19 SaaS Examples With Brilliant Business Models [2025 List]

You see SaaS companies everywhere now, but only a few build something that really works – business models sharp enough to stick. This list highlights standout examples that don’t just sell a product but create entire systems people rely on daily. Each one shows how smart design and clear purpose can turn simple software into lasting success.

These companies don’t chase every trend or inflate their promises. They focus hard on what their customers need and keep the numbers solid. That mix of precision and practicality keeps them ahead, even in crowded markets.

In 2025, the best SaaS stories are about clarity, tight execution, and making things work without the noise. Here’s a collection of 19 examples that prove steady focus pays off, and show you how good business models really look. 

How Much Companies Use SaaS? 

Source: Backlinko

SaaS is everywhere. But the numbers tell the real story. Right now, around 99% of businesses use at least one SaaS solution, according to reports from 2025. Even small teams, those with under 199 people, run on about 42 different SaaS apps. For larger companies, the average shoots up to more than 103 tools in daily use.

This growth isn’t slowing down too. Spending on SaaS worldwide is going to cross $300 billion this year, and it’s expected to grow 20% each year. That’s because you see it across every department: sales, marketing, finance, HR, each one plugging into software that keeps things moving. No matter the size or industry, companies rely on SaaS because it offers flexibility and faster rollout compared to traditional software. With numbers this high, it’s clear SaaS isn’t just a tool anymore but a part of how companies function every day.

Breaking Down Five Examples of SaaS

You might think SaaS is mostly about things like project management or email, but there’s a lot more variety than that. SaaS, whether a micro saas or enterprise-level SaaS, has grown into dozens of categories, each focused on solving different problems you face at work, or even in daily life. Some tools help you keep track of money, while others are built to handle customer relationships, HR, or creative tasks. The one thing they all share is a subscription model that keeps updates and access easy.

When you look closer, you see that SaaS can fit into broad types based on purpose. Some focus on business essentials, like finance and operations. Others are built for creative work, communication, or selling products online. Have you noticed how often you log into something subscription-based during your week? Odds are, you’re using more kinds of SaaS than you realize.

Let’s break down a few of the main types. You’ll see how these tools are built to help with specific tasks, and why SaaS keeps growing across so many industries.

SaaS for Business Operations

These are the tools that keep your business running behind the scenes. They handle tasks like accounting, payroll, invoicing, and resource planning. You probably recognize the style: subscription-based platforms where you can log expenses, send invoices, or manage employee data all from one place. 

Examples include SaaS for enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management (HCM), and inventory control. These tools matter because they keep processes tight without needing full IT departments to manage them.

SaaS for Marketing and Sales

This type of SaaS focuses on helping you reach and keep customers. It covers things like email marketing platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, social media schedulers, and sales automation software. You can set up a whole campaign, track every lead, and see what’s working, all from your browser. 

It’s especially useful if you’re trying to scale marketing efforts without adding huge teams. Think about tools that let you schedule posts, run A/B tests, or send out automated follow-up emails.

SaaS for Communication and Collaboration

You’ve probably used this kind of SaaS most often, video calls, messaging platforms, and team collaboration spaces. These services help you and your team stay connected no matter where you work. Examples include video conferencing tools, shared document editors, and virtual whiteboards. 

You can hold a meeting, work on a doc in real time, and ping your coworker for a quick answer, all without leaving the app. It’s simple, and that’s why these tools are a key part of remote and hybrid work setups now.

SaaS for Creative and Design Work

These platforms are built to help you create visual, audio, or written content easily, even if you don’t have advanced skills. You’ll find graphic design tools, video editing software, and website builders in this group. They offer drag-and-drop simplicity and pre-made templates, so you can focus on results rather than technical details. 

Need to design a social post, edit a short video, or mock up a landing page? This kind of SaaS lets you do it quickly, without downloading any app.

SaaS for E-Commerce and Online Payments

Selling online has never been easier thanks to SaaS built for e-commerce. These tools help you set up a store, process payments, manage orders, and track shipping. You can also find SaaS products that handle recurring billing, subscription box services, or point-of-sale setups.

These services let you run an entire retail business without heavy upfront costs, giving you the tools to scale as your business grows. If you’ve ever bought something through a clean, user-friendly checkout page, there’s a good chance SaaS was powering it.

Here’s a look at a few real-life SaaS examples, spanning from large enterprises to small startups.

#1: IBM 

You know IBM as one of the oldest tech giants. It began in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) when Charles Ranlett Flint combined several smaller firms into a single powerhouse. By 1924, it became International Business Machines, marking the start of IBM’s global brand.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1911	Charles Ranlett Flint	$60.23 billion	270,300	90% of credit card transactions processed by IBM systems

IBM’s most famous early success was creating the System/360 in the 1960s—this changed computing by introducing compatible family systems for businesses. Later, Deep Blue’s chess victory over Garry Kasparov in 1997 positioned IBM as an AI innovator. Today, Watson, IBM’s AI platform, supports healthcare, finance, and research globally.

IBM’s SaaS products 

IBM’s SaaS story evolved significantly around 2014 with IBM Cloud and Watson Analytics, providing users with subscription-based cloud analytics and AI-driven insights. IBM shifted steadily towards cloud subscription models, now offering solutions like IBM Cloud Pak, helping businesses modernize apps. You benefit from IBM’s focus on combining cloud technology with AI, giving organizations smarter ways to handle data and operations.

#2: Salesforce 

Salesforce kicked off in 1999, founded by Marc Benioff and Parker Harris, with the bold mission of replacing traditional software with online subscriptions. They called it “software as a service,” pioneering SaaS long before the term became mainstream. Salesforce quickly became the name you think of when hearing CRM.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1999	Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, Frank Dominguez	$31.35 billion	72,682	Over 150,000 customers worldwide

Their first product, Salesforce CRM, arrived as an online service in 2000, transforming customer relationship management from installed software to accessible cloud-based subscriptions. Major successes include launching AppExchange in 2005—the first online marketplace for business apps—and Salesforce’s 2013 release of Salesforce1, a mobile app connecting you directly to the CRM platform from anywhere.

Salesforce’s SaaS products 

Salesforce expanded steadily, introducing tools like Marketing Cloud (2013), Service Cloud (2009), and Commerce Cloud (2016). Each offering is designed as SaaS to simplify your sales, marketing, and customer service tasks. Salesforce now serves more than 150,000 businesses, making CRM software available instantly through subscription plans that reshape how your company interacts with customers.

#3: Oracle 

Oracle started back in 1977, when Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates began building a relational database system inspired by research from IBM. They aimed to simplify database management, quickly making Oracle Database a core part of how large businesses store and manage critical information.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1977	Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, Ed Oates	$53 billion	160,000	Over 430,000 customers in 175 countries

Oracle’s early wins included becoming the first company to commercially sell relational database software in 1979, followed by their successful IPO in 1986. Their aggressive acquisition strategy over the decades, buying companies like Sun Microsystems and PeopleSoft, positioned Oracle firmly in enterprise software.

Oracle’s SaaS products 

Oracle shifted noticeably toward SaaS around 2012, launching Oracle Cloud Applications—a subscription-based suite covering ERP, CRM, HR, and more. Their Autonomous Database (2018) marked a significant advancement, offering cloud-based database management powered by AI, making your data handling easier and more efficient. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) now provides subscription services to thousands of enterprises worldwide, confirming Oracle’s commitment to cloud technology and making SaaS a strategic focus for their future.

#4: SAP 

SAP began back in 1972 when five IBM engineers—Dietmar Hopp, Hasso Plattner, Hans-Werner Hector, Klaus Tschira, and Claus Wellenreuther—set out to build software simplifying enterprise processes. The founders aimed to integrate business data into one central system, creating what you’d recognize today as enterprise resource planning (ERP).

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1972	Dietmar Hopp, Hasso Plattner, Claus Wellenreuther, Klaus Tschira, Hans-Werner Hector	€34.18 billion	109,973	Over 400,000 customers worldwide

One major success came in 1992 with SAP R/3, their ERP software that moved beyond mainframes, becoming accessible to companies of various sizes. SAP’s later acquisition of SuccessFactors in 2011 positioned them prominently in cloud-based HR software, bringing thousands of new customers into their subscription model.

SAP’s SaaS products 

SAP’s SaaS path took shape significantly after launching SAP S/4HANA Cloud in 2015, moving their flagship ERP product into subscription-based services. Businesses shifted rapidly toward this cloud-based model, driving SAP’s subscription revenues to grow steadily. Now, solutions like SAP Ariba (procurement software) and SAP SuccessFactors (HR management) offer SaaS options widely used by companies, changing how your organization manages critical operations.

#5: Adobe

Adobe started small in 1982 when John Warnock and Charles Geschke developed PostScript, software making high-quality printing possible from desktop computers. Their idea helped you produce professional documents easily, fundamentally changing desktop publishing.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1982	John Warnock, Charles Geschke	$5.56 billion	30,709	Approx. 30 million subscribers

A huge milestone came with Adobe Photoshop’s release in 1990, quickly becoming the standard in digital image editing. Later, in 1993, Adobe PDF revolutionized document sharing, making files universally viewable regardless of software or hardware.

Adobe’s SaaS products 

Adobe’s SaaS transformation occurred dramatically in 2013 when they introduced Creative Cloud, shifting from traditional software licensing to a subscription model. Users initially hesitated, but Adobe quickly saw the shift pay off, boosting their subscriber count to over 30 million. Today, Adobe Creative Cloud includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat, accessible through monthly subscriptions, completely altering how creative professionals like you access tools necessary for digital design and production.

#6: Shopify 

Shopify started in 2006 when Tobias Lütke, Scott Lake, and Daniel Weinand set out to build a simple online platform for their snowboarding store. They quickly realized others needed easy online stores too, making Shopify available broadly. Soon, thousands of entrepreneurs—perhaps even you—built their businesses on Shopify’s intuitive platform.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2006	Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, Scott Lake	$7.1 billion	~11,600	Over 5.6 million active stores

Their major success came from the ease and speed of launching online shops without extensive tech knowledge. Shopify’s growth exploded, especially between 2015 and 2020, with annual revenue consistently growing over 50% each year. Big brands like Gymshark, Allbirds, and Heinz now use Shopify for direct-to-consumer sales.

Shopify’s SaaS products 

Shopify’s SaaS model is clear and straightforward—you pay monthly subscriptions to run your e-commerce store. Introduced early in their business journey, this subscription model helped Shopify scale globally, offering new features like Shopify Payments (2013) and Shopify Plus (2014) to serve larger businesses. With over 4 million stores on their platform today, Shopify’s SaaS approach continues reshaping how you and countless others manage online retail.

#7: Canva

Canva started in 2012 when Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams had an idea to simplify graphic design for people without professional design skills. They wanted to give everyone the power to create beautiful visuals without complicated software.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2012	Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, Cameron Adams	$3 billion	~3,500	Over 230 million users

Their breakthrough came quickly, hitting 1 million users within a year after launching publicly in 2013. Canva’s ease of use made it popular instantly, especially among small businesses, students, and marketing professionals. By 2021, Canva reached a valuation of $40 billion, becoming Australia’s most valuable tech startup ever.

Canva SaaS product 

Canva’s SaaS approach began right from launch with a freemium subscription model, offering free basic features and paid premium upgrades. Canva Pro (introduced officially in 2015) provided extra capabilities like resizing designs, transparent backgrounds, and advanced brand tools. The platform now supports over 150 million users globally, proving Canva’s subscription strategy works by giving you powerful design tools through a simple monthly fee.

#8: OpenAI 

OpenAI started in 2015, founded by a high-profile team including Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Greg Brockman, with a goal of developing artificial intelligence technologies responsibly and openly. Initially focused on research, OpenAI quickly became influential, releasing groundbreaking tools like GPT models and DALL·E.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2015	Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, John Schulman, Wojciech Zaremba	$3.7 billion	~500	Over 100 million users

Their biggest success came with GPT-3’s release in 2020, capturing global attention and quickly becoming a crucial technology behind many new AI-powered applications. The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 was another massive achievement, gaining over 100 million users within just two months—one of the fastest adoptions of any digital product ever.

Open AI SaaS product

OpenAI embraced SaaS with ChatGPT Plus in early 2023, a paid subscription offering premium features, faster response times, and reliable access. You gain access to advanced AI capabilities for a straightforward monthly fee, helping OpenAI build steady recurring revenue. With millions already subscribing, OpenAI’s SaaS approach firmly positions them as leaders in accessible AI technology.

#9: Workday

Workday began in 2005 when Aneel Bhusri and Dave Duffield—previously founders of PeopleSoft—set out to create enterprise software focused on user-friendly cloud solutions. They aimed to simplify HR and financial management software, making complicated processes accessible and intuitive.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2005	Dave Duffield, Aneel Bhusri	$7.26 billion	18,800	Over 70 million users

Workday quickly became popular, particularly for its easy-to-use interface and cloud-based delivery. Major milestones include its successful IPO in 2012, becoming valued at nearly $9 billion, and consistently ranking as a top employer-friendly software globally.

Workday’s SaaS product 

Workday’s SaaS model focused explicitly on subscription-based offerings from day one, positioning themselves uniquely among enterprise giants. They offer applications like Workday HCM (Human Capital Management) and Workday Financial Management entirely via the cloud, providing regular updates without disrupting your workflows. Today, Workday serves thousands of global enterprises—including Netflix, Amazon, and Bank of America—showing how successfully they transformed enterprise resource management into a straightforward subscription service.

#10: HubSpot

HubSpot got started in 2006 when Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah decided businesses needed better, simpler marketing tools online. They introduced the idea of inbound marketing—drawing customers directly to you with valuable content rather than interruptive ads. Today, HubSpot’s expertise is shared widely through its popular SaaS blog, offering insights on marketing, sales, and customer success.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2006	Brian Halligan, Dharmesh Shah	$2.6 billion	8,246	Approx. 248,000 customers

The company’s success grew rapidly thanks to its approachable tools for managing customer relationships and marketing tasks. HubSpot became publicly traded in 2014, validating its business model, and currently serves more than 200,000 companies globally, helping them manage their marketing, sales, and customer service easily.

HubSpot’s SaaS products 

HubSpot’s SaaS strategy was central from the beginning, offering subscription-based plans for products like HubSpot Marketing Hub (2007), Sales Hub (2014), and Service Hub (2018). These SaaS solutions give you integrated systems to manage leads, sales, customer interactions, and analytics all in one place. With consistent revenue growth, HubSpot proves subscription-based marketing software makes your workflow simpler, directly contributing to stronger customer relationships.

#11: Zoom 

Zoom began in 2011, founded by Eric Yuan, who left Cisco’s Webex to create a better online meeting experience. Yuan’s vision was straightforward: reliable video conferencing that always works, with one click. Zoom made meetings simple, immediately winning over millions of users who were tired of complex, glitchy software.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2011	Eric Yuan	$4.39 billion	7,420	~300 million business customers

Zoom’s popularity exploded in 2020, skyrocketing from 10 million daily users to over 300 million almost overnight due to global shifts toward remote work. Zoom rapidly became essential—your go-to software for meetings, education, and even social gatherings during the pandemic.

Zoom’s SaaS product

Zoom’s SaaS model offers subscription-based plans providing additional capabilities, longer meetings, and better integrations. The paid plans (introduced as Zoom Pro and Zoom Business early on) deliver consistent, dependable features that small businesses, enterprises, and educational institutions readily adopted. Today, millions of paying subscribers rely on Zoom’s easy-to-use platform, showing clearly how SaaS transformed everyday communications, making remote interactions smooth and intuitive.

#12: Calendly

Calendly started in 2013, founded by Tope Awotona, who realized scheduling meetings shouldn’t be complicated. Awotona built Calendly around one simple idea: eliminate back-and-forth emails and make meeting scheduling easy. This practical simplicity quickly resonated with millions, perhaps even you, simplifying busy calendars everywhere.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2013	Tope Awotona	$276.1 million	672	Over 20 million users

Calendly’s straightforward solution drove impressive growth, becoming profitable early on. By 2021, Calendly achieved a valuation of $3 billion after rapid adoption among individuals and businesses. You likely recognize Calendly’s booking links popping up in emails and messages, making meetings easy to arrange with minimal effort.

Calendly’s SaaS products 

Calendly’s SaaS approach is direct—offering free access for basic needs while charging subscriptions for premium services like unlimited event types, integrations, and team scheduling. This freemium model, introduced from the start, keeps you hooked by providing convenience that grows naturally with your business. Calendly now serves over 20 million users globally, proving how a subscription model turns everyday scheduling hassles into quick and easy solutions.

#13: Mailchimp

Mailchimp started in 2001 when Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius realized small businesses needed straightforward email marketing tools. Initially, they built Mailchimp as a side project to help companies manage their email campaigns without complexity, making professional marketing accessible to people like you.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2001	Ben Chestnut, Dan Kurzius	$700 million (2019)	~1,500	Over 13 million users

Mailchimp quickly gained popularity for its ease of use, reaching over 10 million users by 2019. Its biggest moment came in 2021 when Intuit acquired the company for $12 billion, highlighting Mailchimp’s massive impact on email marketing. You’ve likely received or sent emails powered by Mailchimp, even without noticing it.

Mailchimp’s SaaS product

From the beginning, Mailchimp embraced SaaS, offering a freemium model where basic features are free and advanced capabilities come with monthly subscriptions. Paid plans introduced automated workflows, integrations, and analytics tools crucial to successful campaigns. Today, Mailchimp serves over 15 million users globally, proving subscription-based email marketing software can turn small businesses into impactful marketers.

#14: Apple 

Apple began famously in 1976 when Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne built the first Apple computer in a garage. Their vision was clear: create powerful yet easy-to-use personal technology. Apple grew quickly, changing how you interact with tech—through Macs, iPods, iPhones, and more.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1976	Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne	$394.33 billion	164,000	Over 1.8 billion devices

Apple’s greatest successes came with the iPhone (2007), transforming communication globally, and the App Store (2008), opening endless possibilities through mobile apps. Apple’s focus on intuitive design and integrated hardware-software experiences continues to set standards in technology, driving their massive growth to become the world’s most valuable company.

Apple’s SaaS products 

Apple shifted significantly toward SaaS and subscription models starting in the 2010s, introducing iCloud (2011), Apple Music (2015), Apple TV+ (2019), and Apple Fitness+ (2020). These subscription services generate steady recurring revenue, now accounting for over $100 billion annually. By making apps, media, and data storage available on subscription, Apple now impacts your digital life beyond hardware, reinforcing its powerful market position.

#15: Microsoft

You probably know Microsoft as the company behind your everyday software—Windows, Word, Excel. Back in 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen began by creating BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. Their vision quickly turned into one of the world’s largest tech corporations.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1975	Bill Gates, Paul Allen	$245 billion	228,000	Over 1.4 billion active Windows users

Major breakthroughs include launching Windows in 1985, which changed how you interact with computers, and introducing Microsoft Office in 1990, now essential software in nearly every business. Microsoft Azure, their cloud computing platform, also transformed their revenue growth significantly since its launch.

Microsoft’s SaaS products  

Microsoft’s SaaS journey notably began with Office 365, introduced officially in 2011. Office 365 converted traditional Microsoft products into subscription-based online tools accessible anytime. Today, you use Teams, Outlook Online, SharePoint, and more, all part of their ongoing shift towards subscription services. Microsoft continues investing heavily in cloud technology, shaping the company’s future and sustaining its growth trajectory.

#16: Google

Google started in 1998 when Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched a simple yet powerful search engine from their dorm room at Stanford University. The original goal was clear—helping people find information quickly. You likely can’t imagine a world without Google now.

Some of Google’s greatest successes include introducing Gmail in 2004, transforming email with massive storage, and Google Maps in 2005, changing how you navigate the world. Additionally, Google’s acquisition of YouTube in 2006 opened up new avenues in digital video streaming, making them leaders in online content distribution.

Google’s SaaS products 

Google’s SaaS products gained momentum with the launch of Google Workspace (originally Google Apps) in 2006. This provided businesses with subscription-based online tools like Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and Meet. Today, more than 9 million businesses subscribe to Workspace, highlighting Google’s successful shift towards SaaS-based offerings. These tools give you easy collaboration and connectivity, making Google’s SaaS products core components of daily productivity.

#17: Block 

Block, originally founded as Square in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey, started with the simple goal of making payments easy for small businesses. They built a tiny card reader you could plug into smartphones, enabling anyone to accept card payments without expensive hardware or complicated processes.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
2009	Jack Dorsey, Jim McKelvey	$17.66 billion	~8,500	Over 30 million Cash App users

Block quickly gained popularity, especially among small retailers, food trucks, and independent businesses, growing significantly through user-friendly technology. Its Cash App, introduced in 2013, became another huge success, reaching over 80 million users by 2023, transforming everyday finance for millions.

Block’s SaaS products 

Block’s SaaS approach expanded through subscription-based services like Square for Retail (2017) and Square Payroll (2015). These tools simplified managing sales, payroll, and operations through straightforward monthly subscriptions. With a growing suite of SaaS offerings, Block made financial management easier, proving simple subscription-based financial tools can significantly change your business operations, simplifying complexity into affordable monthly plans.

#19: Cisco 

Cisco launched in 1984 when Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, a husband-and-wife team working at Stanford University, built routers to help computers communicate more easily. Their early focus on networking hardware made Cisco essential to building the internet infrastructure you rely on today.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1984	Leonard Bosack, Sandy Lerner	$51.56 billion	79,500	Over 1 million customers

Cisco’s big wins include becoming the dominant player in enterprise networking throughout the 1990s and making key acquisitions that expanded its product range into security, collaboration, and data centers. Cisco’s purchase of Webex in 2007 helped them enter the online collaboration market, an area that’s only grown in importance.

Cisco’s SaaS products 

Cisco’s move toward SaaS picked up speed over the last decade with Webex’s evolution into a full cloud collaboration suite. Subscriptions for Webex Meetings, Webex Calling, and Cisco Umbrella (launched in 2012) brought in consistent revenue, helping you keep your teams connected and data secure. Cisco now offers various cloud-based solutions across security, networking, and collaboration—turning what was once hardware-focused into flexible software subscriptions designed for modern business needs.

#19: Intuit

Intuit got its start in 1983 when Scott Cook and Tom Proulx set out to make personal finance easier. Their first product, Quicken, helped people manage home budgets, and it quickly caught on because it made tracking money feel far less painful—a tool you might’ve used yourself.

Founded	Founders	Revenue (2024)	Employees (2024)	Estimated Users (2024)
1983	Scott Cook, Tom Proulx	$14.37 billion	~17,300	Over 100 million customers

The company’s biggest hits came with TurboTax (introduced in 1984) and QuickBooks (launched in 1992), which became essential tools for filing taxes and managing small business finances. Intuit’s success grew as these products became household names, dominating their categories in the U.S. and beyond.

Intoit’s SaaS products 

Intuit’s SaaS transformation began in earnest during the 2010s, with QuickBooks Online (first launched in 2001) becoming the focus of its cloud strategy. TurboTax Online followed a similar path, offering subscriptions and pay-per-use options. In recent years, Intuit has also expanded with acquisitions like Mailchimp (2021), pulling more services into its subscription-based ecosystem. Today, millions rely on Intuit’s SaaS products to manage taxes, payroll, and accounting with ease, making finance simpler through predictable, cloud-based tools.

Wrap Up

The SaaS world in 2025 keeps showing you one key truth: solid business models win. It’s not about chasing every new feature or flashy pitch, it’s about building tools people depend on daily, with pricing that works for both sides. These 19 examples prove that point across industries, from design to finance, showing that SaaS success comes from clear focus and smart execution.

What lessons can you pull from these stories to sharpen your own business or ideas? Each company here, whether a giant like Microsoft or a newer name like Calendly, has one thing in common: they solve real problems and keep evolving steadily. SaaS keeps growing fast, and you’ll keep seeing these models shape how businesses run worldwide. Keep watching, and maybe even building, because the next standout example could be yours.