Brace yourself for price rises if you're signed up to one of the Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom photography plans - these are the subscription options that just give you access to the photo applications, rather than the whole of Creative Cloud.
These new prices come into effect from January 15, 2025, and Adobe notes that they “better reflect the value that the apps deliver.”
From January 15, these changes affect existing subscribers, as the cheapest 20GB Photography plan is being discontinued for new subscribers.
The Photography plan with 20GB of storage (including Photoshop, Lightroom, and Lightroom Classic) will be $14.99 a month rather than $9.99 - a bump of over 50%. You’ll need to commit for a year ($179.88) or pay an unspecified termination fee, or switch to the $119.88-per-year plan, which remains unchanged and locks you in for longer.
On top of that, this cheapest plan is going away, and won’t be available to new subscribers next year, so these changes are only for existing subscribers.
Photoshop’s price changes include the $19.99/month or $239.88/year Photography plans with 1TB of storage, which do not increase in price. These plans remain the main way to access Photoshop without the rest of Creative Cloud.
Prices for the Lightroom-only plan with 1TB of storage are going up too, now at $11.99 per month instead of $9.99 a month - a 20% increase. You still need to commit for a year ($143.88) or pay a penalty.
Adobe would prefer you to lock yourself in to the $119.88-per-year plan, the cost of which remains unchanged.
If these prices feel steep, consider exploring guides to the best Adobe Lightroom alternatives and the best Adobe Photoshop alternatives.
In addition to the price changes, Adobe introduced Photoshop for iPhone, which can be used for free in limited capacity, with a $9.99 / £9.99 subscription unlocking more capabilities but not at the same level as the desktop software.
Adobe’s software subscriptions are known for being confusing - after an FTC complaint, the company altered wording on how subscription plans work, and the recent price hike plus the iPhone option adds to perceived complexity.
How much is Photoshop in 2025? Photoshop is a subscription-based software with no lifetime license option. After January 15, 2025, three main subscription paths exist: Photography plan, Single App plan, and All Apps plan, plus an iPad-only option (not yet the full desktop version).
The best value for most users: The Photography plan. It bundles Photoshop and Lightroom with 1 TB of cloud storage for $19.99 / £19.97 / AU$28.59 a month. Although a yearly payment is possible, discounts for annual upfront payment are not currently offered for the Photography plan.
The Photography plan remains the most affordable route to get Photoshop alongside Lightroom, with heavy integration between Lightroom for organization and RAW processing, and Photoshop for advanced editing. It also includes Photoshop for iPad, and the desktop version of the photo editor.
Photoshop for Mobile and Web: The Photoshop for Mobile and Web plan includes access to the app on iPhone, iPad and the web browser version. Photoshop for iPhone is a free app, but more advanced features require a subscription. The mobile plan is cheaper, but the full desktop feature set remains in the Photography plan or the All Apps plan.
The Single App Plan offers Photoshop on its own for $22.99 / £21.98 / AU$32.99 a month (annual plan paid monthly). Some users may prefer this to gain more storage or enhanced access to Fresco, but for most users the Photography plan offers more value because it includes Lightroom and 1 TB of storage at a lower price.
The All Apps plan provides access to Photoshop, Lightroom, and many other Creative Cloud apps (Illustrator, After Effects, InDesign, etc.) for $59.99 / £56.98 / AU$87.99 per month on an annual plan paid monthly, or $659.88 / £656.21 / AU$959.90 per year. Early termination fees apply when paying monthly, but a plan exists to cancel anytime without cancellation fees for higher monthly rates.
There is no current student discount for the Photography or Single App plans, though students and teachers can access the All Apps plan at a discount for the first year (e.g., $19.99 / £16.24 / AU$21.99 per month), followed by higher rates afterward. For those who need more than Photoshop or Lightroom, the All Apps plan often makes more sense despite higher upfront costs.
Why is Photoshop so expensive? Adobe argues the price increase reflects updated value from new features, including time-saving generative AI tools, and the long-standing model of ongoing monthly or yearly payments rather than perpetual licenses. The historical pricing shows that Photoshop has always been premium software with substantial capabilities and industry-standard status, dating back to the original price of $895 in 1980 and the pre-subscription era.
Can you buy Photoshop permanently? No-the current model is subscription-based, with annual or monthly payments and possible cancellation fees if ending early.
How can you get Photoshop for free legally? The only legal full-version option is the free iPhone or iPad app with limited features, or a seven-day free desktop trial. Other free tools like GIMP or Paint.NET can substitute for some tasks but lack the full Photoshop feature set or integration with Lightroom.
Photographers may also explore alternatives like ON1 Photo RAW, DxO PhotoLab, or Capture One, which offer different pricing and licensing models, including perpetual licenses in some cases, and can be more economical for certain workflows.
These changes illustrate why Photoshop remains expensive: it combines industry-leading tools, cloud storage, cross-device accessibility, and ongoing development with new features and AI capabilities.
In summary, Photoshop’s high price is driven by value delivery, continuous updates, and the breadth of services within Creative Cloud, plus the shift from perpetual licenses to subscriptions across the industry. The best approach is to assess your needs: if you require both Photoshop and Lightroom with cloud storage, the Photography plan often remains the most cost-efficient option; if you need a broader suite of apps, the All Apps plan may be worthwhile; if you only need occasional use, free mobile access or open-source alternatives could be considered.
- The Photography plan (Photoshop + Lightroom + 1 TB) is the most common balance of cost and capability.
- The Single App plan provides Photoshop alone with mobile access and extra features via Fresco.
- The All Apps plan offers the full Creative Cloud suite for multimedia work.