Every AI Subscription I Invested in During 2025 – And the Ones I'm Retaining in 2026

As the curtain falls on 2025, observers of the AI landscape will note the significant impact of this year's advancements. Our experiences with AI in previous years barely hinted at the transformative influence 2025's agentic AI has wrought.

The forefront of this AI evolution has been the introduction and rise of intelligent coding solutions. Emerging tools like Gemini Jules, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex have ushered in a new era where comprehensive program and product development can be automated. Throughout the year, I've experimented with Codex and Claude Code, crafting several plug-in security add-ons for WordPress and a comprehensive iPhone app.

Subscriptions I Maintained from the Start of 2025

My journey into 2025 began with some staples: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, and Adobe Creative Cloud. These services were pivotal for multiple projects, from crafting social media visuals to enhancing productivity tools.

Midjourney was my inaugural foray into paid generative AI during early 2023, notably improving my technical projects with exceptional image-generation capabilities.

As I leaned more on OpenAI's chatbot, I elevated to ChatGPT's Plus tier, a necessity for its comprehensive data analytics features. This upgrade afforded me expansive access to agentic coding utilities and more sophisticated intelligence models.

A legal note: ZDNET's parent, Ziff Davis, initiated legal proceedings against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging violations related to AI training and operations.

Adobe, a longstanding ally in my creative ventures, saw a substantial boost in its AI capabilities. The integration of generative AI into Photoshop and Illustrator, among others, marked a defining shift, prompting me to reclassify my monthly Creative Cloud expenses as part of my AI investments.

Navigating API Expenses

By June, I implemented a self-hosted server to collate a personal repository of internet articles. This system leveraged OpenAI's API for efficient keyword tagging, a highly valuable time-saver. The setup and import process, which began in the middle of the year, amounted to $35 in API call expenses by August.

Throughout the first eight months, my consolidated AI expenses reached $835, with a significant $560 attributed to Adobe usage.

Exploring 'Vibe Coding'

The term 'vibe coding' refers to harnessing an AI tool to autonomously write code. With OpenAI's enhanced features for ChatGPT Plus users, I embarked on enhancing my DIY security software. Although impressive, the restrictive use of this feature prompted further spending to unlock unrestricted usage.

During this creative sprint, I substantially accelerated my development pipeline, completing years’ worth of projects within days, economically justifying the temporary switch to an unrestricted Pro account.

Engaging with Claude Code

An upsurge of interest in Claude Code from the coding community led to me exploring this alternative to Codex in November. Despite costing less and being more user-friendly for ordinary developers, Claude Code demanded a scaled solution to its AI usage limits.

Amid this exploration, I constructed a robust iPhone application tailored to my 3D printing needs, leading to the continuation of the Claude subscription.

Reassessing Adobe and Embracing New AI Solutions

The hefty cost of Adobe's Creative Cloud motivated a shift in my strategy, opting from their comprehensive plan to a more modest offering. This pivot from $70 to $20 per month represents a significant long-term strategy change.

Several alternatives were examined, including Canva and Affinity's graphic tools, although none sufficiently replaced Adobe in my toolkit. Hence, Photoshop remains a core tool.

By year-end, my AI-related expenses approximated $1,665 with Adobe accounting for $790 of that total.

AI Spending: Cost vs. Benefit

Reflecting on expense efficiency, the content created, and the productivity gains, I stand by the investment in AI subscriptions. Each tool played a pivotal role in turning potential inefficiencies into streamlined processes.

For similar ventures, I recommend a solid assessment of AI costs versus derived benefits, ensuring your AI spending aligns with your operational goals and enhances your productivity, just as these tools have enhanced mine.