A free paint matching tool takes a color from one miniature paint brand and shows you the closest equivalent colors in other brands, so you can substitute a paint you cannot find, keep a scheme consistent while switching ranges, or figure out what a paint in a photo actually is. The useful ones compare paints by their actual measured color rather than a hobbyist's memory or a marketing description, and they group results by finish type so a wash never gets matched against an opaque base by mistake.
What a good matching tool should actually show
Color alone is not enough. A useful match needs three things: a similarity score based on real color distance, not a vague "close" label; the finish type of both paints, since a metallic and a flat color can share a similar hue and still behave completely differently on a model; and enough matches per color that you are not stuck with one option if it turns out to be the wrong finish for your use.
The converter on this site works from measured hex color values for every paint in the catalog, calculates distance using the same color-difference formula used across printing and textile industries to judge whether two colors look the same to a person, and separates results by finish class so a base color match never gets confused with a wash or a metallic. Pick a paint you already own, and it shows the closest matches across every other brand tracked, with the percentage and finish type both visible before you commit to a substitution.
How to use a matching tool correctly
Start with the paint you actually have in hand or the paint named in a scheme you are trying to replicate. Look up its closest matches, and check the finish type on each result before trusting it, a match above ninety percent in the wrong finish class is still the wrong substitution. If the best same-finish match sits in the seventies or below, treat it as a mixing starting point rather than a straight swap, since a distance that large will read as a visibly different color side by side, even if it is close enough at a glance across a table.
| Step | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pick the source paint | Confirm the exact name, not a similar-sounding one | Ranges reuse similar names across product lines |
| Read the similarity score | Above roughly ninety reads as the same color at arm's length | Lower scores need a visual check before buying |
| Check finish type | Base, layer, wash, metallic, and so on must match | Color alone ignores opacity and sheen |
| Confirm on the model | Dry paint over your actual primer, not the bottle | Primer and lighting shift the final read |
When a matching tool will not give you a perfect answer
No matching tool, free or paid, replaces a side by side comparison on an actual model. Two ranges are mixed independently by different manufacturers, so even a very close match can dry slightly differently depending on the primer underneath and the lighting you are painting under. Washes and one-coat style paints are the hardest category to match reliably, since their finish depends on the medium as much as the pigment, so treat any wash match as a starting point to test on a spare model rather than a guaranteed swap.
For a full brand-to-brand reference rather than looking up one paint at a time, the Citadel to Vallejo conversion chart and the other pairwise charts on this site lay out every match for an entire range at once.
FAQ
Is there really a free way to match miniature paint colors across brands?
Yes. A tool built from measured paint colors, like the converter on this site, does not require payment or an account to look up a match.
Do I need to know a paint's exact name to use a matching tool?
Yes, matching works from a specific paint entry, not a general description like "dark green." If you are unsure of the exact name, checking a brand's range page first helps narrow it down.
Can a matching tool tell me if a paint is discontinued?
A good one should flag current versus older status where that data is available, though the primary job of a matching tool is the color and finish match itself.
Why do two matching tools sometimes disagree on the best match?
Different tools use different color models and formulas, and some rely on community consensus rather than measured hex values. Both approaches can produce reasonable but different top matches for the same paint.