Looking to download Photoshop? You've come to the right place. The photo and graphic design software is arguably the most famous image editing tool in the world – but there are a few different options for downloading it.
From Adobe's All Apps Plan (which, you guessed it, gives you access to every Creative Cloud app) to the simpler Photography Plan, there are a few ways to download Photoshop 2022. You can even try out the new in-browser Photoshop without downloading it at all. And if it's a free trial you're after, we're here to show you how to try before you buy.
If you're wondering whether Photoshop is the right tool for you, take a look at our Photoshop 2022 review for all the intel, or go straight to Adobe's page to download a free trial of Photoshop and see how you get on.
Right now, you can save 20% on Adobe's Creative Cloud All Apps plan (which, yep, includes Photoshop). But you'll have to act fast – this deal ends on 2 March.
Adobe Photoshop isn't the only image-editing software, in fact, there are loads of other options out there. If you don't think Photoshop is for you, then we have a handy guide on the best Photoshop alternatives. Or if you're debating whether to invest in Photoshop or Lightroom, then check out our piece on Photoshop vs Lightroom, where we compare two of Adobe's most popular photo-editing tools.
Can I download Photoshop for free?
This is a very popular question, and in short, yes, you can download Photoshop for free – but only for seven days. Photoshop is a paid-for editing program, but Adobe does offer a free week-long trial on its creative apps for both the Windows and macOS software.
So what does the free trial get you? Adobe cuts no corners with its free trial, and for a week you will have access to the entire software including all its latest features and updates. This means that you can get a grasp of the software, and get a true experience of what subscribing to the app would be like which should help you decide whether it's the right photo editor for you. You don't even have to submit your credit card deals to get a hold of the trial, so there's no chance of accidentally paying for a full year's subscription without meaning to (we've all done it).
We seriously do not recommend using any other platform to try and download the software for free. Not only is it illegal software piracy, but downloading it from an unreliable source may invite harmful malware or viruses onto your device. Thankfully, if you download directly from Adobe, you won't have to worry about any of that stuff!
How do I buy Photoshop CC?
To download a full version of Photoshop from the outset, you'll need a Creative Cloud membership. There are a number of different options: you can choose a Single App plan, which gives you just Photoshop CC alone, or a plan that includes more of Adobe’s creative apps.
Adobe's Photography Plan gives you access to Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic, which might be all you need if you're working with photography alone. Lightroom is a similar beast to Photoshop, offering a slightly pared down suite of photo-editing tools, but very likely all the ones you'll need. It also offers a lot of tools that are amazing for speeding up workflow, allowing you to easily import, manage and organise your files. If you're producing high volumes of images, it's a lifesaver.
Getting Photoshop with the All Apps plan
If you're looking to do more than photo editing, then you may well benefit from Adobe's All Apps plan. As the name suggests, this is a plan that gives you access to, well, the lot. Photoshop for photo-editing, Premiere for video-editing, Illustrator for digital art... we could go on.
Getting Adobe’s entire collection of creative desktop and mobile apps (although not the new Substance 3D apps), including Photoshop, and all of the same additional benefits as the Photoshop Plan, will usually cost you $52.99 / £49.94 / AU$76.99 per month.
Naturally, this is more expensive than any other plan, and is only really worth it if you're planning on using all of the apps. As an individual, this is unlikely, which is why Adobe offers a range of plans for businesses. Plus, teachers and students can save up to 65% by getting Photoshop CC as part of the All Apps plan.
It's also worth keeping an eye out for deals, as Adobe often runs limited-time offers that allow you to snag multi-program subscriptions for a fraction of the usual asking price, such as the one below for example:
If you miss out on this deal, then make sure you're keeping an eye on our Adobe Creative Cloud discounts page, as we keep it up to date with the latest offers.
What’s the price of Photoshop CC?
As you can see, there are plenty of different subscription options for Photoshop CC, meaning the price you pay will vary depending on what you select. The cheapest way to download Photoshop CC is as part of the Creative Cloud Photography plan, which usually costs $9.99 / £9.98 / AU$14.29 per month.
This gives you access to Photoshop CC, Photoshop for iPad, Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic, plus 20GB cloud storage, Portfolio (for creating portfolio websites), Adobe Fonts and Adobe Spark (where you can quickly create your own branded graphics, web pages and videos).
Another option is the Single App Photoshop plan. This costs $20.99 / £19.97 per month, and will give you just Photoshop, Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts and Adobe Spark. Why would you pay more for fewer programs? Well, the Single App Photoshop plan also comes with 100GB cloud storage, making it a good choice if you don't need the other apps but could do with a lot more cloud storage for your files.
If you like creating on the move, Adobe has put together a new bundle, which saves you 50 per cent on the price of its four design apps. Appropriately called the Design Mobile Bundle, it includes Photoshop and Illustrator for iPad, Fresco for iPad and iPhone, as well as Adobe Spark and the Creative Cloud app.
There's also the All Apps version that we've detailed in the section above. And finally, you can buy Photoshop through an All Apps + Adobe Stock option for $82.98 / £73 / AU$116.58 per month, which (as the name suggests) gives you access to Adobe Stock on top of the All Apps benefits.
Photoshop discounts for teachers and students
If you’re a student or teacher, you can buy Photoshop as part of a discounted All Apps plan with a whopping 65% discount. That will give you the entire collection of creative desktop and mobile apps, plus 100GB cloud storage, Adobe Portfolio and more – for just $19.99 / £16.24 / AU$21.99 per month for the first year, $29.99 / £25.28 / AU$43.99 thereafter.
The only non-subscription version of Photoshop you can buy is Photoshop Elements, which is an entry-level version of the image-editing software. It contains most of Photoshop’s pro features, but is more simple to use and has fewer options. You can download Photoshop Elements 2021 for PC or Mac for a one-off cost starting from $99.99 / £69.99 / AU$145.19.
How can I get started with Photoshop?
Once you've downloaded Photoshop or hopped onto the all-new web-based Photoshop, check out our collection of the best Photoshop tutorials to get started. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate-level or a pro, you'll find a huge range of new tips and tricks to help you work more quickly, efficiently and creatively in Photoshop. Meanwhile, you might also want to check out our round-up of the best free Photoshop brushes the internet has to offer.
Photoshop CC: Key info you need to know
Photoshop CC is Adobe’s flagship image-editing app. There's are some good reasons why it remains the industry-standard software for photo-editing all over the world. It’s slick, fast and it boasts a powerful, extensive tool set to bring your ideas to life.
For layered image editing – including typography, 3D modelling, and drawing – it remains the first choice for professional creatives all over. And with new AI-powered updates to streamline your workflow even further, it's increasingly freeing graphic designers, artists and photographers from the tyranny of tedious, repetitive processes so they can focus on the fun part of creating (see our Photoshop CC review to learn more)
As part of your CC subscription plan, you’ll receive all Photoshop updates for free. The latest version offers improvements to existing features like Content-Aware Fill, as well as performance enhancements. Photoshop is available for desktop, smartphone or iPad, and supports every file format available. A full version of Photoshop CC for iPad is also now with us.
Adobe Photoshop: Android and iOS apps
There are also free Photoshop Android and iOS spin-off apps that you can download for your mobile device. These give you access to key Photoshop tools on the move, enabling you to create, edit, annotate and share images wherever inspiration strikes.
If you have a Creative Cloud membership, you can send your images to Photoshop CC or Illustrator CC to fine-tune them on your desktop later. Alternatively, if you're not sure about committing to Photoshop CC, these stand-alone mobile apps offer a good way to test the water.
Photoshop alternatives
Finally, if you’re still not sure about being tied into a Creative Cloud subscription plan, there are lots of non-subscription-based Photoshop alternatives, such as Affinity Photo, that let you purchase a licence with a one-off fee instead.
Also read:
- Photoshop tips, tricks and fixes: Elevate your Photoshop use
- Essential Photoshop shortcuts you need to know
- Free Photoshop brushes: Load up on awesome brushes
