March 13, 2026 — New York Adobe Inc. has agreed to pay $75 million to the U.S. government to resolve a lawsuit over Adobe to pay $75 million to resolve US lawsuit over fees, subscription cancellations1, accusing the company of concealing early termination fees and complicating subscription cancellations for its Creative Cloud services like Photoshop and Illustrator.
The settlement, reported by Jonathan Stempel for Reuters, also requires Adobe to offer $75 million in free services to qualifying customers affected by the practices. This Adobe to pay $75 million to resolve US lawsuit over fees, subscription cancellations news addresses long-standing consumer complaints about “dark patterns” in Adobe’s billing.
Case Background
The action originated from a June 2024 lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), alleging Adobe violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) by hiding fees—up to 50% of the remaining subscription balance—and imposing multi-step hurdles to cancel “annual paid monthly” plans FTC2. Adobe’s motion to dismiss was denied in May 2025 Bloomberg Law.
Class-action suits followed in 2025, claiming misleading auto-renewals and undisclosed fees Top Class Actions8.
Impacts on Users and Marketers
This Adobe to pay $75 million to resolve US lawsuit over fees, subscription cancellations development impacts digital marketers relying on Adobe’s tools for global campaigns, as subscription traps expose them to unexpected costs. Recent X posts from creators highlight ongoing cancellation struggles X post 110.
Similar FTC actions include Chegg’s $7.5 million settlement in 2025 Investing.com.
Company Response and Context
Adobe has denied wrongdoing previously but agreed to this resolution. The announcement coincides with other challenges, including a CEO transition and AI-related issues Reuters.
This Adobe to pay $75 million to resolve US lawsuit over fees, subscription cancellations reflects broader scrutiny on subscription models, with alternatives like Affinity gaining traction Reddit.