I Hate Adobe - Aftermath

What the report says

Aftermath published an opinion essay by Chris Person on July 28, 2026, sharply criticizing Adobe and its Creative Cloud business model. Person argues that many creative workers remain dependent on Adobe tools for their jobs despite frustration with cost, performance and usability. The piece cites Adobe’s listed Creative Cloud Standard pricing at the time of writing as $659.88 annually when billed monthly, or $82.49 for a month-to-month plan, and notes that a higher-tier option is marketed with more generative AI credits.

The article frames Adobe’s influence as unusually strong across creative industries, naming applications such as Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom and After Effects as widely embedded in professional workflows. Person says that dependence makes it difficult for freelancers and media workers to leave even when they dislike the software. The essay also criticizes Adobe’s embrace of generative AI, presenting it as especially galling for artists who fear such tools may undermine their work.

Person points to alternatives, especially Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve, which he says replaced Premiere in his own workflow. The article highlights Resolve’s free version, a one-time $295 Studio license, and its integration of editing, audio, color and motion-graphics tools. It also gives historical context about Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Fairlight and Fusion, while noting that Photoshop is harder to replace and that Affinity is among the closer substitutes for parts of Adobe’s suite.

The piece matters as a snapshot of ongoing discontent among some creative professionals over subscription software, platform lock-in and generative AI in creative tools.