Software as a service works like a ‘service on-demand’. It’s basically a platform where you do not really need to download any additional software for this because this one platform has got it all. Instead, there’s a monthly instalment that you subscribe to and all the data is saved to the Cloud rather than physically on a computer or a device. All the necessary tools and the initial set-up has already been done and there are no costs attached other than the monthly charges which could be unsubscribed at any point in time, there’s no compulsion to pay for a whole year for something you will only be using for only a small period of time.
Software as a Service has been one of the fastest growing markets in recent times with a growth forecast of about almost $105 billion. There are businesses that are willing to spend 50% more on these cloud-based technologies than they did about 2 or more years ago. There are so many platforms available in the market providing such facilities and some of them need to be amplified more and more startups need to consider them:
1. Slack
Slack is a workplace communication software allowing employers and employees to instantly get in touch with each other. It has a lot of options like the direct messaging ‘DMs’ (person-to-person) and also channels which are more of a group chat. It started out as a chatting platform for one company but has now turned into a huge workplace communication and workflow platform for different organizations, companies and businesses around the globe.
Slack is available for Windows and Mac. Their updated versions are available easily on the Google Play Store for android and App Store for iOS devices.
2. Buffer
Buffer is an application that has been designed to manage accounts on various social media platforms by allowing the user to schedule their posts for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn etc.
With just a few clicks you schedule the time and date of when you want to post your content and it will do exactly that on the very date and time. In these busy schedules and work routines, we sometimes do not find the time to update our social media accounts and Buffer has almost eradicated that problem provided you remember and find the time to tell it to update your posts for you.
Buffer is available as extension for browsers which include Google Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox. There are app versions available for mobile devices to be installed on Android and iOS systems.
3. Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop was originally known as 3DCart and it was recently acquired by Shift4 in November 2020. This is a solution to all your eCommerce problems. It allows users to create their own websites to start selling products and services on the internet. Users can choose from different already available templates. Everything is super customizable to your liking, mobile-friendly and also SEO-optimized.
A lot of Shift4Shop’s competitors cost nearly $300 or more per month but Shift4Shop has slashed all the costs when you use Shift4’s eCommerce platform to pay. It saved a huge amount for people who could use this money to further boost their sales.
4. Grammarly
Grammarly is a cloud-based writing assistant that checks and corrects spelling, punctuation, grammar, clarity, and delivery mistakes. It carefully uses AI to look for replacements for words and sentences that a user should have used instead in case of mistakes. It also lets you customize your style, pick up on the tone used, and importantly context-specific language. One of the main reasons for its popularity is how easy it is to use it. It is extremely user-friendly and also corrects all your mistakes in real-time.
It’s a real advantage because sometimes you may forget to press that button to check for spelling mistakes for an important article and no one likes to send out anything that is riddled with mistakes. You could download it or just install the extension on your web browser and you’re good to go.
Users can use this on various different platforms like Facebook, Microsoft Word, WordPress and more. There are free and premium versions available and you can choose which to use as per your requirement. It is available for Windows and Mac as well as on the Google Play Store and App Store for Android and iOS users respectively.
Conclusion
There are so many SaaS software and platforms available in the market but some of these have been top notch and we need more of them. The world has essentially started living, breathing, earning on the internet and these cloud-based and other various applications make it a lot easier. More options would also ensure quality because of the competition and everyone would rush to make their product more efficient.