Explainers
Photoshop Generative Fill vs Adobe Firefly: What's the Difference?
Detailed comparison between Photoshop Generative Fill and Adobe Firefly: evaluate Creative Cloud credit allocations, non-destructive layer masks, C2PA Content Credentials, and enterprise commercial safety.
Updated
In short
Use Generative Fill in Photoshop when you are changing an image you already have: it fills or replaces a selected area on its own layer, next to Photoshop's other editing tools. Use the Firefly app when you are making something new, such as an image from a prompt, a video, a sound effect or an image from a partner model like Nano Banana or GPT Image; the Firefly app has its own Generative Fill for quick edits, but without Photoshop's layers and selection tools. The plan often matters more than the tool: a Photoshop-only subscription includes 25 generative credits a month and charges 1 credit per Generative Fill, while every paid Firefly plan makes standard features, Generative Fill included, unlimited.
On this page4
Generative Fill edits a selection; the Firefly app also makes video, audio and vectors
The first row decides most cases: Generative Fill in Photoshop starts from a picture you already have, the Firefly app from a prompt.
| Generative Fill in Photoshop | Firefly app |
|---|---|---|
Starts from | your image and a selection | a prompt or reference |
Output | a raster layer in the PSD | images, vectors (Text to Vector), video, audio |
Models | Adobe's Firefly models; Firefly Image 5 and partner models as premium options | Adobe's models plus partner models from Google, OpenAI, Black Forest Labs, Runway, Kling and others |
Credit cost | 1 credit, or unlimited on Creative Cloud Pro, Firefly and add-on plans; 10 to 40 with Firefly Image 5 or partner models | standard features unlimited on paid plans; premium features by Adobe's credit table |
Apps | Photoshop desktop and web | Firefly on the web, plus Photoshop web and mobile on Firefly Pro and above |
Photoshop also counts Generative Expand, Generate Background, Generate Image, Generate Similar and the Remove tool as standard features; Remove uses no credits at all, and Harmonize costs 5.
A Photoshop-only plan's 25 credits cover 25 fills a month
Plan | Generative Fill in desktop Photoshop | Monthly credits |
|---|---|---|
Photoshop Single App, $22.99 a month on an annual plan | 1 credit each, stops after 25 a month (subscriptions since June 17, 2025) | 25 |
Photography (1TB), $19.99 a month on an annual plan | 1 credit each | 1,000 |
Creative Cloud Pro, $69.99 a month on an annual plan | unlimited (standard) | 4,000 |
Firefly Standard, $9.99 | not included (no Photoshop; Generative Fill in the Firefly app is unlimited) | 2,000 |
Firefly Pro, $19.99 | not included (Photoshop web and mobile only, where standard Generative Fill is unlimited) | 4,000 |
A retoucher who runs Generative Fill dozens of times a day cannot work on a Photoshop-only plan's 25 credits. Adobe says Creative Cloud Pro, Firefly plans and its credit add-on plans (from $9.99 a month for 2,000 credits) get unlimited standard generations, so on our reading a Photoshop-only subscriber can add the cheapest add-on instead of moving to Creative Cloud Pro; check the effect in Photoshop's Generative Credits panel before relying on it.
Firefly Image 5 and partner models inside Generative Fill cost extra
Generative Fill can also run Firefly Image 5 or partner models such as Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2, FLUX.1 Kontext pro and FLUX.2 pro, plus Topaz tools for upscaling. Those are premium generations and spend 10 to 40 credits each even on plans where standard Generative Fill is unlimited, so they come out of the monthly credit pool. Adobe adds that you are responsible for deciding whether partner-model output suits your use.
Generative Fill is indemnity-eligible, but only under an enterprise entitlement
Adobe attaches Content Credentials automatically to assets fully generated by Firefly; it does not say the same for a photo where Generative Fill changed one area, so check the exported file's credentials if provenance matters. Output from non-beta Firefly features, Generative Fill included, can be used commercially on any plan. Adobe's IP indemnity lists Generative Fill as an eligible feature, but only for enterprise customers with a qualifying entitlement.
Edited byRick Finch
Official sources
Editorial guidance grounded in official product sources.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Photoshop Generative Fill the same as Adobe Firefly?
No. Generative Fill is an editing feature inside Photoshop, while Firefly is Adobe's broader generative workspace for creating and editing images, video, audio, and designs.
When should I use Photoshop Generative Fill?
Use Generative Fill when an image is already in Photoshop and the task is to add, remove, extend, or replace selected content while continuing the edit in the Photoshop file.
When should I use the Firefly app instead?
Use Firefly when the work starts with open-ended generation or spans images, video, audio, boards, and multiple models before a final editing handoff. It is broader than a single Photoshop editing feature.
How do generative credits affect the choice?
Adobe separates standard and premium generative usage and assigns plan-specific credit allowances. Check the exact feature, model, and plan before assuming a Photoshop or Firefly generation is unlimited.
Next steps
Open both sides of the distinction
- Tool profileCompare Adobe Firefly pricingUse the pricing guide next when the distinction is clear but the buyer still needs to compare Firefly plan access, premium credits, and Creative Cloud buying routes.
- Tool profileIdeogramOpen Ideogram when you want a prompt-first image generator to weigh against Firefly after understanding how Photoshop and Firefly relate.