If there’s one trend that had everyone talking in India’s tech scene in 2025, it’s SaaS startups going global. You’ve probably heard of the big names – the likes of Zoho, Freshworks and so on – but this year’s crop of SaaS ventures has a fresh energy. They’re leaner, smarter and laser-focused on solving authentic problems. And thanks to cheaper capital and better infrastructure, these founders can move fast and get a whole lot more done in less time than before.
SaaS has been a heavy hitter all over the world in 2025, with oodles of startups popping up everywhere from the United States to the UK, Europe and Asia. But India, as always, has been particularly successful in this regard, which may not be a surprise, but it’s still worth delving into.
Indeed, the primary difference between modern startups launched from 2025 onwards is that they’re not only building useful products but also launching with ambition. Some are helping enterprises with HR, others are simplifying supply chains or automating contracts.
Why Is India’s SaaS Industry Suddenly Having a Moment?
India has been a global SaaS powerhouse for years, with some of its frontrunning startups in the industry having managed to build pretty serious customer bases across the world. But, having said that, 2025 seems different.
For one, we now have over 40 Indian SaaS startups each hitting more than $10 million in recurring revenue. Investors are still backing SaaS, but AI-native ventures actually pulled in even more funding, $454 million versus $432 million for SaaS, showing how the lines between these spaces are blurring.
India is perfectly set up for this moment – it has an enormous pool of tech talent, growing digital infrastructure and a deeply multilingual user base. It’s not surprising that platforms tailored for India are being used globally – whether that’s CRM tools, HR platforms or logistics automation, India is not only developing a large number of SaaS startups, but they actually have legs.
What Kinds of Problems Are These Startups Actually Solving?
These fresh SaaS ventures are not just rehashing old models; they’re tackling real pain. They’re targeting specific problems and challenges in both industry and the world more generally, aiming to make things more effective and more efficient than ever before.
Ultimately, what these Indian SaaS startups are doing right is that they’re satisfying the core need of startups across the board – to solve a problem. Indeed, they’re responding to gaps in the market, whether that’s expensive cloud infrastructure, local-language AI or technical compliance. They’re solving challenges that matter in real workflows, and, unsurprisingly, this is exactly what people want to see.
What’s Different About These Startups In 2025 Compared To Previous Years?
Well, firstly – as always – technology has changed dramatically in 2025, so already the landscape is completely different to what it has been in the past. But that’s not it.
They’re built to go global from day one. The playbook now is to go niche but go global. Founders think of overseas customers early, and they lean on remote product-led growth, self-serve models and tight feedback loops.
They also integrate smarter tech from the get go. AI is now embedded, not just bolted on. Indeed, a lot of these SaaS startups aren’t just SaaS first with AI tacked on – they’re AI native and engineered that way.
Finally, the funding patterns are shifting in India. While SaaS remains solid, AI native platforms are getting more attention and capital. That tells you where investors see the future heading.
Ultimately, what’s notable is that customer obsession is real and it’s fast. These founders are likely obsessing over feedback, iterating hourly, owning community, support and product. They’re lean but close to customers in a way that older startups maybe weren’t – the tactic was different – and now, it’s becoming clear that agility is a serious advantage.
Top 10 SaaS Startups in India
While there are plenty of SaaS startups in India, these are the top 10 that we’ve picked as standouts in 2025.
Paytm
Back in 2010, Paytm started as a simple mobile recharge platform in Noida, founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Fast-forward to today, and it’s become a SaaS powerhouse for digital payments and financial services.
What makes it stand out is how it tailors solutions for India’s massive mobile-first audience, from small shopkeepers to big retailers. It’s not just about processing transactions, it’s about creating an entire digital ecosystem for everyday life. That blend of scale, trust and adaptability is what’s kept it ahead of earlier Indian SaaS attempts that never truly cracked mass adoption.
Freshworks
Chennai’s Freshworks was born in 2010 when Girish Mathrubootham decided customer service software didn’t have to be clunky or soulless. It’s grown into a suite of cloud-based tools that feel friendly and accessible, without sacrificing enterprise-level capability.
Freshworks’ real magic lies in making complex CRM and support software usable even for people who aren’t tech-savvy. The contrast with older Indian SaaS products is stark – those often tried to mimic Silicon Valley without thinking about user experience. Freshworks built its own identity, and that’s why it’s now one of India’s biggest SaaS exports.
Postman
Postman’s journey started in Bengaluru in 2014 when Abhinav Asthana created a simple API testing tool to scratch his own itch. That “side project” has morphed into a global platform for API development used by millions of developers.
Unlike past Indian SaaS ventures that aimed at general business solutions, Postman doubled down on a developer-first approach. It’s stripped-back, efficient and obsessively focused on improving the workflow of technical teams. That clarity of purpose is what’s made it a global leader and will probably be the main reason behind its future success too.
Razorpay
Founded in 2014 by Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar, Razorpay came out of Jaipur and Bengaluru with a bold goal – that is, to simplify online payments for Indian businesses. So, not exactly an easy or a small task!
It didn’t just build a payment gateway, it built a suite of financial tools designed for a chaotic, fast-growing market. While earlier Indian payment products often stumbled on integration and compliance, Razorpay nailed both while keeping the user experience smooth. The result is a company that’s trusted by everyone from startups to giants like Facebook India.
Zeta
Zeta, founded in Mumbai in 2015 by Bhavin Turakhia and Ramki Gaddipati, plays in the digital banking and payments space. It delivers cloud-native banking tech that lets financial institutions offer modern, app-driven services.
Where older fintech-flavoured SaaS in India often tried to tweak existing banking software, Zeta built from scratch, skipping the baggage. It’s fast, API-friendly and future-ready – and that’s a combination that’s won over banks looking to compete in the digital age without spending years on transformation.
Chargebee
From Chennai, Chargebee entered the scene in 2011 thanks to founders Krish Subramanian and Rajaraman Santhanam. Its subscription billing platform quietly became a global go-to for SaaS and e-commerce businesses.
What sets Chargebee apart is its focus on scaling with the customer – whether you’re just launching or running millions in recurring revenue. While older Indian SaaS models often locked clients into rigid systems, Chargebee built flexibility into its DNA. That agility is exactly what modern subscription businesses crave.
Zoho
Zoho is kind of like one of the older, earlier renditions of of Indian SaaS startups. Founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu, it’s based in Chennai but has kept a remarkably low profile while building a massive suite of business apps.
Zoho’s uniqueness lies in doing everything in-house – development, hosting and even its own rural campuses. It’s never relied on the hype cycle, preferring to grow steadily through product quality and customer trust. Compared to the “grow fast, exit fast” mindset of past Indian startups, Zoho has played the long game, and it’s worked.
BrowserStack
Mumbai-based BrowserStack, founded in 2011 by Ritesh Arora and Nakul Aggarwal, solves a frustrating developer problem – testing websites across countless browsers and devices.
Instead of forcing teams to keep physical devices on hand, it offers a cloud-based testing lab. That focus on developer pain points has made it a global favourite. Earlier Indian SaaS often shied away from niche, highly technical markets – BrowserStack ran straight at it and ended up owning the space.
LeadSquared
LeadSquared came out of Bengaluru in 2011, thanks to Nilesh Patel, Prashant Singh and Sudhakar Gorti. It’s a sales execution and marketing automation platform built for fast-growing businesses.
What makes it work is how it bridges the gap between marketing and sales teams – an area older Indian SaaS tools tended to overlook. It’s not just about generating leads, but ensuring they actually convert, and that’s why it’s become a favourite in sectors like education, finance and healthcare.
Wingman
Wingman, launched in Bengaluru in 2018 by Shruti Kapoor, Srikar Yekollu and Vinay Karamcheti, is all about real-time sales coaching. It listens in on sales calls, offering instant prompts and insights to help reps close deals.
It’s the kind of AI-driven, just-in-time support that simply didn’t exist in Indian SaaS a decade ago. Instead of static training manuals, Wingman keeps sales teams agile and effective, and that’s why it’s been turning heads in the global market.
