Adobe has announced the launch of its Photoshop app for mobile devices for the first time, offering both a complimentary version and a premium option at the lowest price ever of $7.99 per month. Originally launched in 1990, Adobe’s digital image editing software has become so well-known that it has turned into a verb synonymous with photo editing. Historically, it has always required a subscription, with the cheapest plan previously priced at $9.99 per month for Apple users.
Now, Adobe has introduced a free version for iPhone users, with plans to release an Android app shortly, as confirmed by Adobe executives to Reuters. Additionally, the premium subscription will be available for $7.99 per month, providing enhanced features, more cloud storage, and access to the web-based version of Photoshop for editing on larger screens. This initiative comes in response to mobile operating systems from Apple and Alphabet’s Google, which have incorporated many traditional Photoshop functions—such as color adjustments and object removal—into their free offerings. Despite this, Adobe’s software for creative professionals continues to account for over half of its revenue, even as the company projected lower-than-expected earnings for 2025 in December.
Deepa Subramaniam, Adobe’s vice president of product marketing for creative apps, stated that the company aims to attract younger users who predominantly use their smartphones as their main camera and editing tool, especially when they require more advanced capabilities than what standard phone operating systems provide. The free version of the Photoshop app will include features like the ability to divide images into layers, mask sections, and add text—tools that can be utilized for creating cover art for podcasts, music playlists, or YouTube videos. “We dedicated significant time and resources to testing with our target audience, which consists of the next generation of creators who do much of their work on their phones. The app is designed specifically for them as a means of expressing their creativity,” Subramaniam explained to Reuters.