RAL vs Pantone vs paint brands
By Burak. Updated 7 November 2026. About
RAL is a German color standard used for paint, powder coating and plastics: RAL Classic has 213 colors, coded by four digits. Pantone is a system for printed inks and design. Paint brands such as Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore have their own catalogs. Many paint stores can mix a RAL code directly; a Pantone code needs a nearest paint match.
What RAL is
RAL started in Germany in 1927 to standardize colors for industry, and it is still run there today. RAL Classic, the best known collection, holds 213 colors. Each has a four-digit code and a name, such as RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey or RAL 9010 Pure White.
The first digit tells you the color group, which makes RAL codes easy to read once you know it.
| First digit | Group | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellow and beige | RAL 1015 Light Ivory |
| 2 | Orange | RAL 2004 Pure Orange |
| 3 | Red | RAL 3000 Flame Red |
| 4 | Violet | RAL 4005 Blue Lilac |
| 5 | Blue | RAL 5010 Gentian Blue |
| 6 | Green | RAL 6005 Moss Green |
| 7 | Gray | RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey |
| 8 | Brown | RAL 8017 Chocolate Brown |
| 9 | White and black | RAL 9005 Jet Black |
RAL also has RAL Design System Plus, about 1,825 colors arranged by hue, lightness and chroma for architects and designers, and RAL Effect for water-based paints.
Side by side
| RAL Classic | Pantone | Paint brands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used for | Paint, coatings, doors, windows, facades | Print, packaging, brand identity | Walls and interiors |
| Size | 213 colors | Thousands, in several guides | 50 to 5,500 per brand in this library |
| Code | Four digits, e.g. RAL 7016 | Number and letter, e.g. 1665 C | Brand's own, e.g. SW 7029 |
| Physical reference | Painted color cards | Printed ink guides | Paint chips and fan decks |
| Ordering paint | Many stores mix it directly | Needs a nearest paint match | Order by name or code |
How close the systems get
Some RAL colors have a near twin in other systems: RAL 7035 Light Grey sits within ΔE 1 of both a Pantone ink and a Sherwin-Williams paint. Others do not: RAL 9010 Pure White has no close Pantone, because Pantone guides hold few whites, while almost every paint brand has one.
Going from one to another
The RAL pages on this site do this against 35 paint brands and Pantone. Check the result as a sample, because RAL and Pantone values on screen are approximations of physical references.
- Start from the code you have: a RAL or Pantone code, or a HEX from a design file.
- Convert it to CIELAB, the color space where distances match how different colors look.
- Find the nearest color in the target system by ΔE2000; under 2 is a near match, under 4 close.
- Check the result as a physical sample: a RAL card, a Pantone guide or a paint chip.
From the makers of RAL
RAL's own short film shows how the Design System Plus arranges its colors and why a shared code beats describing a color in words.
Questions
Can I buy paint in a RAL color?
Yes. Many paint stores and most industrial coaters mix RAL Classic colors directly from the code. For a wall paint brand that does not, use the nearest match from the brand's own catalog.
How many RAL colors are there?
RAL Classic has 213 colors. RAL Design System Plus adds about 1,825 more for architecture and design.
What does the first digit of a RAL code mean?
The color group: 1 yellow, 2 orange, 3 red, 4 violet, 5 blue, 6 green, 7 gray, 8 brown and 9 white and black.
Is there an exact RAL to Pantone conversion?
No. RAL and Pantone are separate physical references, so a conversion finds the nearest color and shows the difference as ΔE. Some pairs are within 1, others are far apart.