# Adobe Photoshop review

Adobe's pixel-level image editor with AI generative tools, bundled with Lightroom from $19.99/month.

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified September 15, 2026.

> **Adobe Photoshop** is Adobe's raster image editor: it works pixel by pixel across layers, masks, and blend modes, making it the standard tool for photo compositing, retouching, and digital painting where Lightroom's catalog-based adjustments aren't enough.

Generative Fill and Generative Expand use Adobe Firefly and partner models (from Google, OpenAI, and others) to add, remove, or extend image content from a text prompt, while the Remove tool erases objects and Generative Upscale increases resolution. Photoshop runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, and in a limited form through the web browser, and shares Creative Cloud libraries, fonts, and Adobe Stock assets with Illustrator and Lightroom. A free, credit-card-free web version powered by Firefly offers basic generative editing without installing the desktop app.

## Facts

- Website: https://adobe.com/products/photoshop
- Pricing: Free tier · paid from $19.99/mo (verified undefined NaN, NaN)
- License: Freemium
- Platforms: web, windows, macos, ios
- Best for: photographers and designers who need pixel-level compositing, retouching, or AI-generated image edits beyond what non-destructive editors offer
- Standout feature: Generative Fill and Generative Expand, which use Firefly and partner AI models to add, remove, or extend image content directly from a text prompt inside the layer stack.
- Biggest weakness: Subscription-only with no perpetual license, a steep learning curve for anyone new to layers and masks, and heavy enough on CPU/GPU that Capterra reviewers report performance issues even on capable machines.
- Third-party ratings: Capterra 4.8/5 (2,466 reviews)
- Categories: [Photo Editing](https://findalternative.to/categories/photo-editing)

## Pricing snapshot

| Plan | Price | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photography (Photoshop + Lightroom) | $19.99/mo | Annual plan billed monthly; Photoshop and Lightroom on desktop, web, and mobile. |
| Photoshop (single app) | $22.99/mo | Annual plan billed monthly; desktop, web, and iPad access, 100GB storage, 25 monthly generative credits. |
| Creative Cloud Pro | $69.99/mo | Annual plan billed monthly (promotional $34.99/month for the first 3 months); Photoshop plus 20+ apps, 1TB storage, 4,000 monthly generative credits. |
| Photoshop for Teams | $37.99/mo | Per license, annual billed monthly; business admin tools included. |

## Pros and cons

- Pro: Layer-based, pixel-level editing that remains the industry benchmark for compositing and retouching.
- Pro: Generative Fill and Remove tool cut hours off object removal and background work.
- Pro: Deep Creative Cloud integration shares fonts, assets, and files with Illustrator and Lightroom.
- Pro: Free web-based Firefly editor lets anyone try generative editing without a subscription.
- Con: No perpetual license; access ends when the subscription lapses.
- Con: Steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with layers, masks, and blend modes.
- Con: Demanding on hardware; large multi-layer files can slow even high-end machines.
- Con: Cancelling an annual-billed-monthly plan within the first year can trigger an early termination fee.

## AI summary

- The Photography plan bundling Photoshop with Lightroom starts at $19.99/month billed annually; Photoshop alone is $22.99/month.
- Adobe Photoshop holds a 4.8/5 rating from 2,466 reviews on Capterra.
- Generative Fill and Generative Expand use Adobe Firefly plus partner models from Google and OpenAI.
- A free, no-credit-card web version of Photoshop powered by Firefly offers basic generative editing.
- Photoshop runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, and a limited web version; there is no full Android app.
- Best for: photographers and designers who need pixel-level compositing, retouching, or AI-generated image edits
- Pricing: From $19.99/month billed annually for the Photography plan (Photoshop + Lightroom); Photoshop alone is $22.99/month.
- Top alternatives: Affinity Photo, GIMP, Photopea, Pixelmator Pro, Luminar Neo
- Limitation: No perpetual license option; the app stops working when the subscription ends.
- Limitation: Steep learning curve for anyone unfamiliar with layers and masks.
- Limitation: Demanding on hardware, with performance issues reported even on capable machines.

## Alternatives

5 vetted alternatives to Adobe Photoshop: https://findalternative.to/adobe-photoshop — top picks: Affinity, GIMP, Photopea

## Comparisons

- https://findalternative.to/compare/adobe-photoshop-vs-affinity
- https://findalternative.to/compare/adobe-photoshop-vs-gimp
- https://findalternative.to/compare/adobe-photoshop-vs-photopea
- https://findalternative.to/compare/adobe-photoshop-vs-pixelmator-pro

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