Adobe vs Planable
Adobe
- Platform: Creative, Marketing, Document Management
- Best For: Professional creative and marketing teams
- Strength: Industry-standard creative suite with AI integration
- Users: Not specified
Starting at $9.99/month
Planable
- Platform: Social Media (9+ channels)
- Best For: Agencies and teams needing collaboration
- Strength: Visual planning and approval workflows
- Users: Not specified
Starting at $33/month
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Platform Support
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Channels | ✗ No direct social publishing; focuses on content creation for export | ✓ Supports Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business, Threads |
| Creative Editing Tools | ✓ Full suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects | ✓ Built-in media editor for resizing, cropping images/videos |
| Document Management | ✓ Acrobat Pro for PDFs, e-signatures | ✗ Not supported |
| Marketing Analytics | ✓ Experience Cloud for customer journey and personalization | ✓ Add-on for cross-channel stats, post metrics (extra cost) |
Content Creation
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Powered Generation | ✓ Firefly AI for images, text effects in Photoshop/Illustrator | ✓ AI post composer for copy generation/rewriting |
| Professional Editing | ✓ Advanced tools in Photoshop, Premiere Pro for photos/videos | ✗ Basic editor only; no pro-grade features |
| Asset Libraries | ✓ Creative Cloud Libraries for shared assets | ✓ Campaigns for grouping briefs, assets, content |
| Multi-Channel Optimization | ✓ Experience Cloud for personalization across channels | ✓ Platform-specific previews in feed/calendar views |
Collaboration & Approvals
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Approval Workflows | ✓ Shared libraries, comments, review workflows in Creative Cloud | ✓ Configurable: None, Optional, Required, multi-level |
| Real-Time Comments | ✓ In-app comments and annotations across apps | ✓ Text annotations, suggest edits, team-only notes |
| Workspaces for Teams/Clients | ✓ Enterprise admin controls, team libraries | ✓ Workspaces for brands/clients/regions with separate pages |
| Client-Facing Previews | ✗ Review workflows but not social-specific previews | ✓ Visual feed previews mirroring native platforms |
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Content Calendar | ✗ No built-in scheduling; export to other tools | ✓ Feed, calendar, grid, list views for planning |
| Multi-Channel Publishing | ✗ No direct publishing; content creation only | ✓ Direct publishing to 9+ social channels |
| Campaign Management | ✓ Experience Cloud for customer journeys | ✓ Campaigns grouping content and analytics |
Analytics & Engagement
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Level Metrics | ✗ Marketing analytics via Experience Cloud (custom pricing) | ✓ Add-on for post metrics, audience insights |
| Unified Inbox | ✗ No social inbox | ✓ Add-on with AI replies, sentiment sorting |
| Cross-Channel Reporting | ✓ Advanced analytics in Experience Cloud | ✓ Basic cross-channel reports (add-on) |
Integrations & Security
| Feature | Adobe | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Security | ✓ Enterprise-grade governance, admin controls | ✓ SSO, enterprise security in custom plan |
| Cloud Storage | ✓ Cloud sync across apps, varying storage by plan | ✓ 10-50GB+ media storage by tier |
| API/Integrations | ✓ Extensive APIs in Experience Cloud | ✗ Limited; focuses on core workflows |
Pricing Comparison
Adobe starts at $9.99/month for photography plans but scales to $59.99+ for full creative access, with enterprise custom pricing. Planable starts at $33/month for basic social management, with add-ons for analytics/engagement. Adobe offers better entry value for creators but higher costs for full suites; Planable is more affordable for social-specific teams.
Adobe
Photoshop Single App (Individual)
$22.99/month
Solo photo editors
- Access to Adobe Photoshop on desktop and iPad
- Adobe Firefly generative AI features within Photoshop
- Cloud storage for syncing files and assets
- Adobe Fonts and Creative Cloud Libraries integration
Photography Plan (20GB)
$9.99/month
Photographers starting out
- Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom for photo editing
- 20GB of cloud storage
- Access to Lightroom mobile and web
- Basic sharing and collaboration tools
Creative Cloud All Apps (Individual)
$59.99/month
Full creative professionals
- Access to over 20 Creative Cloud desktop and mobile apps
- Includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, InDesign, and more
- Adobe Firefly generative AI features across supported apps
- Cloud storage, Adobe Fonts, and Creative Cloud Libraries
Acrobat Standard (Individual)
$12.99/month
Basic PDF users
- Create, edit, and sign PDFs
- Convert files to and from PDF
- Basic PDF security and sharing features
- Access via desktop and web
Acrobat Pro (Individual)
$19.99/month
Advanced PDF workflows
- Advanced PDF editing and OCR
- Create and manage fillable forms
- Enhanced security and comparison tools
- Integration with Adobe Acrobat Sign workflows
Creative Cloud for Teams (All Apps)
$84.99/month per license
Creative teams
- All Creative Cloud apps for each licensed user
- Centralized administration and deployment tools
- Enhanced collaboration and asset sharing
- Business support and onboarding resources
Adobe Experience Cloud (Enterprise)
Custom
Large marketing organizations
- Adobe Experience Manager, Analytics, Target, Campaign, and related services
- Customer journey analytics and personalization
- Scalable content management and delivery
- Enterprise support and governance
Planable
Free
$0/month
Testing and small-scale use
- All core features with limitations
- 50 total posts across the account
- Unlimited experience for collaborators within limits
- No X (Twitter) publishing
- No Analytics add-on included
- No Engagement add-on included
Basic
$33/month
Small teams or solo users
- 60 posts per workspace per month
- Unlimited users per workspace
- Up to 4 social pages per workspace
- 2 approval types: None and Optional
- Feed and Calendar views
- Up to 3 campaigns per workspace
- Media storage of 10GB
- 13 months of published posts storage
- 30 days of archived posts storage
- Shared content planning and built-in media editor
Pro
$49/month
Growing teams
- 150 posts per workspace per month
- Unlimited users per workspace
- Up to 10 social pages per workspace
- 3 approval types: None, Optional, and Required
- Feed, Calendar, and Grid views
- Up to 10 campaigns per workspace
- Media storage of 50GB
- 13 months of published posts storage
- 30 days of archived posts storage
- Team-only draft posts and notes
Enterprise
Custom
Large organizations
- Unlimited posts per workspace
- Up to 50 social media pages per workspace
- Multi-level approvals with multiple approval levels
- Feed, Calendar, Grid, and List views
- Unlimited campaigns per workspace
- Custom media storage limits
- 24 months of published posts storage
- 1 year of archived posts storage
- SSO integration and enterprise-grade security
- Dedicated account manager and priority support
Analytics add-on
$9/month
Teams needing insights
- Fast cross-channel reports
- Page-level insights
- Post-level metrics
- Audience insights
- Custom reporting options
Engagement add-on
$5/month
Response management
- Unified comments inbox across channels
- Reply, react, and delete comments
- Organize conversations by status
- AI-generated replies
- Sort comments by sentiment
Feature Deep Dive
Content Creation Capabilities
Adobe
Strengths
- Industry-standard apps like Photoshop, Illustrator for professional editing
- Firefly generative AI for image/text creation integrated into tools
- Support for photos, videos, graphics, PDFs across desktop/mobile
- Cloud libraries for asset reuse and sharing
- Adobe Express for quick social-ready content
Workflow
Ideate with AI → Edit in pro apps → Store in libraries → Export/share for publishing
Planable
Strengths
- AI post composer for social copy generation/rewriting
- Built-in media editor for basic image/video adjustments
- Visual previews in native-like feeds for social optimization
- Campaigns to organize assets and briefs
- Focus on collaborative creation for teams
Workflow
Generate copy with AI → Edit media → Plan in calendar → Approve and publish
Adobe dominates professional content creation with advanced AI and editing tools ideal for high-quality assets. Planable offers streamlined, social-specific creation with basic editing and AI copy tools. Choose Adobe for complex creative needs; Planable for quick, collaborative social content.
Scheduling & Publishing
Adobe
Strengths
- No direct scheduling; strong in asset preparation for external tools
- Experience Cloud for campaign orchestration (enterprise)
- Cloud sync enables seamless handoff to publishing platforms
Limitations
- Lacks built-in social scheduling or automation
- Requires integration with third-party tools for publishing
- Not designed for ongoing social management
Planable
Strengths
- Multi-view planning (feed, calendar, grid, list) with drag-and-drop
- Direct publishing to 9+ social channels
- Campaign grouping for organized scheduling
- Post limits scale with tiers; unlimited in enterprise
Limitations
- Post-volume based pricing can limit small teams
- No advanced automation like evergreen recycling
- Focused on planning/approvals, not deep automation
Planable is purpose-built for social scheduling and publishing with visual tools, while Adobe focuses on upstream content creation without native scheduling. For end-to-end social management, Planable wins; for creative prep, Adobe is essential.
Collaboration & Approval Workflows
Adobe
Strengths
- Shared libraries, in-app comments, and review cycles across apps
- Team workspaces with admin controls for enterprises
- Real-time collaboration on documents and assets
- Integration with Acrobat Sign for approvals
Workflow
Upload to libraries → Share for comments/reviews → Iterate in apps → Finalize and export
Planable
Strengths
- Configurable workflows: optional/required/multi-level approvals
- Real-time annotations, suggest edits, team notes
- Client-friendly previews in social feeds
- Unlimited users per workspace; separate spaces for clients
Limitations
- Approvals tied to social posts; less flexible for non-social assets
- Advanced multi-level in enterprise only
Both excel in collaboration, but Planable's workflows are tailored to social approvals with client previews, while Adobe's are broader for creative reviews. Planable suits agency social teams; Adobe fits creative production teams.
Analytics & Reporting
Adobe
Strengths
- Experience Cloud for deep customer journey analytics and personalization
- Integration with marketing tools for ROI tracking
- Asset performance insights via libraries
- Enterprise-scale reporting and governance
Limitations
- Social-specific metrics require custom setup
- High cost for full analytics access
Planable
Strengths
- Add-on analytics for cross-channel reports, post/page metrics
- Unified engagement inbox with AI replies and sentiment analysis
- Audience insights and custom reports
- Tied directly to social performance
Limitations
- Analytics as paid add-on ($9/month)
- Less advanced than enterprise marketing suites
Adobe provides sophisticated, scalable marketing analytics for enterprises, while Planable offers practical social metrics via add-ons. Adobe for broad insights; Planable for straightforward social reporting.
Use Case Comparison
Professional Designer or Photographer
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Industry-standard tools like Photoshop and Lightroom with AI enhancements for high-quality creative work.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Planable
Poor
Basic editor insufficient for pro creative needs; no advanced design tools.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Marketing Agency Managing Clients
Adobe
Good
Creative suite for asset creation, but lacks social-specific collaboration and publishing.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month per license)
Score: 7/10
Planable 🏆
Excellent
Workspaces, approvals, and client previews ideal for multi-client social management.
Best Plan: Pro ($49/month)
Score: 10/10
In-House Marketing Team
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Full creative and analytics tools for content production and campaign management.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 9/10
Planable
Good
Strong for social planning, but limited creative depth.
Best Plan: Pro ($49/month) + add-ons
Score: 7/10
Small Business Social Media Manager
Adobe
Fair
Overkill for simple social; expensive without full utilization.
Best Plan: Photography Plan ($9.99/month)
Score: 5/10
Planable 🏆
Excellent
Affordable, collaborative tool with free tier for testing social posts.
Best Plan: Basic ($33/month)
Score: 9/10
Enterprise Content Management Team
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Integrated creative, document, and experience management with enterprise security.
Best Plan: Experience Cloud (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Planable
Good
Scalable workspaces and approvals, but lacks broad creative/analytics depth.
Best Plan: Enterprise (Custom)
Score: 7/10
Video Content Creator for Social
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Premiere Pro and After Effects for professional video editing and effects.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Planable
Fair
Basic video cropping; no pro editing.
Best Plan: Pro ($49/month)
Score: 4/10
Multi-Brand Company Coordinator
Adobe
Good
Libraries and teams features for asset sharing, but no social-specific organization.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month)
Score: 6/10
Planable 🏆
Excellent
Workspaces for brands/regions with separate planning and approvals.
Best Plan: Enterprise (Custom)
Score: 9/10
Budget-Conscious Social Starter
Adobe
Good
Low entry for basic plans, but suite may be underused.
Best Plan: Photography Plan ($9.99/month)
Score: 7/10
Planable 🏆
Excellent
Free tier and low starting price with unlimited collaborators.
Best Plan: Free ($0/month)
Score: 8/10
Business with PDF Workflows
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Acrobat Pro for editing, forms, e-signatures integrated with creative tools.
Best Plan: Acrobat Pro ($19.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Planable
Poor
No PDF or document features.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Social Team Needing Strict Approvals
Adobe
Fair
Basic review workflows, but not social-tailored.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month)
Score: 5/10
Planable 🏆
Excellent
Granular approval types and multi-level for brand safety.
Best Plan: Pro ($49/month)
Score: 10/10
AI-Driven Content Creation Team
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Firefly AI deeply integrated across creative apps for generation.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 9/10
Planable
Good
AI for social copy, but limited to text/post composer.
Best Plan: Basic ($33/month)
Score: 6/10
Marketer Focused on Analytics
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Advanced Experience Cloud for journey analytics and personalization.
Best Plan: Experience Cloud (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Planable
Fair
Basic add-on analytics; not enterprise-level.
Best Plan: Pro ($49/month) + Analytics ($9/month)
Score: 5/10
Pros and Cons
Adobe
Pros
- Extremely comprehensive suite for creative, document, and marketing
- Industry-standard tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro
- Powerful Firefly AI integrated across apps
- Strong cross-app integration and cloud collaboration
- Enterprise security and scalability
- Cross-platform support with mobile access
- Low entry pricing for specialized plans
Cons
- Subscription can be expensive for full access
- Steep learning curve for pro apps
- Overwhelming for simple social needs
- No direct social publishing or scheduling
- Multiple licenses add complexity
- Regional pricing variations
Planable
Pros
- Collaboration-first with visual approvals and previews
- AI-powered social copy and basic media editing
- Multi-channel publishing to 9+ platforms
- Flexible workspaces for multi-client/brand management
- Optional add-ons for analytics/engagement without bloat
- Unlimited users and generous free tier
- Client-friendly interface mirroring social platforms
Cons
- Post limits and add-ons increase costs for scale
- Basic editing; not for pro creative work
- No document or broad marketing tools
- Enterprise features custom-priced
- Less suited for non-social content
- Free plan limited for professional use
Final Verdict
Adobe and Planable address different stages of content and social workflows. Adobe is a powerhouse for creative production, AI generation, and marketing analytics, ideal for building high-quality assets. Planable shines in collaborative social planning, approvals, and publishing, streamlining team-based social management.
Choose Adobe if your workflow centers on creating professional content and requires broad creative/marketing tools. Opt for Planable if social collaboration, planning, and publishing are core. They complement each other well: use Adobe for asset creation and Planable for social execution.
Overall Scores
Adobe
Value: 7/10
Planable
Value: 8/10
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