Comparison

What Color Is This? vs Datacolor ColorReader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

What Color Is This?

Instantly identify colors by pointing your camera. Get precise color values like HEX, RGB, and HSL, and find matches within extensive libraries. This app also offers tools for designers, students, and those with color vision deficiencies.

Highlights
  • Live camera color identification
  • HEX, RGB, and HSL color codes
  • 25+ color libraries (Pantone, RAL, Crayola)
  • Closest color match with Delta E
  • Color vision deficiency simulation
  • Save palettes and export codes
Features
Read full description

Identify any color instantly. Point your camera and get the color name, HEX, RGB, and HSL values. Pick colors from sliders, photos, and live video. Find nearest matches and search 25+ libraries (Pantone, RAL, Crayola, Faber‑Castell, etc) for interesting names. The interface and main color library are translated into 9 languages. You can also simulate common color‑vision deficiencies on your photos. Built for: Color vision deficiency Students and creators Designers and pros Features: Live camera color identifier Closest match with Delta E distance HEX, RGB, and HSL color codes with previews 25+ color libraries including Pantone, RAL, Crayola, Faber‑Castell, etc. Save palettes, bookmark colors, export codes Simulate color vision deficiencies with image filters Translated interface and colors to 9 languages

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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/

Screenshots

What Color Is This?4 screens
Datacolor ColorReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Datacolor ColorReader at 4.7 against What Color Is This?'s 4.0. Datacolor ColorReader also leads on ratings volume (712 vs 41) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). What Color Is This?'s advantage is review sentiment (42% vs 26%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. What Color Is This? sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Datacolor ColorReader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Datacolor ColorReader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Datacolor ColorReader has 712 ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of What Color Is This?'s written reviews are positive against 26% of Datacolor ColorReader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

What Color Is This? ships an update every 4 months, Datacolor ColorReader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
What Color Is This? versus Datacolor ColorReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhat Color Is This?Datacolor ColorReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (41 ratings)4.7 (712 ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews — better25.6% of reviews
Number of ratings41712 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.413 — better
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas TroiaDatacolor Inc.

Customer experience

What Color Is This?

All ratings41 ratings
Positive78.0%
Neutral4.9%
Negative17.1%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive41.7%
Neutral10.0%
Negative48.3%

Datacolor ColorReader

All ratings709 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral1.4%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive25.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative65.4%

User reviews

What Color Is This?

From 41 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great for colorblind users
  • 🎨 Useful for art and fashion
  • 💡 Provides hex and RGB values
  • 🌟 Helps settle disputes
  • 🖼️ Can use photos from camera roll

Room to improve

  • ❌ Inaccurate color readings
  • 🤔 Colors are a ballpark
  • 😵 Patterns can confuse
  • 📺 Bad with screens
  • 🗣️ Uses odd color words

Datacolor ColorReader

From 712 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Accurate color matching on ceiling colors
  • 📚 Comprehensive paint brand library
  • ⚡ Quick and efficient scanning process
  • 🎯 Useful complementary color schemes
  • 👍 Minimal app permissions required

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Bugs and requests

What Color Is This?

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Web app doesn't work
  • App freezes up constantly
  • App stopped working
  • App won't load information about color
  • App freezes
Show 12 more
  • App not working
  • Spinning thinking wheel
  • App freezes up constantly
  • Doesn't pick one single color
  • App freezes up constantly
  • App not working
  • App freezes
  • App crashes
  • App doesn't open, just crashes
  • Camera view gave foggy pic
  • App didn't assist in anyway to determine color
  • Next step took me to general color chart with no link to scanned pic

Requested features

9 requests
  • Bring back ability to see similar colors and percentages
  • Add Lego color library
  • Add more color options
  • Improve accuracy of color recognition
  • Add ability to change background color in search/picker mode
Show 4 more
  • Provide closest color for major paint brands
  • Allow clicking color to match
  • Make scanning box smaller or resizable
  • Add instructions on how to use

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
Show 5 more
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • 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

In-app purchases

1 purchases

What Color Is This?

One-time1
  • Enable All Libraries$1.99
4 purchases

Datacolor ColorReader

Subscriptions4
  • NCS Colour (monthly)$9.991 Month
  • British Standards (monthly)$14.991 Month
  • NCS Colour (yearly)$89.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • British Standards (yearly)$149.991 Year

Questions

Is What Color Is This? free?
What Color Is This? is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Datacolor ColorReader free?
Datacolor ColorReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, What Color Is This? or Datacolor ColorReader?
Datacolor ColorReader is rated higher. What Color Is This? averages 4.0 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Datacolor ColorReader averages 4.7 from 712 ratings.
Do What Color Is This? or Datacolor ColorReader have ads?
Neither What Color Is This? nor Datacolor ColorReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, What Color Is This? or Datacolor ColorReader?
What Color Is This? ships an update every 4 months, and Datacolor ColorReader every 2 months. Most recently, What Color Is This? was updated on November 1, 2026 and Datacolor ColorReader on November 11, 2026.

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