# Datacolor ColorReader — Color & Paint Matching App

> Accurately matches paint colors from objects to popular brands with high precision. (iPhone/iPad app by Datacolor Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-colorreader/id1217566816 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Datacolor Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/432310628)
- Category: Productivity, Business
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 692 App Store ratings · 74 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13 · 34 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2017-03-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-colorreader/id1217566816/reviews.md

## What is Datacolor ColorReader?

Matching paint color by eye is subjective. Job quality is not. That’s why you need the Datacolor ColorReader. It matches paint color with more than 90% accuracy. All at the push of a button. All in the brand of your choice. The ColorReader analyzes the color of a wall or object and matches it in less than a second to the closest paint color. For those who need to know paint color to do their jobs. No more matching by eye and searching through fan decks or color cards.

Paint confidently. Design confidently. DIY confidently. Be confident with color.

Highest Accuracy Across Popular Paint Brands
• Industry leading matching with more than 90% success rate
• Matches color to any uploaded fan deck
• Easy to use
• One-click analysis
• Ultra-portable
• Bluetooth®-connected
• OLED display for standalone device use (ColorReader Pro only)
 
Expanded capabilities through the mobile app:
• Build, save, and share color palettes
• Color measurement history
• Color scheme recommendations for harmonious color flow
• Get paint brand color name and number
• Get color values for measurements and color matches including RGB, Hex, CIELab, and more!
• QC functionality (ColorReader and ColorReader Pro only)
 
Backed by the Leading Precision Color Company
For more than 45 years, Datacolor’s passion for precision color has helped us meet the exacting needs of more than a million customers whose entire job depends on the accuracy of their colors.

What People Are Saying about ColorReader?
“This device is incredibly easy to use - and it’s dependable.”
John Metz - Haddon Painting

“I love it. It cut one hour of time off my desk.”
Debbie Deutsh – Interiors by Cornerstone

“In this industry, time is money. If I can’t get the exact color they want, I’m losing time and material costs. “
Jon Ipock – ProTastic Painting

“I have not stopped using it in matching colors to fabric and wall covering. It has saved me so much time in trying to match with paint chips.”
Vincent Wolf – Vincent Wolf Associates, Inc.

“There are many contenders in this field, but this in my opinion is the only one that provides the best balance between accuracy, ease-of-use and price. Whatever color you read with your ColorReader will be matched against those fan decks and the best matching returned. This is a much better alternative to purchasing multiple paint samples and trying them out, and is in my opinion the best bang for the buck.”
Amazon Customer

“Bought this (the lower cost one) because it seemed there had to be a better way than trying to match paint swatches to what is on the walls now. Setup was straight forward, and the app is fairly easy to use to take readings. The device accurately identified a swatch that I had, and it was straight forward to take multiple readings of the long ago painted walls in our old house.“
Amazon Customer

Terms & Conditions: https://www.datacolor.com/legal/us/terms-conditions/

Privacy Policy: http://www.datacolor.com/legal-documents/colorreader/privacy-policy/

## Key features

- Accurate paint color matching (>90%)
- Matches to uploaded fan decks
- Build, save, and share color palettes
- Color measurement history
- Color scheme recommendations
- Get paint brand color name and number
- Provides RGB, Hex, CIELab values

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NCS Colour (monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| NCS Colour (yearly) | $89.99 | per year |
| British Standards (monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| British Standards (yearly) | $149.99 | per year |


## What do users think of Datacolor ColorReader?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🎨 Accurate color matching on ceiling colors
- 📚 Comprehensive paint brand library
- ⚡ Quick and efficient scanning process
- 🎯 Useful complementary color schemes
- 👍 Minimal app permissions required
- 💼 Professional-grade tool for contractors

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent connection failures between device and app
- ❌ Poor color accuracy on walls and samples
- 📵 App requires device connection to view saved colors
- 🔄 Outdated and missing paint colors in library
- 🎨 Inconsistent results across different lighting conditions
- 📱 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
- 🚫 Registration and calibration failures
- ⚠️ Blank page and white screen errors
- 🔌 Requires additional hardware purchase
- 📉 Updates reduce functionality over time

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Blank page on device registration
- White screen during app startup
- Calibration failed error messages
- Device won't connect to smartphone
- Bluetooth connectivity issues requiring multiple attempts
- Fan deck update stuck indefinitely
- Missing read button on iPhone XS Max
- iOS 12 compatibility broken after update
- Inaccessible color history after fan deck removal
- Support ticket system non-functional

**Most requested features**

- Store scanned colors on phone without device connection
- Cloud sync for color history across devices
- Tutorial or guided walkthrough for app navigation
- Ability to delete individual colors from history
- Reorder colors within custom palettes
- Search by paint swatch number
- Support for more eco-conscious paint brands
- Expanded UK/European paint brand options
- Separate color selection for trim and cabinets in photo mode
- Display custom color names in detail view

## Recent user reviews (10 of 74)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-colorreader/id1217566816/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Pretty good so far

*2026-07-19, version 3.24.8*

Just started using it so I can’t give an accurate answer. So I’ll leave it as a 3 star review for now and edit this later for when I know about this app better

### 3/5 — Works ok…but

*2026-07-10, version 3.24.8*

One of the biggest drawbacks I see is the fact that you can’t delete sampled colors in your history so you end up getting a huge list up to 10,000 samples in there which gets very confusing.

Also I found if you take multiple samples without moving the sensor, it will give you different readings, which doesn’t really make any sense.

### 1/5 — Only fancy brands

*2026-05-13, version 3.24.8*

It only gives you fancy paint brands, some I never heard of, and never Sherwin williams. I know the oroginal was a SW color, only 1 year ago. I guess they get a kick back. Shame. And so far it has not been remotely accurate.

### 1/5 — Galère

*2026-03-15*

Il ne se connecte pas sur iOS. Alors que sur Android c’est immédiat. Quelle galère! Encore 130€ à la poubelle. Je suis iOS et je n’aime pas android. Je ne vais pas acheter un tel android juste pour un nuancier.

### 1/5 — Blank page

*2026-02-22, version 3.24.8*

I’m trying to register my device but all I get is a blank page. I uninstalled, reinstalled, but doesn’t work.

### 1/5 — Schöner Wohnen???

*2025-12-19*

In wie fern ist die Schöner Wohnen Farbpalette aktuell???
Keine Farbe matcht!
Und ich habe den Farbfächer vor mir…
Die aktuellen Farben existieren einfach nicht!

### 1/5 — Unbrauchbar

*2025-12-19*

Komme nicht über die Registrierung hinaus. Kan den coloreader somit nicht verwenden. Generell schon ein Witz wie das Gerät verarbeitet ist und der Micro usb Anschluss gibt mir richtige Retro Vibea. Für 300€ ne super Sache. Habe das neueste iPhone btw

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work

*2025-11-11, version 3.24.8*

I can’t even get past the registration screen . Will be sending this piece of rubbish back to Amazon. Save yourself the headache and buy a decent brand

### 1/5 — Dumb app

*2025-10-16, version 3.24.8*

I can’t get the app to work to calibrate my new device….so frustrating!

### 1/5 — Not close enough

*2025-06-05, version 3.24.8*

Im scanning colors i know and colors out of the fan deck.  It gets it in the ballpark.  But the point of the device is to get it way closer than the ballpark.  Have yet to have a correct reading.  And no it isnt because "paint fades over time" blah blah blah

## Frequently asked questions about Datacolor ColorReader

### What does the Datacolor ColorReader app do?

The app works with a hardware device to accurately measure the color of any surface or object and match it to the closest paint color from various popular brands. It provides detailed color values and can help users create and manage color palettes.

### What are the key features of the app?

Key features include high-accuracy color matching (over 90%), the ability to match colors to uploaded fan decks, building and sharing color palettes, viewing color measurement history, and receiving color scheme recommendations. It also provides color values like RGB, Hex, and CIELab.

### Is the app free to use?

The app itself is free to download and use, but it requires a Datacolor ColorReader hardware device to function. Some advanced features or functionalities might be associated with specific device models or in-app purchases.

### What devices is the ColorReader app compatible with?

The app is designed to work with Datacolor's ColorReader and ColorReader Pro devices, connecting via Bluetooth. It is available for mobile devices, implying compatibility with both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

### Who would benefit from using this app?

Professionals such as painters, interior designers, and contractors will benefit from the app's accuracy and time-saving features. DIY homeowners undertaking renovation or decorating projects will also find it invaluable for achieving precise color matches and confident design choices.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.24.8 — 2025-05-05

Improvements
- Enhanced performance and improved match results for ColorReader EZ.

Fixes
- Resolved user interface compatibility issues on iPhone 16 models.
- Applied various minor fixes and general stability improvements.

### 3.24.5 — 2024-04-03

Minor bug fixes and performance enhancements.

### 3.24.4 — 2024-02-12

Bug fix regarding restoring in app purchases.

### 3.24.3 — 2024-01-09

Bug fixes & performance improvements

### 3.24.2 — 2023-11-16

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

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## More apps by Datacolor Inc.

- [Illuminati Meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illuminati-meter/id1320784194)
- [Datacolor MobileQC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-mobileqc/id1614959316)
- [Datacolor Quick QC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-quick-qc/id6737932696)
- [Datacolor LightColor Meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datacolor-lightcolor-meter/id6739147007)

All apps by Datacolor Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/432310628

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*