PaintVue vs Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap
Two ways to see a house in new paint before buying a gallon. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap and PaintVue compared on the six questions that decide a real repaint, with each tool's own pricing page as the source.
Side by side
| Question | PaintVue | Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap |
|---|---|---|
| Works on your own photo | Yes | Yes |
| Paints the whole exterior in one AI pass | Yes | No. Tap or brush each surface |
| Real paint color numbers | Yes. Sherwin-Williams number on every surface | Yes. Sherwin-Williams only |
| Refinement after the first render | Yes. 3 per render, no credit spent | By hand, no limit |
| Price of the first render | Free (3 renders, no card), then $1.99 for 4 | Free, no limit |
| App install | None, browser | App for phone and iPad, plus a web visualizer |
Which one for which job
Pick PaintVue if you want
- The whole house repainted in one pass from one photo
- A Sherwin-Williams number on every surface of every render
- 3 refinements per render that cost nothing
- A share page and budget range built into the Love It step
Best for: A homeowner or painter who needs the whole house in a named color scheme, wants to fix the render, and plans to buy Sherwin-Williams paint.
Pick Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap if you want
- Free with no limit
- The full Sherwin-Williams catalog with numbers
- An AR mode for a live look at a color on a wall
Best for: Checking one color on one wall at the store, and confirming the SW number before you order.
Where each one falls short
Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap
- Surface by surface painting, no whole-house pass
- Flat color fills that lose siding texture and shadow
- The app is needed for the full feature set
PaintVue
- About a minute per render, slower than tools that recolor surfaces
- Sherwin-Williams catalog only; other brands convert at the store
- Browser only, with no native app or AR view
About Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap
ColorSnap Visualizer is free on iPhone, Android and iPad, with a web visualizer as well. You upload a photo, then tap a wall or brush a surface to apply any of about 1,700 Sherwin-Williams colors. Instant Paint shows colors on walls through the phone camera in real time. There is no AI repaint of the full house; each surface takes a tap or a brush stroke.
About PaintVue
PaintVue takes one photo of your house and a Sherwin-Williams color for each surface, and returns a photorealistic render of the whole exterior in about a minute, with the paint number on every surface. Each render includes 3 refinements at no cost, a before and after share page, and a budgetary repaint range. It runs in the browser with 3 free renders and no card.
Frequently asked questions
Is PaintVue or Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap better for exterior paint colors?
PaintVue fits a homeowner or painter who needs the whole house in a named color scheme, wants to fix the render, and plans to buy Sherwin-Williams paint. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap fits checking one color on one wall at the store, and confirming the SW number before you order.
Is Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap free?
Free, no limit. PaintVue gives 3 free renders with no card at full quality.
Does Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap give real paint color numbers?
Yes. Sherwin-Williams only. PaintVue labels every surface with a Sherwin-Williams name and number.
See your own house before you decide
3 free renders, no card. Upload a photo and pick colors.
Try PaintVue free