Best Paints for Warhammer (2026): Brands and Sets Compared

Choosing the right paints for your Warhammer miniatures is one of the most important decisions you will make as a hobbyist. The paint brand you select affects colour coverage, consistency, drying time, colour range, and ultimately how your finished models look. With so many options on the market — from the official Citadel range to popular alternatives like Vallejo, Army Painter, ProAcryl, and AK Interactive — it can be overwhelming to know where to start. This comprehensive comparison guide breaks down every major paint brand, compares them head to head, and helps you find the best paints for your needs and budget.

Our Top Picks at a Glance

Our picks are based on manufacturer specs, the Amazon listings and what painters commonly use – we explain the reasoning for each below.

	Product	What’s in the box	Price
	Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Most Wanted Set Best Overall	22 x 18ml paints	$94.95 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon
	Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set Best for Citadel Converts	16 x 18ml paints	$46.99 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon
	Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 Most Wanted Set Best for Speed Painting	24 x 18ml Speedpaints	$102.99 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon
	Monument Hobbies ProAcryl Base Set Best Premium Paint	22ml bottles	$120.00 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon
	Vallejo Model Color Metallic Colors Set Best Metallics	8 x 18ml metallics	$26.00 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon
	AK Interactive 3rd Gen Basic Starter Set Best for Airbrushing	14 x 17ml paints	$45.88 as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST	Buy on Amazon

Prices are from Amazon.com (US) at the time shown. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. As an Amazon Associate, Warhammer Guild earns from qualifying purchases.

The Best Paint Sets for Warhammer Miniatures (2026)

1. Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Most Wanted Set – Best Overall

Best Overall

$94.95 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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Army Painter’s Most Wanted set picks 22 of the most useful colours from the Warpaints Fanatic range. Army Painter designed it to slot alongside its Starter and Mega sets, so it works as a first serious collection or as an expansion.

Best for: Building a broad, general-purpose collection.

2. Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set – Best for Citadel Converts

Best for Citadel Converts

$46.99 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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Vallejo’s Game Color range was built for fantasy and wargames figures, and the Introduction Set is the classic way in. Sixteen colours, including four metallics, cover most of what a new Warhammer army needs.

Best for: Painters who want Warhammer-style colours in dropper bottles.

3. Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 Most Wanted Set – Best for Speed Painting

Best for Speed Painting

$102.99 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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Speedpaint is Army Painter’s answer to Citadel Contrast: one generous coat over a light primer flows into recesses for shadow and pulls off raised edges for highlights. The Most Wanted set gives you 24 bottles – enough to paint most armies end to end.

Best for: Getting whole armies table-ready quickly.

4. Monument Hobbies ProAcryl Base Set – Best Premium Paint

Best Premium Paint

$120.00 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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ProAcryl was developed with professional painters, and Monument Hobbies says its high-density pigments cover well straight out of the bottle and thin evenly to any transparency. The Base Set is the core of the range.

Best for: Experienced painters who want top-tier coverage.

5. Vallejo Model Color Metallic Colors Set – Best Metallics

Best Metallics

$26.00 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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Eight metallics in one box: two silvers, three golds and brasses, bronze, copper and a blue-tinted gunmetal. It’s the quickest way to cover every metal on a Warhammer army without buying single bottles.

Best for: Weapons, armour trim and every kind of gold and bronze.

6. AK Interactive 3rd Gen Basic Starter Set – Best for Airbrushing

Best for Airbrushing

$45.88 (as of Nov 13, 2026 2:04 PM PST)

Price details

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AK’s 3rd Generation acrylics are a favourite with scale modellers, and this starter set picks 14 of the most-used colours. AK says the 3rd Gen formula improves adhesion, coverage and airbrush flow.

Best for: Airbrush users and painters of realistic, military-style schemes.

Understanding Paint Types

Before we compare brands, it is important to understand the different types of paint used in miniature painting. Each type serves a specific purpose in the painting process:

• Base paints: High-pigment, opaque paints designed for solid coverage over primer. These are your workhorse paints for laying down core colours.
• Layer paints: Slightly thinner and more translucent paints designed for building up highlights and smooth transitions over base colours.
• Shade / Wash paints: Very thin, highly fluid paints that flow into recesses to create instant shadows and definition. Essential for any painter.
• Contrast / Speed paints: One-coat paints that combine basecoat, shade, and highlight effects in a single application over a light primer.
• Metallic paints: Paints containing metallic particles to simulate metal surfaces like silver, gold, bronze, and copper.
• Technical paints: Specialty paints for specific effects — texture paints for basing, blood effects, rust effects, gloss finishes, and more.
• Dry paints: Thick, low-moisture paints specifically formulated for drybrushing. They come out of the pot already at the right consistency for the technique.

How to Choose a Paint Set

Follow the tutorials you’ll actually use. If you paint along with Games Workshop’s guides, Citadel names make life easier. If you watch independent YouTube painters, Army Painter, Vallejo and ProAcryl are just as well supported.

Droppers beat pots. Every set in our picks uses dropper-style bottles, which waste less paint and dry out far more slowly than flip-top pots. They also suit a wet palette.

Buy the gaps, not the duplicates. Start with one broad set, then add a speed-paint set for batch painting and a metallic set for weapons and trim. Brands mix happily, so there is no need to stay loyal to one.

Just starting out? Smaller starter sets are covered in our best budget paint set guide, and you’ll need decent brushes and a primer too.

Paint Brands Compared

Here’s how the five main miniature paint brands stack up in more detail.

Citadel Paints (Games Workshop)

Overview

Citadel is the official Games Workshop paint range and is by far the most widely used brand in the Warhammer community. The range is designed specifically for Warhammer miniatures, with colours that match exactly to the painting guides in Codexes and Battletomes. The range includes over 300 individual paints across all categories.

Pros

• Massive colour range with paints designed specifically for Warhammer models
• Excellent shade paints — Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade are industry standards
• Contrast Paints are innovative and extremely useful for speed painting
• Comprehensive tutorial support — every GW painting guide references Citadel paints by name
• Widely available in Games Workshop stores, independent retailers, and online
• Technical paint range is outstanding (texture paints, blood effects, rust, etc.)
• Dry paints are uniquely convenient for drybrushing

Cons

• Most expensive option per ml of paint
• The flip-top pot design is controversial — prone to drying out if not closed properly, harder to use with a wet palette
• Some colours have inconsistent coverage (looking at you, yellow and white base paints)
• Cannot be easily used in an airbrush without significant thinning

Value

The most expensive of the major brands per ml. Base and Layer pots hold 12ml, Shades and Contrast 18ml, Technical paints 24ml. Bundles such as the Paints + Tools sets are better value than single pots.

Best For

Beginners who want paints that match official painting guides exactly, painters who value the Contrast Paint range, and anyone who shops primarily at Games Workshop stores.

Vallejo Paints

Overview

Vallejo is a Spanish paint company that produces several ranges suitable for miniature painting. The two most relevant ranges are Vallejo Model Color (designed for scale models and miniatures) and Vallejo Game Color (designed to match and replace Citadel colours). They also produce Vallejo Metal Color (exceptional metallics) and Vallejo Mecha Color (for airbrushing).

Pros

• Excellent dropper bottle design — easy to control paint amounts, great for wet palettes
• More paint per bottle (18ml vs Citadel’s 12ml Base/Layer pots) at a lower price
• Very smooth consistency that thins beautifully with water
• Vallejo Metal Color metallics are widely considered the best on the market
• Huge colour range across multiple lines
• Excellent for airbrushing with minimal thinning
• Bottles seal well and paints last a long time

Cons

• Game Color range can be inconsistent — some colours are excellent, others have poor coverage
• No direct equivalent to Citadel’s Contrast Paints (though Vallejo Xpress Color has been released)
• Washes are good but not quite as effective as Citadel shades
• Not stocked in Games Workshop stores
• Colour names do not match GW painting guides, requiring conversion charts

Value

Vallejo’s dropper bottles hold 18ml and cost noticeably less per ml than Citadel – one of the best value ranges around.

Best For

Painters who want good quality at a better price point, airbrush users, and experienced painters comfortable with not following Citadel paint guides directly.

The Army Painter

Overview

The Army Painter is a Danish company that focuses on making miniature painting accessible and affordable. Their Warpaints range covers all the basic paint types, and they also produce the popular Speedpaint range (their answer to Citadel Contrast Paints). They are particularly well known for their coloured primer sprays and painting accessories.

Pros

• Most affordable option among major brands
• Speedpaint 2.0 range is excellent and arguably better than Contrast Paints for some applications
• Wide range of coloured spray primers that match their paint colours
• Dropper bottle format
• Good starter sets at budget-friendly prices
• Warpaints Fanatic line (newest range) significantly improved quality

Cons

• Older Warpaints range had inconsistent quality (though Fanatic has addressed this)
• Metallic paints are merely adequate compared to Vallejo or Citadel
• Washes can be a bit glossy compared to Citadel shades
• Speedpaint 1.0 had reactivation issues (largely fixed in 2.0)

Value

Warpaints Fanatic bottles are 18ml and usually the cheapest per ml of the big brands, especially when bought in sets.

Best For

Budget-conscious painters, beginners looking for affordable starter sets, and painters interested in speed painting with Speedpaints.

ProAcryl

Overview

ProAcryl is a newer brand created by Monument Hobbies, developed in close collaboration with professional miniature painters. Despite being a relative newcomer, it has quickly gained a devoted following among competitive and display painters for its exceptional paint quality.

Pros

• Extremely smooth, high-pigment formula with outstanding coverage
• Some of the best white and yellow paints available — traditionally the hardest colours for any brand
• No-clog dropper-style caps, with glass agitator beads in every bottle for easy mixing
• Thins beautifully and works wonderfully through an airbrush
• Designed by painters who understand what miniature painters actually need
• Bold colour range that includes many useful mid-tones often missing from other ranges

Cons

• Smaller colour range than Citadel or Vallejo
• Limited availability — primarily online only
• No equivalent to Contrast/Speed Paints
• Far fewer technical, texture and effect paints than Citadel or Army Painter
• Shipping costs can add up for international orders

Value

ProAcryl bottles hold 22ml – the largest here – so the cost per ml is reasonable given the quality.

Best For

Experienced painters who prioritise paint quality above all else, competition painters, and anyone frustrated with poor yellow and white coverage from other brands.

AK Interactive

Overview

AK Interactive is primarily known for scale model painting and weathering products, but their 3rd Generation Acrylics range is excellent for miniature painting. They also produce the AK Interactive 3G range specifically for wargaming miniatures.

Pros

• Outstanding paint quality with very smooth, consistent formula
• Excellent for airbrushing — one of the best ranges for airbrush use
• Huge range of realistic military and weathering colours
• Dropper bottle format with good flow control
• Superb weathering and effects products (washes, pigments, streaking effects)

Cons

• Less well known in the Warhammer community
• Colour range not optimised for fantasy/sci-fi miniatures
• No equivalent to Contrast/Speed Paints
• Can be harder to find in hobby stores
• Some products are more oriented toward historical and vehicle modelling

Value

AK’s 3rd Generation bottles hold 17ml and are competitively priced against Vallejo.

Best For

Airbrush users, painters who also build scale models, anyone interested in weathering effects, and painters looking for realistic military colours for Imperial Guard or similar forces.

Brand Comparison Table

Our Recommendation

For beginners who want to follow Games Workshop’s own painting guides, start with Citadel paints (buy them from a Games Workshop store or your local game store – on Amazon they’re usually sold by resellers at a mark-up). The tutorial support, availability, and colour matching to official painting guides makes learning easier. As you gain experience, supplement your collection with Vallejo metallics (Vallejo Metal Color is best-in-class), Army Painter Speedpaints for batch painting, and ProAcryl for your display pieces. Most experienced painters end up with paints from multiple brands, picking the best products from each range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix paints from different brands?

Yes, absolutely. All major miniature paint brands are acrylic and mix together without issues. Many painters use Citadel base paints with Vallejo layers and Army Painter washes, for example. Use whatever combination works best for you.

Are Citadel paints worth the higher price?

For beginners, yes — the tutorial support alone is worth the premium. For experienced painters, it depends on the specific product. Citadel shades (Nuln Oil, Agrax Earthshade) and Contrast Paints are worth the price. For standard base and layer paints, alternatives like ProAcryl and Vallejo offer equal or better quality for less money.

Which brand has the best metallic paints?

Vallejo Metal Color is the gold standard (pun intended) for metallic paints. The range produces exceptionally smooth, reflective metallic finishes that are unmatched by any other brand. They are especially good through an airbrush.

Do I need to thin paints from all brands?

Yes, almost always. Even paints with excellent out-of-bottle consistency benefit from a small amount of thinning with water. The only exceptions are washes (already thin), Contrast/Speed Paints (designed to be used as-is), and dry paints (designed to be thick).

What is the best paint for yellow and white?

ProAcryl’s Bold Titanium White and their yellow paints are widely considered the best in the industry for these notoriously difficult colours. Citadel’s Corax White is also decent, and Army Painter’s Matt White (Fanatic range) has improved significantly.

Are cheap craft paints okay for Warhammer?

Craft store acrylics (like Apple Barrel or Folk Art) can technically be used but are not recommended. They are formulated for larger-scale applications and have much larger pigment particles, resulting in a gritty, uneven finish on miniatures. The money saved is not worth the frustration and inferior results. However, craft paints are perfectly fine for terrain.

For more painting guidance, check out our Contrast Paints guide, best brushes guide, and beginner painting tutorial.

How many paints do I need to start painting Warhammer?

Around 10 to 15 paints is plenty for a first army. Aim for the main colours of your scheme, a black and a white, one or two metallics, a brown for leather and wood, a skin tone if needed, and a dark wash such as Nuln Oil or Agrax Earthshade, plus a spray primer. A broad set like the Warpaints Fanatic Most Wanted Set covers this in one purchase.

Do miniature paints go bad?

They can thicken or dry out, especially in flip-top pots that are left open or not sealed properly. Dropper bottles from Vallejo, Army Painter and ProAcryl typically last for years because less air gets in. Thickened acrylics can usually be revived with a few drops of water or medium and a good shake, but paint that has gone lumpy or smells sour should be replaced.

What is the best paint brand for beginners?

For most beginners, Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic or Citadel are the easiest places to start. Army Painter gives the best value per bottle and sensible starter sets, while Citadel matches Games Workshop’s painting guides by name, which makes following official tutorials simple. Both mix happily with other brands later, so your first choice is not a lock-in.

Related Content

• Speed Painting — Paint armies fast
• Painting for Beginners — Everything to get started
• Contrast Paints Guide — One-coat painting technique
• Drybrushing Tutorial — Fast highlighting technique