Related course: Effortless Editing with Lightroom
In this article, we show you how to buy Adobe Lightroom. We also give you the rundown of the current Lightroom versionsand your purchasing options.
Lightroom is a great piece of software for cataloging and editing your images. And you can check out our course Effortless Editing with Lightroom if you want to master it.
What Photo Editing Software Belongs to Adobe Creative Suite?
Adobe markets many photo editing programs. Or at least it seems that way. Most are options in Adobe’s Creative Cloud.
Let’s start with untangling the various photo editing products from Adobe.
Photoshop
In 1990, Adobe released Photoshop as a graphics editor. For over 15 years, this was Adobe’s main photo editing program. Because the software wasn’t initially designed for photographers, it can be confusing. Also, many of the tools aren’t useful for photography.
Nowadays, you can find Photoshop on practically every platform. In 2019, Adobe released a version of Photoshop for the iPad. This app is included in all plans with Photoshop.
Photoshop Elements 2022
Photoshop Elements 2022 is a basic version of Photoshop for desktop users. Adobe markets this program to beginning photographers who are learning post-processing. It is software used for quick edits. There is a lot of pre-programmed functionality and guided edits included in Elements.
For more information, see our article comparing Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.
Lightroom Classic
In 2007, Adobe released Lightroom with photographers in mind. In many ways, it’s a simpler version of Photoshop. It features the editing tools that photographers need. Adobe also redesigned the user interface to make common photographic adjustments easier.
One major addition to Adobe Lightroom was the cataloging options. Lightroom acts as a library for all your images.
Lightroom was also redesigned as a non-destructive editor. Non-destructive editing means you can always go back to the original image. This is a huge advantage to those who worry about editing over an original file, losing it forever.
For a detailed comparison of Lightroom and Photoshop, see our article “Lightroom vs Photoshop: Which Is Better for You?”
With the release of Lightroom CC in 2017, this version was re-branded as Lightroom Classic.
Lightroom (Formerly Lightroom CC)
Lightroom is Adobe’s cloud-based version of Lightroom. It was referred to before as Lightroom CC for “Creative Cloud.” This program is like Lightroom Classic. But there are differences in the interface and the tools available. In this article, we compare the programs.
Adobe supports Lightroom and Lightroom Classic as parallel, but different programs. Updates may apply features to one and not the other.
Confusingly, when you launch Lightroom, this program is called “Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.”
Lightroom Classic is often thought of as the desktop version. But Lightroom CC also works on your desktop. The main difference is the interface and that your images are stored in the cloud.
Lightroom Mobile
There’s a third option called Lightroom Mobile. Plus, there is Lightroom on the web. You log in to the online version. Both types of software come with your purchase of Lightroom.
The latter is a simplified, web-based photo editing program. The interface is like Lightroom but again has some differences.
All Adobe plans that include Lightroom come with at least some online storage. Lightroom web is useful for publishing and sharing online collections.
Lightroom Purchasing Options
To get Adobe Lightroom, you buy a monthly subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. Many subscription plans are popular with photographers. The plans vary in which Adobe programs you can use and the amount of cloud storage space.
All plans come with at least some cloud space. They also come with Adobe Portfolio, a webpage to showcase your images. And Adobe Creative Cloud apps can be active on up to two different computers.
Let’s talk about how buying Lightroom has changed… And why this has led to confusion and controversy. Then we’ll describe the subscription plans available from Adobe.
You can browse through all Adobe plans and their prices here.
Buy to Own vs Subscription
For many years, Adobe sold Lightroom with a perpetual license. You bought the program once and could use it forever.
In 2013, Adobe began phasing in its Creative Cloud subscription model. This created a lot of controversies. Many photographers wanted to buy the standalone program rather than pay a monthly fee to use it. The cost is higher with the subscription.
By 2016, Adobe stopped supporting the earlier, standalone versions of Lightroom. The last standalone version released was Lightroom 6.14. Older versions do not receive updates. So new camera and lens profiles are no longer updated.
Photographers are still using old versions of Lightroom. But you can no longer buy Adobe Lightroom as a standalone program that you can use permanently.
The Creative Cloud subscription fee was the first of its kind and was a controversial act. Many people felt angered by this huge increase in price. And there is still a lot of negativity surrounding this subscription model.
Creative Cloud Lightroom Plan
If you only want Lightroom, Adobe offers a simple Creative Cloud Lightroom Plan. You get Lightroom and 1 TB of creative cloud storage space.
As we mentioned earlier, Lightroom is sometimes referred to as “Photoshop Lightroom.” But Photoshop is a different program and is not included in this subscription plan.
The Lightroom plan is currently $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year.
Cloud storage space depends on the plan you choose. Adobe has set amounts of storage they believe are enough for each plan. You can upgrade from 20 GB to 1 TB. Or you can increaese storage to 3 TB, 10 TB, or 15 TB, starting at US$9.99 per month, per terabyte.
Adobe also offers a Photoshop-only plan that comes with 100 GB of cloud storage. This plan also comes with the Photoshop iPad app.
This plan is $31.49 per month or 20.99 per month if you get the annual plan ($251.88). Or You can prepay for $239.88 per year.
The Lightroom plan is the simplest. But it is not the best plan for most photographers. It limits you to using the cloud-based version of Lightroom, and you won’t be able to use Photoshop.
Even if you don’t use Photoshop now, it costs nothing more to add it to your plan. The best is the Photography plan that includes both Lightroom and Photoshop.
Creative Cloud Photography Plan (20 GB)
The best Lightroom plan is one of Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography Plan. The Photography Plan comes with Lightroom Classic, Lightroom, and Photoshop. This plan also comes with the Photoshop iPad app.
This basic plan comes with only 20 GB of storage. This allows approximately 4,000 JPEGs. This is fine for photographers who store their photos on hard drives rather than in the cloud.
The plan is currently $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year. It’s the same price as the Lightroom-only Plan.
Creative Cloud Photography Plan (1 TB)
This Photography Plan comes with Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC, and Photoshop. It also increases cloud storage to 1 TB. You have room for approximately 20,000 RAW images or 200,000 JPEGs. As of 2019, this plan also comes with the Photoshop iPad app.
This plan is the best for photographers who store a lot of photos in the cloud. This plan is currently $19.99 per month or $239.88 per year.
More cloud storage space is available. You can get 2 TB, 5 TB, or 10 TB of storage. Prices are US$9.99 per month, per terabyte.
It’s easy to amass 10 TB in images. That’s especially true if you are using one of the newer high megapixel cameras. To get the maximum 10 TB of storage, you paying $90.99 per month or $1198.80 for the year.
If you only want to backup your images, there are less expensive online storage options. But if you’re editing-on-the-go, this may be the plan for you.
Creative Cloud Premiere Rush Plan
Photographers who also edit videos will often add an Adobe Express subscription tha includes Premiere Rush. The latter is Adobe’s basic video editing program. For more advanced videos, use Premiere Pro.
The Premiere Rush plan includes 100 GB of cloud storage. More cloud storage space is available. You can get 2 TB, 5 TB, or 10 TB of storage. Prices are US$9.99 per month, per terabyte.
The Premier Rush plan is currently $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year. The Premier Pro plan is $31.49 per month or $20.99 if you get the annual plan ($251.88). Or you can prepay for $239.88 per year.
All Apps Plan
If you want access to all Adobe Creative Cloud apps, buy the All Apps Plan. You will get programs for editing video, audio, graphics, webpages, text, and photos.
This option is good for photographers who publish in many formats. And for photographers who also do graphic design work.
This plan includes 100 GB of cloud storage. More cloud storage space is available. You can get 2 TB, 5 TB, or 10 TB of storage. Prices are US$9.99 per month, per terabyte.
The plan is currently $82.49 per month or $54.99 per month if you get the annual plan (659.88). Or you can prepay for $599.88 per year.
Trials and Discounts
Adobe doesn’t offer much discounts for photography software. But for most products, the price is less if you prepay for the year or commit to a 12-month subscription. Paying per month is very expensive.
You can get a 7-day free trialfor the Lightroom plan, both Photography plans or the All Apps plan.
Students and teachers can get special pricing on the All Apps plan. You do need proof of your educational status and a school email account.
The student and teacher discount gives you access to Creative Cloud All Apps for $19.99 per month. Compare this to the regular $52.99 per month fee.
You may also be able to find a deal offered through one of the online retailers like B&H Photo or Amazon.
Photoshop Elements
Photoshop Elements 2022 is the only Adobe photo editing program that you can buy without a subscription. It is more like Photoshop than Lightroom. But if you want a photo editing program that you can buy once and use forever, this is it.
The program is currently $99.99 or $149.99 if you also buy the video editing program, Premiere Elements. There’s a student and teacher’s discount for $79.99.
Photoshop Elements is great if you are a beginner or only want to do quick edits on your images.
Conclusion
The best way to get Lightroom is by subscribing to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan. With this plan, you get both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom. You also get Photoshop in both the desktop and mobile versions. Or you can just go with Lightroom.
Get the 1 TB version if you want to have your photos in the cloud for sharing and editing. But there is the cheaper 20 GB option too. This is more than enough for most photographers.
If you have no interest in using Photoshop but want the extra storage, get a single app plan. You can add a program like Premiere Rush to your plan if you edit a lot of video footage.
You can no longer buy Adobe Lightroom as a standalone program and own it forever. To access Lightroom, you must subscribe to a plan. If you stop your plan, you lose access to the program and the images you have stored in the cloud.
Now it’s up to you to choose the option that fits your needs best! If you’re interested in trying a Lightroom alternative, check out our Capture one vs Lightroom article!
FAQs
Can you buy adobe lightroom permanently? ›
You can no longer buy Adobe Lightroom as a standalone program and own it forever. To access Lightroom, you must subscribe to a plan. If you stop your plan, you lose access to the program and the images you have stored in the cloud. Now it's up to you to choose the option that fits your needs best!
How much does a subscription to Lightroom cost? ›How much does Lightroom cost? You can purchase Lightroom with an annual plan starting at US$9.99/mo or US$119.88/yr. Get the Lightroom plan with 1TB of storage, or purchase a Creative Cloud Photography plan that includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop (20GB or 1TB).
How do I pay for my Lightroom subscription? ›Upgrade to a paid Lightroom subscription
Launch the Lightroom app on your Android device. Tap the icon in the upper-left corner of the screen and then tap Premium Features. Tap Upgrade Now. Follow the prompts to purchase a Lightroom subscription with premium features and more cloud storage.
As you'll see in our Adobe Lightroom review, those who take a lot of photos and need to edit them anywhere, Lightroom is well worth the $9.99 monthly subscription. And recent updates make it even more creative and usable.
Is it better to buy Lightroom or subscribe? ›The best way to buy Lightroom is to subscribe to the Creative Cloud Photography Plan (1TB) which offers great value for money and the latest features. If you don't take many photos, the 20GB plan may suit you better, but the 1TB plan is best for most photographers in 2022.
Can I buy Adobe for lifetime? ›The answer is no. Adobe doesn't sell lifetime licenses for its software. However, you can buy a monthly or annual subscription to Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud), which gives you access to the latest version of Photoshop as well as all of Adobe's other Creative Suite apps.
Can you just buy Lightroom? ›You can purchase Lightroom on its own or as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, with both plans starting at US$9.99/mo. Lightroom Classic is available as part of the Creative Cloud Photography plan, starting at US$9.99/mo.
How can I get Lightroom cheap? ›The best way to buy Lightroom is to subscribe to the Photography plan (20GB) for $9.99/month or the Photography plan (1TB) for $19.99/month. With these plans, you get Lightroom Classic and Photoshop for desktop and mobile, Lightroom CC, and 20GB or 1TB of cloud storage.
Does Lightroom have one time payment? ›Yes, you purchase Lightroom 6, and it's a one time only payment. NOTE: Some features that are available to people who purchase the subscription are not available to Lightroom 6 purchasers. There is no option for one time payment for Light Room. There is no option for one time payment for Light Room.
What happens if I stop paying for Lightroom? ›Adobe will continue to store your original images for one year after your membership lapses. During that time, you can continue to launch Lightroom to download your original files from our cloud services.
How much is Lightroom Classic a month? ›
Your best photos. Made even better. Get Lightroom Classic in the Creative Cloud Photography plan, starting at US$9.99/mo.
Why do I have to pay for Lightroom? ›Lightroom is available both as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, and as desktop software. The mobile app is free to install, but you have to subscribe to an Adobe Photography Plan to unlock its full set of features. There is no free version of the desktop versions.
Which is better Lightroom classic or CC? ›Lightroom CC is essentially a less robust version of the Lightroom Classic software. It doesn't include all of the features you'll find in Lightroom Classic and it's designed for easier navigation on a touchscreen. As a result, you have less specificity over adjustment than if you were using a mouse and keyboard.
What is better than Lightroom? ›Photoshop Express is a freely downloadable mobile editing app and a worthy recommendation for anyone looking for a Lightroom alternative for iPad, iPhone, Windows or Android devices. (It even works on Windows desktop computers and in web browsers too.)
What is the difference between Lightroom and Lightroom premium? ›Get access to premium features such as Premium Presets, Healing brush, selective adjustments, geometry tools, raw editing - among several others, when you purchase the Lightroom for mobile premium subscription.
Does it cost to cancel Lightroom? ›If you cancel within 14 days of the start of your paid subscription, you'll be fully refunded. Should you cancel after 14 days, you'll be charged a lump sum amount of 50% of your remaining contract obligation and your service will continue until the end of that month's billing period.
Can you pay for Adobe for the year? ›The annual plan requires a one-year commitment and is our best value. It comes with a 14-day money back guarantee. If you cancel after that, you'll be charged a 50% fee for the remaining months. The month-to-month plan gives you the flexibility to stop and restart your subscription without a cancellation fee.
Can I buy Adobe for a year? ›One Year Prepaid Creative Cloud Introductory Pricing
Eligible students 13 and older and teachers can purchase an annual membership to Adobe® Creative Cloud™ for a reduced price of US$239.88 for the first year.
Perpetual License
A perpetual software license basically allows the buyer to use a program indefinitely after a single payment. Adobe only offers perpetual licenses for some desktop applications and therefore these licenses are tied to a single device.
Yes, a free version of Lightroom is available on iOS and Android devices. Lightroom for mobile includes free Lightroom presets, all the capture, organisation and sharing features and most of the editing tools.
Can I use Lightroom without cloud storage? ›
Lightroom is not designed to work only locally. You would not have access to Adobe Sensei, for example, which is used to search for images based on content. If you don't want to store your images in the cloud, then Lightroom is not for you. You could indeed better switch to Lightroom Classic in that case.
Is Lightroom better than Photoshop? ›A head-to-head comparison.
On a high level, Lightroom is the best tool to manage and process the thousands of photos that live on your devices. Photoshop specializes in greater control to achieve more expansive edits that will help you make a few images look flawless.
Yes, a free version of Lightroom is available on iOS and Android devices. Lightroom for mobile includes free Lightroom presets, all the capture, organization, and sharing features, and most of the editing tools.
Is free trial version of Lightroom different than paid? ›The free trial is the official, full version of the app. It includes all the features and updates in the latest version of Lightroom. Your trial will automatically convert to a paid Creative Cloud membership after seven days, unless you cancel before then.
What is 1TB Lightroom plan? ›Adobe Lightroom CC plan (1TB) $9.99/£9.98 per month
The Adobe Lightroom plan costs the same as the regular Photography plan, but it comes with 1TB of cloud storage for your photos. Lightroom Classic and Photoshop are NOT included in this bundle however, so be aware of that.
Yes. Adobe has two plans for Lightroom Creative Cloud - annual paid monthly, and annual paid yearly. Both are part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, which includes Lightroom and Photoshop. The monthly plan is US $9.99/mo before tax, and the annual plan is US $119.88/yr before tax.
Do I lose my photos if I cancel Lightroom? ›"You can continue to access all your photos on your local hard drive through Lightroom for the desktop. You can continue to import and organize photos and output your edited photos through Export, Publish, Print, Web, or Slideshow.
Will I lose my photos if I uninstall Lightroom? ›If assets are not synced, photos and presets will get deleted when you delete the app.
What are the disadvantages of Lightroom? ›When it comes to disadvantages, Lightroom falls short for creating raster images or creating vector shapes. Other cons include: No advanced editing tools: Most of the editing functions you're used to seeing in Photoshop aren't included. If you need heavy image editing, Photoshop is a much better choice.
What is Premium Lightroom? ›Lightroom for mobile allows you to copy the edits that you have applied on a photo and paste it across multiple photos. You can also choose which edit settings you want to copy from a photo. For more information, see: Copy and paste edits | Lightroom for mobile (Android)
Why do people still use Lightroom Classic? ›
Lightroom is designed to assist you in organising and managing large quantities of digital images. You can import, organise, process & export a batch of files all at once. It's designed to work hand in hand with Photoshop. It's a really good programme, especially when you start working with RAW files.
Do photographers use Lightroom cc or Lightroom Classic? ›Lightroom Classic is the desktop-only Lightroom that most photographers use, whereas Lightroom is a cross platform editing solution that stores your original Raws in Adobe's cloud. Yet, these programs are quite different from one another.
What is the newest version of Lightroom? ›| Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC 4.4 running on macOS Big Sur | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Adobe Systems |
| Initial release | September 19, 2017 |
| Stable release | Lightroom 5.1 / December 13, 2021 |
| Operating system | Windows 10 version 1909 (x64) and later, macOS 10.15 Catalina and later, iOS 13.0 and later, Android 6.0 and later, tvOS |
Photoshop's range of brushes and powerful image manipulation tools make it popular with graphic designers and illustrators. But that doesn't mean it's not for photographers. Many photographers use Lightroom to make their initial edits and then Photoshop for retouching or to remove unwanted objects.
Should I Photoshop or Lightroom first? ›PRO TIP: If you are new to photo editing, it is recommended that you start with Lightroom. This program is less complicated and will help you to get a feel for how photo editing works. Photoshop is a more advanced program and can be overwhelming for beginners.
Which Adobe plan should I get? ›By far the most complete option is the “All Apps” plan, which gives you access to all the Creative Cloud tools at once, plus 100GB of cloud storage. This membership also comes with Adobe Portfolio, a great platform to arrange and showcase your creative work online, as well as Adobe Spark.
Can I use both Lightroom CC and classic? ›You should be using BOTH Lightroom CC and Lightroom CC Classic! When used together correctly, you can FINALLY sync and edit your photos ANYWHERE, including on your mobile devices!
Can I switch from Lightroom CC to Lightroom Classic? ›To migrate from Lightroom CC to Lightroom Classic, make sure both versions are installed on your computer. If you don't have both versions installed currently, head over to your Adobe account to download and install them.
Is it possible to permanently buy Photoshop? ›The answer is yes, you can buy Photoshop outright. Adobe offers three different versions of Photoshop for purchase: Photoshop CC, Photoshop CS6, and Photoshop Elements. Each version has its own price and features, so you'll need to decide which one is right for you.
What happens when Lightroom subscription ends? ›Adobe will continue to store your original images for one year after your membership lapses. During that time, you can continue to launch Lightroom to download your original files from our cloud services.
Is there a paid version of Lightroom? ›
Lightroom starts at $9.99/month through the Photography and Lightroom Plan in the Adobe Creative Cloud. It is also available in the entire Creative Cloud Suite for $52.99/month.
Can I just buy Photoshop without a plan? ›Can I buy Photoshop outright? No. Photoshop is available only through a Creative Cloud subscription that you pay for either monthly or annually. You can subscribe to Photoshop alone or choose a plan with multlple apps.
How much is a permanent Photoshop license? ›Photoshop is available as a perpetual license for $9.99/month or $99. 99/year. A perpetual license means that you will never have to pay for it again. . If you only use Photoshop occasionally, you can purchase a subscription that will give you access to the software for a set amount of time.
Can I just buy Photoshop outright? ›Adobe Photoshop is a program that allows you to create and edit images. You can buy it outright, or you can subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud and get Photoshop as part of your subscription. If you want to buy Photoshop outright, you can do so from Adobe's website or from a retailer such as Amazon.
Which is better Lightroom cc or Lightroom? ›Lightroom CC is essentially a less robust version of the Lightroom Classic software. It doesn't include all of the features you'll find in Lightroom Classic and it's designed for easier navigation on a touchscreen. As a result, you have less specificity over adjustment than if you were using a mouse and keyboard.
Can you buy Adobe without paying monthly? ›It's the industry standard for image editing and manipulation, and it has a reputation for being expensive. Adobe, the company that develops Photoshop, offers two ways to buy the software: a monthly subscription or a one-time purchase.
Do I have to pay Adobe every month? ›In most cases Adobe offers three different ways to pay. Monthly on-contract, monthly off-contract, or in advance for the year. The best deals are usually for an annual subscription paid monthly, but this does tie you into a contract and if you cancel you may have to pay 50% of the remaining contract.