Revenera’s Monetization Monitor 2026 Outlook: Almost 1 in 3 Software Producers Say Piracy is a Major Problem

• 31% of software producers say piracy is a major cause of revenue leakage.
• 21% of suppliers say unlicensed use (overuse, misuse, and piracy) is one of the biggest blockers to growing annual recurring revenue (ARR).
• Aggregate data from Revenera’s Compliance Intelligence software reveals unlicensed use remains highest in China and Russia, while India has overtaken the United States to rank third on the list of hotspots. Germany has also seen a sharp rise in unlicensed activity, climbing from 11th to sixth place.
• 30% of respondents say they record telemetry data but fail to analyze it, suggesting untapped potential for insight-driven revenue growth.

“Most software producers struggle with the profitability of their SaaS and AI solutions, yet many overlook the opportunity to recover revenue lost to piracy and overuse. The most successful companies integrate compliance into Sales teams, treating infringement data as a pipeline of qualified leads to target,” said Nicole Segerer, SVP and General Manager at Revenera. “Beyond compliance, usage insights can also help with product roadmap decisions and churn prevention, yet nearly one-third of companies admit to ignoring the usage data they collect – exposing a significant blind spot that can sabotage revenue growth.”

Additional key findings from the Revenera Monetization Monitor: Software Piracy and License Compliance 2026 Outlook report include:

• The extent and impact of unlicensed software usage is significant.
  • While 31 percent of producers say piracy is a major cause of revenue leakage, an additional 43 percent say it’s at least a moderate issue.
  • 23 percent report overuse (unintentional or otherwise) as a major problem, with an additional 47% noting it as a moderate concern.
  • 25 percent say license misuse (the deliberate configuration of software to enable use beyond license limits, e.g., cloning) is a major cause of revenue leakage, while an additional 41% note it as a moderate problem.
  • Companies generating more than $250m in annual revenue are the segment most likely to report losses of greater than 30 percent to unlicensed use.
• Suppliers have room to improve software licensing initiatives in the AI era.
  • 30 percent let telemetry data go to waste – collecting it but failing to analyze it to monitor compliance and identify revenue opportunities.
  • 27 percent of respondents plan to add or improve automated enforcement initiatives for their monetization strategies.
  • The number saying they don’t know how they’re losing revenue to unlicensed software increased from 5 percent a year ago to 8 percent today. Among respondents who don’t have any technology in place to manage entitlements and use rights, this skyrockets to 50 percent, highlighting a critical flaw.
• Addressing unlicensed use in high-growth markets.
  • Data from Revenera’s Compliance Intelligence reveals Germany has experienced a spike in the use of pirated applications, primarily linked to engineering simulation and computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  • In markets with strong intellectual property laws, converting unlicensed users into paying customers is highly achievable with the right tools and data. 

Methodology

The Revenera Monetization Monitor 2026 Outlook series of reports is based on 501 complete responses to a survey conducted by Revenera from April through June 2025. Job levels of these survey respondents were C-level/executive (42 percent), SVP/VP (7 percent), director (34 percent), manager/team leader (15 percent), and individual contributors/non-manager/consultant (3 percent). The first report in this 2-part series focuses on Software Monetization Models and Strategies, and this report addresses Software Piracy and License Compliance.