Do I own photoshop once I pay enough monthly payments that reach the actual one-time payment price?

[oliviao48927584]

Here's my situation. I have been paying for Photoshop via a monthly ($10.99) subscription for 31 months now. $10.99 times 31 is $340. Isn't that more expensive than what photoshop actually costs? Am I allowed to get a refund for the difference? According to an Adobe Help representative I spoke to today, a one-time payment for photoshop is around 100$ for a full license for one device. I payed well over $100 by now. Either the representative was wrong, or I am being scammed. 

[Theresa J]

Sounds like you got some bad information. You can not purchase Photoshop. You can purchase Photoshop Elements for probably less than $100. It's a good application but not the same as Photoshop.

Your subscription is paying for a service that includes the Photoshop application. You are not making a payment for the application.

[Conrad_C]

I wonder if Theresa J is on to something. Maybe the Adobe rep was talking about Photoshop Elements, because $99.99 is exactly the list price of a full license, not subscription, for Photoshop Elements (not Photoshop).

(If you end up wanting to buy Photoshop Elements, a tip: It’s often on sale if you look around, right now it’s $60 at some stores)

[TheDigitalDog]

I wonder if Theresa J is on to something. Maybe the Adobe rep was talking about Photoshop Elements, because $99.99 is exactly the list price of a full license, not subscription, for Photoshop Elements (not Photoshop).

By @Conrad_C

Indeed, that  is possible but I also think it is important that we recognize that the OP is paying for a Photoshop subscription as stated and that Elements isn't the same; greatly reduced functionality. Yes, the OP can get a license for Elements for $99 or less. No, it isn't the same as what the OP has been using for 31 months.

You get what you pay for. The OP needs to consider this too.

[Theresa J]

This is why users come here for help. It is confusing for someone brand new to the world of Adobe. You can sometimes buy Photoshop Elements at Costco. We know that isn't the same thing as Photoshop but lots of Costco shoppers don't. They just see what they think is a screaming hot Costco deal.

[TheDigitalDog]

There hasn't been a perpetual license for Photoshop in a very long time. It is subscription based; like your cell phone, cable or many other software products.

You've never, ever owned Photoshop, even from day one. You purchased a license to use it. Then when upgrades or major new versions came about, you paid for that (example, Photoshop 2.5 to Photoshop 3 etc).

You subscribe monthly until you decide you never want to use it again. Just as you subscribe to HBO until you don't want to view HBO any more.

[iPaul777]

There is a huge difference between the pricing model of today and that of Adobe's past.  You used to buy a license for a particular version of Photoshop and you got unlimited use of that version on one computer.  Paying for new versions isn't the same as paying a monthly fee.  I was content staying on the same version for years.  At least you had the choice on whether or not to upgrade.  I'm against subsription-based pricing models.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I also find Adobe’s switch to an exclusive Cloud license model unfortunate, but that's how it is at current. 

Well, now the people who previously left out several versions between upgrading should have no reason to post surprised complaints about changes that have happened several versions (and by extension years) ago. 

[Semaphoric]

Even back then Adobe could spring some "Gotchas". I bought one of the Creative Suite bundles, and, say, I wanted to upgrade Illustrator, but not Photoshop or InDesign. No soap; had to update the entire suite, at like twelve hundred dollars a pop. Then, Adobe said, "If you skip an update, too bad. You can only update from one version back". There was so much backlash they dropped that policy pretty quick.

[Conrad_C]

I prefer perpetual licenses too, but for Photoshop and Lightroom the fact remains that they are much more accessible now. Photoshop used to be $599 retail and Lightroom started at $499 (later much less), so if we start around say 2010 and assume back then it might cost around $800 plus tax to buy perpetual licenses for both applications, today’s Creative Cloud Photography Plan pricing means it would take around seven years before the perpetual license would be cheaper. And during that seven years, the subscriber receives all upgrades and updates. (I used to skip upgrades too, but never 7 years of them.)

For those on tight budgets it is much easier to afford the $10/month Photography Plan than to handle a $500+ single expense. If their tight finances force them to take the common option of putting the large one-time expense on a credit card and they can’t afford to pay off the whole thing for a few months, then they get hit with the credit card interest rate on top of that.

Yes, the economics are much worse for the other Creative Cloud apps that have nothing like the Photography Plan and cost $23/month per app. For those who in the past would have paid $1000+ for Creative Suite, the perpetual license becomes cheaper than the $60/month of the Creative Cloud All Apps after only a couple of years.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Photoshop never cost $100 for a perpetual license. I think that Photoshop CS6 used to cost USD $699 USD back when you could purchase a single perpetucal license (Photoshop CS6 Extended was closer to $999). That all ended with the SaaS model (Software as a Service), you rent – for as long as you need the service, just like you rent electricity, gas, phone/internet etc., there is no perpetual model.

P.S. Forgot to mention, software is licensed, not owned, even for perpetual.

[D Fosse]

The subscription includes upgrading, so actually the static "rent"-model doesn't apply. Effectively, it's a new product every year.

If you could lease a car on those terms, it would be a pretty good deal.

[michellel69465098]

i cant remember how many years ive had to pay for.. well how many years has it been that you had to pay.. then thats the answer.. so i thought i would have gotten a free key or even Photoshop Illistrator.. too much money 

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

It's SaaS, Software as a Service.

You don't get free for life electricity, gas, water, music or video streaming or internet access after for a certain amount of time. You pay for the use, stop paying and you no longer receive the service.