An unmistakable shift is reshaping the SaaS landscape as organizations around the world rethink their digital toolkits, prioritizing efficiency and consolidation over sheer quantity. In a year marked by economic headwinds and growing demands for operational simplicity, companies are scrutinizing their software stacks, retiring redundant licenses, and embracing platforms that do more with less. The results of a recent analysis by DesignRush, spotlighting the Great SaaS List 2025, reveal which tools are becoming workplace staples, which are falling from favor, and what these trends signal for the future of cloud-based business software.
For much of the last decade, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market exploded with innovation and hyper-specialized solutions. Teams throughout enterprises built patchwork stacks—sometimes dozens of apps deep—hoping that more tools equated to higher productivity. However, the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction. With rising subscription costs, IT friction, and widespread underutilization, organizations are consolidating, gravitating toward robust yet user-friendly platforms that encompass a broader range of functions.
The DesignRush research assessed 14 top SaaS products, using a blend of Google search trends and website traffic analytics, to rank platforms by practical relevance and growth momentum. These findings provide an incisive window into which SaaS solutions are capturing attention, which are fading into the background, and why these changes matter.
Canva skyrockets to the #1 position, reflecting explosive adoption across a spectrum of users. With over 18 million search queries and nearly 392 million website visits, its 124% jump in search interest and 46% surge in traffic speaks volumes. Canva’s secret? A frictionless interface that enables non-designers to create professional-grade visuals in minutes.
As remote and hybrid work models mature, Microsoft Teams cements itself as the beating heart of many digital workplaces. With a 35% increase in web visits and a 25% bump in search demand, Teams benefits from seamless integration in the wider Microsoft 365 suite. Many IT leaders are choosing Teams as a one-stop solution for chat, video conferencing, and document collaboration.
Despite fierce competition in the project management space, Trello holds its own, buoyed by its simplicity and visual approach. Search interest grew 21% and website traffic ticked up 3%. Trello continues to win favor among freelancers, agencies, and small teams needing lightweight, intuitive task tracking.
Workday's incremental 10% growth in searches and 3% rise in website traffic signal steady usage, especially among large organizations. Primarily favored for HR, payroll, and finance processes, its reputation for reliability keeps it embedded within mid-sized and enterprise firms.
Dropbox experienced a paradox: a 9% drop in traffic paired with a 10% uptick in search volume. This indicates continued awareness, but also suggests some users are exploring alternatives such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for daily collaboration.
Zoom’s 64% plunge in website visits and 18% dip in search interest are stark reminders of the sector’s rapid evolution. Once synonymous with virtual meetings, Zoom is now overshadowed by platforms providing tighter integration within core productivity suites.
HubSpot endured the steepest traffic decline—down 71%—despite only modest erosion in search interest. This suggests a pivot toward more efficient, lower-cost Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems among budget-conscious SMEs.
Mailchimp’s audience is migrating. Although search interest held steady, a 42% decline in web traffic reveals that more users—especially in ecommerce and publishing—are choosing solutions like Klaviyo and ConvertKit.
Salesforce remains the standard in enterprise CRM but saw a 23% reduction in traffic and an 18% drop in search demand. Its ubiquity is both a strength and a liability; while entrenched, it’s losing ground among smaller organizations unwilling to grapple with its complexity and cost.
Although not at the very bottom, Asana’s appearance in the declining cohort is signaled by a marked reduction in web engagement. In a crowded field, market leaders are being forced to evolve or see their audiences erode through attrition and migration to comprehensive platforms.
Platforms outside these core ecosystems face an uphill battle—they must offer radically better features, integration options, or user experience to draw users away from trusted defaults.
For IT leaders, the challenge and opportunity lie in balancing the allure of consolidated suites with the risk of homogeneity, ensuring innovation and flexibility remain part of the enterprise DNA. For SaaS vendors, the signal is unequivocal: only those delivering demonstrable, organization-wide value—without excess complexity—will remain essential in the years ahead. The future of SaaS isn’t about “more”—it’s about better, smarter, and universally useful.
Source: Digital Information World The Great SaaS List 2025: Which Tools Companies Are Using, Replacing, and Retiring
Background: SaaS Stack Fatigue Drives Consolidation
For much of the last decade, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market exploded with innovation and hyper-specialized solutions. Teams throughout enterprises built patchwork stacks—sometimes dozens of apps deep—hoping that more tools equated to higher productivity. However, the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction. With rising subscription costs, IT friction, and widespread underutilization, organizations are consolidating, gravitating toward robust yet user-friendly platforms that encompass a broader range of functions.The DesignRush research assessed 14 top SaaS products, using a blend of Google search trends and website traffic analytics, to rank platforms by practical relevance and growth momentum. These findings provide an incisive window into which SaaS solutions are capturing attention, which are fading into the background, and why these changes matter.
The Most Popular SaaS Tools of 2025
How the Rankings Were Determined
The final "Great SaaS List – 2025 Edition" synthesizes two main signals:- Search Keyword Growth (40%): Tracking year-over-year increases or decreases in global search queries for each product.
- Website Traffic Growth (60%): Measuring web visits as a proxy for active usage.
1. Canva: The Democratization of Design
Final Score: 10.0/10.0Canva skyrockets to the #1 position, reflecting explosive adoption across a spectrum of users. With over 18 million search queries and nearly 392 million website visits, its 124% jump in search interest and 46% surge in traffic speaks volumes. Canva’s secret? A frictionless interface that enables non-designers to create professional-grade visuals in minutes.
- Popular in marketing, education, and small business
- Broad use cases: presentations, social media graphics, reports, and more
- Delivers collaboration without steep learning curves
2. Microsoft Teams: The New Default for Modern Collaboration
Final Score: 8.3/10.0As remote and hybrid work models mature, Microsoft Teams cements itself as the beating heart of many digital workplaces. With a 35% increase in web visits and a 25% bump in search demand, Teams benefits from seamless integration in the wider Microsoft 365 suite. Many IT leaders are choosing Teams as a one-stop solution for chat, video conferencing, and document collaboration.
- Bundled with enterprise digital infrastructure
- Preferred for its end-to-end security and compliance features
- Ongoing feature expansion: AI-powered meetings, live translation, and custom workflows
3. Trello: Visual Simplicity Remains King
Final Score: 7.5/10.0Despite fierce competition in the project management space, Trello holds its own, buoyed by its simplicity and visual approach. Search interest grew 21% and website traffic ticked up 3%. Trello continues to win favor among freelancers, agencies, and small teams needing lightweight, intuitive task tracking.
- Kanban-style boards remove project complexity
- Fast setup and minimal onboarding friction
- Flexible for collaborations across different departments
4. Workday: Stability in the Enterprise Core
Final Score: 7.3/10.0Workday's incremental 10% growth in searches and 3% rise in website traffic signal steady usage, especially among large organizations. Primarily favored for HR, payroll, and finance processes, its reputation for reliability keeps it embedded within mid-sized and enterprise firms.
- Comprehensive approach to workforce management
- Trusted for regulatory compliance and reporting
- Robust security and configurable workflows
5. Dropbox: Enduring Brand with Emerging Competitors
Final Score: 7.0/10.0Dropbox experienced a paradox: a 9% drop in traffic paired with a 10% uptick in search volume. This indicates continued awareness, but also suggests some users are exploring alternatives such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for daily collaboration.
- Known for simplicity and reliable file sharing
- Established ecosystem of integrations
- Facing pressure from bundled cloud storage solutions
The Declining SaaS Tools of 2025
While certain products ride waves of growth, others are battling significant headwinds. The bottom five from DesignRush’s analysis share a common theme: falling traffic signals waning adoption, often driven by more unified or specialized alternatives.1. Zoom: From Pandemic Star to Category Shakeup
Final Score: 5.2/10.0Zoom’s 64% plunge in website visits and 18% dip in search interest are stark reminders of the sector’s rapid evolution. Once synonymous with virtual meetings, Zoom is now overshadowed by platforms providing tighter integration within core productivity suites.
- Once the go-to for video calls; now facing ecosystem-first competitors (Teams, Google Meet)
- Struggling to retain users as video conferencing becomes just one feature among many
- Cost and product overlap drive companies to consolidate vendors
2. HubSpot: The Rise of Lightweight CRM Alternatives
Final Score: 5.2/10.0HubSpot endured the steepest traffic decline—down 71%—despite only modest erosion in search interest. This suggests a pivot toward more efficient, lower-cost Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems among budget-conscious SMEs.
- Facing competition from Zoho, Pipedrive, and other streamlined CRMs
- Businesses demanding reduced complexity and fees
- HubSpot’s all-in-one suite may feel bloated to smaller teams
3. Mailchimp: Specialization Drives Churn
Final Score: 6.0/10.0Mailchimp’s audience is migrating. Although search interest held steady, a 42% decline in web traffic reveals that more users—especially in ecommerce and publishing—are choosing solutions like Klaviyo and ConvertKit.
- Competing platforms offer richer automation or eCommerce integration
- Complexity and generic workflows are less attractive for targeted marketing
- Emphasis on sector-specific features is fragmenting the user base
4. Salesforce: The Heavyweight Faces SaaS Downsizing
Final Score: 6.2/10.0Salesforce remains the standard in enterprise CRM but saw a 23% reduction in traffic and an 18% drop in search demand. Its ubiquity is both a strength and a liability; while entrenched, it’s losing ground among smaller organizations unwilling to grapple with its complexity and cost.
- High customization power, but steep learning curves
- Elevated costs for advanced features
- Simpler alternatives for basic CRM are pulling away segments of the market
5. Asana: Project Management Landscape Matures
Report Rank: #9Although not at the very bottom, Asana’s appearance in the declining cohort is signaled by a marked reduction in web engagement. In a crowded field, market leaders are being forced to evolve or see their audiences erode through attrition and migration to comprehensive platforms.
- User fatigue with overlapping functionality (Teams, Notion, Monday.com)
- Desire for end-to-end platforms rather than single-point solutions
- Need for reduced app-switching and context fragmentation
Why Are SaaS Trends Shifting in 2025?
Economics and Efficiency Trump Novelty
A confluence of rising IT costs, economic pressure, and management fatigue from tool overload are compelling businesses to rationalize their SaaS investments. Companies are prioritizing:- All-in-one solutions over single-purpose apps
- Seamless integration into existing workflows
- Lower total cost of ownership
- Rapid onboarding and broad user adoption
User Experience and Accessibility Win
Platforms enabling non-specialists to perform complex tasks—like Canva for design—are in high demand. The barriers to adoption are lowering, whether for marketing, operations, or administration. This democratization not only boosts productivity but also curbs the need for isolated, expert-only tools.The Ecosystem Effect
Software that functions as part of a larger, cohesive ecosystem holds a meaningful advantage. Microsoft Teams, for example, benefits from tight integration with Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Similarly, Google Workspace continues to entrench organizations through Gmail, Drive, and Meet.Platforms outside these core ecosystems face an uphill battle—they must offer radically better features, integration options, or user experience to draw users away from trusted defaults.
Critical Analysis: Opportunities and Risks in the SaaS Evolution
Strengths of the Top Platforms
- Robustness and Reliability: Canva, Teams, and Workday deliver mature, stable experiences suitable for both large and small teams.
- User-centric Design: Platforms rising in popularity combine power with ease of use, minimizing friction and training needs.
- Platform Integration: Ecosystem membership isn’t just valuable—it’s increasingly required. Leading SaaS tools either are the hub or integrate flawlessly with the hub.
Risks and Caveats
- Overconsolidation and Vendor Lock-in: All-in-one platforms may diminish flexibility. Organizations risk dependency on a single vendor, making it challenging to change course if pricing, features, or support degrade.
- Stifled Innovation: As the market rewards consolidation, niche and innovative solutions could struggle to break through, potentially slowing the pace of meaningful new features.
- Data Privacy and Sovereignty: Centralizing more data in fewer platforms raises the stakes for security breaches and regulatory challenges, especially as providers become attractive targets.
- User Choice and Customization: Businesses seeking highly tailored solutions may find fewer options, as major players focus on broad appeal rather than specialized needs.
What the 2025 SaaS Landscape Means for IT Leaders
Rethinking Software Procurement
The SaaS selection matrix for 2025 is less about the sheer number of tools and more about the fit, security, and depth of integration with essential business systems. Decision-makers are scrutinizing overlapping features, double-paying for similar functions, and reducing redundancies.The New Imperatives for SaaS Vendors
To thrive, software providers must:- Prioritize Seamless Onboarding: Complex setup is increasingly unacceptable, especially in a buyer’s market.
- Double Down on Ecosystem Partnerships: The ability to connect with core enterprise platforms is decisive.
- Reduce Application Bloat: Users demand features that are not only powerful, but relevant and easily discoverable.
- Strengthen Data Security and Compliance: With more data than ever in the cloud, trust and transparency are table stakes.
Changes in Measurement and ROI
Traditional metrics of user growth and active licenses give way to more nuanced KPIs: actual utilization rates, breadth of adoption within teams, and positive user feedback. Tools that languish in the background are the first on the chopping block.Conclusion: The New Era of SaaS Efficiency
The winds of change blowing across the SaaS sector are anything but subtle. The 2025 Great SaaS List confirms a landscape where software consolidation, real user adoption, and ecosystem alignment matter more than shiny features or rapid land-and-expand tactics. Companies are paring down, not bulking up—choosing simplicity, security, and operational clarity over sprawling digital toolboxes.For IT leaders, the challenge and opportunity lie in balancing the allure of consolidated suites with the risk of homogeneity, ensuring innovation and flexibility remain part of the enterprise DNA. For SaaS vendors, the signal is unequivocal: only those delivering demonstrable, organization-wide value—without excess complexity—will remain essential in the years ahead. The future of SaaS isn’t about “more”—it’s about better, smarter, and universally useful.
Source: Digital Information World The Great SaaS List 2025: Which Tools Companies Are Using, Replacing, and Retiring
