The applications that power your business shouldn’t be the ones slowing it down.
Legacy applications continue to support critical business functions, but they often limit cloud adoption, AI integration, scalability, security, and digital transformation.
That’s why application modernization has become a strategic investment for enterprises looking to reduce technical debt and modernize legacy systems.
Choosing the right application modernization services provider depends on your gadget stack and business goals. Common modernization scenarios include:
- Mainframe modernization
- COBOL and legacy .NET applications
- SAP environments
- Monolithic applications requiring rehosting, replatforming, rearchitecting, or replacement
This guide compares leading application modernization companies, highlighting each provider’s expertise, ideal client profile, and modernization capabilities to help you identify the right partner for your organization.
Why Is Application Modernization Important for Enterprises in 2026?
Application modernization helps organizations in the USA, Europe, and worldwide modernize legacy systems, improve security, scale efficiently, and accelerate cloud adoption without disrupting critical business operations.
As businesses adopt AI, cloud computing, and automation, modern applications provide the flexibility, security, and scalability needed to support long-term growth.
Key benefits include:
- Reducing technical debt and maintenance costs
- Strengthening security and regulatory compliance
- Accelerating cloud migration and cloud-native adoption
- Enabling AI, automation, and advanced analytics
- Improving application scalability and performance
- Speeding up software delivery with modern development practices
Common modernization approaches include:
- Rehosting legacy applications to the cloud
- Replatforming with minimal code changes
- Refactoring or rearchitecting into microservices
- Replacing legacy software with modern SaaS solutions where appropriate
Industries including banking, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and the public sector rely on application modernization to improve efficiency, meet compliance requirements, and support digital transformation.
Companies Worth Knowing for Application Modernization Companies in 2026
The following software modernization companies offer expertise in legacy modernization, cloud migration, and enterprise application transformation across multiple industries.
Moving next, the companies that you will explore include:
- DXC Technology
- Endava
- EPAM Systems
- Globant
- Netguru
- Devoteam
- SoftServe
DXC Technology
DXC Technology delivers application modernization services focused on mainframe modernization, cloud migration, and enterprise legacy transformation.
This helps organizations modernize legacy applications, migrate workloads to the cloud, and optimize enterprise IT environments using proven modernization frameworks.
Best for: Enterprises modernizing COBOL, IBM Z, and other complex legacy applications through phased cloud modernization.
Key strengths:
- Mainframe and legacy application modernization
- Cloud migration and hybrid cloud transformation
- Partnerships with DevOps programs and platforms like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud
- Enterprise-scale modernization frameworks
- Experience across banking, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, and the public sector
Endava
Endava is another application modernization vendor specialized for financial services, helping enterprises transform legacy platforms into cloud-native, event-driven systems.
Unlike broad IT consultancies, Endava is known for modernizing complex banking and payments platforms. Its engineering teams use domain-driven design, microservices, and agile delivery to rebuild business-critical applications without disrupting core operations.
Best for: Banks, fintechs, and enterprises modernizing payment platforms or customer-facing financial applications.
Key strengths:
- Banking and payments modernization
- Event-driven and microservices architectures
- Domain-driven design (DDD)
- Agile engineering and continuous delivery
- Partnerships with Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud
EPAM Systems
EPAM Systems delivers engineering-led app modernization services for enterprises building scalable, cloud-native software.
This approaches modernization from a software engineering perspective, focusing on code quality, system performance, and long-term scalability.
Rather than relying primarily on consulting, its teams specialize in rebuilding enterprise applications with modern architectures and development practices.
Best for: Organizations prioritizing engineering excellence, software performance, and large-scale digital transformation.
Key strengths:
- Engineering-led modernization
- Cloud-native application development
- Microservices and API modernization
- Experience in retail, healthcare, media, and financial services
- Enterprise software engineering at scale
Globant
Globant combines application modernization with digital product engineering to improve both system performance and user experience.
This legacy applications while redesigning digital experiences for customer-facing platforms. Its expertise in product engineering and UX/UI helps organizations build modern applications that are both scalable and user-friendly.
Best for: Retail, media, gaming, and consumer brands modernizing customer-facing applications.
Key strengths:
- Legacy application modernization
- Digital product engineering
- Modern UX/UI design
- Cloud-native architectures
- Expertise in retail, media, gaming, and entertainment
Netguru
Netguru provides application modernization services for startups and mid-market businesses adopting cloud-native technologies.
Known for its agile delivery model, Netguru helps organizations replace legacy applications with scalable, cloud-native solutions while maintaining close collaboration throughout the modernization process.
Best for: Startups, SMBs, and mid-sized enterprises seeking flexible modernization partners.
Key strengths:
- Legacy application modernization
- Cloud-native application development
- Agile product delivery
- Expertise in fintech, healthcare, and eCommerce
- Product strategy and engineering consulting
Devoteam
Devoteam specializes in application modernization for SAP, Microsoft, and enterprise cloud environments.
It helps organizations modernize business-critical applications by optimizing SAP landscapes, adopting cloud platforms, and improving operational efficiency while meeting regulatory requirements.
Best for: Enterprises modernizing SAP ecosystems and business applications in regulated industries.
Key strengths:
- SAP modernization
- Microsoft cloud expertise
- Enterprise cloud transformation
- Compliance-focused modernization
- Experience across manufacturing, public sector, and financial services
SoftServe
SoftServe delivers application modernization services for regulated industries requiring secure, cloud-ready enterprise applications.
This focuses on modernizing legacy systems in highly regulated sectors where security, compliance, and reliability are essential. Its industry expertise helps organizations modernize critical workloads while meeting regulatory standards.
Best for: Organizations in healthcare, energy, and other regulated industries.
Key strengths:
- Legacy application modernization
- Secure cloud migration
- Compliance and governance expertise
- Experience in healthcare, energy, and manufacturing
- Partnerships with Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud
How Do You Choose the Right Application Modernization Partner?
Choose an application modernization partner with proven legacy expertise, cloud capabilities, and industry experience that matches your business goals.
Compare providers based on technical expertise, modernization capabilities, and experience with your legacy environment.
Key factors to consider:
- Expertise in COBOL, IBM Z, AS/400, .NET, Java, and SAP
- Support for Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud
- Industry experience in banking, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and the public sector
- Modernization capabilities, including rehosting, replatforming, refactoring, rearchitecting, and microservices
- Flexible delivery models and knowledge transfer
- Proven client results through case studies and long-term support
Choose a provider with experience in your technology stack and industry to reduce migration risks and support long-term modernization goals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Application Modernization
What is the difference between application modernization and digital transformation?
Application modernization upgrades legacy software, while digital transformation is a broader strategy that modernizes technology, processes, and business operations.
How much do application modernization services cost?
Costs vary by application complexity, legacy technology, project scope, and delivery model. Enterprise modernization projects typically require custom pricing.
Which industries benefit most from application modernization?
Banking, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, government, and insurance benefit by improving security, scalability, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Can legacy applications be modernized without replacing them?
Yes. Many organizations use rehosting, replatforming, or refactoring to modernize legacy applications without a complete rebuild.
What cloud platforms are commonly used for application modernization?
Most modernization projects use Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), or Google Cloud, depending on business and compliance requirements.
How long does an application modernization project take?
Small modernization projects may take a few months, while enterprise-wide legacy modernization programs can span several years based on complexity.
What are the biggest risks in application modernization?
The biggest risks include poor legacy assessment, data migration issues, downtime, security gaps, and choosing a provider without relevant legacy expertise.
Can small and mid-sized businesses invest in application modernization?
Yes. Many providers offer scalable application modernization services for SMBs and mid-market organizations with phased modernization strategies.
Final Thoughts on Choosing an Application Modernization Partner?
Selecting the right application modernization partner depends on your legacy systems, business goals, and industry requirements.
While DXC Technology, Endava, EPAM Systems, Globant, Netguru, Devoteam, and SoftServe each bring distinct strengths, no single provider fits every organization.
In my view, the best choice is the one with proven expertise in your technology stack, whether it’s COBOL, SAP, or cloud migration, backed by measurable results rather than brand recognition alone.
