In summary:
- Macworld explores Apple Creator Studio, a subscription bundle combining creative apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro with new AI features.
- The service offers solid value for students and Apple users but includes monthly limits of 50 AI-generated images and presentations.
- Users must download new versions of iWork apps as old ones are discontinued, with some features now subscriber-only despite basic apps remaining free.
Apple Creator Studio is now available to users. The bundle gathers apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro into a single subscription. Subscribers also get access to exclusive features in some Apple apps, such as Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.
But there are a few small details about Apple Creator Studio that weren’t clear until we had a chance to play around with it. So here are 11 things you might not know about the bundle.
1. There is no Creator Studio app
On the day of the Creator Studio launch, many users naturally tried to find the Apple Creator Studio app in the App Store. However, Creator Studio is not a single app, but rather a bundle. If you search for Apple Creator Studio in the App Store, you’ll find a bundle with all of the following apps:
- Final Cut Pro
- Logic Pro
- Pixelmator Pro
- Keynote
- Pages
- Numbers
- Motion
- Compressor
- MainStage
You can download every app in the bundle all at once or just select the ones you want to use right away, but Creator Studio is just the name of the collection. There isn’t a Creator Studio manager or content hub—the individual apps are merely sold together.
When you open any app that is part of Creator Studio, a subscription prompt will appear. Once you subscribe, your subscription will be valid for all other apps in the bundle.
If you want to use Pixelmator Pro the iPad, you’ll need to subscribe.
Apple
2. You can still buy Mac apps individually, but not iPad apps
If you’re not a fan of subscriptions and prefer to pay a one-time fee for a license, the Mac apps that are part of Apple Creator Studio can still be purchased individually from the App Store, including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage.
However, there are no lifetime licenses offered for iPad apps, and Pixelmator Pro for iPadOS is exclusively available as part of Apple Creator Studio. iWork apps remain available for free, although some features are now exclusive to subscribers.
3. AI features have usage limits
Speaking of exclusive features, iWork apps (Keynote, Pages, and Numbers) provide some new AI tools for Apple Creator Studio subscribers. For example, you can generate images for your documents or presentations, create slides based on prompts, and even auto-fill tables.
There are limits to how many Apple Intelligence features can be used each month.
Foundry
However, according to Apple, there are usage limits for these AI features. Creator Studio subscribers can generate up to 50 images and 50 Keynote presentations (with approximately 10 slides each) per month. Presentation notes are also limited to 700 slides per month.
Mac users can check their usage status by clicking on the app name in the Menu Bar, then Intelligence Features. On the iPhone and iPad, usage status can be found under the “More” button in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote.
4. Apple Creator Studio uses AI models from OpenAI
While some users may think that the AI tools offered as part of Apple Creator Studio are powered by Apple Intelligence models, these are actually powered by OpenAI.
Apple makes it clear that, although some data may be sent to OpenAI, the data is not used to train AI models in any situation. The data is also sent anonymously and isn’t synced with your ChatGPT account.
5. Images from Content Hub can’t be used in other apps
Apple Creator Studio subscribers have access to the Content Hub, which is essentially a library of royalty-free images and artwork. While you can use these images freely in your documents and presentations, you can’t copy them to other apps. If you try, the image will have an Apple Creator Studio watermark.
If you try to import an Apple Creator Studio stock image in another app, a watermark will appear.
Foundry
6. Some Creator Studio apps aren’t available on the iPad
While Apple promotes Creator Studio as a multi-platform subscription, some of the apps are exclusive to the Mac: Motion, Compressor, and MainStage.
On the iPad, you can use Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, as well as Keynote, Pages, and Numbers (which also work on the iPhone).
Except for Keynote, Creator Studio apps are not compatible with Vision Pro.
7. You may need to re-download some of the apps on your Mac
If you already have older versions of apps such as Final Cut Pro or Pixelmator Pro installed on your Mac, you’ll need to re-download the new versions if you plan to subscribe to Creator Studio. That’s because the subscription versions are available as separate apps.
When it comes to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, Apple says that everyone needs to download the new versions of these apps from the App Store, even if they don’t plan to subscribe to Creator Studio. The old versions have been discontinued and will no longer receive updates.
On iOS, nothing changes. You can simply update your current apps to the latest versions, which are also compatible with Creator Studio.
If you’re an existing Final Cut Pro user, you may need to download another version.
Apple
8. New icons are exclusive to Creator Studio subscribers
When Apple unveiled Creator Studio, it also showed off new icons for the apps that are part of the bundle. However, since there are two different versions of the apps, only those intended for subscribers have the redesigned icons.
The standalone versions available on the Mac App Store for individual purchase stick with the old icons—except for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, which have new Creator Studio-styled icons.
9. New Freeform features are coming later this year
Apple highlighted that the Freeform app would also be part of Creator Studio. More specifically, the app will also gain new AI-powered tools, just like Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.
However, Apple says that Freeform’s new features will be available later this year, which could mean they won’t arrive with the OS 27 updates in the fall.
10. You can share your Apple Creator Studio subscription
One of the main benefits of subscribing to Apple Creator Studio is that you can share your subscription with up to five other friends or family members through iCloud Family Sharing.
If you’re a student, Creator Studio is cheaper than a cup of coffee.
Apple
11. Creator Studio is really cheap for students and teachers
While Creator Studio is a very good value for $12.99 per month or $129 per year, it’s a downright steal for the education market. Eligible students and teachers can get Apple Creator Studio for just $2.99 per month or $29.99 a year.
Is Apple Creator Studio worth it?
Apple Creator Studio offers solid value by combining powerful creative apps into a single subscription, especially for students and users already deep in Apple’s ecosystem. But it also introduces new trade-offs, from AI usage limits to platform restrictions and subscription-only features.
For some creators, the convenience and pricing will outweigh the drawbacks. But for others, understanding these lesser-known details may be the difference between subscribing or sticking with standalone apps.
Author: Filipe Esposito, Contributor
Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.