Adobe
Creative Cloud & Document Cloud
- Design & Creative
- Subscription
For · Marketing, design and communication teams within medium and large organizations
Company details
- Type
- Independent Software Vendor
- Company size
- Large
- Deployment
- Public Cloud
- Industry focus
- Media & Entertainment
Products
43Creative Cloud
- Aero
- After Effects
- Animate
- Audition
- Bridge
- Character Animator
- Dimension
- Dreamweaver
- Fresco
- Illustrator
- InCopy
- InDesign
- Lightroom
- Lightroom Classic
- Media Encoder
- Photoshop
- Photoshop Express
- Prelude
- Premiere Pro
- Premiere Rush
- Rush
- Substance 3D Designer
- Substance 3D Modeler
- Substance 3D Painter
- Substance 3D Sampler
- Substance 3D Stager
- XD
Document Cloud
- Acrobat
- Acrobat Reader
- Acrobat Sign
Experience Cloud
- Analytics
- Audience Manager
- Campaign
- Commerce
- Customer Journey Analytics
- Experience Manager
- Experience Platform
- Journey Optimizer
- Marketo Engage
- Real-Time CDP
- Target
- Workfront
Other
- Stock Credit Pack
Adobe is the market leader in creative software and document management. Most organizations use Adobe through a Creative Cloud subscription — a flexible yet expensive model that automatically renews annually. Adobe has implemented significant price increases in recent years, often without active communication to existing customers.
For enterprise organizations, named user licenses and shared device licenses are the two main contract types. The distinction is crucial: a named user license is linked to a person, whereas a shared device license is tied to a device. In practice, these are often mixed up, leading to compliance risks and unnecessary costs.
Purchasing Considerations
- Negotiate before the renewal date
Adobe usually sends an automatic renewal notice 30 days before the renewal date. This is the ideal moment to negotiate — afterwards you lose your leverage. Schedule the conversation at least 60 days in advance.
- Check named vs. shared device licenses
Many organisations pay for named user licenses while shared device licenses are more cost-effective and better suited to their situation. This distinction can save tens of thousands of euros annually.
- Watch out for the VIP vs. ETLA structure
Adobe offers two enterprise programmes: VIP (Value Incentive Plan) for smaller volumes and ETLA (Enterprise Term License Agreement) for larger organisations. ETLA provides better terms but is seldom proactively offered.
Compliance Risks
- Automatic renewal without usage check
Adobe contracts automatically renew by default. Without active monitoring, you pay for licenses for employees who have left or for tools no longer in use.
- Audit sensitivity on overages
Adobe increasingly conducts software audits with enterprise customers. Exceeding license counts leads to retroactive charges including fines. Maintain an up-to-date inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions about Adobe
Frequently asked questions about Adobe licenses and purchasing.
Can I cancel Adobe licenses mid-term?
Adobe annual subscriptions usually include a cancellation fee of 50% of the remaining contract value if ended prematurely. More flexible exit clauses can be negotiated via an ETLA.
What is the difference between VIP and ETLA at Adobe?
VIP (Value Incentive Plan) suits organisations with fewer than 1,000 licenses and offers volume discounts based on purchase history. ETLA (Enterprise Term License Agreement) is for larger organisations and provides a fixed annual price for an agreed volume, including additional services.
How can SoftVaro assist with Adobe purchasing?
SoftVaro negotiates with Adobe on your behalf regarding pricing, terms and contract structure. We know the market rates and exactly which discounts are achievable based on your volume and usage profile.
Relevant knowledge base articles
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