Apple has officially introduced Creator Studio, a direct challenger to Adobe’s long lasting dominance in the photo editing software market. It bundles together Apple’s most powerful creative tools for photography, audio and video. If you are shopping around in the hope of finding an alternative to Adobe’s exorbitant subscription fees, the budget friendly yet high-performance Creative Studio may be the answer.
Packing together Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage, you get a complete photo and video editing suite with design features. For a family or a smaller team working already on MacBooks and iPads, the Creator Studio offers a cost-effective platform with comprehensive editing features, and lets you share the same subscription between six family members.
Key highlights for photographers:
- Pixelmator Pro on iPad: For the first time, this powerful Photoshop alternative is available on iPad. It features non-destructive layer editing, smart selections, and AI-powered removal tools.
- Enhanced Precision: The iPad version is optimised for Apple Pencil, supporting hover, squeeze, double-tap, and pressure-sensitive brushing.
- Pro File Support: Includes support for raster, vector, and over 750 RAW formats.
- Seamless Workflow: Switch effortlessly between Mac and iPad, with a customizable interface and a dedicated Photography layout
Available from 28 January the Creator Studio’s standard subscription is priced at $12.99/month, with a discounted option for students and educators at $2.99/month. As Apple is maintaining the buy it once philosophy, you can purchase any of the apps as a standalone too. This leaves Pixelmator Pro at $49.99. In comparison, Adobe’s Creative Cloud would set you back $59.99 / £66.49 per month, while Photoshop on its own is approximately $22.99 / £21.98 per month.
Whether choosing a monthly plan or opting for permanent ownership, the Creator Studio is a great alternative for those who feel “locked in” by Adobe’s pricing.
Related reading:
- Affinity’s free creative suite will make you ditch Photoshop for good
- Best Photoshop alternatives – no-subscription photo editing software
- Best photo editing apps for smartphones
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