Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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For years, they built one of the most dominant software ecosystems ever. Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, basically the backbone of the entire creative industry. And then they flipped the switch to subscriptions. At first it looked like a win. Lower upfront cost, steady revenue, everything nice and predictable. But the way they structured it was kind of insane. Confusing plans, locked annual commitments disguised as monthly payments, and cancellation fees that made people feel trapped the second their free trial ended. That tension had been building for years. Complaints everywhere, people getting charged after cancelling, and customer support that barely worked. Eventually it caught the attention of regulators, and that’s what led to the lawsuit and settlement. At the same time, Adobe was trying to lock in its dominance by acquiring Figma for $20 billion. That deal collapsed after regulators stepped in, forcing Adobe to walk away and hand over a $1 billion breakup fee to its biggest competitor. Here’s where it gets weird. Adobe is still printing money. Revenue is up, profits are up, everything looks strong on paper. But the stock keeps dropping, now sitting at an eight year low. The real problem is what’s coming next. AI is changing how creative work gets done, and the same tools that made Adobe untouchable are starting to feel less important. Competitors are moving fast, workflows are getting simpler, and switching costs aren’t what they used to be. So now you’ve got a company making more money than ever, while investors are quietly betting against its future.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Adobe Loses 80%
0:43 - The Subscription
5:31 - Xero Sponsor
7:29 - $150 Million
12:20 - Stock Woes
Resources:
pastebin.com/zW39U25C
Disclosure: This video is sponsored by Xero. Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Special Xero offer: Get 90% off for 6 months using this link. Terms & Conditions apply.
referrals.xero.com/LogicallyAnswered_TheFakeVPN
For years, they built one of the most dominant software ecosystems ever. Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, basically the backbone of the entire creative industry. And then they flipped the switch to subscriptions. At first it looked like a win. Lower upfront cost, steady revenue, everything nice and predictable. But the way they structured it was kind of insane. Confusing plans, locked annual commitments disguised as monthly payments, and cancellation fees that made people feel trapped the second their free trial ended. That tension had been building for years. Complaints everywhere, people getting charged after cancelling, and customer support that barely worked. Eventually it caught the attention of regulators, and that’s what led to the lawsuit and settlement. At the same time, Adobe was trying to lock in its dominance by acquiring Figma for $20 billion. That deal collapsed after regulators stepped in, forcing Adobe to walk away and hand over a $1 billion breakup fee to its biggest competitor. Here’s where it gets weird. Adobe is still printing money. Revenue is up, profits are up, everything looks strong on paper. But the stock keeps dropping, now sitting at an eight year low. The real problem is what’s coming next. AI is changing how creative work gets done, and the same tools that made Adobe untouchable are starting to feel less important. Competitors are moving fast, workflows are getting simpler, and switching costs aren’t what they used to be. So now you’ve got a company making more money than ever, while investors are quietly betting against its future.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Adobe Loses 80%
0:43 - The Subscription
5:31 - Xero Sponsor
7:29 - $150 Million
12:20 - Stock Woes
Resources:
pastebin.com/zW39U25C
Disclosure: This video is sponsored by Xero. Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
