SaaS companies solve users’ problems with software that you don’t install on your computer but run in the cloud. Customers therefore do not purchase the software. Instead, they pay via subscription. The SaaS market is only expected to grow in the coming years. But who are currently the leaders in the Saas industry? In this article, I list the 10 best and most successful SaaS examples of the moment for you.
Contents
The features of SaaS companies
Before we dive into the list of SaaS examples, let’s briefly describe what the features are that distinguish SaaS companies from other companies. Every SaaS company does things slightly differently, but to be a SaaS company an organization must at least meet the following conditions:
- The application is hosted in the cloud.
- SaaS software is easily extensible through integrations with other programs or through APIs (application programming interfaces) and SDKs (software development kits).
- SaaS software is flexible and easily scalable.
- It is clear what features the customer gets at what price.
- Implementing and maintaining the software does not create a hassle for the user.
The following SaaS examples have done this so well that they have made it into the top 10 best SaaS companies.
1. Adobe
Adobe is without a doubt the market leader in design, marketing, and customer experience design tools. Adobe was not always a SaaS company. Initially, to use Adobe, you bought a license. In 2012, they started moving up to SaaS. That year they built their Creative Suite into a cloud-based service called Abobe Creative Cloud, with all the tools a designer could want. From this point forward, Abobe has only expanded its SaaS services. Today, by far the majority of their annual income comes from SaaS.
2. Atlassian
Atlassian offers collaboration tools for teams working remotely. They offer solutions to all the problems you face as a company in that situation: project management, digital security, collaboration, communication, IT services, and product development. Atlassian’s services have integrations with various third-party products. You can easily find these on the Atlassian marketplace. In short: Atlassian completely unburdens companies when it comes to productivity tools. Atlassian products you probably know include Jira, Trello, and Confluence.
3. Freshworks
Freshworks was founded in 2010 under the name Freshdesk and has grown tremendously in recent years. Freshworks offers small and medium-sized companies everything they need for customer contact and employee engagement. Think HR software and IT service management, but also Customer Relation Management and chatbots. In Freshworks’ marketplace, users can find which third parties they can integrate their software with. You can buy all of Freshworks’ products separately, and there are different prices for small, medium, and large companies.
4. Google
What else should we say about Google? Google is truly everywhere. Wherever you go in the world, everyone knows Google. Although Google is not SaaS-only, Google’s SaaS products have grown tremendously over the past few years. For example, Google recently converted its older G-suite into Google Workspace. Unlike its predecessor, Workspace has the true SaaS feel, with a collection of tools that are easy to integrate with each other in use. When it comes to SaaS, Google is best known for its productivity tools. And of course: the marketing and ad-platform. Google’s price range is wide: from free to high-end premium.
5. Microsoft
Who doesn’t know them: Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. These are two of the products Microsoft originally built to run in the cloud. But perhaps Microsoft is still known primarily as the company behind Windows and Office. You know: that package with Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Now these classics are also available as SaaS, under the package name Microsoft 365. Microsoft’s reach is huge. Add to that the fact that they’ve been working for years to bring in the best experts in every field, and it’s easy to imagine Microsoft putting out excellent SaaS products with an endless list of integrations.
6. Salesforce
Salesforce is a SaaS-only company that also offers only one platform. That makes Salesforce a unique SaaS example in this top 10. The company offers a comprehensive solution for everything your company’s sales team needs to ensure an optimal customer experience. The company customizes the platform to meet the needs of small and large companies in different industries and has different pricing for different users. Moreover, Salesforce also helps establish an inclusive, competitive work environment where employees get job satisfaction.
7. SAP
Software giant SAP makes its software in line with the company’s goals. This makes SAP especially suitable for large organizations. For example, SAP is widely used for HR and procurement, but don’t forget the retailers, hotel chains, and government organizations. SAP became globally known for its ERP technology, but is now prominent in the world of SaaS, with a nice seventh spot in this list to prove it! The company has a strong focus on its partner network. This allows them to offer their customers a long list of integrations and consulting services in addition to their excellent software.
8. ServiceNow
If you are looking for the perfect balance between ease of use and customization, ServiceNow is for you. This company offers online services that allow you to digitize your workflows: exactly the way you want and with applications for all your company’s needs. And all of that white label. You build your own solution from pre-built components and can then tailor your User Interface to match your company’s branding. That makes ServiceNow ideal for teams of developers, agile companies, and medium to large businesses with multilayered workflows.
9. Zoho
Zoho is a jack of all trades. Therefore, if you had to pinpoint Zoho’s biggest USP, it would be the high degree of flexibility in how to deploy their wide range of business and productivity tools. With the services that Zoho offers, the company provides solutions to problems across the organization. CRM, collaboration, HR, marketing, IT service management: you name it! With the Zoho Creator, you have the ability to customize solutions yourself. In addition, they also offer an all-in-one solution, Zoho One. Zoho One brings together more than 45 apps.
10. Zoom
Zoom was already on the rise before the pandemic broke out, but with the mass home working of 2020, they suddenly gained hundreds of millions of users. Zoom began as an online tool for video conferencing with a maximum of 25 participants. They still offer that service, but now they have a much broader suite of communication tools. Think chat, virtual events, phone calls from the cloud, webinars and much more. Zoom focuses on individual users, teams, and small and large organizations. In short: for anyone who needs a user-friendly solution to collaborate digitally. Zoom distinguishes itself from competitors by its low-threshold accessibility and scalability.
