Underwater photographers and creatives alike may need a calculator to wrap their heads around Photoshop pricing, but there are many advantages to purchasing a copy through a local computer store. Since Adobe Creative Cloud subscription launched in 2013, the industry shifted from one-off purchases to a monthly subscription model with frequent updates bundled into the recurring cost.
Adobe's All Apps package provides access to over 20 Creative Cloud apps, including Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere, and After Effects. The All Apps plan can be intimidating for the ordinary water photographer, and it's not always the best bargain for simply snapping stills and post-processing them. To access with an annual commitment, you’ll pay $55 per month, totaling $659.88 for the year, and you’ll be charged an early termination fee if you cancel before the year is up. The same logic applies to other annual subscriptions in industries like cellular, Internet, and TV.
The All Apps plan will set you back $82.49 per month if you don’t mind a year-long lock-in. Business subscriptions differ, with $84.99 per month per license (monthly or upfront) or $34.99 per month for a single app subscription. Adobe also offers student and teacher discounts, with the all-you-can-eat subscription costing $19.99 per month, whether you pay monthly or upfront. For budgeting, the savings are often calculated using a one-year annual rate of $239.88.
The Photography Plan for still photographers includes Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for $10 per month with no annual contract. This plan also includes Adobe Lightroom Classic, mobile versions of both programs, and Adobe Portfolio, plus 20 GB of Adobe Cloud storage. Water photographers have two more options beyond the basic photography package. First, instead of paying $9.99 per month, you can upgrade to 1 TB of cloud storage for $19.99 per month.
Historically, the stand-alone edition of Photoshop-Adobe Photoshop CS6-cost $699, and updates were provided biannually at no extra cost. It’s tempting to compare this to current offerings, but the subscription model is now the norm. If you’re focused on the core workflow, you might consider sticking with the Single App Plan, yet a single app subscription from Adobe costs $21 per month. If a photographer subscribes only to Photoshop rather than one of the photography plans, they’ll pay $11 extra per month for roughly half the capability, which is rarely considered a good value.
But what if you want to avoid a monthly charge altogether? You’re largely out of luck, as Adobe has long abandoned perpetual licensing in favor of the subscription model. For those who need a sandboxed environment, though, Photoshop Elements remains available as a stripped-down version of Photoshop. It includes over 80% of Photoshop’s functionality, with new features trickling down from Creative Cloud each year, though some features are absent. Photoshop Elements cannot export files in CMYK format, which complicates print workflows. It also lacks 16-bit/32-bit color support, certain color modes, and Adobe Bridge for advanced file management. Despite these limitations, Photoshop Elements remains a good deal for new photographers improving raw still photographs in post, at around $99.
Additionally, Adobe Premiere Elements is available in a two-app bundle for $149, enabling basic video editing alongside still photography improvements. If you choose a yearlong membership with monthly payments for either All Apps or Single App, you can save considerably for the year, but you’ll face early cancellation fees if you terminate early. There is no cancellation charge during the initial trial period, and you will receive a full refund if you cancel within the first 14 days of your first payment. After that period, canceling costs 50% of the contract’s remaining amount. If you sign up for a year and stop paying monthly after three months, you’ll still owe 50% of the remaining nine months. Your Creative Cloud membership automatically becomes a free membership upon termination, and access to paid apps is removed.
In summary, for photographers considering an Adobe Creative Cloud account to begin editing with Photoshop, this guide to current pricing provides a practical overview of options, costs, and potential savings versus perpetual licensing.
Pricing snapshots and options
- All Apps plan: $55 per month with annual commitment; $82.49 per month without annual commitment; potential early termination fees.
- Business subscriptions: $84.99 per month per license or $34.99 per month for a single app.
- Student/teacher discounts: $19.99 per month for all apps (various terms).
- Photography Plan: includes Photoshop, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, mobile apps, Portfolio; $10 per month with storage options.
- Cloud storage upgrades: 1 TB for $19.99 per month.
- Photoshop Elements: ~80% functionality, no CMYK export, no Bridge, priced around $99.
- Premiere Elements: two-app bundle for $149 (video editing included).
- Trial period: 14 days with full refunds if canceled; after that, early termination applies.
- Consider whether you need the full Creative Cloud suite or a focused photography plan.
- Compare perpetual (older) licensing options with current subscription models for total cost over time.
- Factor in optional cloud storage for workflow efficiency and backup.
- Evaluate whether Photoshop Elements meets your print and color management needs.
For water photographers and hobbyists, the key is balancing immediate affordability with long-term value, ensuring access to updates, storage, and compatibility with your preferred post-processing workflow.
