Image editing, video editing, graphic design, animation, and even user experiences and web pages, Adobe has an application for anything you want to create on their cloud-based platform, the famous Adobe Creative Cloud.

While the perks in this service for visual marketing and similar are clear (or intuitively known) for most, it is Adobe Creative Cloud pricing that can sometimes be confusing. How do you access the service? Do you have to pay for all the apps individually? What if you only need one? Do you get it for one year, even if you just want it for 3 months? Does it include Adobe Stock?

Today we answer all of these questions and then some, to help you identify the ideal membership for your endeavors.

Let’s go!

What is Included in the Adobe Creative Cloud?

Before we dwell into the pricing structure and its options, let’s lay down the basics of Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe CC).

As you could guess from such a transparent name, this is Adobe’s cloud-based platform that hosts with over twenty media editing apps for creatives, all in one place.

All the popular photo editing and video editing tools that made Adobe famous, like the flagship Photoshop, are there. But the service is complete with apps for web and UX design, 3D modeling, file management, and more.

Here is the main lineup of Creative Cloud applications:

Photoshop

Lightroom

Adobe Stock

Illustrator

Premiere Pro

Premiere Rush

After Effects

Dimension

Audition

Animate

InDesign

Adobe XD

Dreamweaver

Spark

InCopy

Acrobat Pro

When you add in complementary, task-focused apps such as Photoshop Express, Adobe Fresco, or Media Encoder, you end up with an impressive array of over 20 applications. While definitely the core in the offer, the apps alone aren't the only highlight in Creative Cloud. Some of the main benefits are:

No Local Storage: With this platform, you work on the cloud, so you are not required to install heavy applications on your device. No desktop apps, no mobile apps.

With this platform, you work on the cloud, so you are not required to install heavy applications on your device. No desktop apps, no mobile apps. Compatibility: Being cloud-based you don't have to worry about it at all. You can run Creative Cloud on Apple devices as well as in Microsoft powered computers. Mac Os, Windows, and even iOS and Google Android systems are all compatible.

Being cloud-based you don't have to worry about it at all. You can run Creative Cloud on Apple devices as well as in Microsoft powered computers. Mac Os, Windows, and even iOS and Google Android systems are all compatible. Mobile-optimized: M ost Creative Cloud apps have been optimized for mobile use. Things like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom CC can be used on your iPad or tablet, even your iPhone or Android phone, without resigning functionality or quality. This is ideal when you're working on the go or creating content for social media.

This means you can no longer buy an Adobe application outright, but instead need to get an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. It also implies you no longer need to download and install any of these software tools on your Mac or PC, all you need to do is log in to your Creative Cloud account and use them on the cloud.

Adobe Creative Cloud Pricing: A Subscription-Based Service

All of these Adobe apps that were once available for purchase-and-install are now on the Adobe Creative Cloud and locked behind a paid subscription threshold. The pricing then refers to the cost of a subscription that gives you access to the platform.

Due to how many applications there are and the variety of tasks they perform in the creative spectrum, Adobe has designed different plans with access to different apps and comes with a set cloud storage space.

How Much Does Adobe Creative Cloud Cost?

As we said, the cost of a membership is tied to what it includes, and also to how long you’re hiring it for. Pretty much all the Adobe CC plans come with three buying options:

Month-to-month

Annually billed monthly

Annually billed yearly

You tend to get a better price the longer your upfront commitment is.

Adobe Stock: A Valuable Add On

Before we dive into the different memberships and the apps they cover, let’s talk about Adobe Stock. This is a stock photo service offered by Adobe, that is fully integrated into Creative Cloud.

It has millions of stock photos, vector graphics, video clips, soundtracks, even 3D models, and more. All content is available directly from your Creative Cloud applications, you can launch it from the media library tab on the apps’ interfaces. What’s even better, you can browse, search, test edit, and license files from Adobe Stock to use in your projects without ever leaving your virtual workspace.

What’s to be noted is that Adobe Stock is integrated, but not included in Creative Cloud memberships. What does this mean? That you can add an Adobe Stock subscription to any plan you have for Creative Cloud, at an additional cost.

Adobe Stock plans start at $29,99 per month, you can go here for all details on how much Adobe Stock costs. And you can also check our complete Adobe Stock review for more info.

The best thing last, you can try Adobe Stock for free with the great Adobe Stock Free Trial and download up to 10 free images for 30 days!

What About Other Stock Media Resources?

Adobe Stock is by far the best match for Creative Cloud, but not by any means the only stock media provider compatible. As a matter of fact, most of the top stock photo sites sell images –and other media– in formats compatible with Adobe's software tools, and some even have their own plugins and integrations, such as the Shutterstock Adobe Plugin, for example, to make workflow easier.

If you wish to know the best stock photo sites to use with Creative Cloud, check out our list of 6 brilliant Adobe Stock alternatives!

Adobe Creative Cloud Pricing Breakdown

Now let’s get down to business! Next, we detail the costs of all Creative Cloud memberships and what they include. Keep in mind these plans and prices are intended for individual users.

Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan

By far the most complete option is the “All Apps” plan, which gives you access to all the Creative Cloud tools at once, plus 100GB of cloud storage. This membership also comes with Adobe Portfolio, a great platform to arrange and showcase your creative work online, as well as Adobe Spark.

Due to how much it’s included, pricing for this subscription is the highest –yet very affordable. These are the prices for all apps plans:

An All Apps plan is super convenient if you're a professional graphic designer or jack-of-all-trades creative who dabbles on all content types (photography, illustration, video, etc.).



What's cool is that right now Adobe is running a limited-time Creative Cloud Free Trial that lets you try the All Apps plan for free for 7 days!

More good news! If you're in the US, Canada or Mexico, for this week only you can get your Individual All Apps plan with 25% off! Get the discount below!

Photography Plan

Another very popular choice is the membership for photography-focused tools only. It comes with Photoshop CC, Lightroom Plan, and Lightroom Classic (the latter is desktop-based), and you can choose between 20GB or 1TB of storage, which will impact the final price. Here are the prices:

This plan is ideal to combine with an Adobe Stock subscription and perfect for photographers, image editors, and for individuals who just need to create powerful visuals using photos.



If you are in this group, you may also want to check our ultimate guide to using stock photos!

Individual Apps

It’s also possible to subscribe to one (or several) individual app(s) according to your needs. The main apps we listed above are all available for individual subscriptions. They all come with 100GB of storage, and prices range between $4.99 and $20.99 –this corresponds to the monthly billed annual membership– depending on the specific tool.



This is useful if you only have one particular task in mind. It's also great to add a specific app that is not included in your plan. For example, if you have the Photography Plan you might want to add Illustrator CC as an individual subscription, so you're able to edit EPS vector files (like illustrations) as well as photographs.

Is this you? Then have a look at our list of the best sites to buy stock illustrations!

Adobe Creative Cloud for Business

If you run a company or work as part of a creative team in a company, the individual plans might obstacle collaboration and slow down your workflow. But don’t despair, because Adobe has Creative Cloud Business plans available for this specifical case. Here is what they offer:

As you see, you can opt between an All Apps plan or Single App subscriptions. These are all billed monthly, and they come with multi-user access (with discounts for more than 10 users), collaboration functionality, and 1TB of storage. Additional perks include admin control, license reassignment, 24/7 support, one-on-one sessions with design experts, and more.

It goes without saying this is a perfect solution for corporations and businesses of all kinds that have a significant number of people in their creative department.



Heads up! If you are based in the US, Canada, or Mexico, this week you get the chance to get your Teams plan (All Apps or Single App) with a cool 25% discount! It's only valid until July 17th, 2020, so don't miss it!

If you work with a team, you might be interested in learning about multi-user stock photo subscriptions, check the list of recommended offers, you'll see Adobe Stock is there!

Adobe Creative Cloud for Education

In the same fashion, there is a special offer for those using Creative Cloud tools for educational purposes, such as students and teachers. For them, Adobe provides annual access to the All Apps plan, for only $19.99 for the first year and $29.99 the second year. This effectively saves 60% from the regular price for this membership, so it’s a generous offer for those learning and teaching creative skills!

Finally, there are also tailored solutions for educational entities like schools and universities.

These plans are ideal for design students and teachers that want access to powerful, professional tools for their learning process.



If you're interested in this option, then you might also appreciate our stock photos guideline for students and universities!

Is Adobe Creative Cloud Worth Paying For?

Like any other service, its usefulness and convenience depend on your personal needs (or the needs of your business). But in general lines, it’s undeniable that it is a top-notch platform for designers and creatives, and its pros fairly outweigh the cons.

Quickly rounding up, Adobe Creative Cloud offers:

Professional-grade, powerful design tools

Cloud-based service that requires no installation

Complete design assisting apps that centralize your workflow

Mobile-friendly tools that work great on an iPad or tablet as well as on Smartphones and of course on desktop or laptop computers

As an extra note, we need to mention Adobe.com is worldwide known for their unparalleled tech development, they are constantly upgrading Creative Cloud apps with new features and improved functionality, and they are a household name in the design universe.

If any of these sounds appealing to you, then finding a membership that fits your budget is going to be worthwhile. Adobe Creative Cloud can easily pay itself many times over when you work creatively!

Design Happily with Creative Cloud and Adobe Stock!

Knowing all your options to hire an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, you’ll be a fool not to grab the best-fitting plan for your project and budget and crack on some awesome designs!

While you’re at it, why not give Adobe Stock a try? Remember you can get up to 10 free images in your first month with the Adobe Stock Free Trial, so it’s a chance not to miss!

Happy designing!