Shadow IT Index: October 2025
Every app in October's Shadow IT Index scores 92 or higher, led by the print management tool uniFLOW and the AI app builder Base44.
Updated October 7, 2026 · ChangelogSource: Torii Research, anonymized and aggregated usage data. Published October 1, 2025. Summary figures computed from the 10 apps in this report.
What kinds of apps
Every edition, by theme →Not in this edition, but in September 2025: Design and video (33%), Work suites and collaboration (22%), AI agents (11%), AI content and media (11%).
Share of the 10 apps in this edition, by theme. Each app has one theme, assigned by Torii Research from what the product does; AI marks the AI themes. Select a theme to filter the list below. How themes work.
Top of the index
Ranked by Shadow IT index, then viral score.
All 10 apps
The most popular unauthorized apps in enterprise environments
IT & Security
uniFLOW
Employees might turn to uniFLOW when existing print/scan systems are inconvenient · insecure · or poorly tracked. Use cases like mobile printing
About uniFLOW
uniFLOW is a print, scan, and device management platform (cloud, hybrid, or on-prem) that centralizes and secures an organization’s document workflows. It supports secure printing (release only at device), mobile printing, cost accounting/allocation, scan workflows, device auditing, user identity management, and hybrid configurations.
Theme: Security and IT
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Developer Tools
Base44
Employees may adopt Base44 to rapidly prototype or deploy internal tools · dashboards · or lightweight apps without waiting on traditional development pipelines or IT approvals. It helps fill a gap when agility or speed is valued over formal software development cycles.
About Base44
Base44 is an AI-powered, conversational no-code / low-code platform that enables users to build fully functioning web or mobile applications in minutes via natural language prompts. The platform handles backend, database, authentication, APIs, integrations, and UI generation automatically.
Theme: AI coding and building · AI-native
Vendor claims: none listed
Sales & Marketing
Wix
Employees may be using Wix due to its intuitive · no-code platform for quick website creation · bypassing complex internal processes or limitations of existing enterprise tools
About Wix
Wix is a popular cloud-based web development platform that allows users to create professional-looking websites without needing coding knowledge. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, customizable templates, and a range of features for various purposes, including e-commerce, portfolios, and blogs.
Theme: Sales, marketing, and CX
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Productivity
iLovePDF
Employees likely use iLovePDF for its convenience in quick PDF tasks that might be cumbersome with approved software · or to bypass slower · less intuitive internal tools.
About iLovePDF
iLovePDF is a comprehensive online platform designed for all your PDF needs. It offers a wide range of tools to merge, split, compress, convert, edit, and secure PDF documents. It's an efficient solution for individuals and businesses to manage and manipulate PDFs with ease.
Theme: Personal productivity
Vendor claims: ISO 27001, GDPR
Analytics & BI
Power BI
Employees may use Power BI for its intuitive data visualization and reporting · offering insights difficult to achieve with current approved tools · or to bypass slow internal IT processes.
About Power BI
Power BI is a business intelligence tool from Microsoft that transforms data into interactive visualizations and reports. It allows users to connect to various data sources, create custom dashboards, and share insights across an organization, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Theme: Developer and data tools
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
IT & Security
SonicWall
Employees might use SonicWall for quick · flexible security solutions to specific cyber threats · indicating a perceived lack of timely or adequate official security tools or processes within the company.
About SonicWall
SonicWall provides advanced network security solutions, including firewalls, secure mobile access, and email security, protecting businesses from cyber threats. It offers comprehensive protection against malware, ransomware, and intrusions, ensuring secure and reliable network operations for various organizational sizes.
Theme: Security and IT
Vendor claims: none listed
Developer Tools
New Relic
Employees likely use New Relic for its superior real-time insights into software performance and health · addressing gaps in conventional enterprise tools and enabling faster · more reliable issue resolution.
About New Relic
New Relic is a leading observability platform that helps engineering teams visualize, analyze, and troubleshoot their entire software stack. It provides real-time insights into application performance, infrastructure health, and user experience, enabling faster issue resolution and improved reliability.
Theme: Developer and data tools
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Sales & Marketing
PandaDoc
Employees might use PandaDoc to quickly manage critical documents · bypassing slow internal processes or lacking accessible · user-friendly official tools for document creation
About PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a document workflow automation platform that helps businesses create, send, track, and eSign documents like proposals, quotes, and contracts. It streamlines document processes, improves efficiency, and enhances collaboration, making it easier to manage critical business documents from start to finish.
Theme: Sales, marketing, and CX
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Sales & Marketing
Billo.app
Employees might be using Billo.app due to a perceived gap in company tools for quick · affordable user-generated video content · indicating a need for agile marketing solutions not readily available through approved channels.
About Billo.app
Billo.app is a platform that connects e-commerce brands with a global network of video creators. It helps businesses generate authentic, user-generated video content quickly and affordably to boost their online sales and marketing efforts.
Theme: Sales, marketing, and CX
Vendor claims: GDPR
Human Resource
Crystal
Employees might adopt Crystal when they want better insight into how to tailor communication · sales outreach · or team interactions
About Crystal
Crystal (CrystalKnows) is an AI-driven personality & communication insights platform. It analyzes public data to generate personality profiles (often via DISC or similar frameworks) and offers tailored advice on how to communicate effectively, personalize outreach, and engage others. It integrates with CRM tools and gives “communication guides” to align style to the recipient.
Theme: Sales, marketing, and CX · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Source: Torii Research, anonymized and aggregated usage data. Published October 1, 2025. Summary figures computed from the 10 apps in this report.
What the data says
uniFLOW, Base44, Wix, and iLovePDF top the list with the maximum Shadow IT score of 100. The other six apps score 92 or 93.
Sales & Marketing (3) is the largest category, with Wix, PandaDoc, and Billo.app.
Compliance claims are more common than in other 2025 editions: 7 of the 10 apps claim at least two of SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR. SonicWall has the highest viral score, at 8.3.
Based on anonymized, aggregated usage data from September 1 to 30, 2025.
Bottom line
Speed, simplicity, and gaps in existing processes explain much of this month's list: setup-free tools like iLovePDF and Wix, consumer-grade apps like Billo.app and Crystal, and process fillers like uniFLOW and PandaDoc. When approved tools fall short, employees find their own.
The data
Show the full data table (10 rows)
| Rank | App | Category | Theme | AI-native | Shadow IT index | Viral score | SOC 2 claimed | ISO 27001 claimed | GDPR claimed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | uniFLOW | IT & Security | Security and IT | No | 100 | 6.7 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2 | Base44 | Developer Tools | AI coding and building | Yes | 100 | 6.3 | No | No | No |
| 3 | Wix | Sales & Marketing | Sales, marketing, and CX | No | 100 | 4.3 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | iLovePDF | Productivity | Personal productivity | No | 100 | 4.3 | No | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Power BI | Analytics & BI | Developer and data tools | No | 93 | 5.3 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | SonicWall | IT & Security | Security and IT | No | 92 | 8.3 | No | No | No |
| 7 | New Relic | Developer Tools | Developer and data tools | No | 92 | 5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8 | PandaDoc | Sales & Marketing | Sales, marketing, and CX | No | 92 | 5 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 9 | Billo.app | Sales & Marketing | Sales, marketing, and CX | No | 92 | 4.7 | No | No | Yes |
| 10 | Crystal | Human Resource | Sales, marketing, and CX | Yes | 92 | 4.7 | Yes | No | Yes |
Free to quote with attribution to Torii Research and a link to this page. A plain-text version is at shadow-it-index-october-2025.md.
How to read this index
- Adoption
- The percentage of monitored organizations where the app was adopted during that month: a monthly figure, not a running total. The list is ranked on this number where it is available.
- Shadow IT index
- How often the app is left as "discovered" rather than sanctioned through SSO or procurement, normalized to 0 to 100.
- Why it surfaced
- The app's top functional tags. Open an app for its full profile across every edition.
Definitions in the glossary; formulas and limitations on the Methodology page.
Changelog
- ClarificationReworded the conclusion.
- ClarificationStandardized the data source description.
- UpdateAdded takeaways from this edition's data.
- UpdateMoved from toriiresearch.com; title standardized.
