There is no fine print. It is extremely clear and obvious. If you see a term called "Annual paid monthly", 33% less expensive than a monthly option right above, what possible other interpretation can someone have?
I think they clarified it more recently, because the FTC is taking a separate action against them on this specific issue. I doubt there would have been much of an issue if it had been that clear in the first place.
A few years ago it still had the three options (monthly, annual billed monthly and annual prepaid) but didn't -- at least on the first page, though it did when you confirmed your transaction -- have the specific notice about an early termination fee. It still seemed like something where any rational person would ask themselves "what sort of idiot would pay 33% more for `monthly' when there's this no downside annual paid monthly thing? Got em!", but I guess there was some argument for being bamboozled.
But it is the way it is now for at least three+ years. People are still thinking they're beating the system.
Does it try to ensnare users trying to save some money now? Sure, it does. It offers some revenue planning for Adobe in return for a discount. The FTC is basically arguing that there shouldn't be such a discount.
In either case, my grounds for cancelling early really had nothing to do with the year-long case.
My grounds for cancelling is that the software didn't work. And I don't mean in some qualitative sense. The software would just crash when opening files or creating new files.
Adobe never held up their end of the bargain - providing functioning software.
This was ~8 years ago. I am fairly careful when signing up for services and subscriptions, having learned hard lessons when signing up for gym memberships in the 1900s.
There is no fine print. It is extremely clear and obvious. If you see a term called "Annual paid monthly", 33% less expensive than a monthly option right above, what possible other interpretation can someone have?