Do you know how many tools your company uses? Ten tools? Twenty? Most SMBs use 50+. A mix of paid apps, free trials, and renewals quietly charging in the background.

What once helped you move faster now creates chaos: overlapping tools, unclear ownership, and rising costs no one can explain.

The hidden cost of "just one more tool"

Adding a new app is easy. A click, a trial, a small monthly fee. But they pile up fast.

The real costs:

• Unused licenses draining budgets

• Duplicate apps doing the same job

• Forgotten renewals charging monthly

• Former employees still having access

• Unapproved tools creating security risks

• Data scattered across platforms

What you don't track costs you in money, time, and control. For a typical 50-person company, this adds up to €50,000+ per year in waste.

Want specific numbers? See how much this chaos actually costs per employee.

Clarity starts with visibility

You can't manage what you can't see. List all your active tools first.

This inventory usually reveals:

• Overlap: Three project tools when you need one

• Waste: Licenses for people who left months ago

• Opportunity: Enterprise plans where basic works fine

Most teams discover they're paying for 30-40% more tools than they actually use.

The calm after the chaos

Once you know what's in your stack, everything gets easier.

Budgets become clearer. You know exactly where money goes and can forecast accurately.

Decisions get faster. No more "do we already have this?" debates.

Teams feel confident. Everyone knows which tools to use and why.

Security improves. Former employees lose access immediately. Unapproved tools get flagged.

Clarity isn't just about cutting costs. It's about running your business with control and confidence.

Take control in 3 steps

Step 1: Map your tools Create a complete inventory of every app—paid, free, or trial.

Step 2: Identify waste Flag unused licenses, duplicate tools, and forgotten renewals.

Step 3: Make it ongoing Review quarterly to catch new additions and eliminate what's no longer needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many SaaS tools does the average SMB use?

Most SMBs use 40-80 different software tools, though many estimate far fewer. A typical 50-person company has 50+ subscriptions across communication, projects, finance, HR, marketing, and specialized tools. Without central tracking, this grows steadily as teams adopt solutions independently.

What are the warning signs of SaaS chaos?

Key indicators: teams asking "do we have this already?", discovering forgotten subscriptions during budget reviews, employees accessing tools they don't recognize, difficulty getting accurate spending numbers, and former employees still in user lists months after leaving. If you can't quickly list all active subscriptions, you're in SaaS chaos.

Why is it so hard to track SaaS subscriptions?

Unlike traditional software with central IT procurement, anyone with a credit card can buy SaaS. Free trials convert automatically. Departments adopt tools independently. Personal accounts upgrade to business plans. This creates "shadow IT" where subscriptions spread across multiple cards and payment systems without visibility.

Is SaaS chaos actually a security risk?

Yes. Former employees keeping access can lead to data breaches. Unapproved tools may not meet security standards or GDPR requirements. Duplicate tools scatter data across platforms with inconsistent access controls. Each untracked tool is a potential security gap.

The market is evolving fast. Understand the growth of SaaS spending and why visibility matters now more than ever.