Digital Asset Management pricing: How the leading platforms compare

If you’re looking for a new DAM solution, one of the most important questions is: how much is it going to cost?

The simple (yet frustrating) answer is: it depends.

An analysis by CMSWire found that the average DAM platform costs around $52,000 per year for hosted and $71,000 for non-hosted services.

Those are some big numbers. However, CMSWire notes that these averages are skewed by the most expensive, enterprise-level DAM solutions — meaning more budget-friendly solutions are out there, you just need to know where to look.

Whatever your budget, you’ll need to understand DAM pricing so you know what you’re paying for and what to expect.

This blog post will walk you through how DAM pricing works and the pricing structures of some of the most popular DAM solutions so you can make an informed decision.

Let’s get started!

How much does an asset management system cost?

DAM pricing can be murky, but it’s easier to navigate when you understand the costs involved.

There are three different types of costs that a DAM platform may charge:

Subscription costs: These usually depend on four factors — storage, users, administrators, and user groups.
Upfront costs: One-time costs such as onboarding or consultation fees.
Ongoing costs: Such as training and support.

Features to consider when choosing a DAM

The amount you end up paying for your DAM platform depends on the features and functionality required for your business.

For instance, the needs of a freelance graphic designer are vastly different from those of a large corporation.

When it comes to choosing the right DAM solution for you, some of the factors to consider include:

Scalability: Does the DAM provide enough flexibility and storage space to grow with your business?
Integrations: Does the DAM integrate with the platforms in your current tech stack?
Access and permissions: Does the DAM provide the controls you need?
Analytics and reporting: Does the DAM offer insights into how your files and assets are used?

DAM pricing: comparing the leading platforms

1. Playbook

Playbook offers a free plan for up to 10 team members and unlimited collaborators, with 4TB of storage for designers, marketers, and other creative professionals.

Those who need more storage and extra features, like small agencies and teams, can upgrade to a Pro plan for $12 per month and receive 5TB of storage.

For larger teams with more complex needs, the Team plan starts at $250 per month and includes unlimited team members, GPT Search, licence management, and more.

2. Brandfolder

Brandfolder’s pricing is opaque to say the least — no prices are listed on its pricing page.

However, online reports state that Brandfolder’s core plan starts at $1,600 per month — putting it out of reach for many small businesses, which would end up paying for a bunch of features they don’t need.

With Brandfolder, there’s no free plan and no free trial, so you’ll have to sign up to try it.

3. Bynder

Like Brandfolder, Bynder does not share pricing information on its pricing page, although it does offer a 14-day free trial.

Bynder says that the cost of the platform depends on the amount of storage, number of users, and the modules needed.

That said, online reports state that Bynder’s pricing starts at $450 per month. Fortunately, it also offers a 14-day free trial so you can try before you buy.

4. Acquia DAM

Acquia is so secretive about its pricing that even the amateur online sleuths haven’t posted it yet, so the only way to find out is to get on a sales call with them.

However, it does offer a generous 30-day free trial so you can try before you buy.

5. Canto

The only way to find out Canto’s pricing is to submit a contact form, and most online reviews only refer to it as expensive.

However, one user gave a little more detail on the pricing structure, noting that “regular” users are free, while “power users” cost $1000 per person per year.

If you want to try Canto, you can do so for free for seven days.

6. Cloudinary

Cloudinary has four pricing tears:

Free: three users and 25 monthly credits
$89: three users and 225 monthly credits
$224: five users and 600 monthly credits
Enterprise: custom pricing

Because it has a free version, you can test it for as long as you like and upgrade for greater functionality as required.

7. MediaValet

MediaValet doesn’t provide information about its pricing structure on the website — you’ll have to submit a request to see it.

However, according to Predictive Analytics, prices start at $6000/year with unlimited users.

MediaValet has a sandbox account version that you can try for free, although they don’t specify how long the trial lasts.

8. Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager is an enterprise solution with enterprise prices. Although it doesn’t provide pricing information on the website, one online source says that prices range from $30,000 to $80,000 per year.

With no free trial and no free version available, only those with the biggest budgets will be able to opt for AEM.

Playbook: the budget-friendly DAM for creatives

If you’re looking for a DAM solution with an intuitive interface and AI-powered search that fits your budget, why not give Playbook a try?

With 4TB and up to 10 users on the free plan, you’ll have everything you need to get started. And if your business grows and you need more functionality, Playbook will be ready to grow with you.