Design & Creative · Core Replacement

Replace Adobe Creative Cloud with software you own.

The $60/month subscription that never lets you leave. We build a custom alternative in 6-12 weeks for $25,000$50,000.

$60

Adobe Creative Cloud per seat/mo

$25,000$50,000

One-time build

8%

Savings over 3 years

6-12 wks

Build time

The Problem

Why teams leave Adobe Creative Cloud

Per-user pricing across 20+ apps most people don't use

Proprietary file formats (PSD, AI, INDD) create lock-in

Annual commitment with early termination fees

Constant feature additions inflate bloat

Cloud storage limits require upgrades

Performance issues with subscription validation

What We Build Instead

Your custom design & creative tool

Custom creative workflow tools for your specific needs

Image processing and batch editing pipelines

Template-based design system for marketing teams

Asset management with version control

Automated design generation for campaigns

Export in open formats — no proprietary lock-in

The Math

Adobe Creative Cloud vs. custom build

Based on 25 seats at $60/seat/month, with ~10% annual SaaS price increases.

Keep paying Adobe Creative Cloud

Year 1$18,000
Year 2 (~10% increase)$19,800
Year 3 (~10% increase)$21,780

3-year total$59,400

Build with 86 SaaS

Build cost (one-time)$25,000$50,000
Annual maintenance$5,625/yr
Per-seat cost$0

3-year total$54,375

3-year savings with 25 seats

$5,025

8% less than Adobe Creative Cloud

Pricing Breakdown

Adobe Creative Cloud tier pricing vs. one-time custom build

Compare what you pay per seat across Adobe Creative Cloud's tiers against a single investment in software you own forever.

TierMonthly/SeatAnnual/SeatKey Features
Single App$23/mo$23/moOne CC app, 100 GB storage, Adobe Fonts, Portfolio website
All Apps$60/mo$55/mo20+ apps, 100 GB storage, Adobe Fonts, Behance portfolio
Teams (All Apps)$90/mo$90/mo20+ apps per user, 1 TB storage, Admin console, 24/7 support
Custom Build by 86 SaaS$25,000$50,000 one-time$0/seatUnlimited users, full ownership, no recurring fees

Migration Timeline

From Adobe Creative Cloud to ownership — week by week

A structured migration plan to move off Adobe Creative Cloud in 6-12 weeks with zero downtime.

1

Discovery & Audit

1 week

Audit Adobe tool usage, file formats, and creative workflows

2

Architecture & Design

1-2 weeks

Design creative workflow tools with image processing and template system

3

Core Development

3-7 weeks

Build image processing pipeline, template engine, asset management, and batch tools

4

Data Migration & Testing

1-2 weeks

Convert key templates to open formats, validate output quality

5

Deployment & Training

1-2 weeks

Launch creative tools and train design team

Total build time

6-12 weeks

Feature Comparison

What you keep, what you skip, and why

A transparent comparison of Adobe Creative Cloud features vs. your custom-built alternative.

FeatureAdobe Creative CloudCustom BuildNotes
Image Processing & Editing
Batch Processing
Template-based Design
Asset Management
Brand Guidelines Portal
Export in Open Formats
Version Control
Photoshop-level EditingBuild tools for your specific creative workflows instead
Video Editing (Premiere)Use dedicated video tools for professional editing
Vector Illustration (Illustrator)Use open-format design tools for vector work
No Proprietary File Lock-inOpen formats — PNG, SVG, PDF, not PSD/AI/INDD

Your custom build focuses on the features your team actually uses — typically 15-20% of what Adobe Creative Cloud offers — built exactly for your workflow.

How It Works

From Adobe Creative Cloud to ownership in 6-12 weeks

01

Free Audit

We analyze your Adobe Creative Cloud usage and identify exactly which features your team actually uses.

02

Scope & Build

We build your custom design & creative tool with only the features you need. 6-12 weeks.

03

Deploy & Migrate

We deploy to your infrastructure, migrate your data from Adobe Creative Cloud, and train your team.

04

You Own It

Full source code, documentation, and optional maintenance retainer. No vendor lock-in. Ever.

Ready to 86 Adobe Creative Cloud?

Get a free audit showing exactly how much you'd save replacing Adobe Creative Cloud with a custom build. Takes 5 minutes. No commitment.