Independent research commissioned by Supernal and conducted by Red Tape Index exposes the costs behind software subscriptions and introduces a free tool for businesses to measure their own Stack Tax.
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In an illustrative model of a 300-person technology company, the staff time required to run its software stack costs nearly twice as much as the software itself, according to the new Stack Tax Index from Red Tape Index (RTI), commissioned by AI solutions company Supernal.
Red Tape Index (RTI), in partnership with AI solutions company Supernal, today announced the launch of the Stack Tax Index, an independent research initiative examining the hidden costs of corporate software. The index measures application sprawl, unused software licenses, spending per employee, and price increases above market benchmarks. A separate model estimates the labor costs of managing and maintaining those systems.
The findings suggest that smaller businesses face a particularly heavy burden. Companies with 50-499 employees received the highest Stack Tax score among the ranked company-size groups, with a composite score of 75 out of 100. The index estimates $4,751 per employee annually in unused-seat costs and software price increases above market benchmarks, before accounting for the additional labor required to operate those systems.
The second bill can be even larger than the first.
In one illustrative model published alongside the research, a 300-person software and technology company faces approximately $8.5 million in combined annual software and operating costs. Of that total, roughly $3.03 million comes from software subscriptions and $5.49 million from the employee time required to manage and support the technology stack.
“Most companies can tell you what they spend on software. Far fewer can tell you what they spend keeping that software running,” said Scott Downes, CEO & Founder of Supernal. “That second bill gets buried in payroll, duplicated work, and the time people spend making systems talk to each other. We commissioned this research with Red Tape Index to make those hidden costs visible. Once businesses understand what they’re really paying for, they can start looking at smarter ways to operate.”
From industry research to a personal Stack Tax score
Alongside the index, Red Tape Index is introducing a free, eight-question self-assessment that allows businesses to compare their software costs to those of companies of similar size.
The interactive tool asks about company size, industry, software spending, unused licenses, overlapping tools, and subscription price increases. It then generates a personalized Stack Tax score, compares the responses against industry benchmarks, and estimates the financial impact of software waste.
“One of the clearest findings is that smaller companies carry a much heavier software cost burden per employee than large enterprises,” said Stuart Lacey, CEO of Labrynth, the company behind Red Tape Index. “That’s not something a typical software budget tells you. We built the Stack Tax Index to make these differences visible, with transparent methodology and data that business leaders can use to question where their money is going.”
By making the research openly available, Red Tape Index and Supernal aim to give business leaders a clearer picture of the full cost of their software investments, and a starting point for deciding where simplification, consolidation, or automation may deliver the greatest benefit.
Explore the Stack Tax Index: https://redtapeindex.com/global/stack-tax
Take the free self-assessment: https://redtapeindex.com/global/stack-tax/assessment
About Red Tape Index
Red Tape Index (RTI) is an independent research and benchmarking platform powered by Labrynth. RTI develops data-driven indices that help businesses, policymakers, and industry leaders understand the costs, inefficiencies, and barriers affecting economic activity. Its publicly accessible research combines transparent methodologies, comparative rankings, and interactive tools designed to turn complex data into actionable insights.
About Supernal
Supernal builds AI operating systems for midmarket companies, providing enterprise-grade capabilities without enterprise cost. Rather than fitting businesses to a predetermined template, Supernal builds around each company’s intellectual property, processes and people on data infrastructure the company owns. Its clients span financial and professional services companies.
Learn more: https://getsupernal.ai/
Media Contacts
Red Tape Index / Labrynth
Daniel Zaitsev
Head of Marketing
Supernal
Michelle Hayes
Head of Marketing and Communications
Supernal
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a1ea109-4e0e-4915-a630-8a8b29705c8c
