How to Prevent Software Waste in Your Agency

Have you ever closed a project thinking all related expenses were canceled, only to find out later they weren’t? We're talking about subscriptions that stay active, unnoticed auto-renewals, and tools assigned to teams that no longer need them.

Right now, you could be throwing money away without even realizing it.

Sounds extreme? According to Insight, companies in Europe waste an average of €2.34 million per year on unused software licenses.

Let’s make sure your agency doesn’t fall into the same trap.

The agency blind spot: why does this happen?

Agencies never stop. New clients come in, teams reorganize, tools multiply. But when a project ends, everything that’s no longer needed must be canceled. Who takes care of that?

Spoiler: no one.

The operations team is focused on delivering projects. The finance team oversees expenses but doesn’t always know which tools are actually being used or by whom. The result? No one has the full picture.

That’s how tools remain active. Software purchased for a specific client keeps renewing, even when that client is long gone. Licenses paid for external collaborators stay active months after their contract ends. And just like that, your budget takes a hit.

The real issue is the lack of visibility. Without a clear system linking every expense to a project and a user, you don’t know:

• Which project each software belongs to
• When it renews
• Who is using it (if anyone)
• Whether it’s still necessary

If you don’t have these answers, chances are you’re wasting money—a lot of it.

How much is your agency wasting?

‍Here’s a real-world scenario: Agency XYZ starts a major project and purchases five software tools to manage it. When the project ends, those tools keep renewing automatically, and company credit cards keep getting charged every month.

No one notices these charges until six months later when the finance team reviews expenses and realizes the agency has wasted €5,000 on unused software. And that’s getting off easy.

This isn’t a rare case. Without a system linking expenses to projects, it’s likely happening more often than you think. The numbers vary, but the pattern is the same: hidden costs draining your agency’s budget.‍

We said it before, European businesses waste an average of €2.34 million per year on unused software licenses. Let that sink in.

To stop this waste, agencies need a system that provides full visibility on project-related expenses and allows them to quickly identify and eliminate unnecessary costs.

Stop the waste: full control over the tools you pay for

‍The solution is to let technology work for you. WithLess gives you the visibility you need, eliminating waste and making every software expense trackable and justified.

• Every software is linked to a project → When the project ends, you immediately see which tools to cancel or reassign.
• Auto-renewal notifications → No more surprise charges, no more wasted payments.
• Real-time monitoring → See who is using what, ensuring licenses aren’t wasted on unused tools.

What this looks like in practice

‍Let’s break it down: your agency implements WithLess to manage its projects.

Whenever a new project starts, every software tool is assigned to a project and an owner. When the project wraps up, the system automatically flags any active software that needs review.

• With a few clicks, the team cancels or reassigns licenses.
• No phantom costs, no forgotten tools.
• Budget is finally under control.

More efficiency, less waste, higher margins. With WithLess, every euro spent has a purpose.

Cut hidden costs, take back control

‍Without visibility, your agency could be losing thousands every month on unused software. Forgotten licenses, automatic renewals, tools assigned to the wrong people—all silently draining your budget.

Agencies all around Europe are already eliminating these inefficiencies. Thanks to WithLess, you can see exactly where your money is going, cut unnecessary costs, and optimize every software expense.

How much are you spending on tools you no longer use? Find out now!