Median software and IT spending rose 19.4% year over year in Q3 among UK small and medium-sized business card users in a repeat-buyer sample, Capital on Tap data show. The company’s Q3 2026 report uses anonymized transactions from UK small and medium-sized businesses using the Capital on Tap Business Credit Card.
The 19.4% measure compares median spending per business among the same customers who had held the card for at least two years and bought software and IT in both Q3 2025 and Q3 2026. Capital on Tap attributed the rise to businesses adding more tools rather than paying higher prices.
Separate adoption figures count active businesses in the card data that made a purchase in each quarter. Within that group, the share paying for software reached 48.4%, up from 45.9% a year earlier. The share buying at least one AI tool increased to 14.5% from 8%.
Capital on Tap used a defined list of AI providers for that estimate. It excluded free plans, app-store subscriptions and contracts billed by invoice, so the figure covers only the purchases captured by that method.
The Independent published separate cost-control guidance in its SME Channel in an article marked as sponsored by Hostinger. It said smaller firms may have fewer borrowing options and face less flexible lenders than larger companies, making expense control especially important as they grow.
For marketing, the article advised owners to decide in advance how they will assess an expense’s contribution to profit. It also recommended subscription audits every few months to find services that no longer provide enough value or duplicate other tools.
Rebecca Alford, chief financial officer at Capital on Tap, told The Independent that newer platforms can leave businesses with overlapping software. She said a review should make sure “every subscription is actually needed.”
The Independent also recommended seeking multiple suppliers and researching typical prices in the relevant industry to improve a firm’s negotiating position. For staffing, it advised balancing payroll with the amount and quality of work customers require. Excess staff can weigh on profits, while too few may impair service; the article also pointed to training and staff support as management options.
