Picture this: shelling out more than $1,600 on artificial intelligence subscriptions in a single year—it might seem extravagant, but trust me, the productivity boosts were game-changing. As we wrap up 2025, the third year of the generative AI revolution, I'm sharing every AI tool I invested in, from the ones I started with to those I'm ditching or keeping for 2026. Dive in, and let's explore how these technologies transformed my workflow—plus, I'll reveal some surprises along the way that might just challenge your own AI habits.
First, a quick heads-up: Follow ZDNET as a preferred source on Google to stay updated with tech insights like this (link here).
ZDNET's key takeaways
- My total AI expenditures for 2025 reached $1,665, covering various tools and enhancements.
- A $300 investment in agentic coding solutions condensed years of programming into mere days.
- Adobe accounted for roughly half of my bill, but I slashed that significantly by year's end.
We're nearing the close of 2025, which also signifies the end of the third wave of generative AI advancements. By late 2024, it felt like we'd grasped the extent of AI's impact, but 2025 escalated everything with the advent of agentic AI—think tools that don't just assist but autonomously handle complex tasks, like coding entire applications. For beginners, agentic AI refers to intelligent agents that can reason, plan, and execute actions independently, often mimicking human problem-solving in specialized areas.
Leading this charge were agentic coding tools, such as Gemini Jules, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex. These aren't your basic code helpers; they can craft full programs and even products from scratch. I tested Codex and Claude Code hands-on, developing four security plug-ins for WordPress with Codex and building a complete iPhone app using Claude Code. It's fascinating how these tools turn months of manual coding into hours of supervised creativity—though, as we'll discuss, there are limits that keep things grounded.
For more on the best options, check out my review of top AI chatbots, where I compared ChatGPT, Copilot, and others (link here).
Of course, I rely on more AI utilities beyond coding. In fact, I incorporated several new ones this year. In this piece, I'll walk you through the AI subscriptions I began 2025 with, the ones I retained, added, or discarded, and those teetering on the edge as we head into 2026.
Remember two important points: I still leverage many free AI tools I've critiqued on ZDNET (link here), and although I assess their products professionally, I fund all premium versions myself, ensuring unbiased reporting—no corporate strings attached.
AI tools I started the year with
- Period: January to May
- Subscriptions: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud
- Total spent by May's end: $500
In 2025, my lineup kicked off with Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Midjourney ($10/month) (link here): This was my inaugural paid AI purchase back in early 2023, and its stellar image generation has been a staple for projects like crafting social media graphics for my wife's online store or visuals for my album covers and music site (link to article on how AI boosted my music streaming success).
Check out that story: How AI propelled my music onto major platforms (link here).
ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) (link here): As my interactions with OpenAI's chatbot intensified, I upgraded to Plus for its advanced features. Initially, it unlocked data analysis tools that were incredibly useful; now, it includes access to agentic coding, expanded capacity beyond the free version, and more sophisticated models.
(Full disclosure: ZDNET's parent, Ziff Davis, sued OpenAI in April 2025 over alleged copyright infringement in their AI training data.)
Adobe Creative Cloud ($69.99/month) (link here): I've been a loyal Adobe user for decades. While Photoshop always had minor AI elements, 2024 brought major generative AI upgrades to it and tools like Illustrator. So, early 2025, I classified my Creative Cloud fee as AI-related spending.
For alternatives, see my piece on ditching ChatGPT for other models in research and coding (link here).
That totaled $100 monthly from January through May, accumulating to $500 year-to-date, with Adobe making up $350 of it.
Incorporating API usage
- Period: June to August
- Subscriptions: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud
- Additions: ChatGPT API
- Total spent by August's end: $835
In June, I launched a personal server to archive internet articles, replacing Mozilla's Pocket (link to setup guide). The tool, Karakeep (link to pricing), uses OpenAI's API for keyword analysis, which has been a massive time-saver by automating tagging.
Setting this up involved processing about 21,000 articles over months, and OpenAI bills based on token usage—a measure of computational effort. (For beginners, tokens are like units of text or code that AI processes, influencing costs.)
June saw $10 in GPT-5 tokens, July $20 during bulk imports, and August $5 for ongoing additions—nothing significant since.
Learn more in my article on building your own archiving service (link here).
Continuing the $100 monthly base for Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, and Adobe, plus the API costs, pushed my year-to-date to $835, with Adobe at $560.
Exploring vibe coding, round one
- Period: September and October
- Subscriptions: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud, ChatGPT API
- Additions (and removals): ChatGPT Pro
- Additions: Notion AI
- Total spent by October's end: $1,234.90
September introduced me to 'vibe coding,' where AI agents write code under your watchful eye. OpenAI's Codex was available via the $20 ChatGPT Plus plan.
I experimented on my WordPress security plugin, racking up five hours that showcased its potential—but then hit a usage cap.
Discover the details: I compressed 24 days of coding into 12 hours with a $20 tool—yet there's a major catch (link here).
Plus throttling limits Codex runs, forcing waits. Still, I matched 20 days of manual work in 12 hours. To push further on light days, I upgraded to ChatGPT Pro at $200/month for unlimited Codex access.
In four days, I developed four WordPress add-ons—my usual output for a year. Totally justified the cost.
Prudent with spending, I reverted to Plus after the project, using it for minor fixes.
September also brought Notion AI ($20/month Business) (link here), ideal for automating databases from data lists, billing from October.
See my amazement: Achieving 4 years of development in 4 days for $200—I'm still in awe (link here).
September's $200 Pro fee swapped the $20 Plus, plus $80 for Midjourney and Adobe, totaling $300.
October returned to $120 monthly for Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Notion AI, and Adobe, reaching $1,235 year-to-date, with Adobe at $700.
Vibe coding, round two
- Period: November
- Subscriptions: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, Adobe Creative Cloud, ChatGPT API, Notion AI
- Additions: Claude Code Max 5x
- Total spent by November's end: $1,455
After my Codex series (link to secrets learned), coders questioned why I hadn't tried Claude Code. While Codex is powerful, Claude Code (link to installation guide) has captivated developers.
I explained why in this piece (link to iPhone app story), highlighting the full app I built with it. Claude Code is cheaper, more accessible, and runs in a terminal rather than GitHub.
So, November saw me sign up for Claude Pro at $20/month, but I exhausted tokens quickly and upgraded to Max 5x at $100/month.
Over 17 days, with daily sessions, I created a robust iPhone app for managing 3D printing filament—solving a real issue.
Lessons learned: 10 tips before trusting Claude Code for your app (link here).
I'm extending the $100/month for Mac and Watch versions—follow my journey!
November's $120 base plus $100 Claude totaled $220, accumulating to $1,455, with Adobe at $770.
Cutting back on Adobe costs
- Period: December
- Subscriptions: Midjourney, ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT API, Notion AI, Claude Code
- Removals: Adobe Creative Cloud
- Additions (and removals): Canva and Leonardo AI
- Additions: Adobe Photography plan, Google AI Pro (for Gemini)
- Full-year total: $1,665
December focused on my upcoming 'Best AI image generators' article, and I finally tackled Adobe's hefty share. It was half my AI budget, yet I rarely used beyond Photoshop.
Initially, I explored Canva and free Affinity tools as alternatives.
But here's where it gets controversial—affinity's generative AI felt lackluster, and I wasn't impressed. Is sacrificing familiarity worth the savings? Many debate this, prioritizing tools that fit their workflow seamlessly.
I tried Canva Business ($20/month) for testing, including Leonardo AI, but neither wowed me. Canceled after.
Photoshop's my go-to after decades—deep muscle memory makes me efficient. Free alternatives exist, but they'd disrupt my productivity. So, I dropped Creative Cloud ($70/month) for Photography ($20/month), slashing Adobe from my expenses.
Adobe's credit system charges by AI usage: Creative Cloud offers 4,000 credits; Photography gives just 25—stingy for heavy users. You can add 2,000 for $10/month via Firefly Standard.
Their device limits (only two machines) frustrate multi-device users, but I'll supplement credits as needed.
I added Google AI Pro ($20/month) (link here) for Gemini 3 and Nano Banana Pro testing. Free Nano limited me to two images, but it's excellent for object replacements.
ChatGPT's new Images feature (link here) now competes, making some Nano features less unique.
I'll test Gemini longer, likely dropping it soon unless standout features emerge.
December's $30 for Midjourney and ChatGPT Plus, $20 Notion, $100 Claude, $20 Adobe Photography, and $20 Google totaled $210, capping the year at $1,665, with Adobe at $790.
My AI spending strategy
If not for ZDNET reviews, would I have invested this much? Probably not—I'm generally stingy with subscriptions.
Yet, I value time-saving tools highly. For coding, I'd likely choose Claude Code; I'd grab ChatGPT Plus for analysis alone. It even verified my math here in minutes—saving me an hour.
See the fun of ChatGPT's new Images (link here).
Midjourney's on thin ice—I can create wife's biz graphics with ChatGPT, but Midjourney's wild creativity suits special projects at $10/month.
Notion AI's debatable: I use it sparingly in Notion, but when needed, it's a lifesaver, justifying the annual cost.
Adobe was overdue for reduction—$70 was excessive. $20 for Photoshop feels unavoidable due to integration.
Experimental costs add up, but buying personally ensures honest reviews. I cancel promptly when unused.
In hindsight, earlier Adobe cuts could've reduced totals to $1,200; skipping coders to $900.
Worth it? For articles, yes; for efficiency, absolutely. Hours saved outweigh costs—AI pays off at my hourly rate.
Tips for you: Budget AI expenses. My wife and business partner monitors accounts daily for fraud. Disable subscriptions immediately if not in use.
Compare Gemini and Copilot here (link here).
For me, working seven days, time savings trump costs.
Now, the part most people miss: AI's rapid evolution means today's must-haves could be tomorrow's relics. What if over-reliance leads to skill atrophy? Some argue AI boosts creativity, while others fear it stifles innovation. Do you see it as a tool or a crutch?
What about you? Which AI tools are in your paid lineup, and how do you decide their value? Have agentic coding, image creators, or note-takers revolutionized your efficiency? Do you monitor AI spending? Have you abandoned tools post-novelty? Does AI's time-saving justify the expense for your work? Drop your stories and opinions in the comments—let's debate!
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