Insee Première · March 2021 · n° 1845

Software publishing: a highly dynamic sector, growing in 2020 despite the health crisis

In 2019, a total of 5,600 companies in the software publishing sector generated €15.2 billion in turnover.

Despite the health crisis, business activity increased in 2020 (+3.3%), driven by the business, administrative and household needs. This sector was already particularly dynamic in the period from 2010 to 2019 (+8.1% a year).

A low number of large and intermediate-size companies co-exist with a host of small players. There is a high replacement rate among small legal units.

In 2019, the average profit margin for companies in the sector was 24%, therefore lower than for mainly market services overall (28%). Owing to the great variety of companies, its dispersion is very wide.

Companies are highly specialized. Those belonging to groups, in particular French groups, dominate the sector (87.8% and 60.2% of turnover respectively). A third of turnover is generated by exports.

As of 2018, companies in the sector employ 60,700 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Young people and managers account for a high proportion of this total.