The Interregnum is an independent publisher of industry data and software advice tracking the rapid transition from conventional to AI-based business software. Using World Bank and Eurostat research, the platform ranks 1,266 products across 95 categories and publishes enterprise software adoption figures for ten European countries, with approximately one-third of all products now featuring AI capabilities.
The Interregnum has published comprehensive software rankings and market research documenting how rapidly European businesses are adopting cloud-based enterprise applications. The independent platform measures market velocity using dual statistical sources and provides ranked independent software advice on products competing within the same categories, regardless of technology generation.
The shift from conventional software to AI-driven alternatives is now occurring simultaneously across every software category tracked. Enterprise software adoption in the European Union shows measurable acceleration: cloud CRM usage among EU27 enterprises with ten or more employees reached 11.34% in 2023, up from 6.65% in 2018. The Netherlands leads adoption at 30.64%, while Denmark operates cloud ERP systems at 33.02% of enterprises. Poland demonstrated the fastest growth, moving from 2.64% to 16.99% in cloud CRM adoption over the same five-year period.
The Interregnum's database currently catalogs vendor products from 48 countries, with 52% originating from United States vendors and 33% from European vendors. Pricing transparency remains limited across the sector: 33% of listed vendors withhold pricing without direct sales engagement, while 20% offer free plans and 4% distribute open-source solutions. The platform also maintains generative AI platforms in a dedicated ranking category alongside conventional competitors.
According to World Bank data published through The Interregnum, ICT services—encompassing software, IT consulting, and data processing—expanded from 9.1% of global services exports in 2013 to 14.48% in 2023. The European Union achieved the fastest regional growth, moving from 10.58% to 17.55% during this period, now ranking second only to South Asia among tracked regions. North America's share increased from 5.57% to 8.54% over the same timeframe.
How The Interregnum Evaluates Software Products
The platform ranks every listing using five consistent criteria: actual setup duration, total cost including required modules, data portability, vendor dependency, and intended buyer profile. No numerical scoring system exists; list placement itself constitutes the verdict. Crucially, the methodology reserves the top three positions in every ranking for challenger products, ensuring alternatives receive visibility alongside dominant incumbents and major technology platforms. This structural approach reflects the observation that buyers already know the largest vendors; the ranking's purpose extends to identifying viable alternatives.
The software market data published by The Interregnum originates exclusively from World Bank indicator BX.GSR.CCIS.ZS and the Eurostat ICT usage in enterprises survey (isoccicceuse), with dataset indicators, codes, and fetch dates attached to every figure. Head-to-head product comparisons include 192 direct links to vendor pricing and documentation pages, each timestamped. When vendors publish no pricing information, the platform explicitly states this fact rather than estimating costs.
The Interregnum Key Services and Facts
- Geographic coverage: Amsterdam-based publisher serving European market analysis with adoption data spanning ten European Union countries
- Database scope: 1,266 product listings across 95 categories from 48 countries; 60 head-to-head comparisons in 23 categories selected by search frequency
- Research foundation: World Bank export services data and Eurostat enterprise ICT adoption surveys with complete source attribution
- Transparency commitment: No affiliate commission programs; no revenue generated from clicks or purchases; placement policy and editorial process published at theinterregnum.net
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does The Interregnum differentiate between AI and conventional software in its rankings?
A: The Interregnum ranks AI products within the categories they actually compete, placing them alongside conventional alternatives they aim to replace, using identical evaluation criteria. Approximately one-third of database entries describe AI features, with category analyses specifying what the AI component does and its cost.
Q: What adoption metrics does The Interregnum publish about European enterprise software?
A: The platform publishes cloud CRM and cloud ERP adoption percentages for EU27 enterprises with ten or more employees, sourced from Eurostat's ICT usage in enterprises survey. Current data shows 11.34% cloud CRM adoption EU-wide and regional variations, including 30.64% in the Netherlands and 33.02% cloud ERP adoption in Denmark.
Q: Why does The Interregnum protect top ranking positions for challenger products?
A: The Interregnum reserves positions one through three for non-incumbent vendors, recognizing that buyers already know market leaders. This structural design ensures alternative products receive evaluation and visibility in rankings.
Q: How can organizations access The Interregnum's research and software rankings?
A: Organizations can visit https://theinterregnum.net/ to browse rankings, access market research, and review adoption statistics. The complete ranking database is published as a machine-readable file at theinterregnum.net/llms-full.txt.
Market Context: European Enterprise Software Adoption Acceleration
European businesses continue expanding cloud-based software investments, with particularly sharp growth in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland's movement from 2.64% to 16.99% cloud CRM adoption demonstrates how rapidly market penetration accelerates once adoption begins. Conversely, geographic disparities persist: France's 7.42% cloud CRM adoption significantly lags the Netherlands' 30.64%, suggesting uneven market maturation across the EU.
The simultaneous emergence of AI capabilities across software categories creates a distinct market moment. Where previous software transitions occurred category-by-category, the AI shift touches help desks, CRM systems, ERP platforms, and dozens of other categories concurrently. This compression means buyers in multiple departments face technology decisions during overlapping timeframes, raising organizational complexity.
About The Interregnum
The Interregnum is an independent publisher of industry data and software advice headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, tracking the market transition from conventional to AI-driven business software. The platform publishes market research based on World Bank and Eurostat data, ranks 1,266 business software products across 95 categories, and maintains complete source attribution and placement policy transparency on all published figures.
The Interregnum operates no affiliate commission programs and earns no revenue from clicks or purchases. Visit theinterregnum.net for full rankings, adoption research, and software advice.
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Contact
The Interregnum
Fladderiepvliet 3, 3545 AJ Utrecht, Netherlands
+0031643466994
