🎯 Delta-E Color Difference Calculator
Enter two colors to get their Delta-E, how different they look, with the CIEDE2000 and CIE76 values and a plain-English verdict.
ΔE (CIEDE2000)
3.45
ΔE (CIE76)
11.88
Perceptible at a glance
Delta-E (ΔE) measures how different two colours look, in CIELAB space. A ΔE of about 1 is the "just-noticeable difference", below it, most people can\'t tell the colours apart; around 2-3 is a close match; large values are clearly different. CIEDE2000 is the modern, perceptually-accurate formula; the older CIE76 is a simple Euclidean distance shown for comparison. Used in print, QA and brand-colour matching. 🔒 In your browser.
How the delta-e color difference calculator works
Delta-E (ΔE) is the distance between two colours in the perceptually-uniform CIELAB space, where each colour is described by L (lightness), a (green, red axis) and b (blue, yellow axis). The tool converts each colour from RGB through XYZ to Lab, then computes the difference two ways: the modern, perceptually-accurate CIEDE2000 formula, and the older CIE76 (a simple straight-line distance) for comparison. CIE76 is just √(ΔL² + Δa² + Δb²); CIEDE2000 keeps that skeleton but reweights the lightness, chroma and hue terms and adds a rotation correction so the number tracks human perception more faithfully. A smaller ΔE means a closer match.
A ΔE of about 1.0 is the "just-noticeable difference", the smallest change a person can typically see. Below 1 the colours look identical; 1-2 is a very close match; large values are obviously different. CIEDE2000 corrects CIE76's known weaknesses (especially in blues and near-neutrals), so trust it over CIE76 when they disagree.
Frequently asked questions
What is Delta-E?
A single number for how different two colours look, measured in CIELAB colour space. ΔE ≈ 1 is the just-noticeable difference; smaller means the colours match more closely, larger means they're clearly different.
What is a good Delta-E value?
For a close match, aim for ΔE below about 2 (below 1 is imperceptible to most people). Print and display calibration often target ΔE under 2-3; brand-colour tolerances are frequently set around 1-2.
What is the difference between CIEDE2000 and CIE76?
CIE76 is the original, simple Euclidean distance in Lab; CIEDE2000 adds corrections for how our eyes actually perceive lightness, chroma and hue differences, making it far more accurate, especially for blues and near-greys. This tool shows both.
How is Delta-E calculated?
Convert both colours to CIELAB (via XYZ), then apply the ΔE formula. CIE76 is √(ΔL²+Δa²+Δb²); CIEDE2000 is a weighted formula with lightness, chroma and hue terms plus a rotation correction. The tool computes both.
What is Delta-E used for?
Colour quality control, matching prints to a proof, calibrating monitors, checking brand colours across materials, and grading how faithfully a device reproduces colour. It turns "close enough?" into a measurable number.
What does a ΔE of 5 mean in practice?
A clearly visible difference, well past the just-noticeable threshold of about 1. At ΔE 5 most people would call the two colours a mismatch rather than a close match; brand and print tolerances usually reject anything above 2-3.
Why can CIE76 and CIEDE2000 disagree?
CIE76 treats every direction in Lab equally, but our eyes are more forgiving of chroma differences in saturated colours and more sensitive to hue shifts. CIEDE2000 corrects for that, so two colours with a moderate CIE76 distance, often in blues or near-neutrals, can score a smaller, more realistic CIEDE2000. Trust CIEDE2000 when they differ.