Here’s an insider tip on how to save 5-6% on most Creative Cloud subscriptions… This includes the top “All Apps” membership, as well as almost all Single-App subscriptions – and it always works in most countries, with no coupon or promo code needed and no expiration date.

The trick is to choose the prepaid option rather than the pay-monthly option on an annual plan. It’s not advertised, but Adobe will give you an automatic 5-6% discount on subscriptions where the full year is paid in advance, and this lower price is offered in almost every region of the world (except Europe for some reason).

In the North American countries, for example, the paid-yearly discount you get is 5.7% less than the paid-monthly price, for the annual All Apps (best) plan. The annual cost then becomes US$599.88 – which is exactly the same price as when Creative Cloud first launched in 2012.

The only thing to keep in mind about prepaid 12-month memberships is that cancellations are not possible before the year is up, once the initial 14-day refund period has passed. By contrast, the alternative monthly-billed annual plans are cancellable, but with a termination fee.

Is the discount available for all Creative Cloud plans?

For Individuals (the most common type of membership), the discounted rate is offered for the All Apps plan and for most of the single-app plans except for Acrobat and Photography.

This savings is not available for the already deeply-discounted Student/Teacher education plans, nor for the more business-oriented Teams plans.

I’m already a subscriber. Can I still get the discount?

Yes, you may be able to. Whether you currently have an full year or month-to-month plan, you should be able to upgrade or change your plan online here, at any time:

Look for the “Annual plan, prepaid” option for the product(s) you want. If for some reason you are unable to complete the switch online, then you can contact Adobe Customer Support to make the change – via live online chat is usually fastest/easiest, and is typically available 24/7.

Adobe will cancel your paid-monthly Creative Cloud plan (and waive any fees), issue you a refund for the remaining days in the current month, and then sign you up for a prepaid annual plan to secure the lower CC price. You’ll see two transactions (one refund and one charge) on your credit card, and the updated plan starts right away, with no break in service.

In sum: the advantages of saving with the prepaid discount

While not everyone can afford to make the upfront payment, this trick can provide a savings rate that is better than most anything else you’ll find these days for the funds. And again, this discount doesn’t expire.

Another advantage with the prepaid option is that you don’t have to keep an eye on monthly payments and don’t need to check if your credit/debit card is under its max – and therefore, you don’t have to worry about your subscription being cancelled and being assigned a penalty for early termination.

As noted above, the only thing to keep in mind about prepaid memberships is that cancellations are not possible before the year is up, once the initial 14-day refund period has passed. By contrast, the alternative monthly-billed annual plans are cancellable, but with a termination fee.

However, if you can, using this hidden technique can save a bunch of dollars from Adobe’s pocket and put them back into yours.

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