The creative software industry has declared war on Adobe

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Subscription model & pricing backlash

  • Many dislike Adobe’s “annual plan, paid monthly,” calling early‑termination fees a dark pattern and arguing it’s marketed like a flexible monthly subscription when it isn’t.
  • Others counter it’s just an annual contract with a discount for commitment, comparable to paying off a financed purchase.
  • Several posts list current Creative Cloud prices and note the cost climbs quickly if you need multiple apps or month‑to‑month flexibility.
  • Some miss perpetual licenses and want a JetBrains‑style model: buy a version you can keep, optional subscription for updates/AI/cloud.

Hobbyists vs professionals

  • Hobbyists often find Adobe too expensive for infrequent or casual use, especially for photo editing as a side hobby.
  • Some argue $10–20/month is trivial compared to gear costs and time saved by superior tools; others say subscription “coffee money” piles up across many products.
  • Professionals emphasize that $120–300/year is cheap relative to billable time and business needs.

Feature quality, lock‑in, and workflow

  • Strong praise for Lightroom’s masking, noise reduction, batching, and camera/lens support; many say competitors are clunkier or less powerful.
  • Large existing catalogs (tens of thousands of photos) and industry standards (Acrobat, InDesign, After Effects) keep many locked into Adobe.
  • Some report trying alternatives and returning to Adobe; others say competitors match or exceed Adobe for their specific cameras or workflows.

Alternatives and ecosystem shifts

  • Mentioned alternatives include Darktable, Capture One, DxO Photolab, ACDSee, Photopea, Pixelmator Pro, Affinity (now free via Canva), DaVinci Resolve’s new photo tools, RapidRaw, and various open‑source apps (Blender, Krita, Inkscape, etc.).
  • View that “pro” apps are becoming loss leaders (e.g., Resolve, Canva/Affinity), making it easier to leave Adobe, especially for new users.
  • Skepticism about relying on free tools long term; concern that “if you’re not paying, you’re the product.”

Education, piracy, and pipeline

  • Many say people start with pirated Adobe or discounted student licenses, then go legit once working professionally.
  • Others warn that if students migrate to non‑Adobe tools (as with DaVinci Resolve in film schools), Adobe’s dominance could erode over a generation.

Broader critiques

  • Frustration with bloat, aggressive cloud integration, ToS changes, and subscription‑everything culture.
  • Some point out Adobe revenue remains strong, suggesting professional demand still outweighs hobbyist backlash.