You could easily buy Adobe Photoshop once. But it became easier as Adobe came out with updates every year or so. When you first get Photoshop, you should start by working on a few projects. You should then move on to more complex projects when you are ready to take the next step.
If you need a guide as a beginner, we’ve prepared an article on easy photoshop editing steps for beginners that you’ll find helpful.
How Much Does Photoshop Cost?
You can buy Photoshop by subscribing to one of the following Adobe Creative Cloud Plans:
- Photography Plan – US$9.99/mo – Includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop on desktop and iPad, and 20GB of cloud storage (1TB available)
- Photoshop Plan – US$20.99/mo – Includes Photoshop on desktop and iPad. Comes with Adobe Fresco for drawing and painting.
- All Apps Plan – US$52.99/mo – Includes 20+ Adobe desktop and mobile apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro and Acrobat.
With each plan, you can also choose to add a 30-day free trial of Adobe Stock.
What’s the Best Way to Buy Photoshop in 2022?
Photoshop is the standard photo editor for professional photographers. Even if you’re just starting out on photography, you’ll find this software helpful too.
Despite the numerous alternatives to Photoshop, there’s nothing that comes close to its power and mobile app support.
The Photoshop CC iPad app is simply incredible! Both professionals and amateurs look to Photoshop for any sort of advanced photo manipulation, from combining different images as layers, to extensive retouching, warping and color editing. (3rd party additions like Photoshop plugins can even extend its capabilities beyond image editing.)
However, since many photographers these days shoot their photos in RAW format and use a catalog-based workflow, it is not Photoshop but Adobe Lightroom that has become the initial starting point for most photo editing.
The Lightroom vs Photoshop comparison guide will help you to find which version of Adobe’s popular image editor is better for you. Read the article for more details.The photography plan from Adobe now includes the use of Photoshop and other applications.
The Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan comes with the following:
- Lightroom CC
- Lightroom Classic CC
- Photoshop CC
- Your own portfolio website and social media tools
- 1TB of cloud storage (about 20,000 raw DSLR images or 200,000 JPEGs)
So what about if you don’t need Lightroom, and just want Photoshop. What are your options?
1. Buy Photoshop Classic CC as a Subscription
If you’re going to go the monthly Photoshop as a subscription route, there are a few options available to you.
1) Photography Plan or Single App
Adobe is one of those companies where there’s so much good stuff, it’s hard to find any bad things to say about them, but this is a pretty significant one for anyone who isn’t. If you only need a single app, then the Creative Cloud Photography plan is perfect for you.
If you’re into photography, the photography plan ($10/mo) may be for you. You can also use the single app version of Lightroom for $7.99/mo instead of $21/mo. Sure, the best way to get Adobe’s Photography plan – even if you only need Photoshop, or only need Lightroom – is to just get the Photography plan.
2) Creative Cloud – All Apps
If you’re a multi-disciplinary creative or production company, then the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud applications will provide you with everything you need. They have been tested over thousands of hours by real people for real use.
The entire creative suite of Adobe’s top products are now free for personal use. So you get all of the features, benefits and benefits of working with Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom and more.
Pros of Buying Photoshop CC as a Subscription
The subscription model has increased revenue for some photographers, but others find it frustrating that their revenue has not grown commensurate with their usage of the Creative Cloud.
This is the main benefit of having the Photography plan with All Apps. Adobe releases major updates to the apps at a very fast pace, so that you always have the latest versions of the apps.
1) You get the fastest, most-optimized version of Photoshop
This is not critical to everyone, but it is indeed very convenient to always have the latest, greatest, and usually the fastest version of Photoshop. Photoshop CS6 can easily crash from time to time, and the speed of your computer matters.
I’m finding that Photoshop CC is working really well for me. Things run faster and seem easier to do overall.
2) You get all the latest Photoshop Features
If you want the newest features and the newest version of the software then you need to purchase a subscription. If you are looking for more advanced image editing tools, Photoshop CC is where you need to go. It’s the industry standard for photo retouching.
3) All of the most recent cameras are supported
Raw files should always be converted to their final format. You’ll need to use either Lightroom or Camera Raw to process your raw photos. You can also use a free cr2 to jpg converter tool to create an image file from any image format, such as a PDF or
Adobe Camera Raw, which is the standalone application known as Adobe Bridge, comes with Photoshop, even if you buy Photoshop without Lightroom. With this in mind, Canon will be updating the raw file format in the next release of Camera Raw and Lightroom.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to use an old version of Photoshop to process your raw photos. You’ll need to get a CC subscription or use Adobe’s DNG converter to make your new raw files compatible with your old raw converter
4) You can take full advantage of Mobile Editing
When Photoshop comes to the iPad, it will be like having a whole new tool set in your hands. When you can edit all the same projects on your iPad the same as you do on your desktop, it’s a huge win for the creative industry.
The paid version will allow you to sync between more devices. The full syncing capability is included in the paid version as well. You get the idea. If you pay for the full version of Adobe Creative Cloud, you’ll be able to edit your images using your desktop and then finish them on your phone, tablet, or computer.
5) Your files will be backed up in the cloud
The 20GB of free cloud storage that comes with the Photography Plan means you have all your precious Photoshop and Lightroom CC files safely stored online. The manual backups feature alone is worth the cost of a monthly subscription.
You can upgrade your existing Amazon Drive cloud storage to as much as 10 TB of space, if you’re a power-user.
Cons of Buying Photoshop CC as a Subscription
The biggest con of using Photoshop CC is the cost. There are a lot of reasons why people don’t want to add yet another monthly subscription to their already subscription-filled lives. You should invest in a copy of Photoshop because you want the latest features. Do check out our separate article on the cool things you can do with photoshop in this regard.
However, it is also true that you can use Photoshop more efficiently with older versions.
Instead of paying a few hundred dollars every few years for the latest version of Adobe Photoshop, you pay a few dollars every month. If you want to download all of your old images without having to pay a yearly fee for CC, you’ll need to make sure you cancel your subscription.
2. Buy Photoshop Elements
Photoshop Elements is the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to experiment with digital photo editing. It’s not as powerful as Photoshop, but it’s still a fun and powerful way to edit your photos.
The most affordable, simple and affordable alternative to Photoshop that Adobe offers is Photoshop Elements. Photoshop Elements is a free program that is a “lite” version of Photoshop.
Whether you want to create your own designs, make some minor tweaks to an existing design, or just make things look a little better, this is the most affordable way to get started. You’ll be up and running within minutes!
Pros of Buying Photoshop Elements
Buying a stand-alone, perpetual license of Photoshop comes with two simple, major benefits.
If you only need basic editing features in Photoshop, why would you pay for a subscription to use them. If you’re looking for something more advanced, but a little less expensive, consider Photoshop Elements.
2) It will never Expire
With a monthly subscription model, your access to this content will end when your subscription expires.
For photographers who want to be able to make random edits to photos in the future without paying for a subscription, or re-subscribing every time they want to make a change, they’ll need to get a standalone version of Photoshop.
The Adobe Creative Suite includes Adobe Photoshop Elements, which is a great way to start your digital photo editing journey. If you don’t have Photoshop Elements yet, you can download it for free and make any edits you want to your photos with it.
Cons of Buying Photoshop Elements
1) You won’t have all the latest features
If you’re just using the current CC version of Photoshop to do basic editing and layering, then you might not need to upgrade to CC right away. Once you are happy with the look of your images, you will begin to want to push them further and add more advanced features. If you’re looking for a photo editing program, Photoshop will have you covered.
2) No Lightroom Classic CC
If you buy Photoshop Elements, the only way you’ll be able to edit your raw images is in the Photo app, which is actually really easy to use. If you already have Lightroom Classic CC on your computer or phone, you can now download the desktop and mobile apps for free.
On the go? No problem. Downloading and editing on an Android phone or tablet (with Lightroom CC) is incredibly liberating and fun!.
3) No Cloud Backup
You don’t need Photoshop Elements to create files for websites. They can all be stored locally on your computer and there’s no need to upload them to the web. Plus you can choose to use a free or paid monthly subscription.
One of the best features of the new version of DropBox is that it now automatically backs up your files. However, if you have concerns about your security, then just make manual backups to external hard-drives.
Adobe Photoshop CC vs. Photoshop Elements
Adobe Creative Cloud includes Photoshop CC as part of its subscription plan. Major and minor updates are released on a regular basis. If you want to get the best value for your money, or if you’re considering switching to a subscription version, this feature comparison table will help.
How to get a Photoshop Discount
You can get a 15% discount to the Adobe CC All Apps plan. This is a great opportunity to save a little bit of money every month. When you’re ready, you can keep checking this page to see if there are any good offers.
Another option is if you’re a student or a teacher, or you want to open your own food truck or even start an online store selling homemade goods like hand-made jewelry, soaps, candles,
Finally, it is worth mentioning that you can download a free trial of Adobe Photoshop. If you’re a fan of Shotkit, you should consider getting a 15% discount on your first year as a Creative Cloud member.
Do you Qualify for an Adobe Student Discount?
You could save up to 60% with a Student Photoshop Discount If you’re a student or teacher, you can take advantage of the best Photoshop discount currently available. The discount is good for new customers only and will expire in 2 days. To qualify, go to https://creativecloud.adobe.
If you feel experimental and would like to try a few things without spending too much, you can always try and get the Photoshop Student discount on an annual basis. I don’t understand why Adobe isn’t more thorough about verifying the identities of students who claim to be Adobe employees. I wish it wasn’t true.
Free Adobe Photoshop Download Warning
Everybody knows that “pirated” versions of Photoshop are available. People are not aware that the applications on their phone can potentially harm them. If you install any illegal software on your computer, you put your computer, your images, and your personal information at risk.
I’m glad this is a thing now. It’s too expensive. You’re paying a few cups of coffee per month for the app. Amazon’s stable, seamless user experience and always-current update environment are benefits that worth paying for.
No matter whether you are a professional photographer or an enthusiast, you shouldn’t be using sketchy software to make your most precious memories. Any photo editor worth their salt would advise you to back up any important files before upgrading your camera or purchasing a new one.
Do the right thing. Don’t take the risk. You just need to have an account in the Adobe Creative Cloud app on your device, and then you’ll be good to go. This is a great photo editing software, especially for those who plan to do extensive image edits.
Adobe Photoshop Trial
The Adobe Photoshop CC Trial is available for free on the Adobe website here. To get it, just follow this link and fill out the required fields in order to complete the offer. The best thing about this software is that it’s completely free. There are no restrictions and you can experiment with different features to see which ones work best for your needs.
After the trial ends, you can convert your Creative Cloud trial to a paid membership during the 7 day period, or after the trial expires.
The Adobe Photoshop Trial works on both MacOS and Windows, so you have nothing to lose by simply trying it out. To get the most out of the trial period, make sure you schedule enough time for getting comfortable with the software and for learning the most common functions, techniques and tools.
My Recommendations
Adobe has been switching from a one-time, buy-it-and-own-it, software business to a subscription-based business model for some time. So you’ll need to ask yourself whether Adobe’s subscription model will fit your business or needs best? If it’s a good fit, it’s definitely worth looking into.
At first I didn’t know whether Adobe would provide updates or whether the improvements would be too small, but the changes in the last months have been really good, and I see great things for the future.
I’ve learned a lot from the many different kinds of training I’ve received during the past year. Thankfully, I was wrong – everything that’s been released or updated since I became a paying subscriber in early 2018 has been useful.
When I signed up to Photoshop Express a few years ago, I was excited and a bit surprised to find that they had a monthly subscription option. After some thought, I decided to make the switch from paying for a yearly membership to a monthly subscription.
This article puts a lot of things in perspective for me. It’s made my day! Comment below to share your thoughts