How SMBs Can Identify and Eliminate Redundant SaaS Subscriptions

Let’s Start With an Uncomfortable Truth

Most SMBs don’t actually know how many SaaS tools they’re paying for.

They might have a list. They might even review it once a year. But ask a simple question, “Which of these tools could we turn off tomorrow without anyone noticing?”, and the confidence disappears.

I’ve seen this play out more times than I can count. Not because teams are careless, but because SaaS accumulates quietly. One decision at a time. One renewal at a time. One “we’ll clean this up later” at a time.

Later rarely comes.

This Isn’t a SaaS Problem, It’s a Visibility Problem

SaaS itself isn’t the issue. In fact, most teams adopt new tools for good reasons: speed, flexibility, productivity.

The problem is what happens after adoption. Tools stick around long after their value fades. Licenses don’t shrink when teams do. Features overlap as platforms expand. And renewals happen automatically while attention is elsewhere.

Gartner estimates that 25–30% of SaaS spend is wasted, largely because organizations lose track of what they’re actually using. That number doesn’t surprise me anymore. It lines up with reality.

What Redundancy Looks Like in Practice

Redundant SaaS rarely announces itself. It doesn’t show up as a glaring duplicate. It shows up as quiet overlap. Two tools solving 80% of the same problem. A platform purchased for one feature that’s now bundled elsewhere. A department-specific tool no one outside that team even knows exists.

Individually, each decision makes sense. Collectively, they blur into unnecessary spend.

Here’s a Mental Reset That Helps

Instead of asking, “Do we still like this tool?”, ask something more concrete:

“If this renewed tomorrow, would I feel good about it?”

That question cuts through assumptions fast. Forrester research shows organizations that regularly align SaaS usage with contract terms reduce unused spend by up to 30%. Not because they’re ruthless, but because they’re intentional.

Why Manual Tracking Breaks Down

This is usually where someone says, “We have a spreadsheet for that.”

Spreadsheets aren’t bad. They’re just passive.

They don’t nudge you before renewals. They don’t tell you when usage drops. They don’t surface overlaps across teams. They don’t force a decision when timing matters.

McKinsey has pointed out that financial leakage increases as organizations scale without structured visibility. That’s the moment when redundancy stops being obvious and starts becoming normal.

The Shift That Actually Changes Outcomes

The biggest change I’ve seen doesn’t come from aggressive cost-cutting exercises.

It comes from seeing things earlier.

Earlier than the renewal. Earlier than the budget lock. Earlier than the “we’ll just renew and deal with it later” moment.

PwC reports that organizations with proactive contract visibility reduce financial leakage by 12–15% simply by acting sooner. Earlier decisions aren’t just cheaper, they’re calmer.

Where Contract Management Earns Its Keep

This is where contract management software stops being “administrative” and starts being strategic.

When contracts, renewals, and costs live in one place, patterns emerge naturally. Redundancy doesn’t need to be hunted it reveals itself.

Renewals become checkpoints. Overlap becomes visible. Ownership becomes clear.

That’s the thinking behind ElephanTrax. Not to eliminate tools, but to make decisions easier before money is committed again.

A Rule of Thumb I Trust

If a tool hasn’t been meaningfully used in months, overlaps with something else, and renews automatically, it deserves a real conversation. Not a panic. A review.

Final Thought

Redundant SaaS isn’t a discipline problem. It’s a clarity problem.

Once teams can clearly see what they’re paying for, and when they’re paying for it, rationalization stops feeling like cost-cutting and starts feeling like good stewardship. You don’t need fewer tools. You need better timing, clearer visibility, and fewer surprises.