Matrix42 was named a champion in the Software Asset & License Management category in the techconsult Professional User Rating IT Operations 2026. Not by marketing. Not by analysts. But by over 3,390 IT professionals who use our solution every day.
Software asset management has changed. So have the evaluation criteria.
Software Asset & License Management is no longer merely an administrative issue. What used to serve primarily as a means of license control is now at the heart of key IT challenges: cost optimization, compliance, transparency across hybrid IT landscapes, and managing increasingly complex SaaS models.
The Professional User Rating (PUR) Vendor Benchmark – Software Asset & License Management – IT Operations 2026 from techconsult GmbH provides guidance in this market. It is based on thousands of structured evaluations from users who employ SAM solutions in their daily operations.
This is no coincidence. It’s a sign.
What Makes the PUR Benchmark Unique
The PUR Benchmark complements traditional analyst assessments with a crucial perspective: that of the users themselves. Evaluations are based on two dimensions:
Company Rating – innovation capability, product portfolio, partner network, and service and support
Solution Rating – Performance, feature set, solution benefits, and product loyalty
Vendors that score above average in both dimensions are positioned in the so-called PUR Diamond. The highest distinction is “Champion” status—it signifies balanced strength at both the vendor and solution levels.
In the Software Asset & License Management category, 46 vendors were evaluated. 29 made it into the Diamond. Matrix42 achieved the Champion category—with top scores in innovation, partner network, performance, and solution benefits.
What Users Really Value—and Why It Matters
Matrix42 achieves above-average results in both dimensions. Particularly strong: innovation, partner network, and overall product portfolio on the vendor side—performance, feature set, and solution benefits on the solution side.
Practical innovation: Users praise the fact that new features aren’t built just for the sake of it, but create real added value in day-to-day IT operations. New product features are developed based on specific customer and partner use cases, validated feedback, and the continuous refinement of established concepts. AI-powered automation, predictive insights, and proactive license management are highlighted particularly positively.
A partner network that delivers: Qualified partners, high-quality consulting, and practical demo environments—these are valued by users who need to implement complex SAM or ITAM projects.
One platform, not a patchwork: Service management, asset management, UEM, and automation on a single, unified platform. Consistent data models instead of data silos, interconnected workflows across the entire IT lifecycle—and SAM as an active component of day-to-day IT operations.
What Companies Really Need—and What Many Still Underestimate
Software Asset Management is still viewed in many IT departments as a necessary evil: compliance verification, audit preparation, license inventory. Important, but reactive.
That’s not enough.
Those who truly have software assets under control hold a key strategic lever: cost transparency for on-premises and SaaS software, early detection of under-licensing, automated compliance reports—and thus a noticeable reduction in manual effort for IT.
This is exactly what users confirm in the PUR study: Matrix42 not only helps them manage licenses but also integrates SAM as an efficient process into their daily IT operations—interlinked with ITSM and UEM, not isolated from them.
That’s the difference between a tool and a strategy.
What the Analyst Says
Ercan Hayvali, Senior Analyst at techconsult, sums it up this way:
IT decision-makers don’t want any more siloed solutions. They want systems that grow together—and generate added value that goes beyond the individual product.
SAM Is Becoming Strategic—and This Is Just the Beginning
The PUR Vendor Benchmark 2026 makes it clear that Software Asset & License Management will continue to gain strategic importance—especially in conjunction with SaaS management, automation, and AI. Topics such as software intelligence, governance, and digital sovereignty are increasingly coming into focus for CIOs and IT leadership.
In a separate article, we’ll explore how this shift specifically impacts the strategic role of SAM and why European organizations have unique requirements in this regard.
What This Means for You
If you’re currently considering a SAM solution or evaluating an existing one, take a look at what other users are saying—not just what vendors promise.
The complete Vendor Insights Report from techconsult is available for free. It shows why Matrix42 emerges as the champion in a direct market comparison with 29 vendors—with concrete ratings, an independent analyst statement, and a real-world customer example.
Download the Vendor Insights Report
Or watch the webcast “Transparency Instead of License Risks”—featuring the PUR study results and concrete insights into how intelligent SAM reduces the burden on businesses.
Watch the Webcast
Matrix42 is “The European Choice in Intelligent Service Management Software”—designed, developed, and operated in Europe. With over 640 employees and locations in ten countries.
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