--- title: Adobe Photoshop canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/adobe-photoshop/ category: Photo Editing Software points: 60 rank: 5 of 9 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # Adobe Photoshop Layer-based photo editor sold by subscription, with a desktop app, a web app and free iPad and mobile apps. 60 points out of 100. #5 of 9 photo editors. Vendor: Adobe. Website: https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html - The Photoshop plan costs US$22.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, and covers desktop, web and mobile [1]. - The Photography plan costs US$19.99 a month on the same terms, adds Lightroom and 1TB of cloud storage, and includes Photoshop on desktop [3][4]. - The 7-day free trial asks for billing information at sign-up and charges nothing until it ends [5]. - Photoshop on iPhone, iPad and Android is a free app; Adobe lists premium features for a subscription [7]. - The Remove Tool, Generative Fill and Generative Upscale are listed AI features [1][6]. Verdict: Photoshop suits people who want layers, masks and AI retouching in one editor and are fine paying monthly [1][6]. The cheapest way to get the desktop app is the US$19.99 Photography plan, which also brings Lightroom [3][4]. The catch: the plans listed are subscriptions only, the trial asks for billing details, and the Photoshop plan includes 25 generative credits a month [2][5]. Best for: People who edit with layers and masks and accept a subscription. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Systems | Windows, macOS, iPhone/iPad, Android, Web | 10/12 | Photoshop system requirements list Windows 10/11 and macOS; Adobe also lists web, iPhone, iPad and Android apps [5][7][10]. | | Editing tools | Camera raw editing | Yes | 10/10 | Adobe says that to open a RAW file you need image editing software such as Photoshop or Lightroom [12]. | | Editing tools | Layers and masks | Yes | 8/8 | The desktop app is described as offering layers, masks and the full set of creative tools [1]. | | Editing tools | Non-destructive editing | Yes | 6/6 | Clarity & Dehaze and Grain adjustment layers work nondestructively from the Layers panel [6]. | | Editing tools | Local adjustments | Yes | 5/5 | The Dodge tool lightens specific areas of an image without affecting colour [6]. | | Editing tools | Opens and saves PSD | Yes | 3/3 | Adobe's PSD page calls PSD Photoshop's native format, stores layers, and says to Save As PSD and reopen it in Photoshop [11]. | | Editing tools | HDR and panorama merge | Not published | 0/2 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][6]. | | AI tools | AI subject and sky selection | Yes | 5/5 | The AI page lists Select Subject and Remove Background; Adobe also says you can select complex subjects with greater precision [1][8]. | | AI tools | AI object removal | Yes | 5/5 | The Remove Tool removes unwanted people and objects; the AI page marks only the Photoshop beta app as beta [1][8]. | | AI tools | AI noise reduction or upscaling | Yes | 3/3 | Generative Upscale takes low-res images to print-ready, and Adobe names partner AI models from Topaz Labs [1][6]. | | Workflow | Built-in photo library | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][6]. | | Workflow | Batch editing and export | Yes | 4/4 | Adobe says you can apply presets to multiple images at once [6]. | | Workflow | Soft proofing | Not published | 0/2 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][6]. | | Price and licence | Open source | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][3]. | | Price and licence | Free trial | No | 0/2 | The 7-day trial asks you to enter billing information at sign-up, so payment details are needed to start [5]. | | Price and licence | Free version | Not published | 0/8 | Photoshop on iPhone, iPad and Android is a free app with premium features behind a subscription; pages do not say whether export is free [5][7]. | | Price and licence | No subscription needed | No | 0/5 | The individual plans listed are annual plans billed monthly; no one-time licence is shown [1][3]. | | Price and licence | Price per month | $19.99/mo | 1/12 | Photography plan, which includes Photoshop on desktop: US$19.99 a month, annual plan billed monthly [3][4]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Photoshop | US$22.99/month, annual plan billed monthly [1] | $22.99 | | Photography | US$19.99/month, annual plan billed monthly [3][4] | $19.99 | | Creative Cloud Pro | US$69.99/month regular, US$34.99 for the first 3 months [1] | $69.99 | 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$69.99 [1]. Student, teacher and team plans are not counted. ## Strengths - The desktop app offers layers, masks and the full set of creative tools [1]. - Adjustment layers such as Clarity & Dehaze and Grain work non-destructively from the Layers panel [6]. - Remove Tool, Generative Fill, Generative Expand and Generative Upscale are listed, none marked beta [1][6][8]. - Photoshop runs on desktop, web, iPhone, iPad and Android, and the iPad and mobile apps are free to download [5][7]. - The Dodge tool lightens parts of a photo, and presets can be applied to several images at once [6]. ## Limits - The plans listed are subscriptions; no one-time licence is offered [1][3]. - The free trial needs billing information to start [5]. - The Photoshop plan includes 25 generative credits a month, against 1,000 on Photography [2]. - Premium features in the free iPad and mobile apps need a subscription [7]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - Adobe says the Remove Tool gives faster, more seamless results with its improved model [1]. ## Concerns - 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 wrongdoing [9]. ## Sources 1. [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Compare Photoshop plans](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/compare-plans.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [Photography plan](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Lightroom plans](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom/plans.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [Photoshop free trial](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/free-trial-download.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Photoshop features](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/features.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Photoshop on iPad and mobile](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/ipad.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [Photoshop AI features](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/ai.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Adobe ends federal subscription lawsuit with $150 million settlement package](https://www.pymnts.com/legal/2026/adobe-ends-federal-subscription-lawsuit-with-150-million-settlement-package), PYMNTS, accessed 2026-10-08 10. [Photoshop system requirements](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/system-requirements.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 11. [What are PSD files and how do you open them?](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/raster/psd-file.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-08 12. [What is a RAW file and how do you open it?](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/raw.html), Adobe, accessed 2026-10-09