This could change the life of some photo pros: Adobe now allows a rental/subscription-based acquisition method for its products (including Photoshop) which comes and widen the offer only allowing purchase as a possible option -up to now- It’s still right that the price is not a perfect bargain yet, but it opens new options and it’s worth looking into. You may like it.
You can now compare the single purchase, definitive but unable to evolve after the regular updates (about US$700) and a subscription or a rental scheme. There are several uses I think could be useful.
- Pay-as-you-go (for a pro photographer, this could be useful in front of the accountant; For the amateur, it could help “swallow” the high cost of the needed updgrade from an old Photoshop version): the yearly subscription is down to US$420, paid month after month (with a 1-year commitment, as in most mobile phone plans).
- Do not commit (for an hesitating photographer or willing to do a “long trial”, over the usual trial period offered by Adobe): the subscription is US$49 per month and can be stopped whenever you want without any question asked by Adobe.
- Pay when you need it (maybe for a traveling photographer who is often not using the tool): US$49 per month, but you need to decide when you need it or not. However, good planning could reduce the costs significantly.
This proposal is not available in all countries, but it presented on the American web site for Adobe: Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 family / Subscription editions.