You can download Adobe Express now to get started with Adobe's latest addition to its suite of creative software. Okay, so Adobe Express isn't actually a brand new product; it's an updated version of Adobe Spark with a few tweaks, but the new name now makes it a little clearer what it's all about: a quick, straightforward browser- and mobile-based app that allows you to design social media posts and flyers in no time at all.
Adobe Express enables you to design from scratch or choose from a huge range of templates for logos, posters, Instagram posts and stories and much more.
However, as is often the case with Adobe, how to get the software can initially be a little bit confusing. With most of Adobe's creative apps, you have the option of a seven-day free trial, and then you need to pay for a subscription (see our guides on how to download Photoshop and how to download Illustrator). Adobe Express is a little different because there's also a completely free version of the software, although it has some limitations, as we'll see below.
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Get Adobe Express: Free Plan
Can you get Adobe Express for free?
Yes, you can download Adobe Express for free. In fact, there are three ways to do so. Like all Adobe creative apps, there's an option to sign up for a free trial of the full version of the software (see below for that) but in this case, there's also a completely free version. You can get Adobe Express on a free plan to use in your browser, or download Adobe Express for free for iOS or Android, and carry on using it forever.
The catch is that the free version has limitations, and unfortunately some features that used to be in the free version of Adobe Spark are not present in the free version of Adobe Express, for example resizing.
Nonetheless, the free version allows you to get a good feel for the software and, unlike many free design apps, your designs won't have a watermark plastered over them. The free version still offers thousands of templates and design assets for different social media platforms, plus Adobe Fonts and a limited selection of royalty-free Adobe Stock photos. It offers basic editing effects options including the ability to remove backgrounds and to add animation. You get 2GB of storage, and you can use the app both in a browser and on your mobile.
You'll need to create an Adobe account to access the free version of Adobe Express, but you don't need to hand over any credit card details. There are also two ways to get the full version of Adobe Express for free. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial or claim free access if you're in education (see below for both options).
Get Adobe Express: Premium Plan
How to get Adobe Express Premium for free
If you want more features, including resizing, full access to Adobe Stock photos and options to apply your own branding, you'll want the Premium version of Adobe Express. However, while this version requires a paid subscription to use it long-term, by following the link above, you can get a free trial for three months. That's much more generous than the trials that Adobe offers on most of its other apps, which usually last just seven days, giving you plenty of time to play around with the software to see if it works for you.
How much does Adobe Express cost?
After the free trial ends, Adobe Express costs $9.99 / £10.10 per month or $99.99 / £101.15 per year if you subscribe to the single app alone. This is the most economic option for those who only plan to use this Adobe app, which may be the case for social media creators and other non-designers who want to use it as a quicker, easier way to create posts, flyers and other pieces without the cost and the learning curve involved with more comprehensive Adobe design software like Photoshop or Illustrator.
However, if you're going to be using more than Adobe Express alone, your best option is to consider a full Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription, which also includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and more.
Why use Adobe Express if you have access to the full suite of apps? Well even if you have access to Photoshop and InDesign, you might still prefer the quick and easy convenience of Adobe Express for smaller design jobs, especially if you're working on your phone while you're on the move.
If the price seems too expensive, do note that Adobe occasionally runs discounts on its subscription plans, which can be worth holding out for. Keep an eye on our regularly updated guide to Creative Cloud discounts to make sure you catch the offers.
Adobe Express for education
Available in the US, UK and Australia, Adobe Express for education is another way to get the full version of the software for free. If you qualify, you'll have access for the length while you remain in education, making this a great option for design students and teachers. You'll need to provide proof that you work or study with a licensed educational institution or nonprofit educational organisation.
Adobe Express mobile apps
How to download Adobe Express for mobile
Adobe Express works as a browser-based app, but you can also download Adobe Creative Cloud Express as a mobile app for iOS or Android. Adobe Spark had three individual mobile apps: Spark Post, Spark Page and Spark Video. The latter two are still available to download, but the first has now been replaced by Adobe Express: Graphic Design.
Access follows the same format as the browser-based software. You can download the free version of the app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and get started right away (you can log in via Google or Facebook to use it), or you can get access the premium version of the app if you sign up for a free trial or a paid subscription to an Adobe Express Premium Plan or a Creative Cloud All-Apps plan.
What is Adobe Express?
Adobe Express, previously known as Creative Cloud Express, as well as Adobe Spark, is Adobe's stripped-down simplified browser- and mobile-based design programme. Aimed mainly at social media creators and non-designers that want to quickly create Instagram posts and Stories, YouTube thumbnails or flyers and posters, it offers a much easier entry point compared with more comprehensive design software like Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign.
You can design from scratch, but the software's main selling point for non-designers is its huge range of templates and design assets ready to go for a range of formats. You can simply choose a template and modify the content for your needs, replacing images and texts and removing elements you don't want. It comes with access to Adobe Fonts and Adobe Stock, which you can incorporate into your design, and you can change layouts and add animation.
The free version is very good for a piece of free design software but doesn't include access to all of the templates, assets, and some tools. The Premium version adds the ability to resize elements and to add your own branding, plus full access to all of the templates and Adobe Stock images.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
