Do you find yourself with an unused Adobe creative subscription still charging your credit card every month? Are you scrambling to halt a free trial before sneakily being billed at full price? You‘re not alone. Many creative professionals and aspiring designers sign up to access Adobe‘s industry-leading apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, or Acrobat then struggle to cancel subscriptions when they no longer need them.
This definitive guide will show you how to take control of your Adobe subscription with step-by-step instructions tailored to your specific plan. I‘ll outline the cancellation process for various account types using visual references, expert tips, real-user examples, and addressed FAQs.
Let‘s first understand the context of Adobe subscription pricing and billing practices so you can make informed decisions when managing your account.
Adobe Subscription Pricing and Account Types
Adobe shifted from a one-time payment model to cheaper but recurring monthly or annual subscription fees in 2013. This gives more users access to high-end creative software through flexible pricing. However, many feel held hostage to endless payments even when they no longer use Adobe‘s apps.
There are two major categories of Adobe subscription:
Creative Cloud
Creative Cloud bundles all Adobe design apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign plus more niche tools starting at $9.99/month. Widely used by creative professionals and businesses, it‘s Adobe‘s most comprehensive (and expensive) plan.
| Plan | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Cloud Individual | 20+ apps 100GB cloud storage |
$79.49/month |
| Creative Cloud Student & Teacher | Same as above | $39.99/month |
| Creative Cloud Teams | Additional collaboration tools | $79.99+/user/month |
Annual contracts receive a discount but are harder to cancel
Document Cloud
Document Cloud focuses specifically on working with PDF files and digital documents. This caters to general office workers rather than full-time designers.
| Plan | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobat Standard | PDF creator and editor | $14.99/month |
| Acrobat Pro | Advanced PDF features | $24.99/month |
| PDF Pack | Word to PDF, eSigning etc | $12.99/month |
Understanding the pricing structure for Adobe‘s range of subscription plans lets you know what‘s at stake when considering cancellation.
Why Users Cancel Adobe Subscriptions
Speaking to real Adobe users reveals the main reasons they look to cut ties with the service:
"I only needed it for a short-term college project. Keeping it going with monthly charges seemed like wasting money" – Mary, Acrobat subscriber
"As a hobbyist photographer, I tried Lightroom then realized I just don‘t use it enough to pay $10 every month. The odd time I need it, I can subscribe temporarily." – Frank, former Creative Cloud subscriber
"It made sense while I was a student regularly using Premiere Pro and After Effects. Once graduated, paying to keep unused software seemed pointless when my income dropped." – Ahmad, former Creative Cloud subscriber.
The reality is most average users simply do not need full access to Adobe‘s powerful apps year-round. Painlessly cancelling services when your needs, budget or situation changes is crucial.
Step-By-Step Guide to Cancel Adobe Subscription
Follow these expert steps tailored to your specific Adobe subscription type for smooth cancellation in minutes.
Access Your Adobe Account Portal
Cancelling requires signing into your account at account.adobe.com. Bookmark this page to easily manage subscriptions anytime.
Tip: If already logged into Creative Cloud desktop app, click top-left profile icon > Manage Plan
From here you can view active plans, payment status, upgrade/downgrade subscriptions or begin cancellation. Let‘s walk through cancellation for different scenarios:
Cancel Creative Cloud Subscription
For design, video and photography apps. Includes Photoshop, Premiere Pro etc.
-
Click "Manage Plan" beside your Creative Cloud subscription
-
Select "Cancel Plan"
-
Choose reason for cancelling
-
Review offers or select "No Thanks"
-
Confirm cancellation
You immediately lose subscription access but Adobe applications on your computer still function for 90 days. Media files remain retrievable from the cloud for 1 year post cancellation.
Tip: An annual plan paid monthly? Expect prorated 50% early termination fee after initial 14 days. Monthly subscriptions simply stop renewing.
Cancel Acrobat or Document Cloud
For working with PDF files, forms and e-signatures. Includes Acrobat Standard/Pro.
Follow above steps but choose your specific Document Cloud product to cancel
Tip: Download any desired PDF files or signatures before cancellation to access later.
Immediately Cancel Free Trial
Did you sign up to try Adobe apps but don‘t want to pay? Act fast!
- Click "Manage Plan" by the relevant Trial subscription
- Select "Cancel Plan"
- Confirm cancellation
This completely stops access by the trial end date. You‘ll receive an email reminder to renew or cancel beforehand.
Tip: Mark trial end date in calendar and cancel 1-2 days prior or be billed automatically.
Smooth Adobe Cancellation Checklist
- Download desired files for access post-cancellation
- Cancel a couple days before billing date
- If struggling, contact 24/7 chat support
- Take note of provided cancellation number
- Expect account downgrade/limited access only
I walk you through cancellation specifics for all major Adobe subscription types. But individual scenarios vary. If you need additional cancellation support, start a live chat session directly through your Adobe account portal.
Final Thoughts
Managing unwanted Adobe subscriptions causes much frustration. Yet quickly cancelling requires only a few simple steps armed with the information above.
Creative tools bring immense productivity when actively used. But retaining subscriptions "just in case" leads to bloated SaaS spending across individuals and enterprises according to leading technology research firm Gartner.
I hope these user-focused tips give you clarity and confidence to cancel Adobe services when no longer required. Remember to periodically evaluate all recurring software costs across your organization. Contact me with any other questions!
){kind=link}