Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore: The Complete Comparison

Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore are the two most specified paint brands among designers and contractors. Both make excellent paint, but they differ in meaningful ways that affect your wallet, your schedule, and your final result. This guide breaks down every factor so you can choose with confidence.

Price: Advantage SW (With Sales)

Benjamin Moore Regal Select: $65–$75/gallon. Aura: $80–$90/gallon.

Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint: $60–$70/gallon. Emerald: $75–$85/gallon. But SW runs 30–40% off sales 4–6 times per year, dropping Emerald to $50–$60. BM rarely discounts.

Verdict: At full price, they're comparable. With SW sales, you can get premium paint for mid-tier prices.

Popular Colors Head-to-Head

The best way to compare these two brands is through their flagship colors. Here are the most popular shades and their closest cross-brand match:

Agreeable Gray(Sherwin-Williams) ↔ Revere Pewter(Benjamin Moore) — America's two most popular grays. Delta E: 2.4 (close but noticeably different in person). Browse the gray color family.

Pure White(Sherwin-Williams) ↔ White Dove(Benjamin Moore) — Both warm whites, but White Dove is slightly creamier. See the white color family.

Alabaster(Sherwin-Williams) ↔ Simply White(Benjamin Moore) — Warm whites for whole-house color. Nearly identical in person.

Use our color compare tool to check the exact Delta E between any SW and BM colors. Read our undertones guide to understand why similar-looking colors can feel different on your walls.

Quality: Advantage BM (Slightly)

Both brands make outstanding paint. BM Aura has a slight edge in color depth, richness, and true one-coat coverage. SW Emerald excels in self-leveling and workability — painters love how it flows off the brush.

For cabinets and trim (where finish quality matters most), many pros prefer BM Advance (a waterborne alkyd). For wall paint, it's nearly a toss-up at the premium tier.

Color Selection

Benjamin Moore: ~3,500 colors. The largest palette, with an especially deep range of whites, neutrals, and historically-inspired shades.

Sherwin-Williams: ~1,700 colors. A more curated selection that covers every need. SW also offers custom matching of any BM color code.

On Paint Color HQ, every color page shows the closest matches from both brands automatically. Our SW alternatives to BM's top sellers covers the most popular crossovers.

Availability

SW wins here. Over 4,000 company-owned stores plus Lowe's locations. Open weekends and evenings. BM sells exclusively through independent dealers — selection is great, but hours are often limited and locations fewer.

The Color Matching Question

Can you take a BM color to an SW store (or vice versa)? Yes — both stores can spectrophotometer-match any physical chip. But a custom-matched color isn't the same as a formulated color. For the best result, find the brand's closest existing color using our cross-brand search, then sample both the original and the match.

Who Should Choose SW

You value convenience (more stores, better hours), you want to wait for sales, your contractor already has an SW account, or you prefer their curated palette. Explore all Sherwin-Williams colors.

Who Should Choose BM

You want the absolute richest color depth, you're painting cabinets (BM Advance is hard to beat), your designer specced BM colors, or you prefer working with an independent paint store for expert advice. Browse all Benjamin Moore colors.

The Best of Both Worlds

Many homeowners use both brands. A common approach: BM Advance for cabinets and trim (superior finish), SW Emerald for walls (more accessible, great with sales). Use our compare tool to make sure your BM trim white matches your SW wall color. Our palette generator can help you build a cohesive scheme mixing colors from either brand.