Back in 2011, Marc Andreessen famously wrote “Software is eating the world,” but today services are eating software. Most companies are highly selective about what software they build, and they rarely buy actual software. Instead, companies utilize services that are delivered via software, more commonly known as SaaS. SaaS applications are built on cloud infrastructure and accessed via a web browser - their advantages over traditional installed software are, by now, well understood.

SaaS is typically cheaper, with no upfront hardware, installation or annual upgrade costs. SaaS scales better, with higher reliability and greater security. Generally, SaaS affords more flexibility with pay-as-you-go pricing, turnkey integrations, and modular service offerings. You’re more future-proofed with SaaS applications, which upgrade on a continuous basis. Finally, some SaaS applications leverage network effects, which are impossible to obtain with installed software.

BravoTran is a SaaS platform that specializes in automating back-office and document workflows for the freight forwarding industry. Of course, we’re also a business that builds things, makes sales, and employs people. As such, we utilize a wide range of SaaS applications – some of which are well known and others more niche. Here are some of the (non-engineering) apps we use. What SaaS tools do you swear by?

• Slack
• Workable
• Notion
• HubSpot
• Shortcut
• 1Password
• Bill.com
• Docusign
• Carta
• Gusto
• Zoom
• Balsamiq
• Dropbox
• Freshdesk
• Office365