Adobe has launched Creative Cloud Express, a new suite of simplified web and mobile creative tools. The new software is aimed at creators and digital marketing professionals who want to tap into the power of the Creative Cloud ecosystem without resorting to learning how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign. The app can be accessed at express.adobe.com or downloaded on iOS or Android. The basic tier is free, with the option of a 9,99$ (12,99€) monthly subscription giving users access to Adobe Stock images, plus other perks.

At first glance, the app seems to be built especially for digital creators, social media managers, and online marketers. Many of the templates available in the app are about creating graphic assets for Instagram Stories, Facebook Posts, and other similar platforms. Alternatively, users can create book covers, restaurant menus, brochures, and other graphical assets. 
Users can fully customize all the existing templates and access some of Adobe’s own AI-based tools, for example, quickly cropping out the background in a picture or inserting a text banner between the background and the main subject in a photo.

According to Adobe, the goal of Creative Cloud Express is to step toward creating simplified and accessible versions of the functionalities implemented into its professional Creative Cloud software. 
In this regard, the choice of the name might not be the easiest to understand. While Creative Cloud indicates a collection of many different software solutions, divided into different subscription tiers, Creative Cloud Express is one single piece of software available on the web and mobile, with limited access to the Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Nonetheless, Adobe’s new product is a welcome addition for many professionals who would never even get close to a Creative Cloud subscription, needing only limited functionalities that they would otherwise obtain from competing solutions like Canva. It’s currently unclear what Adobe will now make of Spark, the Canva-like app and Web software that packed some of the functionalities converging into Creative Cloud Express.