Businesses Set to Increase Software Spending in 2025 Despite High Levels of Purchase Regret
Capterra’s 2025 Tech Trends Report highlights AI adoption challenges, rising IT security investments, and the importance of user experience in software purchases.
Capterra’s 2025 Tech Trends Report reveals that 59% of global businesses regret at least one software purchase made in the last 18 months. Despite this, 75% of organizations are planning to increase their software spending in 2025, with a significant focus on IT systems and artificial intelligence (AI). This global survey of over 3,500 businesses highlights the ongoing challenges and opportunities for software buyers and vendors.
“Software is integral to business operations, yet many organizations still struggle to make the right purchasing decisions”
Over half of businesses with regretful software purchases describe the financial impact as “significant” or “monumental.” Beyond financial consequences, 42% report increased costs, and 34% say their bad purchase led to a competitive disadvantage. As software budgets grow, businesses must refine their purchasing processes to avoid repeating past mistakes.
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The report reveals key trends in software investments for 2025:
- An oversaturated AI market is complicating software purchases: Nearly a third (31%) of companies are prioritizing AI with software budgets in 2025. But with the number of AI software listings on Capterra nearly doubling in the past year alone, buyers are overwhelmed. All told, the number of buyers who say it’s difficult to assess the value and risk of generative AI tools has increased 70% year-over-year.
- Software regret persists due to unclear goals: Regretful buyers say the top changes they’d make with future purchases is clarifying goals and desired outcomes at the outset (36%) and ensuring alignment among stakeholders (32%). Businesses that have a clear internal goal in mind with a software purchase have more success than those who simply buy software to “upgrade” or stay ahead of the competition.
- Successful software purchases are made in the “Goldilocks zone”: As software investments are highly consequential, it’s no surprise that businesses may face decision paralysis. However, delaying a purchase decision is unlikely to increase odds of success. Most successful buyers (57%) take 3 months or less to evaluate their software options, while most regretful buyers (54%) take 5 months or more.
- Prior software experience and user reviews guide successful software purchases: Successful buyers build their initial lists of options based on vendor reputation and product experience, while regretful buyers tend to prioritize ads and social media. In fact, successful buyers are 50% more likely to factor in previous product experience when putting together their initial lists.
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- Businesses that take advantage of product trials see more success: Free product trial periods offer companies the best opportunity to test out a product’s functionality and ease of use before purchase. Product trials go beyond demos, which are vendor-driven and generally limit businesses from getting to know product features specific to their needs on an intimate level. Successful buyers are 25% more likely to factor product trials in their final purchase decision than regretful buyers.
“Software is integral to business operations, yet many organizations still struggle to make the right purchasing decisions,” says Brian Westfall, principal analyst at Capterra. “With software spending set to increase in 2025, especially in AI and IT, businesses have an opportunity to refine their evaluation processes and make more informed choices.”
