10 Best Software Asset Management for 2026 - Apps 365
                     10 Best Software Asset Management for 2026 - Apps 
365
10 Best Software Asset Management for 2026
Most B2B businesses accumulate software tools without proper visibility 
into their usage, resulting in unnecessary subscription costs and 
inefficiencies. A key issue is the lack of formal records for expired or 
redundant tools that need removal from workflows. The outcome? 
Overspending. Recent reports show companies waste 35% of their cloud 
computing budgets due to limited transparency and control over costs.
Quick Read
Summary generated by AI, reviewed for accuracy.
In 2026, the best Software Asset Management (SAM) tools help 
businesses track licenses, ensure compliance, and optimize software 
usage, preventing costly fines.
These solutions offer automation, real-time reporting, and 
integration with IT systems, streamlining audits and improving cost 
efficiency for better software management.
What is SAM?
Software Asset Management (SAM) is a strategic approach to 
managing an organization’s software assets. Key aspects include:
 Full Lifecycle Management: Tracks software from purchase to 
retirement.
 License Visibility: Helps organizations know what software they 
own and how it’s used.
 Cost Optimization: Reduces overspending on unused or 
underutilized licenses.
 Compliance Assurance: Ensures adherence to software 
licensing agreements and avoids audit penalties.
 Data-Driven Decisions: Provides insights to support smarter IT and 
business strategies.
With SAM, software management becomes a tool for efficiency, 
compliance, and cost control.
Why Use a Software Asset Management Tool?
Let’s explore this through a case study. A pharmaceutical company was 
using numerous SaaS applications but faced challenges in tracking 
consumption, identifying unauthorized apps, calculating licensing 
positions, and validating billing accuracy. By deploying a software asset 
management tool, the company could retrieve essential software usage 
data, leading to optimized renewals based on actual usage and the 
reclamation of inactive users, reducing costs.
This case study illustrates how SAM tools are foundational to managing 
the software lifecycle more effectively. But the benefits don’t stop there. 
Here are more reasons to invest in SAM tools:
1. Cost Savings: asset management tools provide clear visibility into 
software usage, helping avoid unnecessary expenses and ensuring 
optimal use of licenses.
2. Audit Preparedness: Monitoring software consumption helps 
businesses avoid true-up charges during vendor audits or 
contract renewals.
3. Risk Mitigation: Poor software license management leads to 
wasted resources and legal risks from non-compliance. Asset
 management
software help track and manage licenses to ensure audit 
readiness and compliance.
4. Cloud Cost Control: Without asset management software, cloud 
spending is often wasted due to a lack of cost transparency and 
control. Asset
management software will automate to find wasteful 
spending and fix inefficiencies.
5. Cloud Optimization: IT asset management tools enable businesses to 
adjust aspects of cloud costs, such as auto-scaling, continuous 
monitoring, and reducing unnecessary environments to enhance 
transparency and cost- efficiency.
6. Compliance with On-Premises Software: asset management tool track 
consumption, optimize licenses, and help businesses maximize 
their software budgets for both cloud and on-premises software.
Key Features to Look for in the Best SAM Tools
 Automated Software Discovery
A strong SAM tool should automatically detect all software 
installed across endpoints, servers, and cloud environments, 
ensuring no asset goes untracked.
 License Management and Optimization
This feature helps compare purchased licenses with actual usage, 
enabling organizations to reclaim unused licenses, avoid over-
licensing, and reduce software spend.
 Usage Tracking and Analytics
Detailed usage insights allow IT teams to understand how 
frequently software is used, identify underutilized applications, and 
make informed renewal decisions.
 Compliance Monitoring and Audit Readiness
Continuous compliance tracking ensures alignment with licensing 
agreements and reduces the risk of penalties during vendor audits.
 Integration with IT Asset Management (ITAM)
Seamless integration with ITAM systems connects software 
data with hardware, users, and vendors, offering a complete 
view of IT assets.
 Automation and Workflow Management
Automating approvals, renewals, alerts, and software 
lifecycle tasks minimizes manual effort and improves 
operational efficiency.
 Reporting and Dashboards
Customizable reports and visual dashboards provide clear 
insights into
software usage, costs, and performance to support 
strategic decision-making.
How to Choose the Right Software asset management 
Tool? Asset Management 365
Asset Management 365 is a comprehensive solution designed to help 
organizations track, manage, and optimize IT assets throughout their 
entire lifecycle—from procurement to retirement. It enables teams to 
maintain complete asset visibility, reduce operational risks, and make 
smarter financial decisions with ease.
Key Features:
 Customizable asset attributes to capture detailed information 
such as serial numbers, ownership, location, and warranty details.
 Seamless synchronization with Microsoft 365 and SharePoint to 
centralize asset data in one secure platform.
 Automated asset lifecycle workflows that streamline 
procurement, maintenance, and disposal while controlling 
costs.
 Clear asset relationships linking devices to users, vendors, 
contracts, and incidents for better traceability.
 Powerful reporting and analytics to evaluate asset performance, 
optimize spending, and support informed purchasing decisions.
ServiceNow
ServiceNow’s IT asset management software automates software 
lifecycle management, controls spending, and reduces risks, all from a 
centralized platform.
Key Features:
 Automated software allocation for new employees.
 SaaS overview dashboard for cost and usage analysis.
 License compliance tracking to reduce audit risks and ensure 
adherence to vendor agreements.
 Integrated workflows for software request, approval, and 
renewal management.
 Centralized visibility into software assets across on-premises 
and cloud environments.
Certero
Certara provides enterprise-level asset management solutions, 
optimizing software licenses and ensuring compliance with key vendors.
Key Features:
 Comprehensive discovery and inventory across hardware, 
software, cloud, and mobile assets.
 License entitlement and optimization to reduce overspend 
and improve compliance.
 Real-time usage tracking and analytics for informed decision-
making.
 Automated compliance reporting to simplify audits and 
licensing reviews.
 Integration with IT service management (ITSM) tools to 
streamline workflows.
Flexera One
Flexera’s SAM tool provides deep insights into software licensing, usage, 
and cloud costs with an extensive entitlement library.
Key Features:
 Unified discovery and inventory for on-premises, cloud, 
and virtual environments.
 License optimization and entitlement management to reduce 
overspending and ensure compliance.
 Software usage analytics with detailed reporting for smarter 
procurement decisions.
 Cloud cost management and governance to control multi-cloud 
expenditures.
 Integration with ITSM and financial systems to align asset data with 
business processes.
Matrix42
Matrix42 gives IT teams visibility into software licenses and cloud 
spending, helping cut costs and reduce compliance risks.
Key Features:
 End-to-end asset lifecycle management from procurement to 
retirement.
 Automated discovery and inventory of hardware and 
software across networks.
 Centralized license management and compliance tracking to 
reduce audit risks.
 Integration with ITSM workflows for streamlined service delivery.
 Real-time analytics and reporting for visibility into usage, 
costs, and performance.
IFS Assyst
IFS Assyst offers enterprise-level service management with automated 
workflows and real-time IT ecosystem insights.
Key Features:
 End-to-end IT asset lifecycle management from purchase to 
disposal.
 Automated discovery and inventory across devices, software, 
and cloud resources.
 Centralized license and compliance tracking to help reduce 
audit risk and costs.
 Integrated service-aware workflows that connect asset data with 
IT service management.
 Real-time reporting and analytics to monitor usage, performance, 
and total cost of ownership.
Alloy Software
Alloy Software optimizes spending and ensures compliance with 
automated scanning, approval workflows, and asset tracking.
Key Features:
 Automated IT asset discovery and inventory across hardware and 
software to maintain a complete and accurate asset database.
 Full asset lifecycle management from procurement to retirement 
for better control and visibility.
 Built-in Software Asset Management (SAM) that tracks licenses, 
usage, and compliance to reduce costs and audit risk.
 Centralized Configuration Management Database (CMDB) that 
connects assets, contracts, users, and incidents for informed 
decision-making.
 Contract and vendor management with alerts for renewals and 
expirations to avoid overspending.
 Workflow automation for asset requests, approvals, and lifecycle 
processes to streamline operations.
Pricing:
 Starts at $19/tech/month.
Zluri
Zluri offers 360-degree visibility into SaaS apps and helps control 
spending by reclaiming unused licenses.
Key Features:
 Comprehensive Software & SaaS Discovery: Detects and inventories 
SaaS applications across your organization using extensive discovery 
methods and integrations for full visibility.
 License & Subscription Management: Tracks software licenses, 
subscription types, user roles, and spending to identify unused 
licenses and optimize allocations.
 Renewal Alerts & Calendar: Provides proactive notifications and a 
renewal calendar to help IT teams stay ahead of contract 
expirations and payment deadlines.
 Automated License Workflows: Automates license requisition, 
approvals, provisioning, and revocation—especially during 
onboarding and offboarding.
 Vendor & Contract Management: Centralizes vendor data, 
contracts, and license agreements for better negotiation, 
compliance, and spend control.
 Usage Monitoring & Insights: Offers detailed usage data to help 
teams spot under-utilized apps, reduce SaaS waste, and make data-
driven decisions.
Xensam
Xensam uses AI to track SaaS apps, optimize software spending, 
and identify security vulnerabilities.
Key Features:
 AI-Powered Software Discovery & Normalization: Automatically 
identifies and catalogs applications across hybrid IT 
environments with high accuracy, including SaaS and on-premise 
software.
 Real-Time License Compliance & Tracking: Continuously monitors 
license entitlements and usage to help reduce audit risk and 
ensure compliance.
 Active Usage Analytics & Cost Optimization: Tracks actual software 
usage and customizable pricing to uncover underutilized licenses 
and reduce
software spend.
 Custom Notifications & Alerts: Provides configurable alerts for key 
events like expiring licenses, contracts, and usage thresholds.
 Advanced Reporting & Dashboards: Offers detailed insights with 
built-in reports and dashboards for usage trends, cost savings, 
and compliance.
 Automated Organizational Mapping & Workflows: Simplifies onboarding 
of assets and users with rule-based automation tied to directories 
like Active Directory.
EZO AssetSonar
AssetSonar manages and tracks software lifecycles, licenses, and 
contracts with automated scanning and reporting.
Key Features:
 Comprehensive IT Asset Lifecycle Management: Track 
hardware, software, and SaaS assets from procurement 
through retirement with real-time visibility and 
lifecycle workflows.
 Automated Discovery & Inventory: Agent-based scanning, network 
discovery, and integrations (e.g., MDM) automatically populate 
and update your asset repository without manual effort.
 Software License & Compliance Management: Centralize software 
assets, monitor license usage, reclaim unused licenses, and ensure 
ongoing compliance with vendor agreements.
 Configuration Management Database (CMDB): Maintain a 360° 
view of asset relationships, dependencies, and configurations for 
better impact analysis and incident resolution.
 Depreciation & Contract Tracking: Monitor asset depreciation, track 
contracts, warranties, and vendor details to optimize IT spending 
and renewal planning.
 Custom Reports & Alerts: Generate tailored reports and set 
automated alerts for key events like low stock, renewals, and 
audit readiness.
Pricing:
 Starts at $69.99/month.
Conclusion
Choosing the best Software Asset Management solution goes beyond 
simply tracking licenses—it enables organizations to gain full visibility 
into software usage, control costs, and maintain compliance in a 
complex IT landscape.
An effective SAM tool helps eliminate unused licenses, reduce audit risks, 
and support smarter decision-making through accurate data and 
reporting. With features like automation, lifecycle management, and 
seamless integrations, the right solution transforms Software Asset 
Management into a strategic asset that improves operational efficiency, 
optimizes IT investments, and supports sustainable business growth.