Adobe Lightroom: Perpetual to Subscription Transition: Difference between revisions
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'''{{Wplink|Adobe Lightroom|Adobe Photoshop Lightroom}}''' is | '''{{Wplink|Adobe Lightroom|Adobe Photoshop Lightroom}}''' is an image editing and management software developed by [[Adobe]]. As of January 2025, it is licensed for use either standalone or as part of [[Adobe Creative Cloud]], and is supported both on desktop (Windows, macOS) and mobile platforms (iOS, Android), as well as Apple TV (tvOS). Despite its simplicity compared to other image editing software, it remains a very popular choice among photographers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Condon |first=Mark |date=12 Dec 2024 |title=What Photo Editing Software Do Photographers Use in 2024? (Survey Results) |url=https://shotkit.com/photo-editing-software-survey/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Shotkit |ref=condon-article-1}}</ref> | ||
==Purchase and licensing== | ==Purchase and licensing== | ||
Lightroom underwent a significant licensing transformation by shifting from a perpetual-license model (up to Lightroom 6) to a subscription-based model (Lightroom 7 and on) under Adobe's Creative Cloud (CC) ecosystem, being either standalone or bundled with other software in the suite.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Hogarty |first=Tom |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=Introducing: Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic CC and More |url=https://theblog.adobe.com/introducing-lightroom-cc-lightroom-classic-cc-and-more/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209210136/https://theblog.adobe.com/introducing-lightroom-cc-lightroom-classic-cc-and-more/ |archive-date=9 Feb 2019 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Adobe Blog}}</ref> Before 2017, Lightroom was available as a standalone application purchased through a perpetual license.<ref name=":02" /> Users paid a one-time fee, granting them indefinite ownership of the software with access to updates and support for a specified period. In October 2017, Adobe officially announced that future versions of Lightroom would not sold under perpetual licenses, instead being integrated into its CC subscription service.<ref name=":02" /> This strategic move aligned Lightroom with Adobe's suite of applications, all accessible solely through ongoing subscriptions. The perpetual-license option was permanently removed,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Condon |first=Mark |date=29 Nov 2024 |title=What's the Best Way to Buy Lightroom in 2024? |url=https://shotkit.com/buy-lightroom/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Shotkit |ref=condon-article-2}}</ref> forcing users to switch to a subscription model to continue using the software and accessing new features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Spencer |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC Announced – Subscription Only |url=https://photographylife.com/news/lightroom-classic-and-lightroom-cc-announced-subscription-only |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Photographylife}}</ref> | Lightroom underwent a significant licensing transformation by shifting from a perpetual-license model (up to Lightroom 6) to a subscription-based model (Lightroom 7 and on) under Adobe's Creative Cloud (CC) ecosystem, being either standalone or bundled with other software in the suite.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Hogarty |first=Tom |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=Introducing: Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic CC and More |url=https://theblog.adobe.com/introducing-lightroom-cc-lightroom-classic-cc-and-more/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209210136/https://theblog.adobe.com/introducing-lightroom-cc-lightroom-classic-cc-and-more/ |archive-date=9 Feb 2019 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Adobe Blog}}</ref> Before 2017, Lightroom was available as a standalone application purchased through a perpetual license.<ref name=":02" /> Users paid a one-time fee, granting them indefinite ownership of the software with access to updates and support for a specified period. In October 2017, Adobe officially announced that future versions of Lightroom would not be sold under perpetual licenses, instead being integrated into its CC subscription service.<ref name=":02" /> This strategic move aligned Lightroom with Adobe's suite of applications, all accessible solely through ongoing subscriptions. The perpetual-license option was permanently removed,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Condon |first=Mark |date=29 Nov 2024 |title=What's the Best Way to Buy Lightroom in 2024? |url=https://shotkit.com/buy-lightroom/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Shotkit |ref=condon-article-2}}</ref> forcing users to switch to a subscription model to continue using the software and accessing new features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Spencer |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC Announced – Subscription Only |url=https://photographylife.com/news/lightroom-classic-and-lightroom-cc-announced-subscription-only |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Photographylife}}</ref> | ||
===Transition timeline=== | ===Transition timeline=== | ||
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*'''Data Access and Compatibility Issues''': Users could potentially lose access to their own work if they cancel their subscription, as the Lightroom/Photoshop combination creates master files that may become inaccessible without an active subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooke |first=Alex |date=18 Nov 2023 |title=Someone Please Save Us Photographers From All These Subscriptions |url=https://fstoppers.com/business/someone-please-save-us-photographers-all-these-subscriptions-649634 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Fstoppers}}</ref> Additionally, once images and edits reside in Adobe's cloud, switching to alternative software becomes "very difficult" due to incompatibilities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mansurov |first=Nasim |date=25 Apr 2020 |title=Adobe Creative Cloud Update Issues and Price Increases |url=https://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-issues |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=PhotographyLife}}</ref> | *'''Data Access and Compatibility Issues''': Users could potentially lose access to their own work if they cancel their subscription, as the Lightroom/Photoshop combination creates master files that may become inaccessible without an active subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooke |first=Alex |date=18 Nov 2023 |title=Someone Please Save Us Photographers From All These Subscriptions |url=https://fstoppers.com/business/someone-please-save-us-photographers-all-these-subscriptions-649634 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Fstoppers}}</ref> Additionally, once images and edits reside in Adobe's cloud, switching to alternative software becomes "very difficult" due to incompatibilities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mansurov |first=Nasim |date=25 Apr 2020 |title=Adobe Creative Cloud Update Issues and Price Increases |url=https://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-issues |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=PhotographyLife}}</ref> | ||
*'''Technical Issues''': Users have reported ongoing crashes and performance problems with the cloud-based versions, including buggy updates that have required public apologies from Adobe.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Mansurov |first=Nasim |date=25 Apr 2020 |title=Adobe Creative Cloud Update Issues and Price Increases |url=https://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-issues |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=PhotographyLife}}</ref> | *'''Technical Issues''': Users have reported ongoing crashes and performance problems with the cloud-based versions, including buggy updates that have required public apologies from Adobe.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Mansurov |first=Nasim |date=25 Apr 2020 |title=Adobe Creative Cloud Update Issues and Price Increases |url=https://photographylife.com/adobe-creative-cloud-issues |url-status=live |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=PhotographyLife}}</ref> | ||
*'''Privacy Issues:''' Working with the software on multiple devices is only feasible by using the cloud service, which potentially requires images of third parties (clients, models) to be shared with the company and their cloud storage provider(s) without end-to-end encryption. In a practical environment, a model/client will not be asked for their permission for this. If they are asked and object, the photographer's workflow is disrupted. For non | *'''Privacy Issues:''' Working with the software on multiple devices is only feasible by using the cloud service, which potentially requires images of third parties (clients, models) to be shared with the company and their cloud storage provider(s) without end-to-end encryption. In a practical environment, a model/client will not be asked for their permission for this. If they are asked and object, the photographer's workflow is disrupted. For non-U.S. citizens, Adobe cloud storage can mean that the U.S. government can theoretically illegitimately gain access to their personal data. | ||
===Market and industry implications=== | ===Market and industry implications=== | ||