Paint Color Match

Match paint colors across brands using a paint name, an image, or a color code. This tool helps identify equivalent and closely matching real paint colors for comparison and planning.

Match by Paint Name Match by Photo Match by Color Code

Match Paint Colors by Brand Name

Enter a paint color name from one brand to find equivalent or closely matching colors from other brands. Useful when switching brands or comparing similar shades across manufacturers.

Select Brand

Color Name

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Select a color to see

matching paint colors.

How color matching works

Paint color matching compares colors in Lab space, then ranks them by color distance, shown as ΔE. A ΔE under about 2 is usually indistinguishable on a wall. From 2 to 5, the match is close, but I still check boards side by side. Over 5 means you are looking at a different color. No cross-brand match is exact because brands use different tint bases and sheens. Buy a sample of the top match, paint a 2x2 ft board, and check it morning and evening.

How to match a paint color

Pick the brand and color you are trying to match.
Review the closest matches and compare the ΔE values.
Sample the top result on a 2x2 ft board before buying paint.

Paint color match FAQ

Can a store just mix a competitor's color?

Yes. Most paint stores can cross-match a competitor's formula, but the result still depends on the tint base and sheen they use. Treat the store mix as a close match, then test a sample before the whole room rides on it.

Why do matches look different on my screen?

Your screen emits light, and paint reflects light from the room. Screen brightness alone can push a gray or white several steps warmer or cooler, and night shift settings add a tint of their own. Judge close matches with physical samples.

Which brands are in the database?

The database includes Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, Behr, Valspar, and Glidden. Some brands have deeper coverage because manufacturers publish color data differently.

How accurate is match-from-photo?

Lighting in the photo dominates the result. A bright window or a yellow bulb shifts the picked color before matching even starts. For photo work, use the Color Match From Photo tool and still sample the winner.

My painter only uses Sherwin-Williams. How do I get my Benjamin Moore color in it?

Use this tool to find the closest Sherwin-Williams equivalent to the Benjamin Moore color, or ask the Sherwin-Williams store to cross-tint the Benjamin Moore formula directly. Either route needs a brush-out sample on the actual wall before the painter buys 5 gallons. A cross-tinted mix usually lands closer than most people can spot on a painted wall, but it is never a perfect twin. Judge the sample in your own light before approving the order.

Can I match paint already on my wall if I do not know the color name?

Yes, start with the route that leaves the least repair. Remove a quarter-size chip from behind a switch plate cover with a razor blade, then ask the paint store to read it with their color scanner, the handheld device that measures a chip and spits out a formula. If cutting paint is not an option, photograph the wall in even daylight and run it through the Color Match From Photo tool. Brush out the best match on the wall before buying more than 1 quart.

Does sheen affect the match?

Yes, sheen can make the same formula read differently. Flat usually looks darker and richer, and higher gloss often looks lighter and cooler because it reflects more light. Match and sample in the exact sheen you plan to buy. If the store mixed the match in eggshell and the wall is flat, expect a visible step.

Can I match a paint color that has been discontinued?

Usually yes. A retired color rarely leaves the store computer, the recipe stays on file under its old name, so the counter can still mix it. This database keeps discontinued names searchable, which gives you the exact name and code to hand over. If the name draws a blank, bring in a chip of the old paint and have the store read it with their color scanner.

Does color matching work for exterior paint?

The match itself is the same. Exterior and interior lines share the same color codes, so a name that matches indoors matches outdoors too. What changes is how it reads once it is up: direct sun washes a color out and pulls it lighter, and exterior sheens bounce back more light than a flat interior wall. Paint a sample board, then set it against the house twice, once in shade and once in full sun.

What if the store refuses to mix a competitor's color?

Some chains will not tint a rival formula, and that is store policy, not something the counter can bend. Take the closest match from that store's own brand instead. This tool ranks those side by side, so you can see how close the swap really gets. The other route is a physical chip of the color you want, which the store can read with their color scanner and mix without the rival brand ever coming up.