15 Popular Software as a Service Examples | SaaS Platforms

Last Updated on May 18, 2022

The largest market segment since 2019 was Software as a Service (SaaS), with Gartner reporting a $332.2 billion growth forecast for the industry in 2021. Companies are now spending 50% more than they did two years ago on this cloud technology and are becoming more dependent on them.

Service software is one of the most popular business possibilities. Those who want their next service role or even their next company business can develop valuable knowledge and skills in this rapidly changing industry.

SaaS is all on request, as this promises to alleviate the headache of customer installed and updates, not least the risk capitals. This results in a flood of SaaS businesses, which shows no signs of slowing down. New companies are being launched, and old guard software companies as SaaS providers are participating most impressively in reinventions.

Below you’ll see a list of the top most companies with some of the most widely used SaaS products ever created. But first, let’s learn a thing or two about what SaaS Actually is.

What Is SaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a distribution software model that hosts applications from a cloud provider and makes them available to end-users over the internet. This model may allow a third-party cloud provider to host the application for an independent software vendor (ISV). Or the cloud provider could also be the software vendor with larger companies, such as Microsoft.

SaaS, together with infrastructure as a service (IaaS), is one of the three key categories of cloud computing (PaaS). SaaS applications are used by a number of IT specialists, business users and personal users.

Products range from personal entertainment to advanced IT tools, such as Netflix. SaaS products are often distributed to both B2B and B2C users as opposed to IaaS and PaaS.

Recent McKinsey & Company report suggests that the software industry’s technology analysts will continue to grow as a service market and anticipate that by 2024, SaaS products will grow at nearly $200 billion.

Famous Examples Of SaaS Products

1. Salesforce

Salesforce remains at the forefront of the cloud computing revolution, it helped to create the most essential software as a service application. The customer relationship management solution allows companies to gather all customer information, prospects and leads within a single online platform, allowing authorised employees to access critical information at any time on any connected device.

Salesforce lends an average of 37% to its customer sales tools to boost customer loyalty and satisfaction.

2. Lumen5

Lumen5 is a leading SaaS video creator application which enables companies with a drag-and-drop interface to create stunning videos. It automatically creates text or URLs to form video. Text is converted into a personally placed text, images from the library are then added, keywords are highlighted, brand colours are added, font styles tweaked and video resolution changes are made. The monthly visitors count to Lumen5 is 220 K+, which shows how popular it is.

The best thing about Lumen5 is its automated AI workflow which determines the text based scene length and also calculates the text position based on the user’s selected media file. The keywords are automatically highlighted. These are some of the things which make Lumen5 such an amazing SaaS product.

3. Microsoft Office 365

Signature productivity applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint from Microsoft have been the long-term staple of workplaces, but Microsoft Office 365 in the cloud expands the Office suite’s parameters dramatically. 

The user may now create, edit and share contents in real time from any PC, Mac, iOS, Android or Windows device, connect to collaborative technologies supporting secure interactions, both within and outside the institution with colleagues and customers across a range of instruments from email to video-conferencing.

4. FutureFuel

FutureFuel is a perfect example of SaaS that will certainly inspire you. It’s a student debt management application for companies and human resources professionals. It helps firms attract and retain the highest level of talent by repaying student loans. In return, the students work as dedicated staff for their company. FutureFuel gives companies access to their future employees for years to come.

5. Box

This workspace online allows professionals to work with everyone, wherever they are. Users can securely share large files via a conventional or custom URL, protect data and documents via permits, and protect passwords. Box supports more than 120 types of files, and before downloading users may preview content. All content sharing, editing, discussion and approval is limited to one centralised file and users are notified in real time of edits. Box automates tasks like on-boarding and contract approvals for employees, reduces repeat cycles, and shortens review processes.

6. Squibler

Squibler is a creative SaaS app for storytellers. The interface provides a great feel-free writing. It has many categories of early writing for all types of writing, like books, novels, journals, screenwriting, etc.

In addition, timed writing, writing goals, community, feedback and even a random quick generator are provided.

This SaaS company was founded and developed by Dhaval and I within six months. They purchased a writing app with thousands of users as part of their strategy. Every month from organic traffic Squibler gets 45,000 new users.

7. Google Apps

Google expanded long ago to offer a complete array of productivity tools beyond its search and advertising roots. Google Apps includes custom professional emails, shared schedules and video meetings, alongside Google Drive (complete with spam protection). 

Google Drive is a cloud based document storage solution that allows employees to access and share files with colleagues from any device instantly, eliminating email attachments as well as merging versions.

8. Zendesk

This cloud based customer service and ticketing support platform allows representatives to handle incoming customer requests more efficiently via any communications channel – email, web, social media, phone or chat. Features include automatic responses, Zopime (real-time chat service), and Voice from Zendesk (Automatic learning tool for interpreting and resolving customer questions and requests) (a cloud-based, built-in phone support solution). According to Zendesk, more than 86% of their customer interactions make their business users positive.

9. Dropbox

Keep all of your devices with Dropbox files and documents in your fingertips. Everything added to Dropbox storage automatically appears on all your computer and mobile devices, so professionals can start a project on their PC, edit through their smartphone during their evening trip home and add finishing touches from their home tablet. 

Users can invite teammates to access any folder in Dropbox and send them specific files and images accessible through password-protected links.

10. Slack

Slack redefines business communication as a real-time message, archive, and search solution. Users can hold open channel team conversations on specific subjects or projects or limit more susceptible interactions to private, invited participants alone. Members may also use private secure direct messages to interact one-on-one. 

Slack enables users to share files, documents, timelines and pdf files, with additional comment and highlighting options for future referrals, as well as automatically indexing and archiving all messages, notifications, and files.

11. Buffer

For nearly every SaaS business there, Buffer is the perfect SaaS example. It is a simple but effective tool that makes it easier for companies of all sizes to manage and plan their social media. But most importantly, Leo Widrich blogged 10 months to help Buffer reach 100,000 users in less than a year.

Buffer is committed to openness. It shares the details of fundraising, revenue and expenditure, and business strategy with the public openly. Transparency is one of the core values of Buffer and has to date been committed to it.

12. Amazon Web Services

As an example of SaaS, nothing beats Amazon Web Services (AWS). With over 150 services available, AWS offers all necessary tools such as the database, IoT, corporate apps, machine training, Storage, robotics, security, customer commitment, blockchain, and more to businesses and individuals as well. All apps are cloud-based, so you can use these tools on any device on the internet.

AWS is Amazon’s $25.6 billion subsidiary and has over a million users. AWS is used by leading companies like NASA, Netflix, and the United States Navy. In fact, there is much to learn from AWS and it is a perfect example of successful and multi-billion-dollar SaaS companies. Solutions are offered in numerous areas.

13. Hubspot

HubSpot is a leading SaaS tool for companies and even for companies involved in software. It offers companies software for sales, marketing, CRM, CMS, and services. Marketing software helps companies attract, convert, close and retain visitors. It provides complete marketing, selling, and CRM suite. The best feature of HubSpot is its economic efficiency, with free trials available from SaaS tools.

HubSpot’s content marketing strategy is what you love. You must learn from HubSpot if you own a SaaS company and struggle with traffic to your SaaS website. It publishes a number of blog posts in a single day and covers almost any topic directly or indirectly associated with its core applications.

14. Canva

Canva is an online design tool company to help you create social media content. It’s a useful SaaS tool with a drag and drop interface. It has many templates that can help you start right away. Select, edit, save, share and download a template. A template is available. You can generate pictures, blog posts, PPT, book covers, social media posts, PPC posts, posters, flyers, invitation cards, and many other types of media. It’s free to use which makes Canva a perfect SaaS example. 

You receive limited access as a free user to its media, but it will work just fine. In 2019, Canva generated $291 million in revenues and has over 15 million monthly active users.

15. Sitechecker

For non-SEO experts, Sitechecker is the simplest DIY SEO platform. The website checker includes functions such as on-site SEO audits, website traffic controls, backlink tracking, and website ranking checks for website monitoring and other social listening tools. 

Some of the key features: SEO help, Sitechecker SEO extension, immediate email alarms when the website comes up with something critical, clear and intuitive design.

Wrapping Up 

The software is truly inspiring and worth trying as a service example. Without SaaS providers like Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud Services, it’s hard to do business today. In the end, one or more SaaS must be used for the growth of your businesses and other services, such as fast deployment, ease of use, cost efficiency, ready use, and lower cost of infrastructure.

The examples above provide you with inspiration and thoughts when you are in the process of developing your own SaaS product. Not all SaaS are equal, so make sure you are following exceptionally well the footprints of the companies. Learn and see how you can replicate their business model.

You still need to use another SaaS even if you develop software. Without using one, you can’t build software. It works like that. You will probably find a perfect SaaS for your company from the above list. Otherwise, there’s always a good fit. Continue to look.