Not too long ago, companies needed in-house ‘on-premise’ software, and an army of IT teams to maintain and update it. Employees could only access corporate systems at the office, while work from home was available to a select few.
And then everything changed.
SaaS enters the picture
The costs of developing, upgrading and maintaining software were high back then - 20 years ago. Companies needed to find a better and more cost-effective solution. That’s why they started exploring software as a service (SaaS) tools.
Salesforce ushered in the SaaS revolution as we know it. SaaS of course enables companies and employees to use cloud-based applications over the Internet. It is an effective solution for a company like yours because you don’t need to develop and maintain your software but rather, you just sign up, pay a monthly (or yearly) subscription and installing, upgrading and maintaining software becomes a thing of the past—the chosen SaaS solution take care of everything.
The opportunity to save costs, leverage advanced software and improve workflow makes SaaS applications an obvious choice for most teams today. In fact, Statista predicts that the revenue from the public cloud market will reach $600 billion in 2023, while Gartner predicts that software spend will grow over 40% from $529B in 2020 to $750B in 2023, highlighting that SaaS companies continue to grow faster than ever with no slowdown.
The sky seems to be the limit for SaaS solutions, with Deloitte reporting that the global SaaS market grows by 25% each year. That shows that businesses of all sizes favor cloud-based tools.
Then the pandemic hit. Remote work became the norm. SaaS vendors have got their hands full, fueled by the predictions that 25% of all professional jobs in the USA will become remote by the end of 2022. This has cemented the fact that SaaS is the go-to solution for companies.
SaaS in the era of remote work
The pandemic put pressure on corporate IT teams to provide immediate and secure access to reliable software accessed through the cloud. With employees shifting to remote work en-masse, organizations had to adjust to this new normal quickly. It meant adopting and implementing SaaS applications to ensure their employees were able to get their work done, for the long haul.
Luckily, there is no shortage of cloud-based solutions. According to Statista, your business gets to choose from (yikes!) over 25,000 SaaS companies. All of them bring the following benefits to the table:
- Accessibility. Users can access software via the Internet from any location and device.
- Operational management. Businesses don’t need to worry about installation, updates or licensing.
- Lower costs. No upfront costs and access to flexible payment methods like pay-as-you-go models.
- Data storage. All of your data is saved in the cloud.
- Better security. SaaS vendors combat security threats and prioritize the protection of data.
It’s no wonder that companies and organizations like yours used an average of 110 SaaS apps in 2021. This number increased significantly from a mere 5 SaaS solutions used in 2015.
However, the proliferation of SaaS applications introduced a new problem:
Managing all this software!
It’s become increasingly difficult for companies to manage all they apps they now depend on, with IT and Finance teams trying to make heads or tails of this staggering growth.
SaaS management tools have since emerged to lend a helping hand.
The increasing need for SaaS management tools
Businesses of all sizes are now struggling with the proliferation of SaaS apps. Chances are that within your organization, there are a lot more employees using cloud-based software than IT and finance teams know of - and new ones pop up all the time.
Too many SaaS solutions can cause some of the following issues that you probably already are aware of:
- Shadow IT. Employees use solutions and tools without formal approval from the IT or Finance team. Security threats, data leaks, inefficiencies and financial risks follow.
- Unnecessary expenses. Employees forget to cancel subscriptions even though they are no longer using several SaaS apps. That means wasted money out the door.
- Lack of overview. It’s impossible to know how many apps are used and how essential they are for your employees. That makes buying software difficult and complex.
- Use of similar apps. Different departments use different SaaS solutions that come with similar features. This duplication produces collaboration frictions across teams, ultimately leading to wasted time and money. And you’re in the dark about which apps can be eliminated.
Gartner reports that 25% or more of all software in companies goes unused. Even more worrying is the conclusion that $34 billion in annual licensing waste is generated just in the US and UK.
Managing your SaaS apps seems more important now than ever before.
SaaS management tools enable your business to take control over all cloud-based apps your employees use. They also benefit your team members, who can request the software they need to get their job done and be successful.
One of the leading solutions in the SaaS management landscape is BetterCloud. From providing insight into the number of SaaS applications used by employees to help the IT team automate processes—BetterCloud ensures companies manage their software.
However, it may not suit your business, depending on your needs. That’s why we’re here to list 7 BetterCloud competitors.
Before we discuss the alternatives, let’s go over BetterCloud and their features.
BetterCloud
Pricing: One Plan ($3/user/month), Core Plan ($6/user/month), Enterprise Plan ($10/user/month)
UX: 4.2/5
UI: 4/5
Capterra rating: 3.6/5
Advanced features: App discover, automated workflows, security compliance
Free trial: No
Pros:
- Data loss prevention
- Streamlines the onboarding and offboarding processes
Cons:
- The user interface requires some getting used to
- Relies on integrations
- Only detects SaaS activity ad hoc, doesn’t prevent it
- Doesn’t integrate SaaS purchasing
BetterCloud is a SaaS management platform that enables companies to discover, manage and secure SaaS apps. By listing all tools in one dashboard, this management tool offers visibility over any unsanctioned app, thus eliminating shadow IT and security threats.
In fact, security compliance is a top priority for BetterCloud. Automated policy enforcement is what mitigates risks and ensures your organization remains compliant. You have an overview of everything, so it’s easier to notice discrepancies and meet all regulations.
As a CIO, you can make the employees’ lives easier by automating their manual tasks and workflows. That will save time and ensure your team members focus on more pressing tasks.
You don’t need to worry about onboarding new team members either. BetterCloud automates onboarding actions, making devices, apps and data available to new hires. As a result, they will perform their tasks better from the get-go.
In case you can’t keep track of things like file security, BetterCloud has you covered. Whenever an unauthorized person views a file, users receive notifications to determine what their next steps should be.
Drawbacks of BetterCloud
Not every tool is perfect. Here are several drawbacks of BetterCloud users have reported over the last few years:
- Clunky user interface. It takes time to find your way around the dashboard. It’s a feature-rich SaaS management platform, so you won’t immediately locate the option you need.
- Doesn’t prevent SaaS activity. Another drawback of BetterCloud is that it only detects SaaS activity ad hoc, i.e., when needed. There is no proactive prevention workflows to help you manage the decision of bringing SaaS in the company.
- No SaaS purchasing integration. A SaaS management platform should streamline the process for your finance team like Cledara does. BetterCloud doesn’t integrate SaaS purchasing, making the process more fragmented.
Given the above, here are some BetterCloud alternatives to consider for your business.
Alternatives to BetterCloud
We relied on the following criteria to determine which BetterCloud alternatives should appear on our list:
- Free trial: Although SaaS management tools are worth the investment, even the best should provide a free trial to help you decide if the tool is right for you.
- Reviews: All tools mentioned in the article are present on user review websites. You can read comments and see how other users rated them. We examined these sites, and we found both pros and cons.
- User experience (UX): A user-friendly platform is crucial to have. Even the least tech-savvy members of your team should be able to find their way around your SaaS management solution with ease.
- User interface (UI): Well-designed software facilitates interaction between the user and the app through eye-catching visuals, engaging design, and responsiveness. Your team members are likely to use this tool every day, so it should be appealing.
- Features: All of the solutions on our list help you manage your SaaS apps, but some offer advanced features. Workflow automation, security compliance and SaaS spend management are just some things that an advanced platform should have.
1. Cledara
Pricing: Essential ($125/month), Standard ($250/month) and Pro ($650/ month)
UX: 5/5
UI: 4.9/5
Capterra rating: 4.5/5
Advanced features: Virtual debit cards in Europe and credit cards in the US, SaaS app management, SaaS analytics, SaaS purchasing, finance automation, integrations with Gmail and Xero, built-in compliance, frequent product updates
Free trial: Yes, post demo
Pros:
- Works with 100% of SaaS applications
- Intuitive dashboard and UI
- Workflow automation
- Complete visibility and control of SaaS apps
- 2% uncapped cash back on all software purchases, 1% on most anything else
Cons:
- Need to set up payment details with each vendor
Cledara is a SaaS management and payment platform perfect for fast-growing startups and scaleups looking to help their finance and IT departments manage numerous cloud-based apps.
Operating both as a management and payment tool, Cledara offers you visibility and control over all SaaS apps while also ensuring you are in charge of your company’s software investments.
Instead of worrying about who has access to company credit cards, you can issue virtual debit and credit cards for subscriptions with this tool. There is an option to set individual budgets for each app, which means your organization won’t incur unnecessary costs.
As all SaaS applications are visible in one place, the software shows you which tools are being used and which aren’t across different teams. It’s challenging and time-consuming to determine this on your own. That is why you need Cledara to gain control over every subscription.
This solution stands out from other BetterCloud alternatives because it gives you access to all the tools you need to keep track of your SaaS in one place. Unlike most other tools, Cledara incorporates SaaS purchasing helping both finance and IT departments stay control of software spend and usage.
Forgetting to renew a subscription will be a thing of the past with Cledara. This SaaS management platform lists all your subscriptions and their expected renewal dates. Cledara will send reminders and alerts to you whenever a subscription date approaches.
A Cledara survey discovered that 63% of employees think SaaS issues damage their company’s culture. You need a management platform to avoid this problem. Use this software to improve your SaaS management process and ensure your teams get the job done and remain efficient.
View, purchase and manage all your SaaS subscriptions with Cledara from a centralized place—Sign up today!
2. Blissfully
Pricing: A custom pricing for their software available upon request
UX: 4.3/5
UI: 4/5
Capterra rating: 4.4/5
Advanced features: Easier vendor management, workflow automation, extensive reporting and insights
Free trial: No
Pros:
- Onboarding and offboarding workflows
- Vendor management and SaaS Buying support
- Detailed data insights
- Includes vendo
Cons:
- Issues with UI
- Limited flexibility in creating reports
- Reliant on integrations leading to come SaaS falling through the cracks
Blissfully is a SaaS management software targeted to IT departments and helps them monitor and manage software apps across the organization.
They enable companies to understand their entire SaaS usage. Users can automatically discover and organize software. However, Blissfully sees only the tools integrated with the single sign-on.
The platform works well for vendor management as they track each vendor contract and document, presenting them in one central location, ensuring you don’t forget about renewals and preventing duplicative purchases.
Blissfully also provides data that tells you usage rates, SaaS adoption and total spend over time within your organization, allowing for more y informed decisions.
Reviews are generally positive for Blissfully. However, some users report issues with the UI and little flexibility in creating reports.
3. Zylo
Pricing: A custom pricing for their software available upon request
UX: 4.3/5
UI: 4.5/5
Capterra rating: 4.5/5
Advanced features: Security and compliance app integrations, usage data, always-on monitoring
Free trial: Yes
Pros:
- Reminder emails for subscription renewals
- Ability to track important data for each software, including contract terms and number of licenses
Cons:
- Reliant on integrations, leading to Shadow IT concerns
- Only detects SaaS activity ad hoc - doesn’t prevent it
- Does not integrate SaaS purchasing
Among the competitors and alternatives to BetterCloud is Zylo.
Zylo is a SaaS management and optimization platform that offers SaaS visibility. The tool enables companies to manage SaaS spend and risks by discovering SaaS software used across a company.
That takes the pressure off IT and finance departments. No matter the size of your business, it is challenging for these teams to handle and manage all employees’ software. Zylo steps in to provide an overview they often lack.
With this tool, you can also optimize SaaS licenses. As a result, you can reduce SaaS spend and improve purchasing efficiencies. It is exactly what you need when you’re looking for the best alternatives to BetterCloud.
Zylo relies heavily on data. The platform provides data-driven insights that detect apps that have similar functionality. If applications have overlapping features, Zylo will draw your attention to them, reducing your spend.
Renewal management is easier with Zylo. You’ll always be ahead of upcoming renewals so your teams don’t lose software they can’t function without.
Just like BetterCloud, Zylo comes with certain drawbacks. It relies on integrations with other software to provide the most basic functions like analytics.
You won’t be able to integrate SaaS purchasing with this platform, which is a feature that makes Cledara stand out from other competitors.
4. Productiv
Pricing: A custom pricing for their software available upon request
UX: 4.1/5
UI: 4.3/5
Capterra rating: N/A
G2 rating: 4.8/5
Advanced features: Proactive governance, app discovery, automated workflows, analytics
Free trial: Yes
Pros:
- Shadow IT discovery
- Security and compliance to detect tools that follow various regulations such as GDPR
Cons:
- Automation requires third-party systems
- Doesn’t integrate SaaS purchasing
As a BetterCloud alternative, Productiv is a SaaS management platform built on SaaS Intelligence. By leveraging this technology, Productiv can address critical SaaS visibility and governance issues.
The platform applies proprietary machine learning models to bring you:
- Improved app visibility
- Increased compliance
- Better cost-efficiency
- Faster operations through automation
Your business gets centralized visibility into all of your applications. Productiv offers real-time app engagement insights to boost employees’ productivity. That basically tells you how and when your team members engage with SaaS applications.
If you determine they don’t use a specific software as much, you can eliminate it. It will reduce licensing waste.
The biggest issue users report with Productiv is the inability to segment apps by team members. However, we would also point to the lack of SaaS purchasing integration.
If this isn’t what you need, there are other BetterCloud alternatives.
5. Torii
Pricing: A custom pricing for their software available upon request
UX: 4.7/5
UI: 4.8/5
Capterra rating: 5/5
Advanced features: Spend optimization, easier onboarding and offboarding, renewal and vendor management
Free trial: No
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Great automation and workflow functionality
Cons:
- Reporting needs improvement
- Relies on integrations
- Only detects SaaS activity ad hoc, doesn’t prevent it
- Doesn’t integrate SaaS purchasing
Torii is a SaaS management platform that offers SaaS visibility every company needs. It helps you discover and act on every SaaS tool in your portfolio.
The IT department will benefit the most from this platform. The reason is that they can control SaaS sprawl. When employees have the liberty to select as many applications as they need, keeping track of all of them becomes challenging.
If you view all those apps in one place, you can tame SaaS sprawl with Torii.
The platform collects data to provide you with the insights you need to control SaaS fully. You can do the following with this data:
- Prioritize investments by checking user engagement
- Find and remove redundant subscriptions
- Set reminders for renewals
Like some other BetterCloud alternatives, Torii allows you to automate recurring tasks. The finance team can receive contract renewal notifications while keeping track of onboarding workflows.
As a BetterCloud alternative, Torii lacks in some areas. For instance, users complain that their reporting module needs improvement. Another issue is that it is difficult to edit changes to workflows. You need to be sure of your changes before submitting them.
6. Zluri
Pricing: A custom pricing for their software available upon request
UX: 4.7/5
UI: 4.4/5
Capterra rating: 4.9/5
Advanced features: Easier onboarding and offboarding, smart application discovery, smooth vendor management
Free trial: No
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Renewal monitoring
- Application cost optimization
Cons:
- Reporting needs improvement
- Specific issues with onboarding and offboarding workflows
Compared to most BetterCloud alternatives, is relatively new to the market. It is a SaaS management software that eliminates SaaS waste, automates manual tasks and detects threats to your SaaS ecosystem.
Zluri is great for companies that want to minimize the risk of shadow IT. If not detected on time, this issue can lead to security and compliance threats. Zluri is there to help you locate and solve shadow IT within your organization.
The platform allows you to control third-party SaaS applications used across different teams. By managing the tools from one dashboard, you can maintain security.
Zluri has an extensive app library. It makes it easier for you to discover all of your subscriptions. Surprise renewals won’t happen with Zluri either. You’ll get timely alerts about any upcoming renewal.
Users report some issues with data. For instance, when you want to check who used some app last, Zluri might not provide up-to-date information.
7. Binadox
Pricing: Starter plan ($99 per month), Professional plan ($299 per month), Premium plan ($499 per month), Custom plan (on request)
UX: 4/5
UI: 4/5
Capterra rating: N/A
G2: 5/5
Advanced features: Intelligent recommendations, discount management, custom reports
Free trial: No
Pros:
- Detailed reports on app usage
- Ability to maximize savings by looking at your consumption patterns
Cons:
- Not as user-friendly as other BetterCloud alternatives
- Lacks basic features that other SaaS management tools offer
Binadox is a SaaS management software that ensures organizations have full control of their cloud costs. It is great for the finance department that wants to track resources and reduce waste.
Businesses using Binadox can reduce the risk of overspending with a unified view. Regardless of the number of apps you use, Binadox can track utilization rates and help you invest in software your employees need.
The platform also comes with complex usage data. You’ll receive customized reports data to determine your consumption pattern and plan your budget accordingly. You can select the required parameters to make each report as specific as possible.
Binadox shows all the subscriptions, users and usage in a single place. That helps you see whether your employees are logging in enough. If they aren’t, you can inform them about the existence of a specific app.
Binadox isn’t as user-friendly as other BetterCloud alternatives on the list. The platform is more focused on reducing your costs, which means it lacks certain features that your IT department needs. For instance, a tool that helps them detect shadow IT.
Now that we have covered all the tools, let’s take a look at the comparison table:
Conclusion
We have listed seven BetterCloud alternatives your company can consider. We suggest you choose the one that aligns with your business needs.
Of all the vendors reviewed, only one is a SaaS management platform that caters to both your finance and IT teams. We view this as a critical advantage, as the implications of SaaS application usage across your company impacts both teams differently. A tool that both teams can align around, providing the visibility and control finance teams require with the security and compliance features that IT expects, is crucial.
This leads us to recommend Cledara.
Cledara has everything finance and IT teams need to make informed decisions and efficiently manage and control SaaS applications company-wide. Our team is here to help you get started with Cledara today!
FAQs
What are BetterCloud competitors?
If you want to switch from BetterCloud or are looking for a SaaS management platform, try out Cledara. It helps you manage and keep track of your SaaS apps, ensuring you don’t spend money wastefully and helping you reduce security risks.
Other BetterCloud competitors include Blissfully, Zylo, Zluri, Torii, Binadox and Productiv.
What are the best BetterCloud competitors?
The best BetterCloud competitors are platforms like Cledara. This tool helps you control, view and manage all your company’s SaaS apps while satisfying the requirements of both your IT and Finance teams. Your other options are Blissfully, Productiv, Zylo and Zluri.
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