Here's every AI subscription I paid for in 2025 - and which ones I'm taking into 2026

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• My 2025 AI walk deed $1,665 crossed tools and upgrades.
• $300 successful agentic coding tools did years of coding successful days.
• Adobe was fractional the bill, past I chopped it down drastically.

We're approaching the extremity of 2025, which besides marks the decision of the 3rd twelvemonth of the caller question of generative AI. At the extremity of 2024, we thought we had a grip connected however overmuch AI would alteration us, but 2025 took the crippled to an wholly caller level with the emergence of agentic AI.

Leading the battalion has been the emergence successful agentic coding tools. These tools, specified arsenic Gemini Jules, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex, are susceptible of penning full programs and products. I enactment some Codex and Claude Code to the test, creating 4 plug-in add-on information products for WordPress utilizing Codex, arsenic good arsenic a full-featured iPhone app utilizing Claude Code.

Also: The champion AI chatbots: I tested ChatGPT, Copilot, and others to find the apical tools now

I usage different AI tools, too. In fact, I've added a fewer caller ones to the lineup this year. In this article, I'm going to amusement you the AI tools I entered the twelvemonth with, the products I kept, the products I added, the products I dumped, and immoderate that are presently connected the chopping artifact arsenic we determination into 2026.

Keep successful caput 2 factors arsenic you work implicit this end-of-year accounting. First, I inactive usage galore of the free AI tools I've reviewed present connected ZDNET. And second, adjacent though I reappraisal their products, I wage for each the pro versions of these tools retired of my ain pocket. That way, you cognize the AI companies person nary power implicit what I'm telling you.

Paid AI tools I began the twelvemonth with

• Time period: January done May
• Tools used: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud
• Cumulative walk by the extremity of May: $500

This year, I started with Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Midjourney ($10/mo): Midjourney is the archetypal generative AI instrumentality I ever paid for, starting successful aboriginal 2023. Its fantabulous representation instauration capabilities helped maine with galore of my projects, ranging from societal media posts for my wife's e-commerce tract to supporting images for my medium covers and euphony website.

Also: How AI helped get my euphony connected each the large streaming services

ChatGPT Plus ($20/month): As I started utilizing OpenAI's chatbot much frequently, I upgraded to the Plus tier. Early on, you needed the Plus tier to entree the information analytics features that I recovered enormously helpful. Today, the Plus tier provides entree to immoderate agentic coding tools, importantly much capableness than the escaped tier, and higher-end reasoning models.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company, filed an April 2025 suit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights successful grooming and operating its AI systems.)

Adobe Creative Cloud ($69.99/month): I've been an Adobe lawsuit for decades. Although Photoshop has agelong had tiny AI-like features, it wasn't until 2024 oregon truthful that generative AI importantly enhanced Photoshop's capabilities. Adobe added AI features to Illustrator and different tools arsenic well. At the opening of 2025, I began to categorize my monthly Creative Cloud measure arsenic portion of my AI expense.

Also: Stop utilizing ChatGPT for everything: I usage these AI models for research, coding, and more

This enactment my monthly AI disbursal astatine $100 from January until the extremity of May. Cumulative AI disbursal from January done May was $500. Of that, $350 was Adobe.

Paying for API calls

• Time period: June done August
• Tools used: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud
• Tools added: ChatGPT API
• Cumulative walk by the extremity of August: $835

In June, I acceptable up a self-hosted server to support way of articles I work connected the internet. This is my idiosyncratic replacement for Mozilla's Pocket. One diagnostic of the tool, called Karakeep, is that it uses OpenAI's API to bash keyword investigation connected the articles. I find this enormously adjuvant due to the fact that automatic keyword tagging tin beryllium a tremendous clip saver.

Setting up that server with Karakeep progressive importing and cataloging astir 21,000 articles, which took a fewer months. OpenAI charges for its API calls based connected the token usage (an analog for processing powerfulness used).

Also: How to acceptable up your ain nonfiction archiving work - and wherefore I did (RIP, Pocket)

In June, I utilized $10 worthy of GPT-5 processing. July was my large import month, truthful I utilized different $20. And I spent different $5 connected processing successful August. Apparently, the fewer articles I've been adding to my archive each week haven't deed the billing threshold since my past outgo successful August.

All told, I spent $35 connected API calls successful 2025, specifically betwixt June and August.

I was inactive paying $100 per period for Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, and Adobe, which brought my year-to-date AI disbursal by the extremity of August to $835. Of that, $560 was Adobe.

Vibe coding, portion 1

• Time period: September and October
• Tools used: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud, ChatGPT API
• Tools added (and dropped): ChatGPT Pro
• Tools added: Notion AI
• Cumulative walk by the extremity of October: $1,234.90

In September, I started tinkering with vibe coding. Vibe coding is the signifier of allowing an AI cause to constitute codification for you, nether your supervision. OpenAI had enabled its Codex vibe coding instrumentality for users of the $20/month ChatGPT Plus plan.

I decided to springiness it a spin, investigating it by having it marque immoderate improvements to my WordPress-based open-source information product. I utilized it for astir 5 hours, which demonstrated to maine the powerfulness of this tool. But past ChatGPT chopped maine off.

Also: I did 24 days of coding successful 12 hours with a $20 AI instrumentality - but there's 1 large pitfall

It turns retired the Plus tier throttles your Codex usage. I was capable to bash a fewer longer runs, but had to hold days successful betwixt runs for the throttle to reset. Even so, I calculated that I completed the equivalent of about 20 days of hand-coding clip successful lone 12 hours.

But I wanted to spot if I could bash more. I had a fewer quiescent days with nary large deadlines, truthful I decided to up my walk to the $200/month Pro tier of ChatGPT. This allowed maine to person virtually unlimited usage of Codex without throttling.

In 4 days, I built 4 idiosyncratic add-on products for my WordPress information plugin. Previously, I had been gathering lone astir 1 add-on per year, truthful I considered that to beryllium 4 years of enactment successful 4 days. Well worthy the $200.

I thin to beryllium precise cautious astir my services spend, truthful erstwhile I completed the project, I turned disconnected the $200/month Pro tier and went backmost to the $20/month Plus tier. I did person to marque an update to my codification utilizing Codex, but the Plus tier was capable to marque immoderate speedy fixes.

In September, I besides added Notion AI to my database of AI tools. I had immoderate precise circumstantial enactment I wanted it to bash wrong my Notion database, peculiarly with automatically gathering databases based connected lists of data. The Notion AI Business tier added $20/month to my expenses, with billing opening successful October.

Also: I got 4 years of merchandise improvement done successful 4 days for $200, and I'm inactive stunned

I had paid that $200 for the Pro tier of ChatGPT Codex successful September, which replaced the $20 for ChatGPT Plus for conscionable that month. I was inactive paying $80 successful September for Midjourney and Adobe. That brought September's AI disbursal to $300.

In October, I was backmost to paying $120 per period for Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Notion AI, and Adobe, which brought my year-to-date AI disbursal by the extremity of October to $1,235. Of that, $700 was for Adobe.

Vibe coding, portion 2

• Time period: November
• Tools used: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud, ChatGPT API, Notion AI
• Tools added: Claude Code Max 5x
• Cumulative walk by the extremity of November: $1,455

After releasing my bid of articles astir vibe coding with Codex, I heard backmost from respective coders. They wanted to cognize wherefore I had not yet checked retired Claude Code. While Codex is OpenAI's product, it's Claude Code that appears to person captured the imaginativeness of astir programmers.

Also: How to instal and configure Claude Code, measurement by step

I discussed wherefore successful this article, wherever I besides showcased the full-featured iPhone app I built with Claude Code. Essentially, Claude Code is some little costly than Codex and was initially much accessible, arsenic it operates wrong the terminal app alternatively than successful a GitHub repository.

So, successful November, I decided to motion up for Claude Code's $20/month Pro plan. As with Codex, I utilized up the plan's AI token capableness successful a substance of hours. So, I upgraded from Claude Pro to Claude Max. It turns retired determination are assorted Max plans, based connected usage. I signed up for the Max 5x plan, which is $100/month.

Over 17 days, during which I utilized Claude Code for a fewer hours a time connected 11 of those days, I created a full-featured, reasonably powerful, and highly customized iPhone app that solved a real-world occupation I person with managing my 3D printing filament successful the Fab Lab.

Also: 10 things I privation I knew earlier trusting Claude Code to physique my iPhone app

I've decided to support paying the $100/month Claude Code interest for different period oregon two. I privation to make autochthonal Mac and Apple Watch versions of my iPhone app. Stay tuned, due to the fact that I'll instrumentality you on connected that ride, too.

In November, I paid $120 for Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Notion AI, and Adobe. I inactive person the OpenAI API work going, but present that each the bulk processing is done, it hasn't incurred immoderate caller bills. Then, I added Claude Code's Max 5x program for $100. That made November's AI disbursal $220.

As of the extremity of November, my year-to-date AI disbursal was $1,455. Of that, $770 was for Adobe.

Ratcheting down Adobe disbursal

• Time period: December
• Tools used: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT API, Notion AI, Claude Code
• Tools dropped: Adobe Creative Cloud
• Tools added (and dropped): Canva and Leonardo AI
• Tools added: Adobe Photography plan, Google AI Pro (for Gemini)
• Cumulative walk for the full year: $1,605

In December, I started moving connected my "Best AI representation generators" article, which volition beryllium published soon. I besides decided it was clip to code the Adobe expense. Fully fractional of my wide AI expenditures has been paying for Creative Cloud. While I usage Photoshop extensively, I hardly interaction the different tools.

Also: I emotion Photoshop, but Canva's escaped Affinity tools won maine implicit (and saved maine money)

Initially, my program was to usage Canva and the recently escaped Affinity graphics tools to supplement my Creative Cloud use. But I recovered the generative features successful the Affinity programme to be, astatine slightest for now, underwhelming. And that's kind.

I did walk $20 for 1 period of the Canva Business plan. This allowed maine to trial Canva for my article, arsenic good arsenic to trial Leonardo AI (which comes with the Canva Business plan). Neither rocked my world. So erstwhile investigating was done, I cancelled that plan.

Then, there's Photoshop. I should notation that I've been utilizing Photoshop for decades and person large musculus memory. I tin beryllium incredibly productive successful Photoshop. Sure, I could usage escaped oregon little costly alternate tools. I conscionable don't privation to sacrifice the proficiency and alacrity with which I usage the tool. I decided to support Photoshop, but ditch the Creative Cloud. That changed my Adobe walk from $70/month to $20/month.

Also: I tested the caller ChatGPT Images - it's a stunning improvement, and enormously fun

Adobe has a weird programme of generative credits. They complaint you based connected however overmuch AI you use. If you person the $70/month Creative Cloud program that I conscionable dropped, you get 4,000 credits. That's bully capable for each but the astir intensive users.

On the different hand, if you take their $20/month Photography program -- which I conscionable switched to -- you get lone 25 generative AI credits. I truly deliberation that's benignant of stingy, but Adobe has ever had reasonably restrictive monthly plans. They lone let their apps to beryllium loaded connected 2 machines astatine a time, truthful for those of america who request to leap betwixt 3 oregon 4 machines, they person a "see ya, wouldn't privation to beryllium ya" policy.

You tin bargain 2,000 much credits for $10/month utilizing the Adobe Firefly Standard plan. If I usage up my generative credits, I'll simply wage to adhd much credits, astatine slightest for the months erstwhile I request them.

I besides added the $20/month Google AI Pro plan. This was truthful I could trial retired Gemini 3 and Nano Banana Pro for my articles. I tried Nano Banana Pro connected the escaped plan. It lone allowed maine to make 2 images.

Also: I've been investigating AI contented detectors for years - these are your champion options successful 2025

It turns retired Nano Banana Pro is amazing, particularly erstwhile it comes to replacing objects successful an image.However, with ChatGPT's caller ChatGPT Images feature, conscionable released this week, ChatGPT Plus is capable to bash immoderate of what made Nano Banana Pro basal out.

I'll proceed to wage for Gemini's AI Pro program for different period oregon 2 to trial it further. Unless thing truly stands retired astir it, I'll astir apt driblet it aboriginal adjacent year.

In December, I'm present paying $30 per period for Midjourney and ChatGPT Plus, positive an further $20 for Notion AI. I inactive person the OpenAI API work going, but determination are nary caller charges. I'm besides inactive utilizing and paying for Claude Code's Max plan, which costs $100. I replaced Adobe's $70 program with a $20 program (but I'm alert I mightiness request to adhd different $10/month for AI credits astatine immoderate time). No further generative recognition plans were purchased successful 2025. Then I added (and dropped) Canva's $20 plan. Finally, I added Google's $20 AI Pro plan.

Whew! That made December's AI disbursal $210. My year-to-date AI disbursal for 2025 was $1,665. Of that, $790 was Adobe.

My AI fund

Would I walk this overmuch if I weren't penning reviews for ZDNET? Probably not. I'm beauteous frugal astir the services I subscribe to for my ain idiosyncratic use.

On the different hand, I besides enactment a large woody of attraction into thing that could prevention maine time. If I had a coding task I wanted to undertake, I astir apt would person signed up for Claude Code anyway. Almost undoubtedly, I would person bought into ChatGPT Plus, conscionable for the investigation features. I adjacent utilized it to cheque my mathematics successful this article, which took the AI 5 minutes and would person astir apt taken maine astatine slightest an hour.

Also: I tested the caller ChatGPT Images - it's a stunning improvement, and enormously fun

I'm connected the obstruction astir Midjourney. I tin make the graphics I request to enactment my wife's concern utilizing ChatGPT. However, Midjourney is truthful off-the-chain originative that I tin deploy it anytime I person a caller task for which I request originative imagery. And, astatine $10/month, it's reasonably inexpensive.

I'm besides connected the obstruction astir Notion AI. Even though I usage Notion constantly, I don't usage Notion AI each that much. On the different hand, erstwhile I bash usage it, it comes successful earnestly clutch. Additionally, it has saved maine capable clip connected that 1 database task to screen the outgo of its usage for the full year.

I truly should person dropped the large Adobe disbursal overmuch earlier -- $70 is simply a batch to walk each month. While $20 for Photoshop is inactive costly, I presumption it arsenic an astir unavoidable disbursal owed to however tightly integrated Photoshop is into my workflow.

So, it's truly down to immoderate of the experimental expenses. I similar personally purchasing the plans I'm evaluating, truthful you cognize that nary institution is influencing my ZDNET coverage. But I besides don't similar paying for them longer than I person to.

So, yeah, I spent a small much than $1,600 connected AI expenses. If I had reduced my Adobe program earlier, that would person been person to astir $1,200. And if I hadn't spent connected the coding tools, that would person been person to $900.

Is it worthy it? Well, obviously, arsenic fodder for nonfiction content, sure. However, successful presumption of productivity, I indispensable besides accidental yes. These assorted AI tools surely saved maine hours. If you look astatine it successful presumption of outgo versus hourly rate, the AI tools person decidedly paid for themselves. They decidedly helped maine prevention time.

As for you, I urge budgeting your AI instrumentality expenses. My wife, who is besides my concern partner, reviews our accounts each day. This helps america negociate immoderate unexpected costs, and is our archetypal enactment of defence against fraudulent charges. I crook disconnected monthly expenses arsenic soon arsenic it's wide I'm not utilizing them, adjacent if I deliberation I mightiness crook them backmost connected later.

Also: Gemini vs. Copilot: I compared the AI tools connected 7 mundane tasks, and there's a wide winner

And due to the fact that clip is truthful choky for me, I often bash the intelligence calculus of trying to determine if the clip savings is worthy more, oregon whether it would beryllium amended to prevention the money. Right now, fixed that I enactment beauteous overmuch 7 days a week, the clip savings benefits I'm getting versus the outgo of AI tools look to beryllium worthy the price. For now.

What astir you? How galore AI tools are you presently paying for, and however bash you determine which ones are worthy keeping? Have agentic coding tools, representation generators, oregon note-taking assistants meaningfully changed your workflow oregon productivity? Do you way your AI spending? Have you dropped oregon downgraded immoderate tools erstwhile the novelty wore off? Finally, bash you deliberation the clip savings from AI warrant the ongoing costs for your ain work? Share your acquisition and thoughts successful the comments below.

You tin travel my day-to-day task updates connected societal media. Be definite to subscribe to my play update newsletter, and travel maine connected Twitter/X astatine @DavidGewirtz, connected Facebook astatine Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Instagram astatine Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Bluesky astatine @DavidGewirtz.com, and connected YouTube astatine YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.