Simon-Kucher’s 2025 Global Software Study reveals rising optimism, but monetizing AI remains elusive
Simon-Kucher, the world’s leading commercial growth and pricing consultancy, released the findings of its Global Software Study 2025. Based on insights from B2B software executives and B2B software buyers, the study reveals a stark contrast: AI is everywhere, but its value isn’t. As software vendors chase growth in a fast-evolving market, buyers are ready to invest – but only if providers deliver clear, measurable outcomes. Pricing, adoption, and trust now sit at the heart of every commercial conversation.
“Software leaders are walking a tightrope: confidence in continued growth is colliding with anxiety over fast-moving AI disruption,” said Ruben de Lange, Partner at Simon-Kucher. “This is pushing executive teams to balance bold innovation with measured risk in every boardroom discussion.”
Key Findings from Software Executives
Optimism meets disruption: A total of 88 percent of executives expect stable or rising revenue in 2025. Still, AI disruption and product-market misalignment are top concerns for mid- and large-sized firms.
Reshaping, not reducing: While 47 percent anticipate flat headcount, most foresee major internal shifts. Inside sales is being scaled back, while field roles and AI-enhanced functions gain ground.
NRR starts early: About 44 percent cite onboarding and lifecycle marketing as key retention levers. Yet many commercially critical roles, like Customer Success, remain under-incentivized.
Monetizing AI is messy: Among respondents, 76 percent have launched AI features, yet most report limited revenue impact (less than 10 percent). Nearly half (45 percent) use two or more pricing models and often mix selling AI in the premium plan to drive up-sell and as add-on with its own pricing.
Data becomes currency: A combined 83 percent already monetize or plan to monetize customer data. Benchmarking (68 percent) and profiling (47 percent) lead the way, while only 27 percent use data for AI training.
Key Findings from Software Buyers
Budgets on the rise: Software spend is set to increase by nine percent over two years, with most firms already allocating one to five percent of revenue. Top drivers include digital transformation and business expansion.
AI appetite, adoption anxiety: Plans to adopt AI are widespread with 74 percent of buyers expect to implement it, and 54 percent already use third-party AI tools. Concerns around usability, compliance, and ROI remain. Customer Success, Pricing, and Sales Enablement strategies are critical to unlocking adoption.
More voices at the table: Purchasing decisions are becoming more distributed, with 56 percent of buyers describing their process as cross-functional. As company size increases, sellers must adapt to multi-stakeholder environments.
The pricing conundrum: IT buyers emphasize integration and security, while non-IT stakeholders prioritize agility and customization. Across roles, opaque or rigid pricing remains the top frustration.
“What’s holding vendors back isn’t a lack of innovation – it’s a lack of commercial clarity and tailored sales excellence,” said Lisa Neumeier, Partner at Simon-Kucher. “Turning AI into real revenue now hinges on demonstrating concrete customer value and anchoring price to it, but also proactively addressing adoption concerns.”
“In a crowded SaaS market, the fastest path to differentiation is exceptional customer success,” said Abde Tambawala, Partner at Simon-Kucher. “Streamlined onboarding, proactive guidance, and relentless focus on early value turn one-time buyers into lifelong advocates.”
Complete study findings are available upon request.
*About the Study: Simon-Kucher’s 2025 Global Software Study includes insights from 516 B2B software executives and 161 software buyers across North America, Europe, and APAC.
About Simon-Kucher
Simon-Kucher is a global consultancy with more than 2,000 employees in 31 countries. Our sole focus is on unlocking better growth that drives measurable revenue and profit for our clients. We achieve
this by optimizing every lever of their commercial strategy - product, price, innovation, marketing, and sales - based on deep insights into what customers want and value. With 40 years of experience in monetization topics of all kinds, we are regarded as the world’s leading pricing and growth specialist.