Adobe Creative Cloud
The suite I trained on and used daily from when I graduated in design until roughly 2023. It was innovative and the industry standard; today most of what it charges a subscription for can be found in free tools or much cheaper ones.
I learned the whole suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Animate, Audition), though day to day what I used most was Illustrator and After Effects. From when I graduated in design until 2023 it was my working standard, and credit where it's due: for years it was the innovative suite that defined how design got made.
The problem is the present: in 2025, most of the software standards Adobe handles can be found in free or far cheaper tools (Affinity for photo, vector and layout, DaVinci Resolve for video, Figma for interface), without going through an expensive subscription you pay whether you use it or not.
The only things I consider worth it today: After Effects, which still has no substitute at its level for motion, and the 3D suite (Substance 3D Stager, Painter and company). For everything else, the value-for-money has moved elsewhere.
PROS
- After Effects still has no substitute at its level
- The Substance 3D suite (Stager, Painter…) is among the best in the catalog
- Formats and workflows that remain industry exchange standards
CONS
- Expensive subscription versus free or one-time-payment alternatives
- Most of its features already exist in cheaper tools
- Stopped driving the innovation that once defined it