Photoshop's core editing tools — layers, masks, selection refinement — remain the gold standard nearly 35 years in, and Generative Fill has genuinely changed retouching workflows rather than being a gimmick bolted onto the toolbar. Extending a background for a cropped product shot that used to take twenty minutes of manual cloning now takes two.
We assessed Photoshop alongside the rest of our design & visuals reviews, including Figma, Canva and Midjourney, so the score below is relative to that field.
What keeps Photoshop essential for professional work isn't any single feature though — it's that literally everyone downstream, from print shops to ad platforms to fellow designers, expects and can open a PSD without conversion headaches.
The subscription model remains the sticking point for casual users: paying monthly for software you might open twice a week feels disproportionate compared to a one-time Affinity Photo purchase that covers 90% of the same raster editing needs.
We also noticed Generative Fill occasionally stalls or produces lower-quality results without a stable connection, which is a reminder that Photoshop's newest features quietly depend on Adobe's cloud infrastructure rather than running fully local. For agency and print-facing work, though, it remains the default for good reason.
| PLAN | PRICE | WHAT YOU GET |
|---|---|---|
| Photoshop Single App | $22.99 /mo | annual plan, paid monthly |
| Creative Cloud All Apps | $59.99 /mo | full Adobe suite |
| Photography Plan | $9.99 /mo | bundled with Lightroom |
Photo editors and compositors needing pixel-level control — and anyone who wants Photoshop to do the heavy lifting in this category.
you only need basic photo touch-ups occasionally — if that's a dealbreaker, see every design & visuals tool we've tested.
- Is Photoshop worth it in 2026?
- Still the reference point for raster image editing, and still the tool clients expect you to deliver files compatible with. We rate it 8.5/10, and it's the strongest pick for photo editors and compositors needing pixel-level control.
- How much does Photoshop cost?
- Photoshop lists Photoshop Single App at $22.99/mo, Creative Cloud All Apps at $59.99/mo, Photography Plan at $9.99/mo. List prices change often, so confirm with the vendor before you buy.
- What are the downsides of Photoshop?
- Subscription cost adds up for casual users Interface complexity intimidates newcomers Resource-heavy on large layered files Some AI features still require internet connection
- How did BestCreates review Photoshop?
- Editorially reviewed: Evaluated against our documented editorial framework — features, ease of use, pricing accuracy, support and integrations — using vendor documentation, pricing pages and published user evidence rather than hands-on testing. The score is relative to the other tools we cover in this category.
Editorially reviewed. Evaluated against our documented editorial framework — features, ease of use, pricing accuracy, support and integrations — using vendor documentation, pricing pages and published user evidence rather than hands-on testing. Read our review standards.
BestCreates is written and edited by Carlos Gil. Every tool is assessed against the same documented framework — the jobs creators hire it for, ease of use, pricing accuracy, support and integrations — and each review states in the open how it was assessed.
LAST CHECKED SEP 16, 2026
SIGNED BY CARLOS GIL · FOUNDER & EDITOR, THE BEST NETWORK · OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY