March 25, 2026

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What IT and Security Teams Actually Spend on SaaS: From Password Managers to Zero Trust

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IT and Operations teams are the second-biggest spenders in SaaS, controlling 20.6% of enterprise spending. We analyzed real transaction data to reveal exactly what IT budgets actually fund: identity and access management, network security, compliance tools, and incident response platforms.

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by

Harald Meyer-Delius

What IT and Security Teams Actually Spend on SaaS: From Password Managers to Zero Trust

When most people think about SaaS spending, they imagine engineering teams loading up on development tools or marketing departments subscribing to analytics platforms. But the data tells a different story. IT and Operations teams are consistently the second-biggest spenders in the entire SaaS ecosystem, investing significantly more per capita than most other departments. Yet their budgets remain mysteriously underexamined.

Why do IT teams spend more than other departments on SaaS?

IT teams buy tools for the entire organization, not just themselves. When they deploy Microsoft 365, Zoom, or Slack, those costs aggregate across hundreds or thousands of users. IT also manages company-wide infrastructure like authentication and incident response systems.

What are the biggest IT and security tool categories?

Identity and access management (1Password, Bitwarden, Auth0), network security (NordVPN), compliance tools (CookieYes), and incident management (PagerDuty) are the highest-spend categories. These tools address core security infrastructure needs that every organization must invest in.

Should companies still use VPNs?

Yes. While zero-trust architectures are emerging, VPNs remain valuable for encrypting internet traffic and protecting remote workers. Most security-conscious organizations use layered defenses combining VPN, zero-trust authentication, and network monitoring rather than choosing one approach.

How much should IT security spending grow year-over-year?

IT security spend typically grows 10-15% annually as threat landscapes evolve and compliance requirements expand. The growth should track your organization's growth and regulatory exposure rather than following a fixed percentage increase.

What's the ROI of IT security tools?

The ROI is measured in breach prevention, not direct revenue generation. The cost of a single data breach typically exceeds years of security tool spending. Calculate ROI by comparing incident response costs in organizations with and without robust security tooling.

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Harald Meyer-Delius

Harald was told that he could never write for a living, so he became a Content Writer to prove them wrong. Now, with over ten years of experience, he is a content marketing professional specializing in fintech and startups. In his spare time he likes playing video games, writing fiction, and drinking coffee.

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