Datacolor ColorReader vs Wattyl Colour Match
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Datacolor ColorReader
This app helps professionals and DIYers accurately match paint colors from walls or objects to popular paint brands. It provides color values and recommendations, saving time and ensuring job quality.
- 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
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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/
Wattyl Colour Match
Easily find the perfect paint color by scanning any surface with a connected device. The app then matches the scanned color to the closest Wattyl paint shade, saving your matches and palettes for future reference.
- Scan colors from any surface
- Match to closest Wattyl paint color
- Save color scans and palettes
- Streamlined color matching experience
- Portable color matching system
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Description: Matching color has never been easier with the Wattyl Match App. The app connects to your Wattyl Match paint color matching device (sold separately) to deliver a streamlined color matching experience. Simply scan a color on any product or surface and match it to the closest Wattyl paint color. It’s now just that easy to discover your perfect paint color. Features: A Streamlined Experience With the Wattyl Match system, there’s no need to carry around fan decks or other color samples. Enjoy the lightweight portability of the Wattyl Match paint color matching device, and the convenience of the Wattyl Match App on your mobile device. Scan and Match Use the Wattyl Match device to scan colors from any item or texture, walls, flooring, fabric or home decor; then use the Wattyl Match App to instantly match it to the closet Wattyl paint color. Save It All In One Place The Wattyl Match App allows you to keep your color scans, matches, and Wattyl paint color palettes handy on your mobile device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wattyl Colour Match at none against Datacolor ColorReader's 4. Datacolor ColorReader's advantage is review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (699 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Datacolor ColorReader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Wattyl Colour Match asks for nothing beyond the download.
Datacolor ColorReader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Datacolor ColorReader has 699 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Datacolor ColorReader's written reviews are positive against 0% of Wattyl Colour Match's.
Datacolor ColorReader ships an update every 2 months, Wattyl Colour Match monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Datacolor ColorReader | Wattyl Colour Match |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (699 ratings) — better | 4.4 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 699 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 92 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Datacolor Inc. | Variable Technologies LLC |
Customer experience
Datacolor ColorReader
Wattyl Colour Match
Bugs and requests
Datacolor ColorReader
Reported bugs
10 issues- 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
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- 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
Requested features
10 requests- 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
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- 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
Wattyl Colour Match
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Datacolor ColorReader
- NCS Colour (monthly)$9.991 Month
- British Standards (monthly)$14.991 Month
- NCS Colour (yearly)$89.991 Year
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- British Standards (yearly)$149.991 Year
Wattyl Colour Match
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Datacolor ColorReader free?
Is Wattyl Colour Match free?
Which has better reviews, Datacolor ColorReader or Wattyl Colour Match?
Do Datacolor ColorReader or Wattyl Colour Match have ads?
Which is updated more often, Datacolor ColorReader or Wattyl Colour Match?
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