The world's top 10 largest software companies based on the latest software sales data (updated as of March 2023).
1. Microsoft
Global software sales: $149.7 billion
Founded: 1975
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, USA
Main types of software offered: Operating System, Productivity Software, Enterprise Software,
With $149.7 billion in software sales, the software industry continues to dominate Microsoft. The company was founded in 1975 by co-founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates. The American software giant was originally headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is now headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA. Microsoft offers a variety of software options for multiple purposes. Its most famous and popular licensed product is the operating system software "Windows", which powers nearly a billion computers worldwide. It is by far the most widely used operating system in the world.
In addition to Windows, Microsoft offers the world's most popular and widely used productivity software through its "Office" family. These are just the most common Windows products. So it's no surprise that Microsoft continues to dominate the global software market.
2. Oracle
Global software sales: $42.4 billion
Founded: 1977
Headquarters: Austin, Texas, USA
Main types of software offered: Enterprise software,
Oracle is the world's second-largest software company. Headquartered in Redwood City, California's Silicon Valley, the U.S. company is a leading global provider of enterprise software and software-as-a-service ( ). The company was founded in 1977 by co-founders Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates. Oracle software is used in customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management (HCM), and supply chain management (SCM).
3.SAP
Global software sales: $28.9 billion
Founded: 1972
Headquarters: Waldorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Main types of software offered: Enterprise software,
SAP ("Systems, Applications, and Products") is the only non-U.S. company in the top 10 software companies. The German company is the third largest software company in the world and the largest in Europe. The company was founded in 1972 by five former IBM engineers from Germany. Its headquarters are now located in Waldorf, a small city in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany. The Company is focused on enterprise software as well as providing software-as-a-service to customers worldwide ( ). SAP is particularly well known for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, for which the German company is the global market leader.
4. Salesforce
Global software sales: $26.5 billion
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, USA
The main type of software offered: Enterprise software
Salesforce.com is the fourth-largest software company in the world. The company was founded in 1999 by four former Oracle executives. Salesforce.com is an American company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Its primary focus is on enterprise software, specifically in the field of customer relationship management (CRM) software, where Salesforce is a global leader.
5.IBM
Global software sales: $24.1 billion
Founded: 1911
Headquarters: Amunk, New York, USA
Main types of software offered: cognitive software, cloud software
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is one of the oldest and still active technology companies in existence. Today, the company is focused on futuristic areas such as artificial intelligence. Within the company's software division, IBM has become a global leader in cloud and cognitive software development.
6. Fei Zhe
Global software sales: $17.7 billion
Founded: 1984
Headquarters: Brookfield, Wisconsin, USA
The main type of software offered: financial services software
Fiserv is also one of the top 10 largest software companies in the world. The Wisconsin-based company develops software for the financial industry. As a result, Fiserv's clients primarily include banks, securities brokerage firms, and credit unions, but also corporations, small businesses, and more.
7.ADP
Global software sales: $16.5 billion
Founded: 1949
Headquarters: Roseland, New Jersey, USA
Main types of software offered: Enterprise software
New Jersey-based ADP (Automated Data Processing) is another global leader in enterprise software. The company primarily focuses on human resources, payroll, and tax management software.
8.Adobe
Global software sales: $15.8 billion
Founded: 1982
Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA
The main types of software offered: graphic editing software, graphic design software, web design software, video editing software
Adobe is known for its numerous software products in the fields of graphic design, web design, and video editing. It is a leading global developer in every product area. The San Jose, California-based company is probably best known for Photoshop, a line of graphic editing software.
9.VMware
Global software sales: $12.9 billion
Founded: 1998
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, USA
The main types of software offered: virtualization software, enterprise software
VMware is ranked ninth among the top 10 software companies in the world. VMware specializes in virtualization software and is a global leader in this space. Through its hypervisor/virtual machines with a "ESXi" operating system, the company also serves the enterprise software sector.
10. Broadcom
Global software sales: $8.6 billion
Founded: 1961
Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA
The main types of software offered: enterprise software, security software, infrastructure software
Broadcom is primarily a leading semiconductor manufacturer. The San Jose, California-based U.S.-based company is also in the software business through the acquisitions of software companies CA Technologies and NortonLifeLock (formerly known as Symantec). Broadcom now offers enterprise software, security software, and infrastructure software. Such a wide range of different software types makes Broadcom one of the top 10 software companies in the world.