Best Free Color Picker

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Last Update: Sun, 10/18/2009 - 04:48 — Jojoyee

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Introduction

A color picker allows you to identify the color codes of any color present on your screen. This information can be helpful when editing an image, programming, writing HTML language or setting up a web page, etc.

There are many free color pickers to choose from. This review picks out a select few, based on the following features:

Color code support:
- RGB (Red, Green and Blue)

- Hex (hexadecimal in HTML mode, etc)

- HSL, HSV, HSI or HSB (Hue, Saturation, Lightness/Value/Intensity/Brightness)

- CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)
Takes up little screen space (in its "on-top" setting)
Provides useful features including a grabber (or eyedropper) to easily pick and copy a color, a magnifier to see precisely which color you want to pick, a color mixer to adjust colors, and a color palette to re-use picked colors.

Discussion

Color Cop impressed me with its combination of simplicity and effectiveness. It comes with a compact and powerful user interface which takes up very little screen space. A color grabber is provided to drag and drop at any pixel of the screen, and RGB and Hex codes are presented instantly.

The front interface provides a built-in magnifier and an active color palette. If you want to adjust a picked color, you can click the ‘custom’ button and call up Windows’ default color mixer. When you right click on the interface a menu pops up with extra features. In this way, the interface is cleverly made small but powerful.

The extra features include web-safe color, display color reverses, random colors, conversion to gray-scale, additional hex codes, application options and settings, etc. The only drawback is that CMYK color space has yet to be incorporated.

Color Archiver is another good choice but it has a slightly bigger interface than that of Color Cop. It provides RGB, CMY, CMYK, HSL and HSV color spaces. A color grabber, active color palette and RGB sliders are included.

You can name the color you pick and save it in a collapsible color table alongside a default web color table.

Similar to Color Cop, Color Archiver supports a Windows' default color mixer and a magnifier (up to 16 times).

CPick has a collapsible user interface and comes with a color grabber by Click and Drag. It allows you to pick a screen color behind a magnifier zooming from 10 to 100.

You can copy a color to the clipboard as Hex, Decimal, RGB or HSV value and modify the color with the RGB or HSV slide bars.

The program provides standard and websafe color lists. It also allows you to create your own color lists for your projects. In addition, it features saving the image captured by the magnifier as an icon or bitmap file.

Just Color Picker also features a small interface. It supports RGB, HTML Hex and HSB/HSV/HSL color codes. The 3x/9x/15x zoom helps you pinpoint a color specifically.

RGB and HSV sliders are included in a collapsible lower section. Picked colors are presented in a color palette with codes indicated, and can be saved in a normal text file. However, Just Color Picker uses a hot key to pick a color, rather than a grabber which is more handy.

Just Color Picker is a portable application and can be run directly from a USB stick. No installation required.

Similar to Color Archiver, ColorMania also supports CMYK in addition to RGB and Hex codes in various modes.

ColorMania has a color grabber, magnifier, mixer and sliders for RGB and HSV. It provides a color palette for picked colors and allows saving. Predefined HTML colors are ready for use.

Compared with other programs, it takes up slightly more screen space as none of its modules are collapsible.

Alternatively Pixeur can be used to support CMYK color space, in addition to RGB, HSB and Hex color values. This program is automatically set on top of other windows. It has a color grabber, magnifier, color mixer, color scheme and a slider.

Pixeur keeps a history of all the colors you have selected, and allows saving for future reference.

With a collapsible section for color scheme, it takes up about the same screen space as ColorMania.

Other Color Pickers

These are a number of other free color pickers which were brought up in comments here or noted from other sources. As they are not rated in this review, I am listing them here with brief descriptions and links to their sites for ease of reference.

Visual Color Picker supports RGB, HSL and CMYK color codes with complete sliders and 2D color mixers. Features include grabber, zoom and color preview with codes. It takes up a relatively large desktop area.

ColorPic supports RGB, HSV and CMYK codes with features including sliders, palettes and advanced mixers. It takes up a relatively large desktop area and uses hot keys to pick colors.

ColorPix supports RGB, HEX, HSB and CMYK codes and has a very small user interface, but it lacks quite a lot of features such as a color grabber, color mixer, slider, color palette, etc.

Pixie is a small and simple program. A portable version weighs in at only 11KB. Pixie shows you Hex, RGB, HTML, CMYK and HSV color values when you point to a pixel on the screen. It allows you to use hotkeys to copy HTML codes, call up Windows' default color mixer and show a floating magnifier. If you don't remember the hotkeys, the program will show them up when you move the mouse cursor over the interface.

ColSel (homepage not in English) supports HEX and RGB color values, but CMYK and HSV values are not supported. The program features color mixers, websafe color, etc., but its color grabber together with a magnifier is located at the secondary user interface and requires more steps to just pick a color from the screen.

Color Puller is portable freeware, completes with various useful features such as a grabber, a color palette, and a magnifier up to 50 times. The program supports RGB, CMY, CMYK, HSV, HSL, HSI and Hex values. Its user interface is relatively larger but can be minimized when you choose a color code to display with the On-top option.

Have Your Say

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Tags

color picker, screen color picker, onscreen color picker, color pick, color cop, color archiver, color puller, freeware, free color picker, colour picker, colour selector, colour grabber

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#1Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 22:07.

Well guys...I really don't use this one but it's quite powerfull:
http://picpick.wiziple.net/
It at least should be mentioned in this section...

#2Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 09/07/2009 - 17:31.

thanks for the advice about just color picker. it's a real gem! so is its author anny who responded promptly to my questions
btw there is a new version available here http://www.annystudio.com/software/colorpicker/

#3Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:57.

I agree. Just colorpicker is my favorite picker too. I actually like that it uses hotkeys insted of mouse cursor to grab a color, cos I don't need to worry about grabbing extra colors when I need to move a window, press a button or so

#4Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 05:31.

I have chosen Just Color Picker. It is a little program, but it has so many very useful features. For example, it lets you to change and adjust colors, not just pick them. It is extremely handy thing. Imagine: you like a color, pick it, but you need it a bit more red or a bit darker. Just Color Picker allows you to adjust the color and pick the result. I don't know how many people need such functionality, but for me it is very important and helpful.
Then, what is called 'cons' here (hot keys to grab colors) is actually 'pros' for me. I got sick f having unneeded colors in the picked set from accidental click. I like to be able to make clicks and having the Color Picker run while doing something else without picking colors. Moreover, Just Color Picker lets me to choose any hot key combination that I want and will remember easily. In addition, for those with bad memory, the hot keys are shown every time you run the program :)
Many thanks for the article! It helped me with my choice months ago.
I also noticed that there are a few clones of Just Color Picker in the Internet and that many other color picker developers copied some of Just Color Picker's functions and features.

#5Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 03:26.

Thanks a lot, Just Color Picker turned out to be exactly what I need

#6Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 00:36.

There is also the 'Faststone Capture' utility....it is an excellent screen capture utility, color picker, and screen magnifier...all in one!

#7Submitted by Jojoyee on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 14:05.

Thanks so much for the info. That's my favorite program for its screen capture features. Occasionally I'm still using it even though only the older version is free. Having said that, I feel that its color picker is rather basic as compared to other programs.

#8Submitted by chris.p on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 14:44.

Did you try this one Jojo?

My favourite - very small, very fast, has everything I need except hex input to get a colour.

ColSel
http[COLON]//colsel.prv.pl

[ps added a couple of tags with International EN spelling, hope that's OK]

chris.p

#9Submitted by Jojoyee on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 15:30.

Thanks Chris, that's a good idea to have color and colour. Looks like they're not the same "color" to SEO :>)

Will look into ColSel.

#10Submitted by computerfreaker on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 16:30.

btw, Color Puller's "rather larger interface" can be shrunk - the contextual menu allows you to show/hide most of the color displays. Or try the On Top setting - that is impressively tiny but still powerful... ;)

Thanks! :)

computerfreaker

#11Submitted by Jojoyee on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 01:39.

Many thanks for the feedback. The On-top setting feature is added to the paragraph in today's update.

#12Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 15:45.

What about Color Puller? (http://frozenprogramming.com/colorpuller/)
As the developer of Color Puller, I can testify (but then again, I'm biased... lol) that it outdoes every color picker listed here... and it's multi-platform besides. You really ought to try it... ;) :D

computerfreaker

#13Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 04:21.

Download link is not working.

#14Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 15:40.

Any error messages or anything like that?
Also, what browser & OS are you using?
This is a little strange because I tested the links this morning and they all worked... :S

computerfreaker

#15Submitted by peter on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:35.

At a wild guess, users don't understand they have to click again on Windows Mac Linux.
We don't want direct download links, but linking to the download page (as you do) is fine.

#16Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:43.

Thanks! Never guessed that... I will change the web page as quickly as possible so users will know what to do. :)

computerfreaker

#17Submitted by peter on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:50.

It is a GUESS.
plz register.

#18Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:53.

Even as a guess, I have a hunch it's right...
I will register in a few minutes. :D

computerfreaker

#19Submitted by computerfreaker on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:57.

I am now registered... :D

Anybody who has questions about Color Puller, problems downloading, wants to give feedback or anything else can reach me at this link:

http://frozenprogramming.com/contactform.php

Select "computerfreaker" from the dropdown list in the Send To field - I will reply as soon as possible.

Thanks! :)

#20Submitted by peter on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 19:51.

Thanx for dropping by. We love to see developer input.

#21Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 20:52.

Happy to stop by! :D
If you have any questions about Color Puller, you can reach me at this link: http://frozenprogramming.com/contactform.php
Just select "computerfreaker" from the dropdown list in the Send To section... :)
Can't wait to see your review! I am very responsive to comments and will change anything that needs changing... :)

computerfreaker

#22Submitted by peter on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:38.

Just to be clear. The decision to review or not, is completely up to the Editor of this category.

#23Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 16:44.

Thanks for the info - hopefully Color Puller will get reviewed & get a good review. :D

computerfreaker

#24Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 13:14.

Thank you for the review!
We have tried almost every color picker mentioned here. The Just Color Picker won, it became a new love of the whole our web design company :)

#25Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:31.

Just went to pick up Color Archiver - the first download link is dead... the second one is OK though.

#26Submitted by Jojoyee on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:51.

Thanks for the feedback. The original link has been moved. I've updated the first download link which should work now.

#27Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 16:13.

CPick is all I use. See http://home.hccnet.nl/s.j.francke/software/software.htm

#28Submitted by Jojoyee on Mon, 03/23/2009 - 02:23.

Thanks for the info. Updated in the reviewed.

#29Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/20/2009 - 06:26.

"Pixie...it does not equip with a grabber, magnifier, color mixer and color pallete."

This is a FALSE statement! Pixie is one of the best pickers ever, it much better than most of the above ones at least.

Pixie has all the features. Actually it was the one who introduced these features as must-have for pickers many years ago.

You can start right from http://www.nattyware.com/help/pixie.php

#30Submitted by Jojoyee on Fri, 02/20/2009 - 09:41.

The Pixie section is now updated with more accurate available features. Many thanks for highlighting the mistake.

When it comes to utility, I personally will prefer GUI than hotkeys given a choice. One of the drawbacks about hotkeys is that we need to remember the hotkeys, whereas for GUI, it's a direct click, or drag-and-drop, nothing needs to memorize.

Whether Pixie is one of the best color pickers and much better than most of the rest, I will need to hear more from others.

Depending on development of the TSA new forum, a poll may be useful for this article to gather more feedback from visitors on their preferred color pickers :>)

#31Submitted by peter on Fri, 02/20/2009 - 10:53.

Polls are good.

#32Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/25/2009 - 06:44.

ZxColorSpy

#33Submitted by peter on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 12:37.

Please note we do not permit direct download links.

#34Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/30/2008 - 02:44.

All are fine, but just to add to the selection ... Pixie (www.Nattyware.com) is another good color picker that does *just* that and nothing else. The installed .exe (the only file necessary to run the app) is just 8k. Indicates both RGB and CMYK colors as needed.

Jerry Guinn, Alcoa TN

#35Submitted by Jojoyee on Tue, 12/30/2008 - 04:06.

Yes, I did try this software before. It is a very small program, perhaps the smallest among all. I have now grouped it under Other Color Pickers for reference. Thanks for bringing this up.

#36Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 11/29/2008 - 12:27.

I found new version 2.1.0 of Color Archiver at http://am-messenger.zendfree.com/site/download.php. This new version supports all color mode RGB, HSL, HSV, CMY and CMYK. It also supports smooth screen capture and Zoom 1x - 16x.

#37Submitted by Jojoyee on Sun, 11/30/2008 - 02:24.

Many thanks for the info. Updated in the review.

#38Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 00:16.

Check this one, it's a good one too :
ColorPix at http://www.colorschemer.com/colorpix_info.php

#39Submitted by Jojoyee on Thu, 11/06/2008 - 10:33.

ColorPix has a small user interface but it lacks quite a lot of features such as a color grabber, color mixer, slider, color palette, etc., as compared to those short listed.

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