Beyond frequent updates and native integrations with some AI tools that reduce busywork, Photoshop's easy access to thousands of third-party plugins is another reason why it still manages to maintain its spot as the industry standard.

Adobe Creative Cloud offers some of the best applications for creative jobs. The only drawback? You have to pay up to $70 a month—or about $840 per year—to access them. There are first-year promotions available, but even those add up to about $740 per year. That is a big commitment, especially considering the annual subscriptions come with hefty early termination fees.

ArtCraft, a free alternative to Adobe's creative suite built with AI-assisted coding, is making people question whether they should pay for creative apps anymore.