It is inconceivable to imagine today's world without all those code lines telling computers (and eventually humans) what and when to perform and frequently how to execute it because software is so crucial for the functioning of modern technology.

Software's low marginal cost of production is because it is composed of computer code.

Moreover, software applications benefit more from extensive use, which makes the sector particularly vulnerable to strong network effects.

The biggest software companies thus have excellent margins for both revenue and profit. Many top software companies now have a sizable foundation of recurring revenue due to the sector-wide transition to subscription models for software-as-a-service (SaS) and cloud computing.

This article describes the ten leading software companies by revenue or subsidiary. The top 10 software companies, according to 12-month trailing sales, are listed below.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)

Market Cap: $1.82 trillion

Net Income (TTM): $69.79 billion

Revenue (TTM): $203.08 billion

Headquarters, Location: Redmond, Washington, USA

Exchange: NASDAQ

Microsoft offers Azure cloud computing services, the Windows desktop operating system software, and the Office application suite. Microsoft Corporation is the largest software company by revenue. The biggest software company also creates tablet computers, gaming consoles, and server applications.

SAP SE (SAP) 

Revenue: $32.97 billion

Net Income: $3.52 billion

Market capitalization: $122.57 billion

Exchange: The New York Stock Exchange

Headquarters Location: Waldorf, Germany 

SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products) is a leading multinational company headquartered in Germany specializing in business apps. The German firm is the biggest in Europe and the third biggest software company globally. SAP offers various services, such as training and coaching on software administration and integrations, administration, and e-commerce software.

Oracle Corporation (ORCL)

Revenue: $46.07 billion

Net Income: $8.80 billion

Market Capitalization: $219.74 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Headquarters Location: Redwood City, CA, USA

Oracle provides enterprise software solutions, cloud infrastructure, and database management software (DBMS) that are the foundation of its success. Moreover, it provides Java development tools and offers storage and server hardware. Oracle creates manufacturing, logistics, customer support, finance, and sales software. Oracle is used in the commercial sectors, including Customer relationship management (CRM), human capital management, supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP).

Adobe Inc. (ADBE)

Revenue: $17.61 billion

Net Income: $4.7 billion

Market Capitalization: $158.71 billion

Exchange: NASDAQ

Headquarters Location: San Jose, California

Adobe Inc. sells popular graphic design software Illustrator, Photoshop (photo editing tools), and Acrobat (document editor and reader). Adobe is well-known for its numerous software products in web design, graphics design, and video editing. ADOBE also creates creativity, multimedia, and digital marketing product solutions.

Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) 

Revenue: $30.29 billion

Net Income: $278 million

Market Capitalization: $130.30 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange.

Headquarters Location: San Francisco, California

Salesforce is a top supplier of services and software for managing customer relationships with companies. It provides operations, sales, customer support, marketing automation tools, and more. Slack, a messaging platform for office collaboration, is also owned by it. Moreover, Salesforce runs a cloud platform where users and developers may build and use business-related apps.

VMware Inc.(VMW)

Revenue: $13.17 billion 

Net Income: $1.41 billion 

Market Capitalization: $51.87 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange.

Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, USA 

VMware, a virtualization and cloud computing company, provides a leading platform for computer technology management products. On desktops or server processors, its software enables users to simulate the operating systems of personal computers.

The company also caters to the enterprise software market through its hypervisor/virtual machine that resembles the "ESXi" (formerly ESX) operating system.

Block Inc. (SQ)

Revenue: $16.96 billion

Net Income: -$503.75 million 

Market Capitalization: $37.43 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Headquarters Location: San Francisco, California, USA

 Block, formerly known as Square, is a peer-to-peer payments software provider. Its CashApp service is well-known. Block also offers point-of-sale (POS) hardware, software, and programs for creating digital receipts, analyzing sales data, and tracking inventory.

Intuit Inc. (INTU)

Revenue: $13.32 billion 

Net Income: $1.88 billion

Market Capitalization: $110.50 billion

Exchange: NASDAQ

Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, USA 

Intuit is a top provider of business and financial software. It was established in 1983 in Palo Alto, USA. Intuit is the best software for SMBs and independent businesses. This software makes it simple to manage taxes and finances. TurboTax tax preparation software, QuickBooks accounting software, and Lacerte are some of Intuit's best-selling products. The company's products serve individuals, small businesses, and accountants.

ServiceNOW Inc. (NOW)

Revenue: $6.92 billion

Net Income: $201 million

Market Cap: $79.17 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Headquarters Location: Santa Clara, California, United States

ServiceNow, Inc. provides enterprise cloud computing services. The company uses the Now Platform, a single corporate cloud platform, to deliver digital workflows. Workflows for employees, customers, and information technology are the main priorities of its product line. 

IBM Corporation

Revenue: $24.1 billion

Net Income: $201 million

Market Cap: $79.17 billion

Exchange: New York Stock Exchange

Headquarters Location: Armonk, New York, United States

International Business Machines, or IBM, is one of the oldest tech companies currently operating. The corporation now focuses on cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence. IBM has accomplished being a world leader in creating cloud-based and cognitive software inside the company's software division.