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Design · head to head

Adobe Creative Cloud vs Keycloak

Adobe Creative Cloud logo

Adobe Creative Cloud

Design

Creativity for all

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

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit KeycloakFull review

The short version

  • Keycloak is an open-source IAM platform supporting OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.
  • Keycloak is free; Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/mo.
  • Where Keycloak falls short: requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain.
  • 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 Keycloak actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Creative Cloud and Keycloak differ
AttributeAdobe Creative CloudKeycloak
Starting price$20.99/monthFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionOpen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, WebSelf-hosted, Linux, Windows, API
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Keycloak.

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 Keycloak

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 Keycloak
  • Photo editingnot Keycloak
  • Video productionnot Keycloak
  • Web designnot Keycloak
  • Digital artnot Keycloak

Keycloak

  • Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot 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

Keycloak

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
  • Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
  • Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions

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

Keycloak

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Full platform functionality
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Community support

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 Keycloak if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Linux, Windows, API.
Keycloak review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Creative Cloud or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Creative Cloud or Keycloak?
Keycloak has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20.99/month for Adobe Creative Cloud and Free for Keycloak.
Does Adobe Creative Cloud or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Adobe Creative Cloud runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Windows, API.
Can I use Keycloak for free?
Yes. Keycloak 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 Keycloak is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Creative Cloud do that Keycloak cannot?
Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.

Source
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?

Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.

Source
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.

Source
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