Behr vs Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore: Which Paint Brand Is Best?

These three brands account for the vast majority of residential paint sold in America. But they serve different customers, at different price points, through different channels. Here's an honest breakdown to help you decide.

Price Comparison

Behr is the most affordable of the three, with premium lines like Marquee starting around $45–50 per gallon at Home Depot. Sherwin-Williams sits in the middle at $55–75+ per gallon depending on the product line, though their frequent 30–40% off sales close the gap. Benjamin Moore is the premium option at $60–80+ per gallon, sold exclusively through independent dealers.

Where to Buy

Behr is a Home Depot exclusive — you won't find it anywhere else. Sherwin-Williams sells through their own 4,000+ stores, plus Lowe's carries their HGTV line. Benjamin Moore sells only through independent paint stores and hardware stores.

Color Selection

All three brands offer extensive palettes. Benjamin Moore has roughly 3,500 colors, Sherwin-Williams has over 1,700, and Behr has approximately 3,000+. But numbers don't tell the whole story — what matters is whether the specific shade you want exists in each brand's deck. That's where cross-brand color matching comes in.

On Paint Color HQ, every color page shows the closest equivalents from all other brands, so you're never locked into a single brand's ecosystem.

Popular Colors Compared Across Brands

The best way to compare brands is to look at their most popular colors side by side. Here are some of the best-sellers from each brand and their closest cross-brand equivalents:

Best-selling gray: Agreeable Gray(Sherwin-Williams) vs. Revere Pewter(Benjamin Moore) vs. Toasty Gray(Behr) — all warm greiges with Delta E under 2.0 between them. Browse more in the gray color family.

Best-selling white: Pure White(Sherwin-Williams) vs. White Dove(Benjamin Moore) vs. Cameo White(Behr) — all warm whites that avoid looking sterile. See our white color family for more options.

Use our color compare tool to check the exact Delta E between any two colors, and read our Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore deep dive for a more detailed head-to-head.

Paint Quality

Benjamin Moore Regal Select and Aura are widely considered the best consumer paints available. They offer exceptional coverage (often true one-coat), rich color depth, and durability. Professional painters consistently rank BM at the top.

Sherwin-Williams Emerald is a very close second and preferred by many contractors for its excellent self-leveling and workability. Their Duration line is also excellent for high-traffic areas.

Behr Marquee and Dynasty have improved dramatically in recent years. Consumer Reports has ranked Behr Marquee at or near the top in blind tests. For DIYers, the thick consistency and one-coat coverage make it very forgiving.

Best For…

DIYers on a budget: Behr. The convenience of Home Depot, competitive pricing, and excellent DIY-friendly formulas make it hard to beat for weekend warriors.

Hiring a painter: Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore. Professional painters prefer these brands for their workability, and most contractors have SW or BM accounts with trade discounts.

Color-critical projects: Benjamin Moore. If getting the exact right color matters (and you're willing to pay for it), BM's Gennex color system produces the most accurate and consistent color matches.

Can You Mix Brands?

Absolutely. Many designers specify Benjamin Moore colors but have them mixed in Sherwin-Williams paint (or vice versa) to get the best of both worlds. Just bring the color formula or hex code to any paint store and they can custom-match it. You can also use our color compare tool to verify how close the match is before committing. Try our palette generator to build a wall + trim + accent scheme from any brand.