Format vs Adobe Portfolio
Choose Format if you need a portfolio that also helps you sell work and manage photography clients; choose Adobe Portfolio if you already subscribe to Creative Cloud and mainly need a place to showcase projects. Both let creatives publish portfolio websites, but Format offers an online store and client galleries, while Adobe Portfolio is included with eligible Creative Cloud plans.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Format | Adobe Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| How to get it | Separate Basic, Pro or Pro Plus subscription | Included with eligible Creative Cloud plans |
| Published price | From $10/month billed annually; $14 month-to-month | No separate price; Photography plan $19.99/month on an annual plan, billed monthly |
| Online selling | Commission-free store on Pro and Pro Plus | No built-in online store |
| Client delivery | Client galleries and file transfers | Password-protected pages |
| Adobe integrations | Lightroom Classic publishing plugin | Lightroom, Adobe Stock and Behance |
| Portfolio capacity | 70, 1,500 or unlimited images by plan | Unlimited galleries; image count not published |
| Websites | Not published | Up to five per account |
| Custom domains | Available; first year included on annual Pro and Pro Plus | Connect an existing domain or purchase one |
| Site design | Themes and mobile-optimized websites | Customizable responsive themes |
| Support | Live chat and email, seven days a week | Help center and email support |
| Getting started | 14-day trial; no credit card required | Subscription required to publish a public site |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Format if
- Photographers who deliver work through client galleries
- Creatives who want to sell from their portfolio site
- Lightroom Classic users who want a publishing plugin
- Buyers who want a portfolio subscription separate from Creative Cloud
Choose Adobe Portfolio if
- Creative Cloud subscribers who want a portfolio at no additional cost
- Creatives who publish projects to Behance
- Lightroom users who want to add albums to a portfolio
- Artists who need a showcase rather than a built-in store
The verdict
The deciding factor is what the site needs to do beyond displaying your work. Pick Format for built-in selling, client galleries and file delivery, with allowances that vary by plan. Pick Adobe Portfolio for a showcase site tied to your Creative Cloud subscription, particularly if you use Lightroom or Behance. Adobe Portfolio does not offer a separate purchase.
Format vs Adobe Portfolio: common questions
- Can I buy Adobe Portfolio on its own?
- No. Adobe Portfolio is available through eligible Creative Cloud plans, including Single App and Photography plans; it has no separate subscription.
- Can I sell work directly from either site?
- Format includes a commission-free online store on its Pro and Pro Plus plans. Adobe Portfolio does not offer a built-in online store.
- Which is better suited to delivering photographs to clients?
- Format publishes client-gallery and file-transfer allowances for each portfolio plan. Adobe Portfolio offers password-protected pages, but does not list client-gallery delivery as a feature.
- Do both work with Lightroom?
- Yes, in different ways. Format offers a publishing plugin for Lightroom Classic. Adobe Portfolio can add photos and albums from Lightroom; its direct integration does not work with Lightroom Classic unless the relevant albums are synced to Lightroom.
- Which connects to Behance?
- Adobe Portfolio can sync projects with Behance. Format does not list a Behance integration in its published portfolio-plan features.
- Can I use my own domain?
- Yes. Format offers custom domains and waives its domain-hosting fee for the first year on annual Pro and Pro Plus plans. Adobe Portfolio lets you connect an existing domain or purchase one.
- How many websites can I publish?
- Adobe Portfolio allows up to five websites per account. Format does not state a website count in its published portfolio-plan comparison.
- Is there a free way to try either option?
- Format offers a 14-day trial without a credit card. Adobe Portfolio lets you build and edit without an active subscription, but an active Creative Cloud subscription is required to make the site publicly accessible.