# Shadow IT Index: September 2025

Published September 8, 2025 by Torii Research (Torii). Updated October 7, 2026. Canonical URL: https://www.toriihq.com/research/reports/shadow-it-index-september-2025

Eight of September's nine shadow IT apps score the maximum of 100, led by Lindy AI.

## What the data says

Lindy AI ranks first, ahead of Rocketreach, Eventbot, and Standuply. Every app in the list scores 95 or higher on the Shadow IT index.

Productivity (4) and Design (4) make up almost the whole list, from productivity tools such as Eventbot and Standuply to design tools such as pngtree and Topaz Labs.

Compliance claims are thin: only 2 of the 9 apps claim SOC 2. Chronicle HQ has the highest viral score in the list, at 8.0.

Based on anonymized, aggregated usage data from August 1 to 31, 2025.

## At a glance

- Top 3: Lindy AI (#1), Rocketreach (#2), Eventbot (#3).
- Highest Shadow IT scores: 8 apps score 100: Lindy AI, Rocketreach, Eventbot, Standuply, pngtree, and 3 more.

## What kinds of apps

AI-native apps: 22% (2 of the 9 apps). Share of this edition's apps by theme (one theme per app; definitions at https://www.toriihq.com/research/themes):

- Design and video: 33% (3 apps: pngtree, Topaz Labs, Chronicle HQ)
- Work suites and collaboration: 22% (2 apps: Eventbot, Standuply)
- AI agents: 11% (1 app: Lindy AI)
- AI content and media: 11% (1 app: invideo AI)
- Personal productivity: 11% (1 app: 7-Zip)
- Sales, marketing, and CX: 11% (1 app: Rocketreach)

## Rankings

Ranked by Shadow IT index, then viral score.

| Rank | App | Category | Theme | AI-native | Shadow IT index | Viral score | SOC 2 claimed | ISO 27001 claimed | GDPR claimed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindy AI | Productivity | AI agents | Yes | 100 | 6.9 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2 | Rocketreach | Sales & Marketing | Sales, marketing, and CX | No | 100 | 6.1 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | Eventbot | Productivity | Work suites and collaboration | No | 100 | 5.7 | No | No | No |
| 4 | Standuply | Productivity | Work suites and collaboration | No | 100 | 5.7 | No | No | No |
| 5 | pngtree | Design | Design and video | No | 100 | 5.7 | No | Yes | No |
| 6 | 7-Zip | Productivity | Personal productivity | No | 100 | 5.3 | No | No | No |
| 7 | Topaz Labs | Design | Design and video | No | 100 | 5.3 | No | No | No |
| 8 | invideo AI | Design | AI content and media | Yes | 100 | 5.3 | No | No | No |
| 9 | Chronicle HQ | Design | Design and video | No | 95 | 8 | No | No | No |

## Bottom line

This month’s findings highlight a clear pattern: employees turn to unsanctioned apps when approved solutions feel inefficient or incomplete. From meeting automation to creative design and file handling, these workarounds carry hidden risks. Organizations that improve visibility, track app usage, and close workflow gaps can better balance efficiency with control.

## Method

Anonymized, aggregated usage data from companies across industries and sizes, reported as percentages, ranks, and scores. No single organization is identifiable. Methodology: https://www.toriihq.com/research/methodology

## Changelog

- 2026-10-07, Correction: Renumbered #10 as #9 to close a gap. The original list skipped #9. The order is unchanged.
- 2026-10-07, Clarification: Standardized the data source description. Torii Research describes its data as anonymized, aggregated usage data, reported as percentages, ranks, and scores.
- 2026-10-07, Update: Added takeaways from this edition's data. This edition was first published with only a short introduction.
- 2026-10-07, Update: Moved from toriiresearch.com; title standardized. Torii Research now lives on toriihq.com. It was first published as "Shadow IT Index Report: September 2025" at toriiresearch.com/reports/shadow-it-index-report-september-2025.

## How to cite

Torii Research. (2025, September 8). Shadow IT Index: September 2025 [Data set]. Torii. https://www.toriihq.com/research/reports/shadow-it-index-september-2025

Data: https://www.toriihq.com/research/data/shadow-it-index-september-2025.csv and https://www.toriihq.com/research/data/shadow-it-index-september-2025.json