Adobe Stock-Daily Limit of Free Downloads Message??

[RMSlisa]

I have the $599/yr subscription and have downloaded over a hundred free images since January. Suddenly today, in Adobe Stock, I tried to download an image and got a pop up that said "You've reached your daily limit of free downloads" AND offers for me to start a free trial when I have a paid subscription??? This was my first free image I was trying to get today and I have NEVER seen this since I started using Adobe Stock when I have downloaded a dozen in a day sometimes in the past. What's happening?

[Test Screen Name]

Just noting this seems to be the same problem as in Limit imposed on free assets? - Adobe Support Community - 13788098

[Jill_C]

The limit on free downloads is mentioned on this page, though it doesn't state what that limit is. It also doesn't state what time zone is used to implement that daily limit.
https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/faq.html

[absolut.lilith]

I am having the same issue. I downloaded two vectors yesterday, then got that same popup window. So I just tried again (a full 24-hours after my last download yesterday) and I'm still getting that message.

This is the first time I've run into this EVER, and some days I download a lot of little teeny vectors to edit and add shapes and textures to larger projects I'm working on. There have been days when I've downloaded over 15 images and never got that pop-up.

It would be nice if they would tell us our daily limit, or just tell us that our All Apps subscription no longer includes ANY free images/vectors/art of any kind.

[Abambo]

The free assets are not dependent on any subscription. It appears that there is currently a 3-assets/day limit. If you have an all-apps subscription, you could try out Adobe Express, which includes access to assets from Adobe stock with a limited use licence. https://stock.adobe.com/license-terms#limitedLicenses

[EasterlyArt]

It annoys me how this seems like it's trying to force users to use Adobe Express rather than encourage them. Speaking frankly, it's pretty disgusting, just as disgusting at how much Adobe is trying to push Ai generated images to replace humans in the workspace. Also, why 3? Why not 10, or 20? This silent and arbitrary change absolute will effect hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of users who regular rely on free adobe stock images. 

All the more reason why it's really messed up there was no major announcement on this, and Adobe should own up to this. 

[Liza5C0C]

Hello @RMSlisa, 

What you are seeing is within the expected behavior as of now. The free daily download limit has recently been decreased, which is why you are encountering a pop-up message that states, 'You've reached your daily limit of free downloads. The limit is now set at 3 per day for non-paying Adobe Stock users. Upon reviewing your account, it appears that you have a Creative Cloud app subscription that does not include Adobe Stock and this is the reason why you are seeing the pop-up. 

In any case, thank you for providing your feedback, and I will ensure that it is shared with our product team.

[Heather220145578qyo]

Hi,

I've also seen the daily limit message but it's been 24 hours since my last download and I'm still not able to download an image.  It give me the daily limit message. Can you help me understand why? Thanks for your assistance!

[Liza5C0C]

Hello @Heather220145578qyo, 

I've just checked your account and it has been approximately 19 minutes since the 24-hour mark as of 2:59 PM PST. Could you please try again and let us know if you are still seeing the limit message?

[Heather220145578qyo · Accepted solution]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! It worked this morning and I was able to download.

So are you saying the 24-hour period is not something that renews a the same time each day--but something that counts down from the actual time of your third download? 

[Liza5C0C]

Yes, thats mostly accurate, but the logic varies slightly. Therefore, the count will reset at varying times for the users, based on the timing of their downloads. 

[acme-scottp]

Why are the limits on free assets not well documented?
Your own FAQ section does not even say what the current daily limit is, and nowhere is it explained how the daily limit system works? I shouldn't need to spend 15 minutes digging through the forums for these answers. I wouldn't even be annoyed at the reduced limit had it been effectively communicated ahead of time, or at all. 

[Abambo]

Why are the limits on free assets not well documented?
Your own FAQ section does not even say what the current daily limit is, and nowhere is it explained how the daily limit system works?

By @acme-scottp

You are correct. It should be documented that there is a daily limit.

[MWright2024]

3 assets per day, down from 100. What's the reason for such a dramatic decrease?

[Test Screen Name]

I imagine was too attractive, and not enough were, after a spin with the free images, converting to a paid Stock subscription. It's unfortunate that quite a lot of people seem to have considered the free image collection a benefit that is part of the Creative Cloud subscription, and therefore see this as a reduction in their subscription benefits, though it never was one. I imagine that if this still doesn't generate a healthy number of paid Stock subscriptions, that the free collection will quietly vanish altogether. 

[acme-scottp]

This sudden uncommunicated change does not make me want to buy a subscription; it is having the opposite effect. As a business owner I need stability in my workflow and Adobe making these changes suddenly and with no communication makes me question what other products and services they may suddenly change in the future with no notice. 

[Jill_C]

 "Free" comes with no guarantee that it will remain "free".... 

[Abambo]

This sudden uncommunicated change does not make me want to buy a subscription; it is having the opposite effect. As a business owner I need stability in my workflow and Adobe making these changes suddenly and with no communication makes me question what other products and services they may suddenly change in the future with no notice. 

By @acme-scottp

If I had read you correctly, you would not have taken a subscription if the limit stayed at its current value. When you have a paid subscription, updates to your subscription happen only at the renewal, and they get communicated to you.

[acme-scottp]

No, I occasionally still buy credits to get assets I need that aren't in the free collection, but currently I have no need a full subscription.

I also don't understand the argument that converting to a 3/day limit will help drive subscriptions when there are so many other free stock sites out there that people who don't have any intention to pay Adobe for any subscriptions can go to.

As I'm already paying for other Adobe's services and the free stock collection kept me coming back to Adobe Stock, when I did need an assets that wasn't free I was happy to pay Adobe for it, as I felt that I was getting value from the free collection, just not frequently enough to need to pay a monthly fee. The change in the limit does not change my need for stock assests but the sudden associated costs with continuing to use Adobe Stock and how it was handeled does not make me want to run for my credit card. 

[Test Screen Name]

I'm not suggesting that the change actually WILL drive sales of Stock Contributions. I was speculating what might be Adobe's motives. The creation of the free collection was always something of an anomaly, and it is the only reason I've ever been able to think of why Corporate Adobe might have chosen to spend a few million dollars setting that up,. Also, I suspect that if this change doesn't do what Adobe want it to do, the free collection will vanish. They are, I'm sure, much more interested in the new "Creative Cloud Pro", which includes "unlimited" downloads for enterprises. That's a very interesting business model, since the photographer still has to be paid in each case.

[Abambo]

I also don't understand the argument that converting to a 3/day limit will help drive subscriptions when there are so many other free stock sites out there that people who don't have any intention to pay Adobe for any subscriptions can go to.

By @acme-scottp

So use them.

[acme-scottp]

Thanks, Mr. "Adobe Community Professional"
I don't know how I hadn't thought of that O.o

[Abambo]

You're welcome.

[EasterlyArt]

It really is messed up that Adobe made no announcement about this. 

Kind of makes me wonder if Adobe will push a buch of Ai generated tools to replace everything we know about the Adobe Creative Cloud so that no one can ever use these programs again unless we subscribe to an additional subscriptions to be creative on our own. Heaven forbid creative professionals want to make things from scratch or use license free assets from Adobe Stock.

This is the problem with Adobe at its core now and why platforms like Clip Studio are building more momentum. They're actually focused on the user and their needs, not what business management and tech bros want to make life easier. Adobe does a great job at marketing their "creative first" brand, but in practice, it's obviously not delivering like it used to... or did it ever?

The only big reason I still recommend Adobe Creative Cloud is when someone is a multi-diciplined professional. If they're just art/design, then there are plenty of other options. 

[Abambo]

It really is messed up that Adobe made no announcement about this.

By @EasterlyArt

Well, this situation is now for several years. It's not really a new situation. I suppose that they want to avoid people harvesting their free collection.

Still, if you are using the free collection, you are probably not a professional with a certain need of assets. And being able to licence 3 assets per day, that gets you 90 free assets a month. That's not bad.

For my work, that I do for non-profit organizations, I often use assets from the free collection. I never hit the limit. Above all: It's free.

I agree that there could be a different limit for Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers, but they can use Adobe Express, and they can obtain a licence for Adobe Express use from even inside the non-free collection.

The only big reason I still recommend Adobe Creative Cloud is when someone is a multi-diciplined professional. If they're just art/design, then there are plenty of other options. 

By @EasterlyArt

If you are a professional, you use Creative Cloud all apps. If you are a company, you use a Teams subscription. And if you are a big stock consumer, you use a Creative Cloud Pro or above subscription. The free collection is not intended for use by the professionals. Occasional users are well-off if the 3 assets/day restriction.