EZO AssetSonar vs Zluri vs Torii: Which Software Should an IT Manager Choose for Shadow IT Discovery 

You’re at your desk, closing out yet another IT ticket, when your CFO stops by with a question:

“Why are we paying for a new design SaaS app when we already have three?”

Your screen goes blank for a moment, not from the machine but from your mind. The design team made a purchase without looping you in. Now, you’ve got a rogue SaaS tool running in your environment. You have a new case of Shadow IT to deal with: expensive, risky, and undetected. 

Unaccounted-for subscriptions like these not only cost you money but also jeopardize the integrity of your IT landscape. Notorious for data breaches, compliance risks, and blind spots in the IT environment, shadow IT undermines the fabric of your IT operations, which is built on trust and accountability. 

That’s where IT asset management tools like EZO AssetSonar, Torii, and Zluri come into play. Specifically designed to automate the management of a broad range of tangible and intangible IT assets, specifically addressing Shadow IT, these platforms are essential for IT managers to maintain control over all IT assets. 

Each of these platforms can help you discover hidden apps and reduce SaaS sprawl in its own way. But which one will be best for you in terms of clarity and control over your IT operations? 

Let’s explore this in the blog. 

Core features to look for in an ITAM solution for Shadow IT

Shadow IT is an underlying problem that gradually impacts your operations in unimaginable ways. It exists in various forms: browser-based Shadow IT and device-based Shadow IT are the most common examples.

You must be wondering what capabilities to keep in mind when evaluating an ITAM solution to resolve the problem of Shadow IT. 

Focus on the following aspects: 

Problem #1: SaaS and application discovery 

The largest source of Shadow IT today is unapproved SaaS applications purchased by teams or individuals on credit cards without prior approval from IT. 

Integrate with SSO 

Ensure that your ITAM tool supports automatic detection of Shadow IT and flags it in the system. A strong ITAM should integrate with SSO, expense tools, and APIs to surface every SaaS tool in use, whether authorized or not.

Problem #2: Device and endpoint visibility

Shadow IT extends beyond SaaS. It often begins with rogue laptops, BYOD devices, or unauthorized software installations. It can also occur due to continued unapproved SaaS renewals of applications that never underwent authorization.

Implement agent-based discovery

The ITAM tool you are considering must have the ability to deploy agents on employees’ devices, allowing you to track all endpoints, monitor what’s installed, and detect unmanaged devices connecting to the network.

Problem #3: Software license and usage monitoring

Employees often end up using pirated software that can pose serious compliance risks. Such software adds to extra costs in the form of penalties and fines, also putting the company’s reputation at risk. 

Invest in software asset management

Ensure that the ITAM you are considering maps actual usage against license entitlements to flag unlicensed installations, over-deployed applications, or expired licenses. This way, you can avoid paying extra for software that you do not need and can add to your costs. 

Problem #4: Spend and procurement oversight

Many Shadow IT apps fly under the radar until Finance sees subscription charges. Instead of negotiating enterprise-wide deals, organizations end up with scattered, siloed purchases. This is a result of information existing in silos that restricts information sharing regarding apps. For instance, two departments might be paying for two different accounts of the same software, thereby adding to the company’s costs. 

Control your SaaS spend

The ITAM you are assessing must provide a centralized view of SaaS spend, SaaS renewals, and duplicate apps to curb waste and enforce procurement policies.

Problem #5: Security and risk management

Unapproved and undetected software poses a serious security risk as they are used outside an organization’s monitoring systems. Therefore, they are not updated on time or do not receive regular and critical version updates, which increases blind spots in the system. Even a minor, unpatched rogue software can harbor malware or lead to data breaches.

Ensure quality patch management

Invest in a SaaS ITAM tool that provides patch management features. This includes identifying software that requires patches. It’s advantageous if the tool can also show the most recent version installed on a device and detect devices that are missing OS or application updates.

Overview of EZO AssetSonar vs Zluri vs Torii through the lens of shadow IT

If you were to choose an ITAM system to manage Shadow IT, which of these options would you choose? 

Feeling stuck? All look like great options? 

There is supposed to be a key winner, and that’s what we are here to help you understand. Let’s delve deeper into how these platforms are different from each other and which one has the most capabilities to cover the problem of shadow IT from all sides. 

1. EZO AssetSonar

Shadow IT can be sneaky. It enters your systems through unmanaged laptops, exposed IT devices, and unauthorized software purchases. EZO AssetSonar helps avoid that! 

Unlike other platforms, EZO AssetSonar is built specifically to counter and avoid instances of Shadow IT in an IT environment through SaaS discovery and license governance. It excels in providing a holistic view of your IT assets, including the detection of rogue or unauthorized software. 

It helps identify shadow IT in places where it hides: devices, applications, and browsers, and provides an extensive suite of features to automate its mitigation. 

Here are the capabilities EZO AssetSonar offers:

• Endpoint management: EZO AssetSonar monitors endpoints, laptops, and servers—the entry points for most unauthorized software. This way, IT gains visibility into what’s being installed on company hardware, stopping shadow IT before it spreads.
• Identifies unauthorized software: The platform matches discovered software against license entitlements to reveal unlicensed or blacklisted installs. This ensures compliance and avoids legal or audit penalties.
• Centralize SaaS spend and renewals: The software sends alerts before an approaching renewal, allowing IT managers to take action accordingly. This helps avoid duplicate purchases and ensures that no two departments pay for the same subscription. 
• Detects duplicate software: EZO AssetSonar masters in software normalization, i.e., identifying if two versions of the same software are being used across the organization. This means that the ITAM software gathers scattered entries, cleans them up, and maps them to a standardized vendor, product name, and version. 
• Lifecycle management: EZO AssetSonar tracks the entire lifecycle of a software, ensuring that it’s not used after its expiration. ​​By monitoring a software’s expiry, it eliminates security risks as the software can be identified and retired when it can no longer be patched or used, helping avoid shadow IT. 
• Browser-tracking for Shadow IT: The SaaS tool you choose should be able to detect instances of shadow IT in the browsers that your employees access, allowing you to avoid making your device and the company network vulnerable to online threats. 

EZO AssetSonar is not just a tool that helps detect shadow IT, it protects your IT environment from threats that can potentially alter your entire IT landscape. The tool helps:

• Detect unauthorized apps where they hide
• Mitigate them with automated patches and acceptable policies
• Translate that visibility into security, compliance, and cost savings

2. Zluri

Zluri acts as a central command tool for discovering hidden SaaS applications and optimizing the overall IT landscape by identifying and eliminating such vulnerabilities. Whether detected or undetected, Zluri automatically detects applications your teams are accessing by monitoring sign-ins, expense records, and browser usage.

Zluri works best for organizations managing a mix of SaaS applications across various tech stacks, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Here’s how Zluri works best for automating the detection of Shadow IT:

• Discover hidden SaaS apps: Zluri connects with identity providers, finance systems, and employee workflows to automatically uncover unsanctioned or unused tools.
• Identifies duplicate apps: Helps consolidate and standardize solutions across teams by identifying different versions of software being used across multiple teams. This way, instances of duplicate software that unnecessarily cost you can be avoided. 
• License governance and compliance: The platform continuously reconciles discovered SaaS usage with contract entitlements and license terms. Unauthorized apps or over-provisioned licenses are flagged, preventing compliance gaps or overspending.
• Spend visibility and renewal tracking: Zluri provides granular visibility into SaaS spend across departments. It automates alerts before renewals, allowing IT and finance teams to consolidate subscriptions, negotiate better pricing, or retire underutilized apps.
• Usage monitoring: By tracking how often employees actually use each SaaS license, Zluri helps IT differentiate between critical tools and unused subscriptions. This prevents wasteful Shadow IT spending and supports better vendor management.
• Workflow automation: Zluri automates provisioning and deprovisioning workflows, ensuring that when employees leave or change roles, their access to unauthorized SaaS apps is revoked immediately, closing a significant shadow IT risk.
• Security and risk mitigation: Zluri assigns risk scores to SaaS applications based on compliance standards and vendor reputation, so IT can quickly assess whether discovered shadow IT apps pose a security or regulatory threat.

Zluri isn’t just an IT asset management platform. It helps empower teams to

• Uncover IT apps being used under the radar
• Build a consolidated platform for centralizing IT asset data 
• Ensure compliance with the industry security standards

3. Torii

Torii is also an IT asset management software that specializes in managing IT devices using a no-code approach. Instead of requiring engineering resources, Torii provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface for building workflows and policies. Its principal value lies in uncovering, analyzing, and governing SaaS usage across the business, which makes it a powerful tool for managing Shadow IT.

Here’s how Torii helps detect and prevent Shadow IT:

• Comprehensive SaaS discovery: Torii automatically identifies every SaaS app in use within your organization, whether employees report them or not, by monitoring SSO activity, expense data, and browser extensions. This helps eliminate blind spots and ensures IT knows exactly which tools are in circulation.
• Usage tracking and insights: Beyond discovery, Torii provides deep visibility into who is using each SaaS tool, how often, and whether licenses are actually being utilized. This enables IT teams to differentiate between critical applications and redundant or unused ones, thereby curbing the spread of unauthorized tools.
• Spend and renewal management: Shadow IT often results in duplicate subscriptions or missed renewals. Torii tracks contract timelines, spending patterns, and renewals, helping IT prevent surprise expenses and consolidate software usage where possible.
• Automated workflows for mitigation: Torii enables IT to establish policies and automate workflows for onboarding, offboarding, and license cancellation. This ensures that shadow IT discovered through Torii can be managed quickly and without manual effort.

Torii wins in SaaS management through its:

• SaaS discovery capabilities that help detect unauthorized apps 
• Ability to revoke access to an unsanctioned app
• By enforcing compliance to assign ownership and ensuring each tool is compliant with the company policies

Here’s a breakdown of the variety of features offered by EZO AssetSonar, Zluri, and Torii:

EZO AssetSonar vs Zluri vs Torii: Drawing a comparison 

Shadow IT does not just occur out of the blue. It occurs due to negligence, inability to follow established organizational protocols, and compliance failures that create blind spots. In such a scenario, having a system that can help mitigate the creation of these blind spots can be a true blessing. Let’s have a look at the three major platforms available to deal with Shadow IT and how they differ from each other in terms of practicality and functionality. 

1. Market fit and scalability

EZO AssetSonar is purposefully built for IT Asset Management (ITAM) with a focus on shadow IT detection across devices, applications, and browsers. It enables enterprise-level companies to track multiple and complex software and licenses with teams spread across different locations. Since EZO AssetSonar is a combination of both hardware asset management and software asset management, it empowers companies to reduce SaaS sprawl by automating its discovery. 

What industry does it suit the most? EZO AssetSonar is a strong fit for organizations in regulated industries (K-12, healthcare, financial institutions, and governments, etc) where compliance, audits, and license governance are critical. 

Zluri is an optimal fit for SaaS-focused companies that are rigorously working to minimize the instances of shadow IT and need to optimize their SaaS spend. Companies that rely heavily on SaaS subscriptions and purchase new SaaS apps now and then can use Zluri to detect shadow IT. However, companies that use a mix of software and hardware assets and have a heavy hardware fleet (with installed software instances) will face challenges scaling with the platform. 

Torii, on the other hand, suits lean IT teams that need to rely on robust automation systems for tracking and monitoring their IT workflows. This especially applies to companies that are looking to control shadow IT through policy implementation. But companies that have stricter compliance needs will need to use Torii in tandem with another tool for better IT asset visibility. 

2. SaaS discovery

EZO AssetSonar helps monitor:

• Endpoints: An endpoint is the front door of shadow IT. This means it can track which software is being installed on company hardware, whether it’s approved or not. Most shadow IT creeps in through unauthorized installs on endpoints, and EZO AssetSonar covers that gap.
• SaaS apps: Beyond just devices, it scans for SaaS applications and matches them against license entitlements. This reveals unlicensed or duplicate SaaS tools that might otherwise remain invisible.
• Browsers: One of its biggest differentiators is browser tracking. It can spot the existence of unsanctioned SaaS platforms in browsers, which is a major source of shadow IT sprawl.

This is a true help for IT managers who need an in-depth view of their entire IT landscape including both software and hardware, and need to ensure that their companies stay compliance-ready. 

Zluri is a SaaS-first platform that helps companies detect: 

• SaaS logins: Zluri specializes in mapping SaaS usage by analyzing login activity through SSO, IDPs, and direct app integrations. This shows which SaaS tools are being used across teams, even when IT hasn’t approved them.
• Expense data: It scans finance systems, invoices, and expense reports to identify SaaS tools that employees or departments may have purchased outside official procurement channels.
• SSO & OAuth connections: Zluri integrates with SSO platforms (Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, etc.) to identify sanctioned vs. unsanctioned SaaS access.

This way, IT managers can gain visibility into the cost of each subscription, i.e., which department is paying for which subscription and whether the IT team has approved it or not. 

Torii helps IT managers use their no-code platform for discovering unauthorized SaaS apps in the following ways:

• ​​SaaS apps: Torii continuously scans SSO systems, finance data, and browser extensions to automatically uncover SaaS applications in use, whether sanctioned or unsanctioned. This ensures IT does not miss hidden apps being used across the organization.
• OAuth and browser integrations: Torii tracks OAuth permissions granted by employees and browser-based signups to detect new apps as soon as they appear. This real-time view helps prevent Shadow IT from growing unchecked.
• Usage insights: Beyond simple discovery, Torii monitors who is using each app, how often, and whether licenses are underutilized. This not only reveals Shadow IT but also helps IT managers decide which apps should be kept, consolidated, or retired.

3. On-prem and SaaS-based hybrid normalization

EZO AssetSonar wins big time in software normalization by:

• Automating software normalization: Automatically normalizing software titles across endpoints and SaaS. For example, it maps “MS Office,” “Microsoft Office 365,” and “Office Pro Plus” into one standardized entry.
• Streamlining license management: Flags unlicensed or overused software that is a key shadow IT risk, since employees often install apps without approval.
• Track renewals: Helps IT managers enforce compliance by tracking renewal dates, contract terms, and utilization across hardware and SaaS.
• Tracks duplicate software: Prevents duplication and hidden installs that inflate costs and compliance risks.

Zluri, at the same time, helps:

• Identify duplicate licenses: Helps map spend and logins against a normalized catalog, exposing duplicate or redundant SaaS subscriptions.
• Monitors SaaS usage: Links SaaS usage with subscription contracts to highlight underused or oversubscribed licenses.
• Strengthens SaaS applications: Offers insights into which SaaS apps can be consolidated, downgraded, or eliminated.
• Flag unsanctioned apps: Surface shadow purchases made by teams using corporate credit cards or expense reimbursements.

Torii takes pride in automating software normalization by:

• Tracking browser-based shadow IT: Goes further into browser extensions as part of shadow IT detection, helping consolidate these into recognizable SaaS vendor categories. 
• Consolidating IT information: Ensures IT sees a clean, unified inventory instead of fragmented app names from logs, invoices, or browser activity.
• Automating license optimization: If 50 licenses of “Zoom” are purchased but only 30 are active, Torii flags the gap.

4. Spend management and renewal tracking

EZO AssetSonar focuses on centralizing licenses, entitlements, and contracts to ensure IT knows precisely what is in use, when renewals are due, and whether the software is license compliant. It ensures that renewals are being tracked on time with automatic alerts in case a renewal is due or a license is nearing expiration. Here’s how it works:

• Renewal alerts: EZO AssetSonar automatically flags upcoming software expirations or renewals, allowing IT to proactively decide whether to continue, consolidate, or retire licenses.
• Cost avoidance: By revealing duplicate subscriptions across departments and aligning usage with entitlements, it helps avoid overspending and ensures no two teams are paying for the same tool.
• Lifecycle alignment: Since it’s rooted in ITAM, it not only manages renewals but also tracks when a tool is outdated, unpatchable, or a compliance risk, helping IT save money and mitigate shadow IT.

For Zluri, spend management and renewal tracking are the focal points guiding its operations. Zluri helps IT managers enhance SaaS governance and improve the security of their IT systems by keeping a close eye on SaaS renewals. Here’s what Zluri does:

• Financial visibility: It integrates with expense systems, finance tools, and corporate cards to uncover SaaS spending across the organization. This also applies to apps purchased without IT’s knowledge.
• Renewal calendar: Zluri builds a renewal calendar that tracks all SaaS subscriptions, sending reminders well before contracts are due for renewal.
• Optimization recommendations: It provides usage-based insights (who’s using what, and how often) to cut unnecessary licenses or consolidate duplicate apps before renewals.

Torii, at the same time, focuses on automating the management of SaaS renewals through:

• Contract and renewal automation: Torii enables IT teams to automate workflows related to renewals, such as alerting stakeholders, gathering usage data, or initiating approval processes without manual intervention.
• Budget ownership: It allows IT and finance leaders to see which department owns which SaaS costs, reducing duplication and clarifying accountability for renewals.
• Optimization insights: Like AssetSonar and Zluri, Torii analyzes usage trends and spending to suggest optimizations. However, it automates the actions needed to manage those renewals (e.g., auto-canceling underused licenses) compared to Zluri. 

This is particularly important for fast-growing companies that have complex workflows and hundreds of renewals to deal with on a daily basis. Torii helps ensure that such companies can scale while maintaining the integrity of their IT environment and avoiding the need to purchase multiple systems to address shadow IT. 

5. Integrations to curb Shadow IT

EZO AssetSonar has a wide range of integrations that enable it to connect with multiple systems for endpoint management and ITAM. These integrations are geared towards solving the problem of shadow IT through proper license lifecycle management. Integrations include: 

• SSO providers: Connects with Okta, Azure AD, and Google Workspace to track logins and ensure sanctioned access to apps.
• Endpoint management: Integrates with Intune, JAMF, SCCM to scan devices for installed software, giving IT visibility into apps users install without approval. AssetSonar’s own ITAM agent does a great job of scraping installed software details as well. 
• Network and discovery Tools: Hooks into Active Directory and agent-based discovery to detect shadow assets and apps running on the network.
• Service desk systems: With integrations like Zendesk or Jira, IT can highlight shadow IT incidents through the ticketing systems for remediation.
• SaaS tools: Integrates with widely used apps like Adobe, Microsoft 365, and Slack to help IT monitor license entitlements and actual usage. This ensures that shadow IT apps are not duplicating functionality already covered by sanctioned tools.

Zluri goes a step ahead and uncovers shadow IT through financial leaks. This involves identifying areas where expenses exceed expectations and thoroughly assessing the underlying reasons. Zluri helps in this regard by focusing on:

• SSO and identity systems: Integrates with Okta, Google Workspace, and Azure AD to track SaaS usage and login activity.
• Finance and expense tools: Connects with tools like Expensify, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and Concur to detect instances of shadow IT via expense claims, card payments, or procurement bypass.
• Collaboration tools: Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom to monitor what’s being connected or used unofficially inside comms tools.
• Browser extensions: Captures SaaS apps accessed directly, even without SSO.

Torii has automation-based integrations meant for companies with multiple SaaS licenses. It automates by integrating with: 

• SSO and identity: Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, OneLogin, and more, giving it wide coverage across authentication methods.
• Finance and procurement: NetSuite, Expensify, and Concur are the same as Zluri but paired with automated workflows to flag or cut off spend.
• Browser and OAuth integrations: Detects apps as soon as a user signs in with their corporate Google or Microsoft account.
• HR and collaboration systems: Workday, BambooHR, Slack, and Teams let Torii automatically assign ownership of apps or revoke access when employees leave.
• Automation layer: No-code workflows let IT build “if detected, then act” rules for shadow IT apps.

5. Compliance and risk management

EZO AssetSonar excels in ensuring compliance with regulations set by the GDPR and SOC 2, which are meant to protect user privacy. The aim is to ensure that shadow IT does not create any compliance gaps and remains aligned with the organization’s compliance policies. 

The software helps in:

• License governance: Every discovered SaaS app is matched against license entitlements, exposing unauthorized or pirated installs. This reduces risks during software audits and ensures compliance with licensing agreements.
• Regulatory alignment: EZO AssetSonar supports compliance by ensuring only approved, licensed, and supported software runs in the environment.
• Software normalization for compliance: Normalizes scattered app versions, ensuring that IT compliance checks are performed on standardized product names (not missed due to duplicate entries).

Zluri’s compliance and risk management strengths lie in its risk-based scoring and finance integrations that uncover non-compliant spend.

• Risk scoring of SaaS apps: Each app is evaluated against compliance standards (e.g., GDPR, SOC2, HIPAA, ISO) and the vendor’s security posture. Shadow IT apps that don’t meet standards are flagged.
• Unauthorized purchases detection: Zluri finds SaaS bought directly on corporate cards/expense reports, which may bypass IT procurement and compliance review.
• Access governance: Tracks who has access to SaaS apps, ensuring compliance with identity governance and reducing insider risks.
• Usage and spend visibility: Helps IT prove compliance by showing where SaaS money goes and whether purchased tools meet corporate security and procurement policies.

Torii focuses on ownership mapping to enforce compliance for SaaS applications, especially those involving Shadow IT.

• App ownership mapping: Every discovered SaaS app is assigned an “owner” (a department or employee). This reduces compliance blind spots where apps exist without accountability.
• Automated compliance workflows: Automatic workflows can be triggered when shadow IT is detected:
  → Send compliance review requests
  → Revoke access automatically
  → Notify department heads
  
• Risk visibility and reporting: Torii integrates with identity, finance, and HR systems to display who is using which app, what data it accesses, and whether it complies with company policy.
• Vendor compliance integration: Supports integration with security/risk management tools to enrich discovered apps with vendor compliance info.

The following table provides a quick overview of the main differences between EZO AssetSonar, Zluri, and Torii in terms of their functionalities and capabilities: 

EZO AssetSonar takes precedence over Zluri and Torii as a shadow IT management tool

While Zluri and Torii are also strong competitors in SaaS discovery and optimization, EZO AssetSonar proves to be a stronger candidate as it is a holistic ITAM tool. It combines several aspects including endpoint visibility and SaaS governance to manage software use across devices, applications, and browsers. 

EZO AssetSonar provides exceptional customer service, enabling users to receive instant support in the event of issues managing shadow IT. Even if you are starting small, the platform allows you to gradually scale and cater to a wide variety of IT resources. This way, you can manage your ever-evolving IT infrastructure well and always remain compliance-ready. You can try EZO AssetSonar on your own and assess whether it suits your needs or not! 

Frequently asked questions

1. Why should an IT manager look for an ITAM tool specializing in the management of shadow IT?

Shadow IT is not just an operational risk, it’s a budgetary and compliance issue. A traditional ITAM tool might not cater to the nuances of shadow IT. An IT manager would prioritize an ITAM tool for the said purpose to uncover hidden financial and operational risks, deal with security gaps and control SaaS spend by preventing software duplication. 

2. How do these platforms help reduce SaaS spend caused by Shadow IT?

EZO AssetSonar: Reduces SaaS overspending by detecting unauthorized installs, normalizing duplicate apps, and tracking contracts to prevent duplicate renewals or unpatched software costs.

Zluri: Cuts waste by scanning expenses, uncovering duplicate subscriptions, and flagging unused SaaS licenses or surprise renewals hidden in finance records.

Torii: Lowers spend by automating SaaS discovery, reclaiming unused licenses, and mapping ownership to avoid redundant purchases while managing renewals proactively.

3. Which tool is best for scalability as my company grows?

EZO AssetSonar is a great fit for IT-heavy organizations that are looking to scale over time. Zluri works best for companies that are looking to expand their SaaS portfolio and need to manage SaaS renewals more rigorously. Whereas, Torii is ideal for companies that have a rapidly expanding SaaS environment as well and need to use automated tools for managing it.