Best Paint Color Visualizer Tools

In the past decade, I’ve remodeled quite a few rooms and homes. And one thing that still impresses me is the power of paint. I’ve seen a home that was dark, dingy and overlooked on the real estate market completely transform with fresh white paint and sell a few years later for over double. While I generally look at a room/exterior/wall and just ache to paint it a certain color sometimes, it can be hard to imagine what a space might look like with new paint. That’s where a good paint color visualizer comes in. I’ve tried several options and laying out my favorites along with example photos here!

Northwest contemporary style house situated on landscaped yard with large trees and background house is painted with tricorn, black and white trim

One thing to remember, these and other interior design software tools make it easy to see how your space might look, but are never exact. They are fun to use for inspiration but try not to expect a color to show exactly as it does on screen.

Tips for Using Paint Color Visualizer Tools

Just like any interior design software, there are a few little things you can do to get the most out of it. Paint color visulizers are already limited by nature so these things can make for a better experience:

Upload your actual photo, not the inspiration photos the tool provides
Use a photo that shows as much of the room as possible and with minimal furniture or clutter
Take a photo without the lights on, just the natural light if possible

I’ll show you what each tool looks like using photos of my own spaces.

Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer

Bedroom with bed and decor and dark gray walls shown on the Sherwin Williams Paint Color Visualizer app

Because I use a lot of SW paint colors, I use the Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer tool pretty often and suggest it to clients as well. It is free, basic, and super easy to use. You simply upload photos of your room or home exterior and then virtually “paint” with Sherwin-Williams colors.

It’s great to get a very general idea, but it has some limitations. The paint feature is kind of blotchy and is difficult to use if the photo includes existing furniture. I also wish it was easier to explore and toggle between photos. To make it easier, I’d suggest using a photo with as little furniture as possible and choosing some color ideas in advance.

Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio App

living room with black couch, chairs, and organic modern decor shown within the benjamin moore color visualizer app with a forest green accent wall

I have a long time love affair with Benjamin Moore paint colors. They have both a free Color Portfolio app and desktop paint color visualizer that allows you to explore paint color options. The app is a really clean, straight forward, and lovely way of getting a very general idea of how paint colors will look in a space.

In the app, it’s really easy to fan out and view options from a color deck and quickly add and try out paint. However, the paint tool itself tends to cover the entire space so using a mostly empty room is crucial for this app too. The desktop paint color visualizer requires an account and is a little clunkier to use.

Valspar Color Visualizer

Here’s a little bit of trivia for you – Sherwin Williams owns Valspar, the paint brand sold at Lowe’s. You’ll find a lot of overlap here with collections and technology. The Lowe’s Valspar Paint Visualizer is pretty similar to the Sherwin Williams Color Snap Tool. Same benefits and same drawbacks as above. This tool can be used for both interior wall paint and exterior paint colors.

I would use this only if I was committed to a very specific Valspar paint color. Which I am not.

Dunn-Edwards InstaColor

Everything about Dunn Edwards is pretty lovely and straight forward. Not surprisingly their paint color visualizer tool is no different. Like all the other tools, you can upload a photo and apply any Dunn-Edwards color virtually.

It’s a really easy set up but I struggled with the lack of an “undo” button found on most other tools. Also, the actual painting is a little tedious and you draw shapes and then fill it in. I’d love to see a quicker, more intuitive way to paint a space on this app.

Visualize With Peel & Stick Paint Samples

bedroom with iron ore vs tricorn black peel and stick samples on white wall. there is also artwork, wood trim, lamps, and a plant

Ok, so this is not a digital visualizer but I’m a huge fan of the peel and stick paint samples to really visualize a color in a space. These samples are pretty larger and more like a cling wrap type of sticker and are easy to move. This helps with seeing the color in brighter spaces near a window and less lit areas like a hallway.

Many brands have this option, but I like Samplize as you can purchase samples from a variety of brands to test across the board.

Final Thoughts on Paint Color Visualizer

Overall, these paint color visualizer tools are all very similar. They are great for getting a very general sense of a color in a room. I use them most to see a drastic difference, like “should I paint my house black?” It can give you a general idea. It’s also a great way to test warm vs cool colors. I’m a fan of true neutrals and using these kinds of tools can improve your skills in seeing the difference.

To really narrow paint colors down though, I’d choose actual peel and stick samples and decide from there. I have a whole post on How to Test Paint Colors which gives some great tips for the process.

If I had to choose my favorite tool, I’d say Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer is the best. Even though it has limitations, it’s easy to use, shows colors in day and evening, and makes visualizing the space really quick.

If you’re curious about other home decor software, check out my post on Ai Interior Design Tools for common options and my thoughts on each.