Cold email software for SaaS companies
Acqro gives software and SaaS companies cold email that researches each prospect's company before writing. Below: verified federal data on the industry across all 50 states, the buyers it sells to, and a playbook for outreach that earns replies.
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How many SaaS companies are in the United States?
The United States had 18,425 establishments in NAICS 511210, software publishers, in 2023, employing 1,011,187 people. The largest markets by establishments were California, Texas and New York. Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns.
SaaS companies in the US by the numbers
- US establishments
- 18,425+5.7% vs 2022Census CBP 2023, NAICS 511210
- Paid employees
- 1,011,187Census CBP 2023
- Average annual pay
- $201,426Census CBP 2023
- Firms under 10 employees
- 63.6%Census CBP 2023
- Largest state
- CaliforniaBy establishments, CBP 2023
Census does not publish a separate category for software and SaaS companies; figures use NAICS 511210, Software Publishers, the closest official industry. 63.6% of establishments have fewer than 10 employees, so most firms in the industry run outbound with a founder or a very small sales team. The 5,923 firms with 10 to 249 employees are the ones most likely to be building a repeatable outbound process.
The five largest states hold 44.6% of all establishments. Among states with at least 100 establishments, the fastest growth between 2022 and 2023 was in Delaware (+32.1%), Nevada (+14.2%) and Missouri (+14.1%). Growing markets bring new competitors and new buyers at the same time, which rewards outreach that is specific rather than volume-driven.
SaaS companies by state
All states and DC ranked by number of establishments, with the change since 2022.
| Rank | State | Establishments | Employees | Change vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 3,890 | 300,096 | +3.3% |
| 2 | Texas | 1,302 | 76,184 | +8.2% |
| 3 | New York | 1,264 | 46,590 | +6.0% |
| 4 | Florida | 908 | 37,510 | −0.1% |
| 5 | Washington | 860 | 98,089 | +8.4% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 756 | 57,916 | +2.0% |
| 7 | Illinois | 618 | 32,688 | +4.7% |
| 8 | Colorado | 587 | 25,649 | +4.1% |
| 9 | Georgia | 531 | 32,216 | +6.0% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 524 | 24,981 | +6.1% |
| 11 | Virginia | 494 | 25,789 | +5.1% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 468 | 20,115 | +7.6% |
| 13 | Utah | 418 | 31,018 | +9.4% |
| 14 | Oregon | 416 | 13,674 | +3.5% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 390 | 12,584 | +7.7% |
| 16 | Ohio | 368 | 16,403 | +6.1% |
| 17 | Michigan | 353 | 13,780 | −1.7% |
| 18 | Delaware | 346 | 5,041 | +32.1% |
| 19 | Arizona | 323 | 10,420 | +1.6% |
| 20 | Minnesota | 291 | 15,257 | +12.8% |
| 21 | Nevada | 273 | 3,177 | +14.2% |
| 22 | Maryland | 270 | 9,341 | +2.3% |
| 23 | Tennessee | 261 | 4,943 | +11.5% |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 201 | 22,577 | +12.9% |
| 25 | Missouri | 194 | 5,573 | +14.1% |
| 26 | Connecticut | 188 | 3,948 | +1.6% |
| 27 | Indiana | 177 | 8,590 | +1.1% |
| 28 | Alabama | 151 | 5,833 | +8.6% |
| 29 | South Carolina | 146 | 4,886 | 0.0% |
| 30 | New Hampshire | 121 | 4,350 | −1.6% |
| 31 | Kansas | 114 | 4,491 | +10.7% |
| 32 | Iowa | 109 | 3,748 | +7.9% |
| 33 | District of Columbia | 104 | 4,011 | −1.0% |
| 34 | Kentucky | 92 | 1,170 | +1.1% |
| 35 | Louisiana | 86 | 1,321 | +10.3% |
| 36 | Idaho | 85 | 7,703 | +4.9% |
| 37 | Oklahoma | 82 | 1,122 | +3.8% |
| 38 | Nebraska | 81 | 6,170 | +9.5% |
| 39 | Maine | 66 | 501 | +4.8% |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 65 | 1,772 | +12.1% |
| 41 | Wyoming | 62 | 330 | +19.2% |
| 42 | Hawaii | 57 | 348 | +3.6% |
| 43 | Arkansas | 56 | 2,863 | +5.7% |
| 44 | Montana | 55 | — | +1.9% |
| 45 | New Mexico | 52 | 464 | +15.6% |
| 46 | Vermont | 47 | 755 | +9.3% |
| 47 | North Dakota | 30 | — | +15.4% |
| 48 | South Dakota | 28 | 335 | +33.3% |
| 49 | West Virginia | 26 | 178 | +30.0% |
| 50 | Mississippi | 24 | — | +14.3% |
| 51 | Alaska | 15 | — | +15.4% |
Who SaaS companies sell to
Common buyer industries for software and SaaS companies, with US establishment counts and how many have 10 to 249 employees.
| Buyer industry | Establishments | 10–249 employees | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 145,813 | 23,398 | 2,050,626 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 225,945 | 22,061 | 1,736,343 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 137,069 | 17,654 | 1,297,995 |
| Wholesale Trade | 382,081 | 113,787 | 6,236,357 |
How SaaS companies should run cold email
Software and SaaS companies sell subscription software to businesses, usually through a mix of inbound, product-led and outbound motions. These are the contacts, triggers and messages that make a first email relevant rather than generic.
Who to email
- The functional owner of the problem your product solves
- Director or VP of the relevant department
- Operations or revenue operations lead
- Founder at early-stage accounts
Signals worth researching
- Funding announcements, which often precede new tool purchases
- Job posts that mention a competitor's product or the workflow you replace
- Headcount growth in the team your product serves
- Leadership changes in the buying department
What to say
- Tie the message to the workflow the prospect is visibly scaling
- Name the specific job post or announcement that prompted the email
- Ask for a narrow conversation about one problem, not a full demo
What to avoid
- Feature lists in the first email
- Booking links as the only call to action on first touch
Cold email for SaaS companies, answered
How many SaaS companies are there in the US?
There were 18,425 establishments in NAICS 511210 (Software Publishers) in 2023, employing 1,011,187 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
Which states have the most SaaS companies?
By establishments in 2023: California (3,890), Texas (1,302), New York (1,264), Florida (908) and Washington (860). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
Who should a SaaS company target with cold email?
Target the person who owns the workflow your product changes, not simply the most senior title. For mid-market accounts that is usually a director or department head; for early-stage companies it is often the founder. Hiring and funding signals help decide which accounts are ready now.
How is outbound for SaaS different from inbound?
Inbound buyers already know they have a problem. Outbound prospects often do not, so the message has to connect an observable change at their company to a cost they are likely to feel. That is why research-based outbound performs better than templated sequences for SaaS.
Is cold email legal in the United States?
Yes. The federal CAN-SPAM Act permits commercial email to business contacts without prior consent, provided the message identifies the sender accurately, uses a truthful subject line, includes a valid physical postal address and a working opt-out, and honours opt-out requests promptly. CAN-SPAM applies in every state and preempts most state commercial email laws, except provisions aimed at falsity or deception. This is general information, not legal advice.
Explore related pages
SaaS Companies by state
Other industries
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a federal statistical release and is shown with its source and reference year. Figures the agencies withhold or publish with high noise are left out rather than estimated. Page updated September 17, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and 2022: establishments, paid employment for the pay period including March 12, annual payroll, and establishments by employment size. Industries use NAICS 2017 codes.
- Industry definition: NAICS 511210, Software Publishers, used as the closest official category for software and SaaS companies.
Built for SaaS companies who sell to a finite list
Acqro researches every account on your list and writes the first email from what it finds.
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