Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin-Williams - Which Paint Is Better?

Published April 2026 - Joseph Assise III Painting & Wallpapering, Easton PA

If you have ever walked into a paint store or started planning a room refresh, you have almost certainly hit this question: Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams? Both brands dominate the professional painting market, both have loyal followings, and both make genuinely excellent products. But they are not identical, and the right choice can depend on the project, the surface, and what you are trying to accomplish.

As a professional painter based in Easton, PA who uses both products regularly on jobs across the Lehigh Valley, here is my honest, practical comparison - not marketing talk, just what I have learned from thousands of gallons applied.

The Short Answer

Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams are both premium-tier paints. At their top product lines - Benjamin Moore Aura versus Sherwin-Williams Emerald - the quality gap is small. The bigger differences show up in color accuracy, how they roll and brush, customer service at the store level, and price. Benjamin Moore is widely regarded as having a more accurate and richer color system. Sherwin-Williams has deeper retail presence and runs frequent contractor discounts that lower the real cost significantly.

Neither brand is universally better. The better choice depends on where you are buying, what you are painting, and whether color fidelity or budget matters more to you.

How the Product Lines Compare

Both companies structure their product lines in tiers - good, better, best. The top-tier products from each are where the real comparison happens.

• Benjamin Moore Aura - Their flagship interior line. Exceptional hide, rich color, durable finish. Covers most colors in one to two coats. Available in flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss. The Aura Bath and Spa version has added mildew resistance for bathrooms.
• Sherwin-Williams Emerald - SW's top-tier interior line. Similar hide and durability to Aura. Available in flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and an Urethane Trim Enamel version that is exceptional for doors and trim.
• Benjamin Moore Regal Select - The mid-tier option that performs close to Aura at a lower price. A solid choice for bedrooms and lower-traffic rooms.
• Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint - SW's mid-tier workhorse. Good coverage, widely available, holds up well. Often the go-to recommendation for rental properties and budget-conscious projects.
• Benjamin Moore ben - Entry-level but still better than most big-box store paint. Good for ceilings and low-traffic rooms where durability is less critical.

Color Accuracy and Depth

This is where Benjamin Moore consistently pulls ahead in conversations with designers and professional painters. Benjamin Moore's color system uses a proprietary colorant called Gennex, which produces richer, more saturated color and is widely considered more true-to-chip than Sherwin-Williams' standard colorant system. When a designer specifies a particular Benjamin Moore color, the finished wall tends to match what was shown on the fan deck very closely.

Sherwin-Williams colors are excellent, but some painters and designers report that very deep or saturated colors can look slightly different than expected on the wall - particularly with certain blues, greens, and charcoals. This is not a dealbreaker for most projects, but if color accuracy is a top priority for you, Benjamin Moore has the edge.

Washability and Durability

Both Aura and Emerald perform very well in washability tests. You can wipe fingerprints, scuffs, and light stains off both products without damaging the paint film - provided you used satin or eggshell finish in high-touch areas. Flat finishes on both brands are harder to clean without dulling the sheen.

For kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and kids' rooms - anywhere that gets heavy contact - I typically use satin finish from either brand. Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel is outstanding for doors and trim specifically. It levels beautifully and dries to an extremely hard, washable surface. Benjamin Moore Advance is their cabinet and trim equivalent - also excellent, with a slightly longer open time that makes brush application very smooth.

Price and Availability

At full retail, Benjamin Moore Aura runs around $80 to $90 per gallon. Sherwin-Williams Emerald runs similarly at $85 to $95. Both are considered premium-priced, and both are significantly better value than big-box house brands at those prices.

The difference is Sherwin-Williams' frequent sale events. SW runs promotions regularly - sometimes 30% to 40% off - that can bring Emerald down to $55 to $60 per gallon. Contractors also get ongoing discount accounts. Benjamin Moore runs fewer deep sale events but has a more consistent everyday price. If you are flexible on timing, Sherwin-Williams can be meaningfully less expensive.

In the Lehigh Valley area, both brands have solid retail presence. Benjamin Moore dealers include independent paint stores in Easton and Bethlehem. Sherwin-Williams has retail stores throughout the region including Easton, Palmer, and Allentown. For contractors, both offer trade accounts, but SW's store network makes it easier to pick up extra materials mid-job.

What Pros Use on the Job

Honest answer: most professional painters I know use both, and choose based on the project and the customer's preference. For high-end residential work where color is being selected carefully and the customer cares about exact appearance, Benjamin Moore Aura is the most common choice. For rental properties, commercial work, and budget-sensitive projects, Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint or Emerald (bought on sale) does the job extremely well.

On cabinet and trim work specifically, I lean toward Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane or Benjamin Moore Advance depending on the substrate and drying conditions. Both are far superior to standard wall paint on trim - the hardness and leveling characteristics are in a completely different category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Benjamin Moore really better than Sherwin-Williams?

At the top product tier, the quality difference is small. Benjamin Moore's color system is widely considered more accurate and richer, which matters if you are matching specific colors precisely. Sherwin-Williams products are excellent and often more cost-effective when bought during sale events. Neither is definitively "better" - the right choice depends on the project and your priorities.

Can I use Benjamin Moore paint in a Sherwin-Williams store or vice versa?

No. Each brand's paint is only available through their own authorized dealers. Benjamin Moore is sold through independent dealers and some specialty paint stores. Sherwin-Williams is sold through their own retail locations. You cannot get Benjamin Moore colors tinted into Sherwin-Williams paint and expect the same result - the formulas are completely different.

Which paint is best for interior walls in a family home?

Either Benjamin Moore Regal Select or Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint in eggshell finish will serve a family home well. If the budget allows the upgrade, Benjamin Moore Aura or Sherwin-Williams Emerald offer noticeably better washability and durability - worth it for high-traffic areas like hallways, kitchens, and kids' rooms.

Which brand covers better in one coat?

Both Aura and Emerald have excellent one-coat coverage in most situations, but "one coat" is rarely a reliable expectation when switching colors dramatically - going from dark to light, for example. With either brand, two coats over a primed surface is the standard for professional work. One-coat claims are most accurate when recoating similar colors or using a tinted primer as a base.

Does the brand matter if I am hiring a professional painter?

Yes and no. A skilled painter can get excellent results with either brand. But using a quality paint like Aura or Emerald at the top tier means better coverage (fewer coats needed), better long-term durability, and better washability after the job is done. If your painter is quoting with a budget brand from a big-box store, ask about upgrading - the cost difference per gallon is often smaller than it seems when spread across the total project.