About Paint Color HQ
What is Paint Color HQ?
Paint Color HQ is a paint color discovery and cross-brand matching platform. We catalog over 25,000 colors across 14 major paint brands and provide free tools that help homeowners, interior designers, and painting professionals choose paint colors with confidence.
Our mission is straightforward: eliminate the guesswork from choosing paint colors. Instead of buying dozens of sample pots or wondering whether a Sherwin-Williams shade has a Benjamin Moore equivalent, you can find answers instantly with data you can trust.
Free Tools
Every tool on Paint Color HQ is free to use, with no account required.
Preview colors on walls, trim, and floors in a realistic room scene.
Color IdentifierUpload a photo, click any spot, and find matching paint colors.
Palette GeneratorBuild coordinated palettes using color harmony rules mapped to real paints.
Paint CalculatorEstimate gallons needed based on room dimensions, doors, and windows.
Compare ToolPlace two or more colors side by side with Delta E scores.
Color SearchSearch by name, code, hex value, or browse by color family and brand.
Our Color Science Methodology
Color matching on Paint Color HQ is powered by CIEDE2000, the latest international standard for measuring perceptual color difference. Unlike older formulas (CIE76, CIE94), CIEDE2000 accounts for how the human eye actually perceives differences in lightness, chroma, and hue, making it the most accurate method available for comparing paint colors digitally.
For every color in our database, we compute the perceptual distance — called Delta E — to every color from every other brand. This score tells you exactly how close two colors are to the human eye:
| Delta E Range | What It Means |
|---|---|
| < 1.0 | Virtually identical — the difference is imperceptible to most people |
| 1.0 – 2.0 | Very close — most people cannot tell them apart |
| 2.0 – 3.0 | Close — a slight difference may be visible when placed side by side |
| 3.0 – 5.0 | Noticeable difference — clearly distinguishable to most observers |
Color Data We Provide
Every color page on Paint Color HQ includes:
- Hex and RGB values — the exact digital color representation
- LRV (Light Reflectance Value) — how much light a color reflects, useful for choosing colors for different room sizes and lighting conditions
- Undertone classification — whether a color reads warm, cool, or neutral, which affects how it pairs with other elements in your space
- Cross-brand matches — the closest equivalent colors from every other brand, ranked by Delta E accuracy
How We're Different
Paint Color HQ is not a paint store. We don't sell paint, and we're not affiliated with any paint manufacturer. We're an independent reference tool built to help you make informed decisions about paint colors before you visit the store.
Cross-Brand Matching
Paint brands don't publish cross-references to each other's colors. We compute matches across all 14 brands using CIEDE2000, so you can find an equivalent color no matter which brand your local store carries.
Data-Driven, Not Opinion-Based
Every color recommendation on this site is backed by color science. When we say two colors are close, we show you the Delta E score to prove it. No subjective "these look similar" guesses.
Completely Free
All tools, color data, and matching results are free to use with no account or sign-up required. We believe paint color information should be accessible to everyone.
Accuracy Transparency
All color data is based on digital hex and RGB values published by each manufacturer. We update our database regularly and always recommend verifying with physical paint samples, because real paint looks different depending on finish, lighting, coats, and primer.
Brands We Cover
Our database includes colors from 14 major paint brands available in North America and internationally:
- Sherwin-Williams
- Benjamin Moore
- Behr
- PPG
- Valspar
- Dunn-Edwards
- Farrow & Ball
- Clark+Kensington
- Glidden
- Olympic
- Dutch Boy
We add new brands and update existing color data regularly. If you notice a missing color or incorrect data, please let us know.
Contact Us
Have a question, found inaccurate data, or want to suggest a feature? We'd like to hear from you.
Visit our contact page for general inquiries, corrections, and feedback.