Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop provides tools to create, edit, and design images and graphics, with workflows for precise selections and AI-powered features. It supports batch editing, RAW photos, layers, masking, cloud sync, and AI retouching, and can combine and blend multiple images and graphics. Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and Remove Tool use Firefly models; Harmonize matches lighting, shadows, colors, and other details when blending people or objects into backgrounds. Photoshop also offers a Topaz Labs partner model for image upscaling and UXP plugins, including Slack for Photoshop and Trello for Photoshop. The browser-based web application is included in Photoshop plans, while standalone mobile apps for iPhone and Android are free with premium features available by subscription. Photoshop can be purchased on its own or as part of a multi-app plan, with categories for Individuals, Students and teachers, and Business. A 7-day trial is listed.

Photoshop combines image editing, compositing, and generative tools with web and mobile access.

Photoshop suits people who need image creation and editing tools across desktop, web, and mobile, as well as students, teachers, and businesses considering plan options.

Adobe Photoshop is an image and graphics editor for photographers, designers, and anyone who needs close control over complex visual work. It is strongest when a project calls for layered edits, compositing, or AI-assisted changes; a simpler, narrowly focused photo editor may be a better fit for lighter needs.

Overview

Photoshop brings image editing, design, and compositing into one toolkit. Layers, masks, and precise selections let users work on specific parts of an image, while RAW support and batch editing suit photographic workflows involving camera files or multiple images. Cloud sync and access on desktop, web, and mobile make it practical when work moves between devices, though that breadth may be more than a casual editor needs.

Key features

Layer editing and masking preserve control over separate elements, which is valuable when building composites or making targeted retouches. Photoshop can combine, edit, and blend multiple images and graphics. Batch editing helps with repeated work across images, and RAW input extends the toolkit to camera originals.

Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and Remove Tool use Adobe Firefly models to add, extend, or remove image content. Harmonize adjusts lighting, shadows, colors, and other details when placing people or objects into backgrounds, helping composites sit together more naturally. Topaz Labs partner AI models provide an option for image upscaling.

The Plugin Marketplace offers UXP plugins, including Slack for Photoshop and Trello for Photoshop. Photoshop on the web is a browser-based application included with Photoshop plans. Standalone iPhone and Android apps are free, but premium mobile features require a subscription.

Pricing

Photoshop is a paid product with a seven-day trial and a free plan. The available plan lineup spans individual, education, and business categories, but each plan below has custom pricing.

• Photography: includes 1TB of cloud storage; a fit for photography-oriented workflows.
• Photoshop: includes 100GB of cloud storage and 25 monthly generative credits; a standalone choice for users focused on Photoshop.
• Creative Cloud Pro: includes 20+ apps, 4,000 monthly generative credits, and 100GB of cloud storage; better suited to users who need a wider app selection and a larger credit allowance.
• Creative Cloud Pro for students and teachers: includes 20+ apps and 100GB of cloud storage, for eligible education users seeking a multi-app plan.
• Photoshop for teams: includes 100GB of cloud storage, for teams needing Photoshop.
• Creative Cloud Pro for teams: includes 20+ apps and 100GB of cloud storage, for teams needing a broader app selection.

Photoshop can be purchased on its own or as part of a multi-app plan. The free standalone mobile apps provide a way to start on iPhone or Android, but their premium features are subscription-based.

Platforms

Photoshop supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its browser-based web application is included in Photoshop plans, and cloud sync supports work across devices. The free standalone iPhone and Android apps extend access to mobile, with premium features requiring a subscription.

Who it's for

Photographers and designers who need detailed selections, layered editing, masks, RAW input, and compositing have the clearest reason to choose Photoshop. Its generative tools and Harmonize add options for changing image content and integrating subjects into backgrounds. Users who need only a focused set of photo adjustments may find its broad toolkit and paid plans unnecessary.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Layers, masking, and precise selections support targeted edits and complex composites without treating an image as a single flat surface.
• Pro: RAW support, batch editing, and cloud sync cover camera-file work, repeated image tasks, and workflows across devices.
• Pro: Firefly-powered generative tools, Harmonize, and Topaz Labs upscaling models add several AI-assisted options within the editing workflow.
• Con: The product is paid, and mobile premium features also require a subscription, which may be hard to justify for occasional editing.
• Con: The plans vary in storage, app access, and monthly generative credits, so users should match the bundle to their actual workflow rather than assume every plan includes the same scope.

Alternatives

Adobe Lightroom is worth considering for a photography-centered workflow: it is freemium, offers a free plan and trial, and its Lightroom plan includes 1 TB of cloud storage and 250 monthly generative credits. Choose Photoshop instead when layered compositing, masking, and detailed image construction are central.

PhotoPad offers a free plan and runs across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, Windows, and as an extension. It may suit someone seeking a freemium alternative with broad platform coverage; Photoshop is the stronger match for the layered and generative workflows described above.

Capture One is a paid option with no free plan and a free trial. Its Pro Subscription includes desktop software, RAW conversion, tethering, and advanced desktop editing tools, making it a candidate for photographers prioritizing that desktop-focused set of capabilities.

ON1 Photo RAW is a paid alternative with a free trial and versions that support two or three computers. Consider it if that multi-computer licensing is a priority.

MikuMikuDance is a freemium alternative with a free plan and Android, iOS, and Windows support.

For panorama-specific work, Panoweaver has a paid plan with batch stitching, HDR stitching, tripod removal, and branding or custom URL features; DMD Panorama is a paid iOS and Android option at $9.99, paid once, with in-app purchases. Browse Panorama Stitching Software for more tools in that category.

Luminar Neo is another paid option for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android; its listed Desktop Only plan is $129 a month, billed as a one-time payment for perpetual use on two desktop devices.

See also our lists of Photo Editing Software and AI Photo Editors.

Verdict

Choose Photoshop if you need precise layered editing, compositing, RAW support, and a broad set of AI-assisted image tools across desktop, web, and mobile. Its main advantage is the combination of control and breadth; look elsewhere if your editing is occasional or narrowly focused and a paid subscription is difficult to justify.