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Design · head to head

Adobe Creative Cloud vs Zeplin

Adobe Creative Cloud logo

Adobe Creative Cloud

Design

Creativity for all

From
$20.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeplin logo

Zeplin

Design

Design handoff and developer collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeplin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Zeplin covers Design specs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Creative Cloud and Zeplin differ
AttributeAdobe Creative CloudZeplin
Starting price$20.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Ios, Android, WebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded19822014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 Zeplin

  • Design specs
  • Asset export
  • Code snippets
  • Design tokens
  • Comments
  • Version control
  • Handoff workflow
  • Accessibility checks

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • Encryption
  • 2FA

What people use each for

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

Adobe Creative Cloud

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

Zeplin

  • Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot 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

Zeplin

  • The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
  • Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
  • Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
  • Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
  • Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Creative Cloud

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

Zeplin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 project
    • 1 workspace
    • Basic specs
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Multiple workspaces
    • Advanced specs
  • Professional$49/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Team collaboration
    • Admin controls

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 Zeplin if

  • You need design specs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want asset export.
Zeplin review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Creative Cloud or Zeplin better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Creative Cloud or Zeplin?
Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20.99/month for Adobe Creative Cloud and Free for Zeplin.
Does Adobe Creative Cloud or Zeplin run on more platforms?
Adobe Creative Cloud runs on Windows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Zeplin for free?
Yes. Zeplin 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 Zeplin is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Creative Cloud do that Zeplin cannot?
Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens. Both handle Slack, SOC2, Encryption, 2FA.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zeplin: How much does Zeplin Advanced cost?

Advanced costs $12 per seat per month when paid annually, with annual subscriptions offering 2 months off versus monthly rates.

Source
Zeplin: What's the difference between Free and Basic plans?

Free covers 1 project with 100 screens and 30-day version history. Basic offers 1-12 projects with practically unlimited screens per project and 1-year version history.

Source
Zeplin: Can I add unlimited team members?

Yes, Free and Basic plans allow unlimited team members. Advanced/Enterprise assign roles with Reviewers being free and unlimited.

Source
Zeplin: What can Reviewers do?

Reviewers can view designs and documentation and approve requests, but lack access to developer specs.

Source
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