Let's look at Photoshop's history and see how it became a key part of the creative industry.
In 1987, brothers Thomas and John Knoll developed a program called "Display" to showcase grayscale images on a Macintosh. Recognizing its potential, they refined the software, which was later acquired by Adobe in 1988 and officially launched as Adobe Photoshop 1.0 in 1990.
The initial cost to purchase Photoshop was approximately $895 (estimates suggest that the development cost was around $200,000). Adobe acquired the software from the Knoll brothers for an estimated $300,000. Today, Photoshop is a cornerstone of Adobe’s Creative Cloud offering and generates $17 billion for Adobe annually.
1990: Photoshop 1.0 is released, offering basic image editing tools such as cropping, adjusting contrast, and working with grayscale images. It quickly became popular among designers and photographers looking for digital editing capabilities.
1994: Layers are introduced in Photoshop 3.0, allowing users to stack different elements in an image. This revolutionized digital design by enabling non-destructive editing and complex compositions.
1999: Photoshop 5.5 includes the Save for Web feature, optimizing images for online use. This was a game-changer for web designers and helped improve website performance and speed.
2003: The Adobe Creative Suite is introduced, bundling Photoshop with Illustrator, InDesign, and other tools. This move created a unified workflow for professionals and set the stage for the future of Adobe’s software ecosystem.
2008: Adobe Photoshop CS4 brings GPU acceleration, significantly improving performance. This allowed for faster processing times and smoother user experiences when working with large, high-resolution files.
2013: Photoshop CC launches as part of Adobe's cloud-based Creative Cloud subscription, moving away from the traditional one-time purchase model. This provided continuous updates and access to cloud storage, making it more accessible to a global user base.
2020: AI-powered features such as Neural Filters and Sky Replacement are introduced. These tools leverage machine learning to automate complex edits, making high-quality retouching and image manipulation easier than ever.
2023: Photoshop introduces Generative Fill, an AI tool that allows users to create and modify images with natural-language prompts. This feature significantly enhances creative possibilities by removing the need for extensive manual adjustments.
2025: Photoshop celebrates 35 years as the leading image editing tool for creatives worldwide, continuing to innovate and shape the digital art landscape.
Photoshop remains an essential tool across a variety of creative disciplines:
As Photoshop continues to evolve, so does the need for efficient collaboration. GoProof seamlessly integrates with Photoshop, allowing teams to proof, review, and approve creative work directly within Photoshop and other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. This eliminates back-and-forth emails, streamlining feedback and improving workflow efficiency for designers and clients alike.
Adobe Photoshop is available through an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. Prices start at around $20.99 per month for the standalone Photoshop plan, with additional bundle options available.
Photoshop is used for image editing, graphic design, digital painting, photography retouching, UI/UX design, and even animation. It is a versatile tool for creative professionals, freelancers and students.
No, Photoshop is not free to use. However, Adobe does offer a 7-day free trial for new users to explore its features before subscribing.
