Half of all businesses currently find themselves trapped by unnecessary software subscriptions, a concerning trend that is stifling digital innovation across Europe as companies struggle with ballooning IT costs.

These findings were revealed this week by software management and resale provider Forscope, following an extensive study presented at the Infoshare 2026 technology conference in Gdańsk, Poland.

The research, which surveyed more than 300 participants, highlights a growing conflict between the urgent need for digital innovation and the financial pressure caused by rising software and cloud service costs.

Data from the study indicates that 56 per cent of respondents are deeply concerned about the consistent price increases applied to the software products they use daily.

Despite these financial pressures, investment ambitions remain high, with 52 per cent of companies prioritising the implementation of artificial intelligence solutions and the development of bespoke applications for 2026.

To secure funding for these innovative projects, organisations are now forced to seek drastic cuts in their standard IT infrastructure, such as operating systems and office suites.

The study found that 33 per cent of participants identified IT cost optimisation as their second most critical priority for the year.

The findings suggest that the market has reached a saturation point regarding its tolerance for the relentless price hikes associated with subscription-based cloud models.

An interesting trend shows that 8 per cent of companies are already seeking protection from this pressure by utilising permanent licences, thereby avoiding perpetual subscription cycles.

Simultaneously, there is a rising trend of enterprises conducting comprehensive software audits to identify applications that have been purchased but remain underutilised.

Rather than allowing these licences to sit dormant and tie up valuable capital, companies are increasingly choosing to resell inactive software.

By transforming these forgotten assets into liquidity, businesses are immediately releasing funds that help finance their new investment plans.

The overall consensus from Infoshare confirms that the leaders of the digital transformation in 2026 will be those who succeed in gaining full control over their complex licence portfolios.

Combining cloud services with permanent licences appears to be the most effective strategy for freeing up capital, allowing firms to invest in their future rather than remaining caught in the trap of endless subscription expenses.