(An Essential Guide Article)

Do you think Photoshop is too expensive? Would you prefer to pay once and have access for life? Can that even be done? In this article, we'll discuss that subject and show you how to utilize a version of Photoshop that cost a once payment.

Table Of Contents
►What is Photoshop?
►How Can I Buy Photoshop?
►What Makes Photoshop Valuable?
►Is There a Lifetime Price for Photoshop?
►The importance of Photoshop Elements
►What Are Some One-Cost Alternatives?
►Frequently Asked Questions

What is Photoshop?

Photoshop began as essentially a photographic program, but it has now expanded to become much more. Tools for graphic design, illustration, and other tasks have been added as the program has advanced. Such developments have led to its adoption in a number of creative industries.

The newest version of Photoshop is referred to as Photoshop CC. This version can only be purchased from the Adobe website as a subscription. By purchasing as a subscription, your software is constantly updated with the latest version, patches, and fixes.

Pros

Fast and powerful photo editing tools.
Brush support for ideal illustrations.
Many plugins and support resources are available.

Cons

The monthly cost can get expensive over time.
Could use better organization tools.
Not as easy to use if you’re a beginner.

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How Can I Buy Photoshop?

Use of Photoshop CC requires a monthly subscription. Under an annual contract, the program costs $20.99 a month and includes 100GB of cloud storage. A more expensive month-to-month contract or an annual payment option are also available. You may use Photoshop for a free week trial to determine whether it fulfills your needs before purchasing.

The Photography Plan is the cheaper choice for buying Photoshop. It’s priced at $9.99/monthly and comes with Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, and Lightroom Classic. It only comes with 20GB of cloud storage space, but you can upgrade it to a whopping 1TB for only $19.99/monthly.

The other plan to be aware of is the complete Creative Cloud. This plan gives you access to all Adobe apps (including Photoshop) and 100GB of cloud storage for $54.99/monthly. If you’re a student or teacher, you can get this plan at a discount of $19.99/monthly.

To see your options for purchasing the program, check out the table below:

	Photoshop CC	Photography Plan	Complete Creative Cloud	Student & Teacher Creative Cloud
Cloud Storage Space	100GB	20GB, 1TB (Upgraded)	100GB	100GB
Includes	Photoshop CC	Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic	Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, Illustrator CC, InDesign CC, and more.	Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, Illustrator CC, InDesign CC, and more.
Price (with annual contract)	20.99/monthly	$9.99/monthly, $19.99/monthly (Upgraded)	$54.99/monthly	$19.99/monthly
Discounted	Check here	Check here	Check here	Check here

What Makes Photoshop Valuable?

You might be curious about what you're getting for this monthly subscription with the high cost. Here is a list of all the benefits of purchasing a membership to Photoshop.

The latest version of Photoshop.
Patches, bug fixes, and upgrades.
Access to templates and plugins.
Adobe Sensei AI for smart features like facial expression changes.
Cloud storage space for all your project files.
Adobe Photoshop Express for working on mobile phones.
The iPad version of Photoshop with support for stylus pens.

Is Photoshop Available for a Lifetime Price?

Unfortunately, there is no lifetime payment option available for Photoshop CC. When Photoshop was available as Photoshop CS, this was once feasible, but that product line has since been discontinued. The application may only be purchased as a monthly or yearly subscription, just as Photoshop CC.

Thank goodness, there is a Photoshop substitute you can purchase that does provide the option of a lifetime pricing. Photoshop Elements is that program, and it should be able to handle the majority of Photoshop requirements. It has gained a similar level of popularity as Photoshop CC for being able to complete many of the same tasks with little effort.

Photoshop Elements was built for beginners. It has a far simpler interface, various theme presents, and straightforward tools for making precise edits fast. For being so easy to use, it has mostly been used to edit family photos.

To make the application more cost-friendly for non-photographers, the program only requires you to pay a one-time fee of $99.99. That price gives you lifetime access to Photoshop Elements with no hidden fees. You will have to pay to upgrade to future versions at a discounted rate. Keep that in mind if you’re planning on investing for the long haul.

Pros

Cheap one-time price.
Easy to use for beginners.
Has many of the same tools and features as Photoshop CC.

Cons

Requires payment for future upgrades.
Can’t handle CMYK color output.
Lacking in plugins.

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To see just how Photoshop Elements compares to Photoshop CC, check out the table below:

	Photoshop CC	Photoshop Elements
Color Output	RGB, CMYK	RGB
Camera RAW Filter	Yes	No
Plugins	Many	Few
Skill Set	Intermediate	Beginner
Price	$20.99/monthly	$99.99 once
Discounted Price	Check here	Check here

The Importance of Photoshop Elements

Photoshop Elements is worth buying for a lifetime price alternative but only for most photography projects. It can perform the same functions as Photoshop for removing red eyes, changing backgrounds, and creating animations. It’s also straightforward to use, making it the obvious choice for those who don’t want to spend much time learning Photoshop.

If you're seeking to produce professional-level work, Photoshop Elements might not be the best option. It's not the best option for construction operations because to the absence of CMYK color support and the uncertainty around the compatibility of particular plugins. If you update every year with each iteration, the cost of updates may start to increase.

If you’re a beginner, you will get the most benefit out of Photoshop Elements and its lifetime price. The abundance of templates and an intuitive interface and tools make it easy to recommend for that skill level. If you’re professional, however, you may get frustrated with its limitations that don’t allow for complex and smart-tech edits, such as changing facial expressions.

What Are Some One-Cost Alternatives?

If you want an alternative application that only requires a one-time payment, check out the table below:

Alternative Applications	Lifetime Cost	Pros	Cons
Affinity Photo	$54.99	Great for RAW photo editing. Can handle raster and vector graphics. Variety of customizable brushes.	Lacking in important management. Awkward interface. Missing some essential Photoshop tools.
Luminar	$79.00	Intricate AI features. Can be used as an Adobe plugin. Sync changes for multiple photos.	No mobile version. Requires a heavy-duty computer to handle it
GIMP	Free	Easy interface. Comparable Photoshop tools. Open-sourced.	Steep learning curve. No CMYK color mode.

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Frequently Asked Questions