Datacolor ColorReader
Color & Paint Matching App
How much does Datacolor ColorReader cost?
Prices are current as of 2 Oct 2026.
4 subscriptions from $9.99
In the United States, Datacolor ColorReader has 4 subscriptions priced $9.99 – 149.99.
| Subscription | Period | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NCS Colour (monthly) | Monthly | $9.99 |
| British Standards (monthly) | Monthly | $14.99 |
| NCS Colour (yearly) | Annual | $89.99 |
| British Standards (yearly) | Annual | $149.99 |
10+ alternatives to Datacolor ColorReader
| Datacolor ColorReader |   Site Audit Pro |   Festool |   SherMatch+ |   Bosch Leveling Remote App |   Leica DISTO Plan |   Color Muse |   Spectro by Variable |   ColorMixer Mix Unmix & Convert |   COLORWAND |   High Point Market App | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating / 5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 2.6 |
| Reviews | 2.1K | 38K | 13K | 7.4K | 2.3K | 2.1K | 1.8K | 207 | 118 | 54 | 45 |
| Released | 2017 | 2011 | 2019 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | 2015 | 2018 | 2018 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Monthly price | $9.99 | $7.49 | — | $4.99 | — | $0.99 | $4.99 | — | — | — | — |
| Annual price | $89.99 | $64.99 | — | $47.99 | — | $9.49 | $49.99 | — | — | — | — |
The going rate for each plan in United States, in its own currency, shaded from the cheapest price on the row to the dearest. Plans fewer than four in ten of the priced apps sell are left out.
Datacolor ColorReader reviews
4.6 out of 5, based on 2,122 reviews.
What people like
- Matches colors incredibly fast and easy
- Device is small and fits in pocket
- Works well under different lighting conditions
- Helpful tools for mixing color schemes
What they complain about
- Accuracy is often poor or wrong
- You cannot delete old color scans
- App interface feels clumsy and outdated
- Missing key paint brand color libraries
Pretty good so far
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
Only fancy brands
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.
Bug Fixe
Merci de bien vouloir résoudre le problème bug fixe ,suite à la nouvelle mise à jour de l’application sur iPhone 6
Needs updated color selections
I’ve had this device for a few years and it seems to have fewer current paint colors in its match library than it used to. I recently researched 7 suggested matches for Sherwin-Williams colors, and only 4 of them are still available.
Works ok…but
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.
Datacolor ColorReaderPro
Hochwertig. Einfache Bedienung, gute Farbübereinstimmung, top Service.
Dumb app
I can’t get the app to work to calibrate my new device….so frustrating!
Bella ma mancano delle cose
Sarebbe bello poter caricare una foto e trovare i colori e sarebbe bello aggiungere mazzette colori
Fonctionne très bien mais…
Acheté chez Seigneurie et pas de nuancier Seigneurie. Très dommage
Color match
This little piece of technology is making my life easier , !!!!
Not close enough
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
Solid device, app could use improvements
This thing works! Comes fully loaded with every paint brand I’ve heard of, and it’s a very functional app. I appreciate the minimal permissions required; this is doing just what it needs to do. Beyond being functional, the app feels clumsy, though. The main drawback, as others have noted, is that you have to be connected to the device to pull up any scanned colors, a major annoyance when you’re at the hardware store to pick up paint. Bring the scanner with you or plan to take screenshots (before you disconnect??), I guess. Developer should really store these colors at least on the phone, if not iCloud so you don’t lose them when you change phones.
Manque un nuancier!!!!!
Il manque le nuancier chromatic..j’ai payer 130€ ttc pour trouver des teintes chromatic type Ch1 Ch2 et non pas des sikkens ou des farraw and ball…. Comment faire ??
Good
Good
Additional Hardware Required
Useless app. My phone has a camera. I shouldn’t have to buy other hardware.
Color match not perfect
I tested the color reader on different Sherwin-Willams paint samples on paper stock. It accurately detected 8 out of 10 colors and close on the others. However, it was consistently off when tried on Samplize samples. Maybe the texture needs to be totally smooth for it be accurate. The other features, such as the ability to set up custom palettes and showing analogous and complementary colors is nice. Being able to paint photos of different types of rooms is helpful, but does not allow for a different color for trim or cabinets.
5* reader, but 3* app
Hey Team, Your customer support is great - I received a detailed answer within just a couple of hours from submitting my question. The product itself: the device seems to be working ok and reading the colors accurately. The app, however... its UX leaves *a lot* of space for improvement (especially since the device is fairly expensive - the app doesn't quite match the expectations). Just a few ideas: — There could be a simple tutorial (either as a video or a collection of images) explaining how to navigate the app. Obviously, it's not nuclear science and one will figure it out, but it makes for a better user experience. — Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that one can't clean up Color Reading History - neither totally nor to remove single colors. On day 1 I've run a lot of different tests, just for fun, and now I have this super messy History page - and there's nothing I can do to change it. All I need is a simple "swipe" function to delete a color (or a delete button like in "My Palettes". — In "Palettes" -> "My palettes" section, again, here I can delete single colors, but I can't move them around to arrange them into a preferred sequence. — Also in this section, I only see the name I used for this color when I look at the entire palette, but when I click for the details, what shows on top is the generic "Reading from ColorReader", instead of the name I chose for it. — Last, but not least: would be great to see more ECO-conscious wall paint companies on your list. — Plus more companies available on the UK/ European market: like Graphenstone, Earthborn Paints or Little Greene. Thanks!
Raven Painting
I’m actually quite happy with the device and the app. The accuracy of the ColorReader and the many fan decks to choose from make it easy for me to color match.
Won’t connect
This reader won’t even connect to my phone and currently on a job where I need it to connect right now. Your product is losing us money no good 👎🏻
Aggiunta funzionalità
Sarebbe gradito e soprattutto utile poter inserire a mano un colore (rgb, cymk, etc) e cercare il colore più vicino nelle varie scale (ral, etc)
Wichtige Funktion fehlt
Die App, und das Gerät, sind nette „Spielereien“ die man nicht zwingend braucht, die aber grundsätzlich gut, und Wiederholgenau, ihre Arbeit verrichten, und daher durchaus eine Zeitersparnis darstellen können! Leider fehlt aber eine wesentliche Funktion! Es gibt keine Möglichkeit aus der App heraus das Messergebnis zu versenden! Es wäre sinnvoll, wenn man das Ergebnis, um ein paar Angaben z.B. zum Kunden, der Baustelle etc. ergänzt, an seinen Lieferanten, Maler, den Kunden oder wem auch immer, per Mail senden könnte! Derzeit muss man auf einen Screenshot zurück greifen, und das macht keinen professionellen Eindruck...
Preis Leistung Top
Ich kann die schlechten Bewertungen leider nicht nachvollziehen… das Gerät ist top und die App funktioniert auch super! Empfehlenswert
Brands don’t match the colors
Every “Sherwin Williams” reading is actually a Benjamin Moore color. I know the brand is Sherwin Williams! But I need the actual name. Ugh so frustrating. Don’t recommend.
Macht was es soll.
Bin zufrieden mit dem Gerät und der dazugehörigen App.Man kann aus einer Vielzahl von Farbfāchern den auswählen mit dem man arbeiten will. Das Gerāt erkennt zuversichtlich und wiederhol genau die Farbe. Einziger Minus Punkt ist für mich eine fehlende iPad App. Ansonsten klare Kaufempfehlungen!
Bin sehr zufrieden
Spielerei ja das was Männer mögen und Mann Hat die Möglichkeit wen man ein Farbton schön findet ihn auch holen kann würde es wider kaufen!!!
A fun toy, but…
I finish custom furniture and cabinets for a living; although I wasn’t expecting perfection, I thought this might be useful in my work. Out of about a dozen known color samples, it got 1 exactly right. The others were maybe half in the ballpark and the other half not even close. I enjoy playing around with it, but in the grand scheme of things I wouldn’t consider it a very useful tool.
Absurde..
Il manque le plus évident : le nuancier Chromatic
For the trade
Used by ‘The Decorators Mate’ in streatham hill. This small, yet incredible bit of tech seems to seamlessly match any colour. The small yet slender design fits into even the smallest pockets. The device itself is simply incredible. The application is also very simple to read and navigate, all instructions are listed on the app as notifications that’ll pop up to help you.
The EZ ColorReader is so inaccurate
To test the accuracy I selected the Sherwin Williams Color Snap palette. I scanned a Sherwin Williams paint chip from that palette. The ColorReader result was nowhere near the chip color. Very disappointing. Would not recommend purchasing the ColorReader EZ device.
Hobby-Anwendung
Zugegebenermaßen, etwas „Overkill“ (Preis) für Hobby-Anwendungen… aber es funktioniert wie erwartet, ist handlich und die Anzeige der RGB und CMYK Werte ist für die Übertragung auf den Computer sehr hilfreich. Die Anzeige des verbleibenden Akkukapazität in der App fände ich hilfreich. Was hat es mit dem „Zugangscode“ auf sich?
Great matches!
Great matching capabilities. It saves a ton of time instead of getting the fan decks out and hoping you get the right light and shade of color to work.
Not Accurate-Tested on Color Deck
Tried about 20 times picking random colors in my SW color deck to read and it got one right every 6-7 tries. Not accurate!
Bien
Assez efficace, donne une bonne première base.
Returning the device immediately
I rarely write reviews, but I feel like I should warn everyone that is a complete waste of money. I know what most of the paint colors are in my home, and this doesn’t even come close to matching them. It thinks white is dark tan, black is light green, etc etc. it’s so off it’s laughable. I wish I had read the reviews before purchasing.
Pretty good app
Be aware that you need to purchase the Datacolor ColorReader scanner ($99 and about 1x2.5 inches in size) for the app to work. I am very impressed with the fact that in seconds, no matter what time of day or lighting situation, I can get a great match and 2 fairly close alternate colors for a scanned color from s device the size of my thumb. I have been using the app with the regular ColorReader Datacolor Scanner to match Sherwin Williams Paints and have found that not all the SW paints are in the palette swatches. I scanned and the SW Neutral Nuance palette of colors that go together from room to room and found an 80% match rate. Didn’t matter whether I scanned in daylight or artificial light. All the Neutral Nuance colors just weren’t in the SW ColorReader palettes. Not the fault of the app, but It would be nice to include the full paint line. I am very particular about color and don’t like to play the close, but no cigar game. One thing I would like to see added is the ability to search by entering a paint swatch number. That would make it easier to add complementary colors listed on the back of the chip card to a palette. I’d also like to see the ability to drag the colors in my palette list to a specific place in the palette so I can judge them side by side and prioritize them visually. It’s great to be able to switch through the complementary, triad, analogous and monochromatic color schemes. A quick and dirty way to get the job done or a way to get the creative juices going. Also cool to scan solid color fabrics to make sure you’re in the right range. It’s still better to lug around samples, especially if the fabric is a mixture of colors. Not so good photo reproductions, but scanning these is always problematic. You need to find a wide swathe of continuous color to scan. The deal is, if you need to match a color that’s on a wall, the ColorReader scanner and app will do the job in seconds. So much better than the tedium of going through physical paint store paper swatches. If they can manage to add a search function and get the full range of paint colors the Vendors offer, then I would give 5 stars, otherwise 4 stars.
Datacolor ColorReader price by country
A monthly subscription costs $3.06 in Egypt and $14.18 in Colombia — 5× more for the same thing. Below is the going rate for each plan in every country that sells it — the middle price of what the app charges there, in the country's own currency with the dollar equivalent beneath it.
| Country | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Albania | $11.99 | $107.99 |
| Algeria | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Angola | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Anguilla | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Antigua And Barbuda | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Argentina | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Armenia | $11.99 | $107.99 |
| Australia | A$14.99$10.41 | A$134.99$93.74 |
| Austria | €10.49$11.83 | €94.99$107.09 |
| Azerbaijan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bahamas | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bahrain | $10.49 | $93.99 |
| Barbados | $11.99 | $105.99 |
| Belarus | $11.99 | $107.99 |
| Belgium | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Belize | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Benin | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bermuda | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bhutan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bolivia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | €10.49$11.83 | €92.99$104.84 |
| Botswana | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Brazil | R$49.90$9.61 | R$449.90$86.69 |
| British Virgin Islands | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Brunei Darussalam | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Bulgaria | €10.49$11.83 | €89.99$101.45 |
| Burkina Faso | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Cambodia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Cameroon | $11.99 | $106.99 |
| Canada | CA$12.49$8.80 | CA$113.99$80.27 |
| Cape Verde | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Cayman Islands | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Chad | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Chile | CLP 9,200$9.45 | CLP 83,900$86.21 |
| China | CN¥63.00$9.39 | CN¥578.00$86.14 |
| Colombia | COP 46,900$14.18 | COP 419,900$126.93 |
| Congo | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Costa Rica | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Cote Divoire | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Croatia | €11.01$12.41 | €99.54$112.22 |
| Cyprus | €10.49$11.83 | €93.99$105.96 |
| Czech Republic | CZK 259.00$11.93 | CZK 2,350.00$108.25 |
| Denmark | DKK 79.00$11.93 | DKK 739.00$111.63 |
| Dominica | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Dominican Republic | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Ecuador | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Egypt | EGP 159.99$3.06 | EGP 1,399.99$26.77 |
| El Salvador | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Estonia | €10.49$11.83 | €94.99$107.09 |
| Fiji | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Finland | €10.99$12.39 | €97.99$110.47 |
| France | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Gabon | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Gambia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Georgia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Germany | €10.49$11.83 | €93.99$105.96 |
| Ghana | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Greece | €10.99$12.39 | €97.99$110.47 |
| Grenada | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Guatemala | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Guinea-bissau | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Guyana | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Honduras | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Hong Kong | HK$78.00$9.94 | HK$698.00$88.92 |
| Hungary | HUF 3,990$12.21 | HUF 35,990$110.17 |
| Iceland | $12.39 | $111.59 |
| India | ₹899.00$9.33 | ₹8,200.00$85.08 |
| Indonesia | IDR 159,000$8.85 | IDR 1,399,000$77.85 |
| Iraq | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Ireland | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Israel | ₪31.90$10.36 | ₪289.90$94.12 |
| Italy | €10.99$12.39 | €97.99$110.47 |
| Jamaica | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Japan | ¥1,150$7.28 | ¥10,400$65.86 |
| Jordan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Kazakhstan | KZT 4,390.00$9.92 | KZT 38,990.00$88.07 |
| Kenya | $11.49 | $104.99 |
| Kosovo | €10.49$11.83 | €93.99$105.96 |
| Kuwait | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Kyrgyzstan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Lao Peoples Democratic Republic | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Latvia | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Lebanon | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Liberia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Libya | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Lithuania | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Luxembourg | €10.49$11.83 | €92.99$104.84 |
| Macao | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Macedonia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Madagascar | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Malawi | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Malaysia | MYR 43.90$10.73 | MYR 399.90$97.78 |
| Maldives | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Mali | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Malta | €10.49$11.83 | €93.99$105.96 |
| Mauritania | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Mauritius | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Mexico | MX$229.00$12.53 | MX$2,099.00$114.82 |
| Micronesia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Moldova | $11.99 | $107.99 |
| Mongolia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Montenegro | €8.99$10.14 | €78.99$89.05 |
| Montserrat | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Morocco | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Mozambique | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Myanmar | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Namibia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Nauru | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Nepal | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Netherlands | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| New Zealand | NZ$16.99$9.54 | NZ$149.99$84.26 |
| Nicaragua | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Niger | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Nigeria | NGN 4,500.00$3.39 | NGN 39,900.00$30.05 |
| Norway | NOK 109.00$11.32 | NOK 999.00$103.74 |
| Oman | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Pakistan | PKR 1,750$6.32 | PKR 15,900$57.38 |
| Palau | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Panama | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Papua New Guinea | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Paraguay | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Peru | PEN 36.90$10.70 | PEN 329.90$95.62 |
| Philippines | ₱509.00$8.10 | ₱4,590.00$73.05 |
| Poland | PLN 49.99$12.85 | PLN 439.99$113.11 |
| Portugal | €10.99$12.39 | €97.99$110.47 |
| Qatar | QAR 36.99$10.16 | QAR 329.99$90.66 |
| Romania | RON 52.99$11.32 | RON 469.99$100.43 |
| Russia | RUB 949.00$11.37 | RUB 8,590.00$102.95 |
| Rwanda | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Sao Tome & Principe | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 42.99$11.46 | SAR 389.99$104.00 |
| Senegal | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Serbia | €10.49$11.83 | €94.99$107.09 |
| Seychelles | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Sierra Leone | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Singapore | SGD 14.48$11.31 | SGD 129.98$101.55 |
| Slovakia | €10.49$11.83 | €94.99$107.09 |
| Slovenia | €10.99$12.39 | €96.99$109.35 |
| Solomon Islands | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| South Africa | ZAR 174.99$10.50 | ZAR 1,549.99$92.98 |
| South Korea | ₩13,000$9.56 | ₩119,000$87.49 |
| Spain | €10.49$11.83 | €95.99$108.22 |
| Sri Lanka | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| St. Lucia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| St. Vincent & The Grenadines | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Suriname | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Swaziland | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Sweden | SEK 115.00$11.45 | SEK 1,049.00$104.48 |
| Switzerland | CHF 10.00$12.02 | CHF 89.00$106.97 |
| Taiwan | NT$300.00$9.38 | NT$2,690.00$84.09 |
| Tajikistan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Tanzania | TZS 22,900.00$8.65 | TZS 209,900.00$79.26 |
| Thailand | THB 329.00$9.77 | THB 2,900.00$86.13 |
| Tonga | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Tunisia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Turkey | TRY 174.99$3.56 | TRY 1,599.99$32.57 |
| Turkmenistan | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Turks and Caicos | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Uganda | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Ukraine | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| United Arab Emirates | AED 37.99$10.35 | AED 344.99$94.00 |
| United Kingdom | £8.99$11.88 | £79.99$105.67 |
| United States | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Uruguay | $9.99 | $90.99 |
| Uzbekistan | $11.49 | $103.99 |
| Vanuatu | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Venezuela | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Vietnam | ₫229,000$8.83 | ₫2,099,000$80.91 |
| Yemen | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Zambia | $9.99 | $89.99 |
| Zimbabwe | $11.49 | $102.99 |
Datacolor ColorReader FAQ
- Is Datacolor ColorReader free?
- Yes. The app and its basic features are free, in all 175 countries it sells in. Premium features are paid: they start from $9.99 (US), across 4 subscriptions.
- How much does Datacolor ColorReader cost per month?
- British Standards (monthly) is $9.99 – 14.99 (US). The annual plan works out cheaper per month: $89.99 – 149.99 a year.
- Does Datacolor ColorReader have a free trial?
- No. None of its offers (US) come with a free trial.
- Where is Datacolor ColorReader cheapest?
- A monthly subscription costs EGP 159.99 (≈$3.06) in Egypt and COP 46,900 (≈$14.18) in Colombia, its cheapest and dearest countries.
- What are the best alternatives to Datacolor ColorReader?
- Site Audit Pro (4.8 from 38,495 reviews, premium from $7.49), Festool (4.8 from 12,942 reviews) and SherMatch+ (4.7 from 7,365 reviews, premium from $4.99).
Datacolor ColorReader download
Last updated 1 year ago.
Datacolor ColorReader sells in 175 countries. It was released 9 years and 6 months ago, on 28 Mar 2017. It holds a 4.6 rating from 2,122 reviews.
Supports 1 language: English.
How much does Datacolor ColorReader make?
Third-party estimates for the last 30 days, worldwide — not the store's own figures, which Apple publishes for nobody.
Revenue by plan
- Monthly 80%
- Annual 20%
Revenue by country
- United States 41%
- France 12%
- Germany 9%
- Netherlands 7%