Hidden at the end of an overview of all the new technology that arrived on Lightroom and Photoshop, Adobe quietly announced that its photography plan prices would be jumping up in 2025 for monthly subscribers. Earlier this week, Adobe shared a pricing plan update for 2025 that leaves annual plans untouched but increases the monthly cost of photography plans by as much as $5 in the US, and £5.01 in the UK. In addition, the most affordable plan that includes Lightroom and Photoshop will no longer be available for new subscribers after January 15.
The price of Adobe’s annual plan remains unchanged when paying in full, including the 20 GB photography plan, the 1TB photography plan, and the 1TB Lightroom only plan. The update is also for Adobe’s Photography plans only, not the company’s Creative Cloud all apps or single app plans. However, the cost for subscribers paying month-by-month will increase:
- 20 GB Photography Plan with both Lightroom and Photoshop is going from $9.99 to $14.99 (in the UK from £9.98 to £14.99) for existing subscribers but will be unavailable for new subscribers
- 1TB Lightroom-only plan is going from $9.99 to $11.99 (£9.98 to £11.99), but will now include Lightroom Classic
- The Photography 1TB plan with Lightroom and Photoshop remains unchanged at $19.99/£19.97 a month
The change will go into effect on January 15, 2025. Current subscribers, however, will have until the end of their current billing cycle before the price change goes into effect. For example, if you signed up for a subscription in December, you’ll continue paying the same rate until December 2025 when your annual paid monthly plan renews.
However, the 20GB Photography plan that includes both Photoshop and Lightroom will no longer be available for new subscribers, effectively removing the most affordable way to access Photoshop. Those who sign up after January 15 will only have the option to pay for the Lightroom-only plan or the 1TB Lightroom and Photoshop plan. "We will continue to support this plan for existing customers, however this plan will no longer be available to new customers," Adobe wrote in the blog post.
“For more than a decade, we’ve brought photographers hundreds of innovative features in Lightroom and Photoshop without changing the price of our photography plans. Today we’re announcing an update to these plans to better reflect the value that the apps deliver,” Adobe wrote in a blog post.
The change applies to the company’s photography plans, which bundles Lightroom and Photoshop together at a rate less than the Creative Cloud one app plan. With the pricing update, the monthly cost of the Lightroom and Photoshop bundles creep closer to the $22.99/£21.90 a month single-app Creative Cloud plan.
The move comes shortly after the Federal Trade Commission in the US filed a federal complaint over the software giant’s subscription plans. The complaint alleged that the company didn’t adequately explain that, despite paying on a month-by-month basis, canceling a subscription before the end of a full year would incur fees. Adobe has since updated its wording, calling the plans an “annual paid monthly” option.
Increasing the monthly subscription cost while leaving the annual prices the same could be a move to encourage the annual plan and avoid confusion over the cancellation fees (which still exist despite the FTC complaint). Increasing the monthly cost while leaving the annual cost the same now means that paying for a year in full is more cost effective, where previously the cost was roughly the same.
I’ve been a photography plan subscriber for years – and I’m none too pleased that my monthly costs will increase by $5, half the $10 I was paying. But what’s even more frustrating is that the announcement came quietly on a Sunday, hidden at the end of a blog post. I haven’t yet received any sort of notification as a subscriber, but Adobe notes that subscribers will receive a notice around 30 days before their contract renews.
How to avoid the new Lightroom and Photoshop price hike
Existing Lightroom and Photoshop subscribers can lock in the 2024 prices – but that requires switching to an annual plan. Here’s how.
- Login to account.adobe.com. Or, open your Creative Cloud app, click the blue icon in the upper right corner and click Account.
- Next to your photography plan, click Manage Plan.
- Under Your Plan, you should see “Subscribed since.” That’s the date you’ll need to switch to an annual plan by (just in 2025) to avoid the monthly price hike.
- Under available actions, use the dropdown to choose the annual prepaid plan instead.
If the price hike is the last straw, click on “cancel your plan” from the Manage Plan page – just note that if you’re paying monthly, there’s likely a fee if you haven’t reached the end of the yearly term yet.
New subscribers can get the 2024 rates by signing up prior to January 15, 2025.
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