Why colors differ between brands
Sherwin-Williams and Behr use different pigment formulations, which means that even colors with similar names — like both brands' versions of "Alabaster" — can look noticeably different on a wall. Each brand also lights and photographs its chips differently, making visual comparison unreliable.
The app approaches this mathematically: it converts every color in both brands' libraries to a standardized perceptual color model (CIELAB) and calculates the actual color distance between them, returning the closest match rather than guessing from names alone.
How to find the cross-brand equivalent
Search or browse to the Sherwin-Williams color you want — say, SW 7015 Repose Gray. Tap "Find matches in other brands" and the app returns the closest Behr, Benjamin Moore, Valspar, and other brand equivalents, ranked by how close they are to the original. Each result shows the color distance so you know how accurate the match is.
You can also go the other direction: start with a Behr color and find its Sherwin-Williams equivalent. Useful when you've already primed with one brand and want to stay consistent with a matching accent color.
Common color comparisons people search for
Some of the most popular cross-brand matches: Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036) matches closely to Behr Wheat Bread; Benjamin Moore White Dove compares well to Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, though they're not identical; Behr Silver Drop is frequently compared to Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray.
Rather than relying on blog posts that may use outdated formulations, the app always compares against the current brand databases so your match reflects what's actually available in stores today.
Preview both colors in your room before deciding
Once you've identified the closest cross-brand match, use the room preview feature to apply both colors to your wall photo and compare them side by side in your actual space. What looks like a small difference on a color chip can look very different at full wall scale in your specific lighting.
This comparison step is especially important for neutrals and whites, where small shifts in undertone — warm vs cool, green vs violet — are much more visible on a large painted surface than on a small swatch.
Stop Hunting for Cross-Brand Matches
Download Paint Color Match & Preview free on iOS — find the nearest color equivalent across Sherwin-Williams, Behr, Benjamin Moore, and more.
Download on the App Store — Free