53% of SaaS applications go underutilised or completely unused. For freelancers managing their own tool stack, the waste rate is likely higher because nobody is reviewing the invoices but you.
When you're a freelancer, every new tool feels justified. Project management for client work. Design software for deliverables. Accounting software for invoices. AI tools for productivity. Cloud storage for backups. Before long, you're running a one-person business with the software bill of a 10-person team.
The typical freelancer's SaaS stack
Here's what a reasonably common tool stack looks like for an Australian freelancer in 2026, with approximate AUD monthly costs:
| Tool | Monthly Cost (AUD) | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Creative Cloud | $55-80 | Design, editing, PDF |
| Canva Pro | $20 | Quick graphics |
| Figma | $22 | UI design |
| Zoom | $21 | Video calls |
| Slack | $12 | Team chat |
| Notion | $14 | Notes, wiki |
| Xero | $29-66 | Accounting |
| Google Workspace | $11 | Email, storage, docs |
| ChatGPT Plus | $30 | AI assistant |
| Grammarly | $45 | Writing |
| Dropbox Plus | $18 | File storage |
| 1Password | $5 | Password management |
| Domain + hosting | $15-30 | Website |
Total: $297-373/month, or $3,564-4,476/year.
Not every freelancer uses all of these. But most use more tools than they realise, and the total is almost always higher than expected.
Where the waste hides
Tool overlap
You're paying for Google Workspace ($11/month) which includes 30GB of Google Drive storage, but also paying for Dropbox Plus ($18/month) for file storage. You have Notion for notes and docs, but also use Google Docs for the same thing. You have Canva Pro and Adobe Creative Cloud, but only use Canva for social media graphics that the free tier could handle.
Overlap is the biggest source of waste for freelancers. Unlike large companies where different teams adopt different tools, freelancers accumulate tools over time without reviewing whether new ones made old ones redundant.
Forgotten trials
You signed up for Midjourney during the AI hype. Used it for a week. It's been billing you $14/month for eight months. That's $112 you didn't notice because it was "only $14."
Free trials that auto-convert are the classic version of this. A 2023 survey found that 42% of people have at least one subscription they stopped using but kept paying for.
Price creep
SaaS companies raise prices gradually, counting on the fact that a $2-3/month increase isn't enough to trigger a cancellation. Over three years, your $10/month tool becomes a $16/month tool. Across 10 subscriptions, that's an extra $60/month you didn't actively agree to.
Adobe is the most aggressive example. Their Creative Cloud prices have increased multiple times, and their early termination fee makes it expensive to leave mid-contract.
The "might need it" tax
You keep a subscription "just in case." You haven't used Grammarly in two months, but you might need it for that proposal next week. This is the sunk cost fallacy wearing a practical disguise. If you haven't used a tool in 30 days, cancel it. You can resubscribe in minutes if you genuinely need it again.
How to run a SaaS audit
Step 1: List everything. Pull three months of bank statements and list every software charge. Include annual charges you remember. Be thorough. Miss one $20/month tool and you're underestimating by $240/year.
Step 2: Tag each one. Essential (can't do your job without it), useful (saves time, worth the cost), and dispensable (barely use it, has a free alternative, or overlaps with another tool).
Step 3: Check for overlap. Do you need both Notion and Google Docs? Both Dropbox and iCloud? Both Canva Pro and Adobe? Consolidate where one tool can replace two.
Step 4: Check free tiers. Many tools you're paying for have free tiers that cover 80% of what you use. Canva free handles most basic design. Notion free is generous for solo use. Grammarly free catches most errors. Slack free works fine for small teams.
Step 5: Cancel the dispensable ones today. Not next week. Today. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to do it.
The rule of thumb
If you're a freelancer, your SaaS spending should be roughly 3-5% of your revenue. If it's above that, you're probably paying for tools that aren't earning their keep.
A freelancer earning $100,000/year should aim for $3,000-5,000 in annual software costs. If you're at $5,500+, the audit above will almost certainly find $1,000+ in savings.
Tracking SaaS spending shouldn't require another SaaS subscription. SubTracker is a one-time purchase.
Most people find 3-5 subscriptions they forgot about when they actually look. Upload a bank statement to Subtracker and see every recurring charge in 2 minutes. No bank login. No manual entry. $12.99 once.
See what you're paying forChris Raad
Chris is the founder of Subtracker. He built this tool after experiencing the pain of discovering thousands of dollars in unused SaaS sprawl just before tax time.