Leading Software Brands in the UK: Q1 2025 Analysis

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of software, Q1 2025 has seen significant activity among leading brands in the United Kingdom. This article delves into the performance of some of the top players in the software category, focusing on Microsoft 365, Google Search, and Google Workspace. Using data provided by Sensor Tower, we explore audience trends, app engagement, and advertising efforts across their websites and applications.

Microsoft 365 (Office 365)

Microsoft 365 continues to assert its dominance with a robust digital footprint across its websites and applications.

• Audience Trends: The website forms.office.com experienced a notable increase in visits, peaking at 120M in March 2025. Similarly, microsoft365.com saw a steady rise in unique visitors, maintaining a consistent figure above 960K monthly. The monthly true audience for Microsoft 365's web and app platforms also showed a positive trend, exceeding 15M by March.

• App Engagement: Microsoft Word and Microsoft Office apps saw increasing monthly active users, with Word reaching over 7.5M in March and Office maintaining a stable monthly active user base around 7.7M.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Microsoft 365 increased its monthly ad spend significantly in March 2025, with over $170K invested, primarily through LinkedIn, which delivered substantial impressions exceeding 35M.

Google Search

Google Search remains a pivotal player in the software category, showcasing impressive engagement across its platforms.

• Audience Trends: The website google.com consistently attracted a vast audience, with unique visits surpassing 48M monthly. The monthly true audience remained stable above 49M, reflecting Google's stronghold in web search.

• App Engagement: The Google app maintained high engagement, with monthly active users exceeding 43.5M by March 2025. Google Lens saw a dip in January but recovered to over 53K monthly active users.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Google's monthly ad spend was minimal compared to competitors, with sporadic investments across Facebook and Instagram, yielding limited impressions.

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)

Google Workspace has shown resilience and growth, particularly in its collaboration and communication tools.

• Audience Trends: The website calendar.google.com saw a surge in visits, reaching 275M in March. Monthly true audience numbers for Google Workspace hovered around 17M, indicating consistent interest in its offerings.

• App Engagement: The Google Calendar app maintained a steady monthly active user base of over 15M, while Google Docs saw a gradual increase, surpassing 6.3M monthly active users by March.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Google Workspace's monthly ad spend surged dramatically in February and March 2025, with investments over $1.5M, primarily targeting Facebook and LinkedIn for substantial reach.

Conclusion

The software category in the UK has witnessed dynamic shifts in Q1 2025, with Microsoft 365, Google Search, and Google Workspace leading the charge. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data highlights the importance of cross-platform insights, enabling brands to fine-tune their strategies and enhance user engagement. As the digital landscape evolves, these insights remain crucial for sustaining competitive advantage.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower's Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics offerings.