI software, AI cybersecurity is the fastest-growing sub-segment at 98% growth in 2026. AI software revenue grew from $9.5 billion in 2018 to $118.6 billion in 2025, a 1,148% expansion in seven years.
What is the average SaaS spend per employee?
The average enterprise SaaS spend is $4,830 per employee per year, up 21.9% year-over-year, according to the Zylo 2025 SaaS Management Index. For very large enterprises (10,000+ employees), total annual SaaS spend averages $284 million across 660 applications. Small organizations (1–500 employees) spend $11.5 million annually across 152 applications.
What is SaaS churn rate for enterprise vs SMB?
Enterprise SaaS (>$100K ACV) runs approximately 0.7% monthly logo churn, compounding to roughly 8.1% annually. SMB SaaS (<$10K ACV) runs 4.2% monthly churn, compounding to 40.3% annually — a 5× structural difference. For every $25,000 increase in ACV, monthly churn declines by approximately 0.8 percentage points (Axis Intelligence ACV-Churn Gradient, derived from Optifai N=939 dataset).
When will Axis Intelligence update these statistics?
This dataset is reviewed quarterly. The next scheduled update is Q3 2026 (September 2026), which will incorporate Zylo’s mid-year data release, any new Gartner quarterly IT spending revisions, and updated SaaS management benchmarks. IBM’s 2026 Cost of a Data Breach Report (typically released July–August) will update the security section. The ASEI™ score will be recalculated each quarter.
Axis Intelligence Research is the institutional data and analytics division of Axis Intelligence. All original metrics (ASEI™, APAC Acceleration Gap, ACV-Churn Gradient) are copyright Axis Intelligence 2026 and licensed under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.