Company tech stack size

SaaS stack analysis: Growth and volatility

As of March 2026, the average business manages 138 individual SaaS applications, a significant increase from 128 in September 2024. This growth shows that despite a market-wide focus on consolidation, organizations are still adopting new software faster than they are retiring old tools

The data shows that while businesses are attempting to trim their stacks, the overall volume of software is trending upward.

• Net growth: The average stack has expanded by approximately 8% since late 2024. This indicates that for every tool removed during consolidation, more than one new application is typically added.
• Audit cycles: Sharp dips – such as the drop from 136 in December 2025 to 130 in January 2026 – suggest aggressive start-of-year audit cycles. However, these "cleanups" are historically temporary, with the stack rebounding to record highs within 60 days.
• The March surge: March 2026 saw the highest single-month increase (+3 tools). This spike aligns with new fiscal year budget releases and the widespread deployment of specialized AI agents.

Why are companies growing their tech stacks?

Despite "consolidation" being a corporate priority, several factors continue to drive stack growth:

1. Specialized AI tools: Organizations are adding dozens of niche AI "point solutions" for specific tasks like code generation, legal review, and automated prospecting, even while attempting to consolidate core platforms.
2. Shadow IT: Low-cost, "click-to-buy" subscriptions are frequently purchased at the departmental level on corporate cards, bypassing centralized IT and procurement oversight.
3. The integration gap: As core platforms (like ERPs or CRMs) fail to meet specialized departmental needs, teams add "sidecar" applications to fill functional gaps.

‍Data source: These insights are derived from over $30bn of global processed spend managed by Vertice in 2026. $30bn of global processed spend managed by Vertice in 2026.