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Design · head to head

Adobe Creative Cloud vs Helm

Adobe Creative Cloud logo

Adobe Creative Cloud

Design

Creativity for all

From
$20.99/month
Free plan
No
Visit Adobe Creative CloudFull review
H

Helm

Developer Tools

The package manager for Kubernetes

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit HelmFull review

The short version

  • Helm is a Kubernetes package manager, licensed Apache 2.
  • Helm is free; Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/mo.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Creative Cloud and Helm actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Creative Cloud and Helm differ
AttributeAdobe Creative CloudHelm
Starting price$20.99/monthFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionOpen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, WebWeb
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Helm.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects
  • Lightroom
  • XD
  • Creative Cloud Libraries

Only in Helm

Nothing recorded that Adobe Creative Cloud does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Graphic designnot Helm
  • Photo editingnot Helm
  • Video productionnot Helm
  • Web designnot Helm
  • Digital artnot Helm

Helm

  • Kubernetes package manager and deployment toolnot Adobe Creative Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • The vendor's own Plans and Pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 1 January 2022 listed, in US dollars per month: Photography (20GB) at $9.99, Photography (1TB) at $19.99, Creative Cloud All Apps at $52.99, Acrobat Pro at $14.99, and single apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and InDesign each at $20.99, all with a 30 day free trial and a separate Adobe Stock add-on

Helm

  • Contributors must sign commits under the Developer Certificate of Origin to have them accepted, per helm.sh, a process requirement not all Kubernetes tools impose

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Creative Cloud

$20.99/month
  • Photography$20.99/mo
    • Lightroom
    • Lightroom Classic
    • Photoshop
  • Single App$22.99/mo
    • One app of your choice
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • All Apps$59.99/mo
    • 20+ Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • Teams$89.99/mo
    • Everything in All Apps
    • 1TB cloud storage
    • Advanced admin console

Helm

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Helm review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Creative Cloud if

  • You need photoshop.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want illustrator.
Adobe Creative Cloud review

Choose Helm if

  • You want to start without paying.
Helm review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Creative Cloud or Helm better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Helm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Creative Cloud or Helm?
Helm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20.99/month for Adobe Creative Cloud and Free for Helm.
Does Adobe Creative Cloud or Helm run on more platforms?
Adobe Creative Cloud runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web. Helm runs on Web.
Can I use Helm for free?
Yes. Helm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month.
What is Adobe Creative Cloud best used for?
Adobe Creative Cloud is most often used for graphic design, photo editing, video production, web design. Of those, graphic design and photo editing are not what Helm is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Creative Cloud do that Helm cannot?
Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helm: How much does Helm cost?

Helm is free and open-source. It is a graduated project in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) with no commercial pricing model.

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