As of 22 October 2025, Astute Graphics now offers two subscriptions services:
Plugin subscription - Astute Graphics Plugins for Illustrator
Astute Manager Pro subscription - Astute Graphics Data Asset Management service
Read here for more information on the difference between the two.
Astute Manager Pro subscription
Astute Manager Pro is a Digital asset management (DAM) system from Astute Graphics. It provides maximum time-saving features, allowing quicker, easier and more secure file sharing, organizing, backing up and restoring of Illustrator assets for the individual user or for Creative teams.
With the Astute Manager, all the stress and hassle of resetting your Illustrator preferences is gone, instead you can quickly back up and restore those preferences and settings along with all your own custom assets such as brushes and swatches at the click of a button. Brushes and workspaces are downloaded directly into Adobe Illustrator’s folder system, not the downloads folder. No need to quit Illustrator to install.
Watch a quick video to see how Astute Manager Pro can improve your workflow.
The Astute Manager is designed for sharing assets across teams. You can easily convert a standard user account into a team account, and then begin inviting team members to join. When you’re ready to expand your team, options are available to upgrade your account, providing additional capacity and features.
If you are a Team Owner or Team Manager, please visit our Astute Manager Pro Teams Guide for full details.
Plugin Teams and Astute Manager Pro Teams
Astute Graphics plugins for Adobe Illustrator offer team licensing, information on which can be found in the Teams > Plugin Teams page. Note that Plugin Teams and Astute Manager Pro Teams are separate services. Therefore, it is possible to be part of a Plugin Team independently of an Astute Manager Pro Team, and vice versa.
Team Assets
When you convert your account to an Astute Manager Pro Teams account, you gain access to the Teams tabbed sections in the Asset Manager sub-pages (Illustrator, Astute Graphics, and Cloud Manager). Each asset type, such as Workspaces, Brushes, and Templates, can contain multiple asset packs, shared with one or more teams.
Astute Manager Pro Teams provides control over asset pack access (per team) and user levels (Owner, Manager, Member).
User Access Levels
Within Astute Manager Pro Teams, users are assigned one of three levels of access:
Team Owner — one per team; responsible for billing and team creation/deletion.
Team Manager — manages assets and team operations.
Team Member — downloads and installs team assets.
Each user with an Astute Manager Pro Team account can be assigned to more than one asset team at no additional cost. It is also possible to have more than one Team Manager per asset team.
Asset Restriction Controls
Team Owners can allow or restrict cloud storage of assets by type. For example, it is possible to disallow the cloud storage of Action Sets. This control is available selectively for both User and Team asset types.
Plugin subscription
The Astute Graphics plugin subscription provides access to our extensive suite of tools for Adobe Illustrator. Used by over 200,000 designers and illustrators worldwide, our plugins boost creativity, save time and make it easier for our customers to meet tight deadlines and make on the fly changes.
Based on extensive feedback received over many years, Astute Graphics changed from an individual plugin service to the Annual Service Plan on 14 September 2019.
From further feedback, it became clear that this was confusing and customers didn’t see any benefit in keeping plugins which would likely lose compatibility in a short time. We therefore decided to make it simpler by switching to a full “Subscription” in name and operation. This began on . From that date onwards, all new purchases involve a one-off initial fee that provides access to the full suite of tools & plugins, plus updates and enhancements for the duration of the subscription. When the subscription period ends it requires renewing to continue using the plugins.
Benefits of the subscription
All customers receive access to every current Astute Graphics plugin for Adobe Illustrator.
Automatic access to all new updates, upgrades, added compatibility, training and support.
Greater cost planning and value for money with monthly or annual payments.
With significant time savings, our plugins pay for themselves very quickly. This benefit is available for individual customers and teams.
Workflow focused
Whilst in the past we sold plugins individually, with the subscription there are no restrictions on the creative possibilities and time-savings available due to missing plugins in your toolbox.
Customers get the most from our tools when they are all used seamlessly together, as part of an integrated workflow. The subscription provides all tools, demonstrating the tools as we always intended them to be used in the real world.
Keeping up with changes
One of the largest uncertainties experienced by those using technology is the frequency of releases. With some operating systems and Adobe releases causing breaking changes, it has always been a difficult task to ensure you’re up-to-date and compatible.
Astute Graphics also has a long and proven track-record of producing regular new product releases or major existing product upgrades. The news of these paid-for releases could not be made in advance.
Both situations have always left questions of cost in a customer’s mind. When is the best time to buy into the plugins? When will the next breaking change take place? With the subscription, signed-up customers benefit from not only all compatibility releases, but also compatibility with every new and major Adobe Illustrator release.
Legacy Plugin Customers
If you purchased before 14 September 2019 you are a legacy customer. As we have priced our subscription to be the cost equivalent of what previously bought you 2- 4 plugins, the vast majority of legacy customers will benefit from moving to the subscription for access to all tools rather than a restricted set. With our old licensing structure we typically released 2-3 major upgrades per year which (if purchasing all 3) could cost anything between $100 and $190. With our new subscription service, you gain access to ALL licenses and upgrades.
If you are using these previously-purchased plugins they will continue to work in the versions they were purchased for. Whilst they are not be compatible with future operating systems or Adobe Illustrator releases, the licenses remain valid and available for Adobe Illustrator CS6 to Illustrator 2019 on both Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 and macOS 10.10 through 10.14 (please see our advice on reinstalling). Your legacy license keys can be found within the email/s you received upon purchase of your legacy licenses.
All other existing Customers
Plugins purchased from 3 September 2020 are purchased as part of the subscription service, customers pay for access to all plugins. When the subscription expires, access to plugins expires and it will be necessary to purchase again to continue use.
Take our Free 7 day trial to find out if the plugin subscription is for you.