If you ever have to deal with any Adobe products, you know they don’t come cheap, and Photoshop is not different. However, the company says they have their reasons.
Photoshop costs so much because the interchangeability of its file (.psd) with its other Adobe Programs and its status as the industry standard. This allows Adobe to charge more because users hardly have any alternative to this neatly tied system, and despite being expensive, people choose Photoshop over any other software.
However, that’s not all. So let’s dive deep into knowing more about this question, know why this single program has a monopoly (more or less) over the entire design world and how it maintains its status quo in terms of subscription charges.
Users Have No Alternative
If you look at one of its major competitors, Affinity Photo, it comes with more or less the same features (some even better) and is still priced very low for a one-time payment. In addition, there is no monthly or yearly fee, and the software is getting better gradually.
Its user interface is less complicated than Adobe and is easier to learn. So, affinity photo is more than enough for someone looking to get basic 2D editing of their photos.
However, Photoshop is a whole package in itself, offering not only 2D editing but also 3D editing and videos. You can even create some basic animations in Photoshop, which no other program (meant for photo editing) can do.
So, for people doing regular heavy work of graphic designing and photo editing, there is hardly any alternative to Photoshop, and Adobe will charge whatever they can.
Photoshop is an advanced program
Whether we admit it or not, Photoshop offers a lot more functions than any other software is providing on one platform.
Adobe Suite is so well knitted that users hardly feel any need to go out of this system.
You can easily open Photoshop files in other Adobe programs like Indesign, Illustrator, and even After Effects. The switch between one program to another is convenient, especially when working in teams.
In Adobe’s defense, it takes a lot of effort, time, and money to keep this system updated.
The development costs are very high. The software didn’t appear by some magic trick!
People are making a whole lot of money with the help of these programs. You even get adobe fonts for free which can cost a lot if you buy them separately. So considering it, the cost of Photoshop is quite optimal.
Photoshop is industry standard
Photoshop has become industry standard for companies and other graphic designers.
Knowledge of photoshop is a must if you want to land a job that requires graphic and editing skills. You will not even be considered a graphic designer if you don’t know Photoshop.
It is a benchmark for designers and a common platform to be able to work internationally. For example, a freelancer working from India can still deliver his work efficiently to a company in America because Photoshop is the common platform.
This makes Photoshop a premium product that has to have some value to be able to maintain its premium position in its niche.
To put it simply, why would you pay a high college fee for studying in a premium college? Because it has more to offer. Why would they charge such a high fee?
Because they need to maintain their operational expenses, make a profit, and maintain their reputation of being premium.
Adobe is doing the same!
