Are you ready for an abundance of “artificial intelligence” features smacked into every service and tool you use, all while being compelled to pay more? If not, tough luck—it’s on the way. The latest company jumping on this bandwagon is Adobe, which is set to raise prices for its most expensive Creative Cloud plans next month, citing the addition of generative AI tools as the justification for the hike.
The Creative Cloud All Apps plan is being rebranded as Creative Cloud Pro, a move that signals that only those willing to pay the highest fees are considered “professionals.” For current subscribers in the US, Canada, or Mexico, the transition to the Pro plan starts on June 17th. This change means an increase from $60 to $70 per month for users on annual contracts, and from an already steep $90 to $105 for month-to-month subscriptions.
While paying for a full year upfront could save a bit, you’re still looking at a hefty $780, which marks a $120 increase compared to the previous yearly price for access to all Adobe applications. Students and teachers will see some discounts, leveraging that old strategy of engaging them early. Existing users can opt to stay on the current plan, renamed to Creative Cloud Standard, for $55 per month on a yearly basis, or $82.49 for month-to-month, amounts that are slightly cheaper than before.
However, this new plan will not be available to newcomers starting in June, raising questions about the “Standard” label if it’s restricted to existing subscribers only. For those opting for the higher Pro prices, Adobe offers “full access” to premium online versions of popular software like Photoshop and Illustrator—though even at $55, users will still have limited access to the free web versions. Discussions on platforms like the After Effects subreddit suggest that some users may consider continuing to use Adobe products without payment.
Currently, Adobe also has several lower-tier plans that remain unchanged and there’s no indication that these new pricing structures will extend beyond North America anytime soon.