Over the past two decades, the software landscape has transformed dramatically. In the early 2000s, most software ran locally on desktops or servers, requiring installations, licensing keys, and significant infrastructure. Early pioneers like Salesforce shifted this model by introducing browser-based software that required no local installs and could be purchased and deployed quickly.

As cloud infrastructure providers such as AWS and Azure matured, SaaS adoption accelerated. Companies rapidly accumulated “browser-based SaaS” tools across every department—from collaboration and HR to security and analytics. This ease of acquisition, combined with decentralized purchasing, created challenges around visibility, cost control, entitlement tracking, and security governance.

This environment led to the emergence of SaaS Management Platforms (SMPs). According to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for SaaS Management Platforms, SMPs typically focus on:

• Discovering SaaS usage
• Centralizing subscription and renewal data
• Improving configuration and access visibility
  
  

However, SMPs generally focus only on SaaS. Modern IT environments blend SaaS with licensed/on-prem software, cloud workloads, and hardware endpoints. Relying on SaaS-only tools leaves gaps in visibility that impact spend optimization, security posture, and audit readiness.

This is where Block 64 differs. Rather than functioning as a traditional SMP, Block 64 provides unified IT visibility across critical SaaS applications, on-prem software, cloud resources, and hardware endpoints—giving IT, finance, and leadership teams a consistent, connected view of their technology environment.

This guide compares leading SaaS management tools in 2026 and explains how organizations are evolving toward broader visibility solutions as hybrid IT becomes the norm.

What Is a SaaS Management Tool?

A SaaS Management Tool (or SaaS Management Platform, SMP) helps organizations identify and manage the SaaS applications used across the business. SMPs consolidate data from SSO, finance systems, and usage logs to surface which SaaS tools are in use, who has access, and how much each tool costs.

Gartner identifies three core SMP capabilities:

1. SaaS Discovery – detecting applications used across the organization
   
   
2. Spend Governance – tracking subscription costs, usage levels, and renewals
   
   
3. Security Posture – improving configuration, permissions, and access visibility
   
   

While SMPs help regain control over SaaS, they do not typically cover:

• Licensed/on-prem software
  
  
• Cloud workloads
  
  
• Infrastructure
  
  
• Hardware endpoints
  
  

This gap has driven organizations toward broader unified visibility platforms that consolidate data across their entire technology estate—not just SaaS.

Top SaaS Management Platforms in 2026

The SaaS management category has grown rapidly as organizations seek control over their expanding application stacks. Many tools address similar challenges—discovery, spend control, and access management—but each platform approaches them differently.

Below is an overview of prominent tools in the SaaS management category, based on a combination of Gartner MQ coverage, industry presence, and how these vendors commonly position themselves in the SaaS management category. These summaries reflect how each vendor positions itself and the use cases it most commonly supports.

BetterCloud — Strong SaaS Automation and Configuration Management

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BetterCloud is well-known for its automation workflows and admin controls across major SaaS applications, especially Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.

Strengths:

• Automated onboarding/offboarding workflows
  
  
• Permission and configuration management
  
  
• Strong for SaaS-centric environments
  
  

Limitations:

• No traditional software license visibility
  
  
• No cloud cost insight
  
  
• No hardware or endpoint data
  
  

BetterCloud is a strong fit for teams who need deep SaaS automation and admin control, but it does not provide visibility beyond the SaaS layer.

Zylo — Deep SaaS Spend and Renewal Visibility

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Zylo is one of the category’s most recognized platforms, known for detailed SaaS spend analytics and renewal tracking.

Strengths:

• Financial visibility and subscription governance
  
  
• Renewal pipeline management
  
  
• Usage analytics
  
  

Limitations:

• SaaS-only visibility
  
  
• No on-prem, hardware, or cloud insight
  
  
• Limited entitlement optimization beyond SaaS
  
  

Zylo works well for organizations focused on SaaS financial governance but requires supplemental tools for broader visibility needs.

Zluri — User-Level SaaS Access and Usage Insights

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Zluri specializes in understanding how employees interact with SaaS applications. It offers app discovery, usage analytics, and workflow automation for access changes.

Strengths:

• Employee-level usage and access tracking
  
  
• Shadow IT discovery
  
  
• Offboarding/onboarding automation
  
  

Limitations:

• Limited license optimization outside SaaS
  
  
• No on-premise software coverage
  
  
• No cloud or hardware visibility
  
  

Zluri is ideal when the primary goal is improving SaaS access governance.

Trelica — Accessible SaaS Visibility for Mid-Market Teams

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Trelica is known for its approachable interface and straightforward setup. It provides usage dashboards, renewal management, and lightweight automation.

Strengths:

• Easy adoption
  
  
• Clear dashboards
  
  
• Mid-market-friendly pricing and setup
  
  

Limitations:

• Limited integration depth
  
  
• Not built for enterprise-scale governance
  
  
• SaaS-only visibility
  
  

Trelica fits well for teams early in their SaaS management journey.

CloudFuze — Migration-Focused, Light SaaS Management Features

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CloudFuze is primarily a cloud-to-cloud migration tool. It offers limited SMP features, mostly around SaaS usage monitoring.

Strengths:

• Migration and file transfer automation
  
  
• Workspace transitions
  
  

Limitations:

• Not designed for spend or security governance
  
  
• Narrow SMP functionality
  
  
• Limited visibility beyond collaboration suites
  
  

CloudFuze is best suited for migration use cases rather than long-term management.

Block 64 — See it all from On-Premises to Cloud

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Block 64 takes a broader approach than SaaS-only tools, offering visibility across four layers of an organization’s technology environment:

• Critical SaaS apps
  
  
• Licensed/on-prem software
  
  
• Cloud workloads
  
  
• Hardware endpoints
  
  

Block 64 integrates with major systems and identity providers—including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, BambooHR, Atlassian, Entra ID, Okta, and Google Workspace—to deliver consistent, cross-environment insights.

With Block 64, organizations can:

• Discover critical SaaS apps, licensed software, cloud assets, and hardware endpoints
  
  
• Optimize licenses across SaaS and traditional vendors
  
  
• Improve security and audit readiness by surfacing shadow IT and configuration risks
  
  
• Unify reporting across IT, finance, and leadership
  
  

Rather than functioning as a traditional SMP, Block 64 acts as a unified IT visibility platform, giving organizations a connected view of their hybrid environments and reducing the need for siloed tools.

SaaS Spend and License Optimization

Organizations often waste significant spend on duplicate subscriptions, unused licenses, and redundant tools. SaaS spend management platforms help with part of that picture—but they rarely address cost leakage in traditional software, cloud services, or hardware renewals.

Platforms like Zylo and Zluri offer useful SaaS spend dashboards, but their scope stops at SaaS.

Block 64 closes this gap by combining SaaS spend visibility with traditional software asset management capabilities. This creates a consistent view of cost across:

• SaaS subscriptions
  
  
• Licensed desktop/server software
  
  
• Cloud workloads
  
  
• Hardware lifecycle data
  
  

Block 64’s direct connectors—including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, BambooHR, Zoom, Atlassian, plus SSO/OAuth providers like Entra ID, Okta, and Google Workspace—strengthen entitlement and usage insights across the environment.

Security and Audit Readiness

SaaS security posture management tools (SSPMs) help IT teams track configuration and access risks in SaaS environments. However, most SSPM-style features remain limited to a small number of integrations.

Block 64 expands risk and compliance visibility by detecting issues across SaaS, licensed software, cloud workloads, and endpoint assets. It supports audit preparation by consolidating entitlement, usage, and configuration data into exportable reports.

This continuous visibility helps organizations reduce shadow IT, identify misconfigurations earlier, and maintain audit-ready posture without relying on manual spreadsheets.

SaaS vs. Software Asset Management: The Consolidation Trend

Historically, organizations managed SaaS and traditional software separately through SMPs and SAM tools. As hybrid IT environments became the norm, this separation created fragmented data and redundant processes.

Organizations are now moving toward platforms that unify visibility across SaaS, software, cloud resources, and hardware.

Block 64 reflects this industry shift by offering visibility that spans all layers instead of focusing solely on SaaS or licensed software. This helps teams align cost optimization, risk reduction, and lifecycle management under one view.

Choosing a Platform for 2026 and Beyond

Tools like BetterCloud, Zylo, Zluri, Trelica, and CloudFuze each solve specific SaaS-focused problems. But for organizations operating in hybrid environments, SaaS-only visibility no longer provides the full picture.

Block 64 gives IT, finance, and security teams a connected view across SaaS applications, licensed software, cloud workloads, and hardware assets—helping organizations reduce blind spots and make better decisions at scale.

As environments continue to diversify, platforms that unify multiple visibility layers will provide stronger long-term value than tools built solely around SaaS.

Final Word

The best SaaS management tools of 2026 offer strong value for SaaS-focused use cases. But as organizations operate increasingly hybrid environments, the need shifts from SaaS-only oversight to unified technology visibility.

Block 64 supports that shift by giving teams a single, consistent view across SaaS, software, cloud, and hardware—helping organizations improve cost governance, strengthen security, and stay audit-ready.

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