Citadel vs Vallejo vs Army Painter — Paint Comparison

Choosing the right paint brand is one of the first big decisions a Warhammer hobbyist makes — and it’s a decision that sparks more heated debate than almost any other topic in the hobby. Citadel, Vallejo, and Army Painter are the three most popular paint lines among miniature painters, and each has genuine strengths and weaknesses that make it better suited for certain painters and certain tasks.

In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll break down how these three paint ranges stack up across every factor that actually matters: price, coverage, ease of use, colour range, and more. We’ve painted with all three extensively, and we’ll give you our honest verdict for different use cases and budgets.

Head-to-Head Comparison Table

Prices are approximate and vary by region and retailer. All prices in USD.

Citadel Paints — Detailed Review

Games Workshop’s own Citadel paint range is the most widely used paint line in the Warhammer hobby, and for good reason. The Citadel system is specifically designed around painting GW miniatures, with a structured painting method (Base → Shade → Layer → Highlight) that makes it easy for beginners to achieve good results by following along with official tutorials.

Strengths

• Excellent coverage: Citadel Base paints are some of the most opaque paints on the market. Colours like Abaddon Black, Mephiston Red, and Macragge Blue cover beautifully in 1–2 thin coats. This is arguably Citadel’s single biggest strength.
• Outstanding washes: Citadel Shade paints (the old “washes”) are still the gold standard. Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade are legendary for good reason — they flow into recesses perfectly and create beautiful, natural-looking shadows. Every miniature painter should own these two, regardless of what other brand they prefer.
• Contrast paints: Citadel Contrast paints revolutionized speed painting. Apply over a light undercoat for a basecoat, shade, and basic highlight in a single application. The range has expanded enormously and the reformulated Contrast paints are excellent.
• Tutorial ecosystem: Every Citadel colour has official painting tutorials showing exactly how to use it on specific models. For beginners, this integrated system is incredibly valuable.
• Availability: Available in every Games Workshop store, most friendly local game stores, and online. Easy to walk in and grab exactly the colour you need.

Weaknesses

• Price: Citadel is the most expensive mainstream paint range by a significant margin. At roughly $0.40 per ml (varying by region), you’re paying roughly double what Vallejo charges for equivalent coverage. Over time, this adds up significantly.
• Pot design: The flip-top pot is Citadel’s most criticized feature. The pots dry out faster than dropper bottles, they’re prone to spilling, the lids get gunked up with dried paint making them hard to close properly, and you waste paint when loading your brush. After a few months, many Citadel pots develop crusty rims that prevent them from sealing properly.
• Inconsistency between ranges: While Base paints are exceptional, Layer paints can be frustratingly thin and translucent. Some colours (particularly yellows and whites) require many coats for even coverage. Technical paints vary wildly in quality depending on the specific product.
• No dropper bottle option: Despite years of community requests, Citadel refuses to offer dropper bottles. You can transfer paints to empty droppers yourself, but it’s tedious and you’ll lose some paint in the process.

Vallejo Paints — Detailed Review

Vallejo is a Spanish paint manufacturer that produces several miniature paint ranges, most notably Vallejo Model Color (their flagship range) and Vallejo Game Color (designed to match Citadel colour equivalents). They also produce the highly regarded Model Air range specifically formulated for airbrush use.

Strengths

• Best value for money: At roughly $0.20 per ml in a 17ml bottle, Vallejo is about half the price of Citadel for comparable quality. For army painters who go through a lot of paint, the savings are substantial.
• Dropper bottles: Vallejo’s dropper bottles are far superior to pots for paint preservation, controlled dispensing, and mixing. They seal better (less drying out), let you dispense precise amounts onto a palette, and make mixing colours much easier. This alone converts many hobbyists.
• Enormous colour range: With 400+ colours across their ranges, Vallejo has one of the largest colour selections available. Whatever colour you need, Vallejo probably makes it.
• Outstanding metallics: Vallejo Metal Color (the alcohol-based metallics) are widely considered the best metallic paints on the market. Smoother, more realistic, and more consistent than any other brand. If you paint any metallics at all, try Vallejo Metal Color — they’re transformative.
• Excellent airbrush paints: Vallejo Model Air is the most popular airbrush paint line among miniature painters. Pre-thinned, excellent atomization, huge colour range. Vallejo Surface Primer is similarly regarded as the best airbrush primer available.
• No strong smell: Vallejo paints have very little odour compared to some competitors.

Weaknesses

• Coverage can be thinner: While Vallejo’s coverage is good, it generally doesn’t match Citadel Base paints for raw opacity. Expect 2–3 thin coats where Citadel might need 1–2. This isn’t necessarily a fault — thinner paints are easier to apply smoothly — but beginners may find it frustrating.
• Dropper bottle clogging: The dropper tips can clog with dried paint over time, requiring cleaning with a pin or needle. Shaking thoroughly before use (with a mixing ball added) helps prevent this.
• Wash quality is merely adequate: Vallejo’s washes work but don’t flow into recesses quite as naturally as Citadel Shades. Many Vallejo users still keep Citadel washes in their collection for this reason.
• Less beginner guidance: Vallejo doesn’t have the same integrated tutorial ecosystem that Citadel offers. You won’t find official step-by-step guides showing “use this exact Vallejo colour on this GW model” from the manufacturer. Third-party conversion charts help bridge this gap.
• Availability: Less widely stocked than Citadel in physical stores, though online availability is excellent. You’re less likely to find Vallejo in a Games Workshop store (obviously) or in stores with limited shelf space.

Army Painter — Detailed Review

The Army Painter is a Danish company that positions itself as the hobbyist-friendly alternative to Citadel. Their product range extends beyond paints to include tools, basing materials, and spray primers. They’re best known for their Warpaints range and the recently updated Speedpaint 2.0 system.

Strengths

• Speedpaint 2.0: Army Painter’s answer to Citadel Contrast, and many hobbyists prefer it. Speedpaint 2.0 fixed the reactivation issues of the original formula and produces excellent one-coat coverage with built-in shading. The colour range is extensive and growing.
• Competitive pricing: Priced between Citadel and Vallejo, Army Painter offers good value. Their bundle sets (large paint sets, mega sets) offer particularly good per-paint value.
• Dropper bottles: Like Vallejo, Army Painter uses dropper bottles with all the associated benefits.
• Colour-matched spray primers: Army Painter’s unique selling point — they offer spray primers in colours that exactly match their paint range. Spray your model in Army Painter Ultramarine Blue primer and it perfectly matches their Ultramarine Blue paint. This is genuinely convenient for army painting.
• Starter set value: The Army Painter Mega Paint Set and similar bundles are some of the best-value ways to build a large paint collection quickly.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistent quality: This is Army Painter’s biggest issue. Some colours are excellent; others are chalky, grainy, or have poor coverage. Quality control across the range isn’t as tight as Citadel or Vallejo. Their recent Fanatic range update has improved this, but legacy Warpaints can be hit-or-miss.
• Metallic paints are weak: Army Painter metallics have historically been one of their weakest product categories — grainy, poor coverage, and lacking the lustre of Citadel or Vallejo metallics. The Fanatic update improved these, but they still lag behind competitors.
• Washes are average: Their Quickshade washes are functional but not remarkable. They work, but they don’t have the natural flow of Citadel Shades.
• Dropper bottle flow issues: Some users report inconsistent flow from Army Painter droppers — sometimes paint comes out too thick, other times too thin, depending on the specific colour and how well you’ve shaken it.

Other Notable Paint Brands

While Citadel, Vallejo, and Army Painter are the “big three,” several other paint brands deserve mention:

ProAcryl

Made by Monument Hobbies, ProAcryl has quickly gained a passionate following for its exceptional coverage, smooth application, and fair pricing. The range is smaller than the big three but every colour is high quality. Many experienced painters consider ProAcryl their favourite paint range overall. The Bold Titanium White is widely regarded as the best white miniature paint available. Well worth trying if you can get it.

Scale75

A Spanish brand beloved by display painters for its ultra-matte finish and exceptional blending properties. Scale75 paints have very little surface tension, allowing incredibly smooth layering and wet-blending. They’re thinner than most paints by default and can feel “weird” to beginners, but in experienced hands, they produce stunning results. Not ideal for army painting but excellent for competition pieces.

AK Interactive 3rd Generation

AK Interactive’s 3rd Gen acrylics are excellent all-rounders with very good coverage, smooth application, and dropper bottles. Their colour range is extensive, with particular strength in military/historical colours. The 3rd Gen primer and varnish products are also highly rated. An underrated option that deserves more attention in the GW hobby community.

Which Paint Brand Should You Choose?

Choose Citadel If:

• You’re a complete beginner and want to follow official GW painting tutorials step-by-step
• You value the convenience of buying paints at your local GW store
• You primarily want to paint GW models in “official” colour schemes
• Budget is not a primary concern
• You want the best washes and Contrast paints on the market

Choose Vallejo If:

• Value for money is important to you (best price per ml)
• You use or plan to use an airbrush (Model Air range is unbeatable)
• You prefer dropper bottles over pots
• You want the widest possible colour selection
• You paint metallics frequently (Vallejo Metal Color is the best in class)
• You’re comfortable finding your own colour recipes rather than following official guides

Choose Army Painter If:

• You want colour-matched spray primers for fast army painting
• You’re interested in Speedpaint 2.0 for rapid batch painting
• You want a good starter paint set at a reasonable price
• You paint primarily for tabletop standard rather than display quality

Our Overall Recommendation

Most experienced hobbyists end up mixing brands, and we think that’s the smart approach. Here’s what we’d recommend as a hybrid setup:

• Base/Layer paints: Vallejo (best value) or ProAcryl (best quality), supplemented with Citadel for specific colours you can’t match
• Washes: Citadel Shades — Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade are non-negotiable
• Speed/Contrast paints: Either Citadel Contrast or Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 — both are excellent
• Metallics: Vallejo Metal Color for smooth metals; Citadel for more textured, gritty metals
• Primers: Vallejo Surface Primer (airbrush) or Army Painter colour-matched sprays (rattle can)
• White: ProAcryl Bold Titanium White — seriously, it’s that good

Reader Questions Answered

Since publishing this guide on Citadel vs Vallejo vs Army Painter, we have received numerous questions from readers. Here are the most common queries and our detailed responses.How often is this guide updated? We review and update this content quarterly or whenever significant new products, rules changes, or community developments make updates necessary. The last review date is noted at the top of the article, so you can always check how current the information is.Can you recommend options for complete beginners? Absolutely. If you are brand new to the hobby, start with the entry-level options discussed in this guide. You do not need the most expensive or advanced choices to get excellent results. Focus on building fundamental skills and upgrading your tools and materials as your experience grows and you better understand your personal preferences.How do your recommendations compare to what competitive players use? Our recommendations balance quality, value, and accessibility. Competitive players often have very specific preferences shaped by years of experience, but the options we highlight perform excellently for the vast majority of hobbyists. Where competitive or tournament-level considerations differ significantly from general recommendations, we have noted this in the relevant sections above.Do you accept products for review? We purchase all products independently to ensure unbiased assessments. Our recommendations are based entirely on our testing experience and community feedback, with no manufacturer influence on our conclusions.

Our Testing Method

Every product and recommendation in this guide has been evaluated through hands-on testing over a minimum of four weeks of regular use. We assess durability, ease of use, value for money, and performance across different skill levels from beginner to advanced. Where applicable, we test products on multiple model types including infantry, vehicles, and large monsters to ensure our findings apply broadly.We also incorporate feedback from the wider Warhammer community, including painting groups, tournament players, and hobby forums. This combination of personal testing and community consensus ensures our recommendations reflect real-world performance rather than marketing claims or first-impression reviews. Products that perform well initially but deteriorate with extended use are noted accordingly, as longevity is a critical factor that short-term reviews often miss.

Updates and Changes

This guide on Citadel vs Vallejo vs Army Painter is a living document that we actively maintain. Since its original publication, we have made several refinements based on new product releases, price changes, and reader feedback. Any significant changes are documented here so returning readers can quickly identify what has been updated.We monitor manufacturer announcements, community discussions, and retail availability to keep our recommendations current. If a recommended product is discontinued or a superior alternative becomes available, we update the guide promptly. Bookmark this page and check back periodically — our goal is to ensure this remains the most accurate and helpful resource available on this topic for the Warhammer community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix different paint brands on the same model?

Absolutely yes. All the major miniature paint brands are water-based acrylics and are fully compatible with each other. You can base coat with Vallejo, shade with Citadel washes, and highlight with Army Painter without any issues. Most experienced hobbyists use paints from multiple brands.

Are Citadel paints really worth the extra cost?

For some specific products, yes. Citadel Base paints, Shades, and Contrast paints are genuinely excellent and hard to replicate with other brands. For standard Layer colours, the premium is harder to justify when Vallejo and ProAcryl offer comparable or better quality at lower prices. It depends on which specific products you’re buying.

Is there a Citadel-to-Vallejo colour conversion chart?

Yes, several exist online. The most comprehensive ones cover the entire Citadel range with Vallejo Game Color equivalents (which was specifically designed to match Citadel colours). Keep in mind that matches are approximate — no two brands produce exactly identical colours. Search for “Citadel to Vallejo conversion chart” to find updated versions.

Do Citadel pots really dry out?

Yes, this is a real issue, not just internet complaining. The flip-top pot design allows more air exchange than sealed dropper bottles, and the lids accumulate dried paint that prevents proper sealing. Most hobbyists find that Citadel pots start to thicken and dry within 1–2 years even with careful handling. Dropper bottles from Vallejo and Army Painter last significantly longer. You can extend Citadel pot life by cleaning the rim regularly and storing pots upside-down.

What about Contrast paint vs Speedpaint 2.0?

Both are excellent one-coat painting systems. Citadel Contrast tends to produce slightly more saturated colours and has a wider range. Speedpaint 2.0 fixed the reactivation problem of the original formula and is slightly cheaper. Honestly, both are so good that the “best” choice comes down to which specific colours you need. Many painters use both.

What paint brand do professional painters use?

Top-level competition painters tend to use Scale75 for blending, Vallejo for general work, and ProAcryl for coverage — but most use multiple brands and pick the best product from each. The brand matters less than the painter’s skill with thinning, brush control, and colour theory. A skilled painter can produce stunning work with any reputable paint brand.

For more guidance on painting, check out our complete painting tutorial or browse our airbrush buyer’s guide for taking your painting to the next level.