Best 10 software license management software in 2025

It’s two days before a major SaaS renewal. You’ve got the usage data, the dashboard, and the approvals in progress—but you still don’t know if you’re renewing licenses for people who left three months ago.

You scramble through spreadsheets, Jira tickets, and Slack threads. Legal’s asking for offboarding logs. Finance wants a cut in SaaS spend. Security found a stale account still active in three critical tools. Your license “management” isn’t broken because of bad tooling—it’s broken because every fix requires manual follow-up.

This is the license management paradox: visibility without action.

The average company uses over 200 SaaS apps. Each one introduces cost, access risk, and compliance exposure. The problem isn’t a lack of data—it’s fragmented systems, manual dependencies, and too little time to act.

That’s why the right license management software doesn’t just help you see what’s wrong. It enables you to clean it up, automate decisions, and take control before the invoice hits.

In this expanded guide, we’ll:

• Break down how leading tools approach license discovery, cleanup, renewals, and access governance
• Show which platforms are best suited for different company sizes and IT maturity levels
• Explain why Stitchflow leads the pack in automating what others only report

Whether you’re battling license sprawl, failed offboarding, or surprise renewals, this guide is built to help.

TL;DR: The best software license management tools at a glance

Why license management software matters more than ever

License management isn’t just about avoiding overage fees or failed audits—it’s the foundation of efficient, secure, and scalable IT operations. The right approach helps you:

• Reducing waste: Reclaim unused licenses instead of buying more
• Avoiding vendor lock-in: Stay ahead of renewals with full context
• Strengthening compliance: Keep track of what's being used, by whom, and where
• Controlling shadow IT: Get visibility into tools IT didn't purchase

Spreadsheets alone can’t keep up with modern challenges, such as:

• Software bought by distributed teams without central oversight
• Frequent organizational changes and new hires
• Contractors requiring temporary or flexible access
• Rapid SaaS adoption and abandonment

IT needs software license management tools that are built to address fragmentation. The best software licenses management solutions provide real-time visibility across all apps, automate access and renewals, and proactively identify idle or misassigned licenses so teams can act before issues escalate.

📚Also read: Why disconnected apps are breaking your security budget

The 10 best software license management tools, compared

Let’s compare the top software license management solutions available today and how effectively they tackle key licensing challenges.

1. Stitchflow

• Best for: Large, fast-moving companies struggling with SaaS sprawl, offboarding, and shadow access.
• G2 rating: 4.8/5

Stitchflow is more than a license management tool; it’s an automation-first platform built to reconcile user data, clean up orphaned accounts, reclaim unused licenses, and close access gaps without requiring a single manual spreadsheet.

Where most platforms stop at visibility, Stitchflow starts acting. It plugs directly into your system of record, such as HRIS, IDP, ITSM, and fixes broken SaaS processes before they cost you money, time, or compliance.

Here’s what makes Stitchflow different:

• Full-service automation: Stitchflow doesn’t just notify you about problems. It fixes them. It collects end-user input, runs cleanup workflows, and closes out orphaned access without requiring you to chase managers.
• Works without SCIM: Most tools require SCIM or native integrations. Stitchflow connects to any app, including manual, CSV-based, or legacy tools.
• Tailored for multi-IDP, multi-domain orgs: Stitchflow is built for complex setups: think 8 brands, 3 identity providers, and thousands of contractors.
• Rooted in your source of truth: Instead of depending on dashboards alone, Stitchflow aligns all usage data with HR and identity records to determine whether a license is valid, stale, or risky.

By unifying fragmented data, automating cleanup, and enforcing continuous compliance, Stitchflow turns SaaS license sprawl from a manual liability into a cost-efficient and audit-proof system.

Stitchflow key features

• License waste detection: Flags underused or inactive seats by analyzing actual usage across apps
• Orphaned account cleanup: Continuously finds ex-employee or hidden accounts and enables one-click bulk remediation
• Unused license reclamation: Identifies inactive seats and collects end-user/manager input before auto-releasing licenses
• Renewal optimization: Prepares accurate, reconciled license counts ahead of vendor renewals to prevent overspend
• One-click bulk remediation: Cleans up orphaned or unused licenses instantly, or files ITSM tickets automatically
• Slack surveys: Automates license validation by surveying users/managers on Slack before reclaiming seats
• Audit-ready compliance reporting: Generates continuous, evidence-backed reports on license usage and deprovisioning for audits

Stitchflow pros

• Automates un-automatable SaaS environment, freeing IT from manual license management
• Eliminates spreadsheet-based work by reconciling app data into an IT graph
• Due to the depth of data and app-specific expertise, it identifies more license waste than other tools
• Supports environments with tools that lack SAML/SCIM, and heavy contractor usage

Stitchflow cons

• Stitchflow doesn’t support on-prem software license management
• Stitchflow doesn’t handle vendor negotiations

IRL impact: How Stitchflow helps maintain SaaS sprawl

• Closed 200+ offboarding gaps within a quarter for a global engineering team
• Cleaned up 93% of 812 orphaned accounts before a major SaaS renewal
• Reclaimed $60,000+ in unused license costs in under two weeks
• Reduced quarterly access reviews from 3 weeks to under 24 hours

"We reviewed 7,000 accounts across multiple applications in just 15 minutes with all the context needed for quick decisions. Renewals no longer keep us up at night."
— IT Manager, Starburst

✅Choose Stitchflow if you’re an enterprise IT team that wants real license management across 100% of your apps, not just a dashboard for visibility.

❌Skip it if your environment is mostly on-prem or limited to a handful of SCIM-enabled apps where your IDP already provides full lifecycle automation.

2. Zluri

• Best for: Mid to large-sized enterprises aiming for detailed SaaS usage analytics and cost optimization.
• G2 rating: 4.6/5

Zluri offers a robust SaaS management platform that specializes in comprehensive application discovery, license usage tracking, and license optimization. Its intuitive dashboard surfaces real-time insights into SaaS adoption across departments, making it easier for IT, finance, and procurement teams to align on usage versus value.

Zluri features

• Comprehensive SaaS discovery and categorization: Automatically identifies known and unknown applications in your environment.
• Detailed usage analytics and license utilization reports: Tracks how frequently licenses are used, by whom, and across which teams.
• Automated onboarding and offboarding workflows: Streamlines the employee lifecycle while ensuring licenses are provisioned or revoked as needed.
• Renewal and spend insights: Flags upcoming renewals and shows cost trends over time for better budget planning.

Zluri pros

• Provides cost optimization and license usage insights
• Supports custom workflow automations for onboarding and offboarding

Zluri cons

• Offboarding is limited to SCIM-connected apps
• Some users report integration issues with Zluri
• Limited training and resources

✅ Choose Zluri if you’re a mid to large enterprise focused on SaaS discovery, usage analytics, and cost optimization—and your environment is mostly made up of SCIM-enabled apps.

❌ Skip it if you need comprehensive license tracking software for all apps, including non-SCIM, legacy, or contractor-heavy environments. Zluri is also not a good option if your IT team wants a platform that remediates orphaned accounts and closes access gaps automatically.

📚Also read: Top Zluri alternatives for software license management in 2025

3. ManageEngine Asset Explorer

• Best for: IT teams managing both hardware and software assets in hybrid environments.
• G2 rating: 4.3/5

ManageEngine Asset Explorer is a comprehensive IT asset management (ITAM) tool that excels in environments where software license management overlaps with hardware lifecycle tracking. While it isn’t SaaS-native, it offers mature capabilities for managing software licenses, ensuring compliance, and tracking purchase records.

ManageEngine Asset Explorer features

• Automated asset discovery and tracking: Tracks IT assets across the network via agentless scans.
• License compliance and auditing: Helps ensure software installations match entitlements.
• Purchase order and vendor contract management: Maintains procurement documentation in a single location.
• Integration with ServiceDesk Plus: Connects to other ManageEngine products for ITSM workflows.

ManageEngine Asset Explorer pros

• Tracks networked and non-networked assets
• Provides asset support for virtual machines, like servers

ManageEngine Asset Explorer cons

• Lacks support for license reclamation, deprovisioning, and ticket-based automation workflows
• The legacy UI can be difficult to navigate
• Not suitable for SaaS apps with usage-based pricing, like credits

✅ Choose ManageEngine Asset Explorer if your IT team needs a single system to track both hardware and software assets—especially in hybrid environments where purchase orders, vendor contracts, and compliance reporting are just as important as license management.

❌ Skip it if your priority is SaaS license reclamation, deprovisioning automation, or managing usage-based SaaS apps—since it’s not SaaS-native

4. Torii

• Best for: IT teams that want centralized visibility with decentralized SaaS ownership.
• G2 rating: 4.5/5

Torii is a SaaS management platform (SMP) designed to give IT control while allowing business units to choose and manage their own tools. It’s ideal for organizations with distributed procurement where shadow IT risk and SaaS waste are high.

Torii features

• Continuous app discovery: Automatically identifies new tools being used across the organization.
• Spend tracking and renewal alerts: Helps forecast SaaS costs and stay ahead of renewals.
• Custom workflow automation: Enables lifecycle workflows for access requests, offboarding, and vendor approvals.
• Policy and compliance enforcement: Ensures apps meet internal policies and security guidelines.

Torii pros

• Automatically discovers and inventories shadow SaaS apps
• Monitors app usage for license optimization

Torii cons

• Doesn't support sequential workflows
• Some users report a long and complex onboarding process
• Limited integrations

✅ Choose Torii if you’re a growth-stage company with distributed SaaS purchasing but centralized IT governance, and you need shadow IT discovery and spend tracking.

❌ Skip it if your environment requires deep automation for complex workflows, seamless integrations across all apps, or fast time-to-value.

5. Zylo

• Best for: Finance and procurement teams focused on SaaS contract negotiation and cost control.
• G2 rating: 4.8/5

Zylo is a leader in SaaS spend management, helping large organizations track application usage, manage renewals, and renegotiate contracts based on actual license utilization. It is particularly strong in budgeting and vendor reporting.

Zylo features

• Contract and renewal tracking: Centralizes license agreements and automates renewal notifications.
• Utilization analytics: Reveals license waste and inactive users across tools.
• Integrations with finance and ERP tools: Facilitates deeper financial alignment.

Zylo pros

• You can compare usage against similar vendors to optimize spend
• Provides ROI tools like email reminders for renewals and expert-led negotiation services

Zylo cons

• Users report false positives when linking licenses to users or highlighting expenses
• Limited usage analytics

✅ Choose Zylo if you’re a procurement-heavy organization or finance-led IT team that prioritizes contract intelligence and wants negotiation support.

❌ Skip it if you need deep license optimization, automated access remediation, or comprehensive visibility across disconnected apps.

📚Also read: Top Zylo alternatives manage SaaS licenses for 2025

6. NudgeSecurity

• Best for: Security and compliance teams focused on identifying shadow IT, assessing SaaS risk, and nudging users toward safer behavior.
• G2 rating: 4.7/5

NudgeSecurity is one of the top software license compliance tools and approaches SaaS governance from a security-first lens. Instead of focusing on license usage or optimization, it specializes in identifying unmanaged applications, evaluating SaaS risk, and nudging end users to make more secure decisions, making it especially valuable for security-conscious organizations.

NudgeSecurity features

• Continuous discovery of unauthorized apps: Identifies unmanaged and shadow IT tools that users sign up for across the organization.
• SaaS risk scoring: Evaluates third-party tools for security risks, vendor posture, and data exposure potential.
• User nudges and behavior tracking: Encourages secure alternatives through contextual prompts and reminders.
• Security incident response integration: Surfaces risky SaaS behaviors that need intervention.

NudgeSecurity pros

• Provides a browser extension to automate policy guardrails
• You can create ‘nudges’—automated workflows—to manage SaaS access and approvals

NudgeSecurity cons

• Not designed to handle license usage, renewals, or cost optimization
• Lacks automation for cleanup or app deprovisioning

✅ Choose NudgeSecurity if you’re a security, compliance, or governance team looking to detect shadow IT, evaluate SaaS risk, and influence safer user behavior with automated nudges.

❌ Skip NudgeSecurity if your primary goals are license optimization, renewal management, or automated deprovisioning.

7. AccessOwl

• Best suited for: Startups and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seeking simple access control with basic license visibility.
• G2 rating: 4.7/5

AccessOwl focuses on streamlining IT access requests, particularly for teams that use Slack. Its lightweight approach fits fast-growing companies that want to move away from ad hoc provisioning but don’t yet need full-blown SaaS license management tools or automations.

AccessOwl features

• Slack-based access request workflows: Let users request and approve access directly via Slack.
• Application catalog with self-service permissions: Simplifies common provisioning workflows.
• Basic visibility into assigned licenses: Tracks who has access to what across key tools.

AccessOwl pros

• Supports API-free provisioning across all apps
• Provides Slack-powered onboarding, approvals, and offboarding workflows

AccessOwl cons

• Lacks in-depth license optimization features
• No support for orphaned account detection or system reconciliation

✅ Choose AccessOwl if you’re a startup or SMB that needs a lightweight, Slack-native access request and provisioning tool with simple license visibility.

❌ Skip it if you require robust license optimization, orphaned account cleanup, or enterprise-grade reconciliation across multiple domains and IDPs.

8. FlexNet Manager (Flexera)

• Best for: Enterprises managing complex, multi-environment license entitlements.
• G2 rating: 3.7/5

FlexNet Manager is one of the most mature software asset management (SAM) tools on the market. It supports hybrid and on-premises environments, in addition to cloud software, and is widely used by compliance-heavy industries such as healthcare, government, and manufacturing.

FlexNet Manager features

• Robust license entitlement and consumption tracking: Matches entitlements against real usage.
• Support for complex licensing models: Handles everything from user-based SaaS to processor-core licenses.
• Integrations with procurement and ERP systems: Keeps vendor contracts and inventory aligned.

FlexNet Manager pros

• Supports software licensing across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments
• Provides in-depth license cost and usage reporting

FlexNet Manager cons

• Steeper learning curve
• Limited coverage of modern SaaS usage scenarios

✅ Choose FlexNet Manager if you’re a large enterprise ITAM team with a significant on-prem or hybrid footprint, and want license compliance, entitlement tracking for multiple license models.

❌ Skip it if your environment is SaaS-first or cloud-native and you need modern license optimization, automated remediation, or shadow IT visibility.

9. Altair Software Asset Optimization

• Best suited for: Engineering firms and R&D-intensive companies managing complex, niche software.
• G2 rating: 4.2/5

Altair’s SAO product is designed for technical teams that need to maximize the utilization of specialized, high-cost software, such as simulation, CAD, or HPC tools. It helps reduce license waste while ensuring users have what they need when they need it.

Altair Software Asset Optimization key features

• Detailed license usage metering: Tracks user behavior down to license checkout and duration.
• Cost allocation by department/project: Enables internal chargeback and budget accountability.
• Peak usage and bottleneck analytics: Helps avoid overbuying or underprovisioning.
• Support for engineering and scientific toolsets: Works with niche license managers and software suites.

Altair Software Asset Optimization pros

• Automatically reconciles software requests with capacity
• Provides quantitative insight to support vendor negotiations

Altair Software Asset Optimization cons

• Narrow focus on engineering software
• Less applicable for general-purpose SaaS or IT tools
• The UI can be difficult to navigate

✅ Choose Altair Software Asset Optimization if you’re an engineering, R&D, or HPC-heavy organization that spends significantly on specialized, high-cost tools (e.g., CAD, simulation, scientific software) and needs granular usage analytics.

❌ Skip it if your environment is general SaaS or business IT–focused, where broader license optimization, shadow IT discovery, and automated deprovisioning matter more.

10. AssetSonar

• Best for: Midsize businesses managing both IT hardware and software entitlements.
• G2 rating: 4.4/5

AssetSonar is a hybrid IT asset tracking tool that covers both physical devices and digital licenses. It’s beneficial for companies without formal ITAM systems but who want more visibility into assets, assignments, and renewals.

AssetSonar features

• Centralized asset database: Tracks hardware and software in one place.
• License assignment and deallocation workflows: Ensures software entitlements follow employee changes.
• Depreciation tracking and reporting: Useful for finance and operations teams.
• Barcode and RFID tagging support: Helpful for hybrid teams managing offices and inventory.

AssetSonar pros

• Supports hardware and software asset management
• Lets you build a custom service request form that employees can use to get access to assets

AssetSonar cons

• Not SaaS-first or automation-focused
• Some users report that the UI is difficult to navigate, as you have the same information/settings in multiple tabs
• Minimal integration with IDPs or HR systems

✅ Choose AssetSonar if you’re a midsize IT or operations team that needs a straightforward way to track both devices and software entitlements.

❌ Skip it if your priority is modern SaaS management, deep automation, or integration with HR/IDP systems, as it’s not a SaaS-first optimization platform.

What to look for in the best SaaS license management software

The best tools go beyond static reports. Here's what to prioritize:

• Automated license discovery: Automatically surface all licenses, even those purchased outside IT. The best tools integrate with your SSO, HRIS, finance systems, and procurement workflows to provide full visibility.
• Real-time usage tracking: Track which licenses are being used, who's using them, and how often. Spot idle or over-provisioned licenses before your next renewal.
• Renewal tracking and alerts: Get ahead of upcoming renewals and contract terms. Centralized alerts help avoid missed deadlines or last-minute scrambles.
• No SCIM dependency: SCIM-only tools leave gaps, so your solution should also connect to apps that don’t support SCIM or SSO.
• Role- and team-based license provisioning: Assign licenses based on team, role, or department, and deprovision them just as easily. Custom workflows let you approve, deny, or route access requests.
• Support for access reviews and renewals: he right tool should help you complete access reviews in hours (not weeks) and clean up licenses before renewals, not just track them.
• Contractor spend visibility: Contractors come and go. Your license management software should help you manage short-term access, ensure compliance, and automatically revoke licenses when contracts end.
• Evidence and auditability: You should be able to export a clean, audit-ready record of changes, usage, and access.
• Integration support: Modern license management software pulls data from your entire ecosystem: SSO, HR, finance, and ITSM. That means fewer manual updates — and more reliable data.

Finally, make sure to consider adaptability. If your business requirements or processes change frequently, you need a tool that flexes with it, not one that requires constant manual updates.

📚Also read: How to choose a software license management tool

Why Stitchflow is the best license management solution for enterprise IT teams

Managing licenses at enterprise scale isn’t about one-off fixes. Contractors leave, new apps get added overnight, renewals arrive faster than budgets are approved, and every small oversight multiplies across hundreds of systems. Before you know it, you end up with wasted spend, compliance risks, and IT teams buried in manual cleanup.

Stitchflow was built to address—and automate—this challenge. Instead of static reports, Stitchflow gives you a connected IT graph that continuously maps apps, users, and licenses in real time. It also automatically flags and reclaims them before renewals hit.

Among the 10 tools we covered, many offer solid visibility and reporting. But only Stitchflow brings the level of automation, precision, and flexibility needed to eliminate license waste, secure your stack, and free up your team.

With Stitchflow, teams can:

• Complete access reviews in under 24 hours
• Eliminate 93% of orphaned accounts before renewal deadlines
• Automatically flag idle licenses for release before renewal time

Ready to see Stitchflow in action? Book a demo today, and we’ll show you how you can automate license management from day 1.