The industry-standard image editor, now with Firefly generative tools inside it.
- Starting price
- US$22.99/month (single app)
- Pricing model
- Paid
- User rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Best for
- Professional image editing and compositing
Photoshop is still the reference point for raster image editing. Thirty-five years in, its competitors are measured by how close they get rather than by what they do differently.
Who Photoshop is for
Anyone doing serious compositing, retouching or design work where layers, masks and colour accuracy matter. It is also the format everyone else has to open: PSD is the interchange standard.
For light work it is overkill. If you crop, resize and adjust levels, you are paying for capability you will never touch.
Which Adobe plan should you pick?
According to Adobe’s published US plan pricing, the Photoshop single-app plan is US$22.99 a month on an annual commitment billed monthly.
The Photography plan at US$19.99 a month is almost always the better buy. It includes Photoshop, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and 1TB of cloud storage for less than Photoshop alone.
Creative Cloud Pro at US$69.99 a month covers 20-plus apps plus Firefly, with an introductory rate of US$34.99 for the first three months.
Check the Photography plan before buying the single app. Paying more for less is a surprisingly common mistake here.
Adobe Photoshop pricing and plans
Photoshop single app
US$22.99
per month
Annual commitment, billed monthly.
- Photoshop on desktop, web and iPad
- 100 GB cloud storage
- Adobe Fonts
- Generative Fill powered by Firefly
Photography plan
US$19.99
per month
Usually better value than the single app.
- Photoshop, Lightroom and Lightroom Classic
- 1 TB cloud storage
- Adobe Fonts and Portfolio
- Cheaper than Photoshop alone
Creative Cloud Pro
US$69.99
per month
US$34.99 for the first three months.
- 20+ apps including Illustrator and Premiere Pro
- Adobe Firefly creative AI
- 100 GB cloud storage
- Full Adobe Fonts library
Pricing checked against the official Adobe Photoshop pricing page on 5 September 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
What Adobe Photoshop actually does
- Layer-based editing with masks and smart objects
- Generative Fill and Generative Expand powered by Firefly
- Camera Raw processing
- Advanced selection and object removal
- Colour management for print and screen
- Neural filters
- Photoshop on iPad and on the web
- PSD, the industry interchange format
Pros and cons
What works well
- The most capable raster editor available
- PSD is the universal interchange format
- Generative Fill is genuinely useful, not a gimmick
- Photography plan bundles it cheaper than the single app
- Runs on desktop, web and iPad
What to watch out for
- Subscription only, with no perpetual licence
- Single-app plan costs more than the Photography bundle
- Steep learning curve for occasional users
- Generative features consume a monthly credit allowance
- Annual commitment carries a cancellation fee
Adobe Photoshop FAQs
Is there a free version of Photoshop?
No permanent one. Adobe offers a seven-day free trial and a limited free web version, but the desktop application requires a subscription.
How much does Photoshop cost?
The single-app plan is US$22.99 a month on an annual commitment. The Photography plan, which includes Photoshop and Lightroom, is US$19.99.
Why is the Photography plan cheaper than Photoshop alone?
Adobe prices it as a bundle to keep photographers in the ecosystem. It includes Photoshop, both Lightroom versions and 1 TB of storage for less than the single app.
Can I still buy Photoshop outright?
No. Adobe moved to subscription only in 2013. Perpetual licences are only available from competitors such as Affinity Photo.
Does Photoshop include AI features?
Yes. Generative Fill, Generative Expand and neural filters are built in, powered by Adobe Firefly and drawing on your monthly generative credit allowance.
What happens to my files if I cancel?
PSD files stay on your machine and open in other editors, but you lose the application. Cloud storage above the free tier is also reduced.
Is there a discount for students?
Yes. Adobe offers substantially reduced student and teacher pricing on Creative Cloud, verified through an educational institution.
Does it run on iPad?
Yes. Photoshop on iPad is included with the single-app and All Apps plans and syncs through Creative Cloud.
Where does the 4.6 rating come from?
It is the aggregate score from 13,406 reviewers on G2, checked 12 August 2026. It is the largest review base of any tool we list.
Weighing up other options? Read the 9 best Photoshop alternatives.
Ready to try Adobe Photoshop?
Go to Adobe Photoshop