Systems10 of 12
Editing tools32 of 34
AI tools13 of 13
Workflow4 of 11
Price and licence1 of 30
photo editor · Adobe
Adobe Photoshop
Layer-based photo editor sold by subscription, with a desktop app, a web app and free iPad and mobile apps.
In short
- The Photoshop plan costs US$22.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, and covers desktop, web and mobile1.
- The Photography plan costs US$19.99 a month on the same terms, adds Lightroom and 1TB of cloud storage, and includes Photoshop on desktop3,4.
- The 7-day free trial asks for billing information at sign-up and charges nothing until it ends5.
- Photoshop on iPhone, iPad and Android is a free app; Adobe lists premium features for a subscription7.
- The Remove Tool, Generative Fill and Generative Upscale are listed AI features1,6.
Photoshop suits people who want layers, masks and AI retouching in one editor and are fine paying monthly1,6. The cheapest way to get the desktop app is the US$19.99 Photography plan, which also brings Lightroom3,4. The catch: the plans listed are subscriptions only, the trial asks for billing details, and the Photoshop plan includes 25 generative credits a month2,5.
Best for: People who edit with layers and masks and accept a subscription.
Where the points come from
Systems 10 of 12 points
Editing tools 32 of 34 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Camera raw editing | YesAdobe says that to open a RAW file you need image editing software such as Photoshop or Lightroom12. | 10 / 10 |
| Layers and masks | YesThe desktop app is described as offering layers, masks and the full set of creative tools1. | 8 / 8 |
| Non-destructive editing | YesClarity & Dehaze and Grain adjustment layers work nondestructively from the Layers panel6. | 6 / 6 |
| Local adjustments | YesThe Dodge tool lightens specific areas of an image without affecting colour6. | 5 / 5 |
| Opens and saves PSD | YesAdobe's PSD page calls PSD Photoshop's native format, stores layers, and says to Save As PSD and reopen it in Photoshop11. | 3 / 3 |
| HDR and panorama merge | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pages1,6. | 0 / 2 |
AI tools 13 of 13 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| AI subject and sky selection | YesThe AI page lists Select Subject and Remove Background; Adobe also says you can select complex subjects with greater precision1,8. | 5 / 5 |
| AI object removal | YesThe Remove Tool removes unwanted people and objects; the AI page marks only the Photoshop beta app as beta1,8. | 5 / 5 |
| AI noise reduction or upscaling | YesGenerative Upscale takes low-res images to print-ready, and Adobe names partner AI models from Topaz Labs1,6. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow 4 of 11 points
Price and licence 1 of 30 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pages1,3. | 0 / 3 |
| Free trial | NoThe 7-day trial asks you to enter billing information at sign-up, so payment details are needed to start5. | 0 / 2 |
| Free version | Not publishedPhotoshop on iPhone, iPad and Android is a free app with premium features behind a subscription; pages do not say whether export is free5,7. | 0 / 8 |
| No subscription needed | NoThe individual plans listed are annual plans billed monthly; no one-time licence is shown1,3. | 0 / 5 |
| Price per month | $19.99/moPhotography plan, which includes Photoshop on desktop: US$19.99 a month, annual plan billed monthly3,4. | 1 / 12 |
The rule behind each line: how we score photo editors.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photoshop1 person | US$22.99/month, annual plan billed monthly1 | $22.99 | Photoshop on desktop, web and mobile |
| Photography1 person | US$19.99/month, annual plan billed monthly3,4 | $19.99 | Photoshop on desktop and mobile, plus Lightroom and 1TB storage |
| Creative Cloud Pro1 person | US$69.99/month regular, US$34.99 for the first 3 months1 | $69.99 | Photoshop and 20+ other apps; the first-3-months price is for new subscribers |
All individual plans are annual plans billed monthly. Creative Cloud Pro costs US$34.99 a month for the first 3 months for new subscribers, then US$69.991. Student, teacher and team plans are not counted.
Strengths
- The desktop app offers layers, masks and the full set of creative tools1.
- Adjustment layers such as Clarity & Dehaze and Grain work non-destructively from the Layers panel6.
- Remove Tool, Generative Fill, Generative Expand and Generative Upscale are listed, none marked beta1,6,8.
- Photoshop runs on desktop, web, iPhone, iPad and Android, and the iPad and mobile apps are free to download5,7.
- The Dodge tool lightens parts of a photo, and presets can be applied to several images at once6.
Concerns on record
- In March 2026 Adobe agreed to pay US$75 million to the US Justice Department and give US$75 million in free services to settle a complaint filed in June 2024 over how an early termination fee and cancellation were presented; Adobe's statement says it denies wrongdoing9.
What Adobe says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Adobe says the Remove Tool gives faster, more seamless results with its improved model1.
Other photo editors
- 1
ON1 Photo RAWPhotographers who want raw development, layers and AI tools in one app76/100$7.50/moprice per month - 2
Luminar NeoPhotographers who want AI tools and a licence with no monthly fee for the editor71/100$12.02/moprice per month - 3
PhotopeaPeople who want a layered, Photoshop-style editor in a browser without paying66/100$4.66/moprice per month - 4
ACDSee Photo Studio UltimateWindows users who want an editor and a photo library in one app60/100$15/moprice per month
Sources
- Adobe Photoshop, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Compare Photoshop plans, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photography plan, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Lightroom plans, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photoshop free trial, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photoshop features, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photoshop on iPad and mobile, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photoshop AI features, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Adobe ends federal subscription lawsuit with $150 million settlement package, PYMNTS. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Photoshop system requirements, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- What are PSD files and how do you open them?, Adobe. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- What is a RAW file and how do you open it?, Adobe. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
Website: www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Adobe.