Designers, developers, and anyone matching brand colors need a screen color picker they can trust. The built-in Windows and macOS eyedroppers are fine for one-off use, but a dedicated tool remembers past picks, converts between color spaces, and builds palettes you can hand off. The seven picks below cover Windows, macOS, and Linux across free and paid tiers.
What to look for in a color picker
Not every color picker does the same job. Weigh these before choosing:
- Screen sampling. Instant grab from any pixel with a hotkey, or a magnifier for pixel-precise selection.
- Format output. HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, Pantone, Tailwind. The more formats, the fewer conversions you do by hand.
- Palette building. Save colors to named palettes, export as ASE, CSS, or SCSS.
- Contrast checking. WCAG contrast ratio between two picked colors is a common need for web work.
- History and undo. A saved log of every pick you have made in the last week matters more than you think.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Paid | Palette export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gpick | Palette building on Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Full app free | None | CSS, GPL, ASE |
| PowerToys Color Picker | Zero-friction picking on Windows | Windows | Free | None | Clipboard only |
| Just Color Picker | Windows Pantone conversion | Windows, macOS | Free (Windows), paid Mac | ~$3 Mac | CSS |
| ColorPix | Pixel-precise magnifier | Windows | Free | None | None |
| Sip | macOS design workflow | macOS | Free trial | Subscription | ASE, CSS, JSON |
| Pixeur | Windows for RGB/CMYK spot work | Windows | Free | None | HTML, CSS |
| Coolpick | Palette generator with export | Web, Windows, macOS | Free | None | ASE, CSS |
1. Gpick, best open-source pick
Gpick is a mature open-source color picker for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It combines a screen sampler with a palette editor, mixer, and CSS/SCSS export. The magnifier zoom is generous, which makes single-pixel work more forgiving.
Palette work is the reason to pick it. You can drag colors between palettes, generate variations (shades, tints, complementary), and export to Adobe ASE, GIMP GPL, CSS, or plain text.
Where it falls short: UI feels dated on modern Windows and macOS. macOS builds require a Homebrew tap or manual build for recent versions.
Pricing: Free and open source (BSD).
Platforms: Windows, macOS (Homebrew), Linux.
Bottom line: The best pick when palette building matters as much as sampling.
2. PowerToys Color Picker, best zero-install on Windows
Microsoft’s PowerToys Color Picker ships inside PowerToys and maps to Win+Shift+C. Click any pixel, get the value in HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, or a dozen more formats, and it lands in your clipboard.
If you already have PowerToys installed for FancyZones or PowerRename, Color Picker gives you a system-wide sampler for zero extra install.
Where it falls short: No palette storage. It only remembers a short history. The color format list is huge but you cannot add custom formats.
Pricing: Free (MIT).
Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 11.
Download: Microsoft Store · GitHub
Bottom line: The default on Windows if you only need to sample colors and paste them.
3. Just Color Picker, best for Pantone matching on Windows
Just Color Picker is a small Windows tool by Anny Solutions that outputs values in HTML, RGB, HEX, HSB, HSL, and Pantone. Pantone conversion is the standout: not every free picker approximates spot colors from an on-screen RGB pixel.
The magnifier can zoom in to 30x, which is more than most designers need but useful for logo work.
Where it falls short: The macOS version is separately paid. Windows-only until you pay.
Pricing: Free on Windows. macOS version around $3 on the Mac App Store.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: annystudio.com · Mac App Store
Bottom line: Pick this if you need approximate Pantone values from a screen sample.
4. ColorPix, best pocket-sized magnifier
ColorPix by Boxes and Arrows is a tiny Windows utility with a 20x magnifier and a HEX/RGB readout. There is no palette, no export, no history longer than a session. It is the smallest possible tool that does the pixel-precise part well.
You keep it minimized in the taskbar and pop it up when you need one pixel value in a hurry.
Where it falls short: Everything beyond sampling is missing. No macOS or Linux version. Development is on maintenance mode.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: colorschemer.com/colorpix
Bottom line: Best when you want the smallest possible tool for pixel-precise picks and nothing else.
5. Sip, best paid pick on macOS
Sip is a paid Mac color picker with a menu-bar sampler, a full palette manager, and integrations with Figma, Sketch, Xcode, and Photoshop. Colors sync across devices if you use the iCloud option, and palettes export as ASE, CSS, JSON, and Swift.
The AI-assisted palette suggestions and the shareable team palettes are the reason design teams pick it over free rivals.
Where it falls short: Subscription pricing. If you only need to sample colors occasionally, a free tool covers it.
Pricing: Subscription (monthly or yearly). Free trial available.
Platforms: macOS 12 and later.
Download: sipapp.io · Mac App Store
Bottom line: The default recommendation for macOS designers who ship work to teams.
6. Pixeur, best for RGB and CMYK spot work
Pixeur by Veign is a Windows color picker that puts RGB, CMYK, and HEX side by side and lets you save named colors to a library. Print-adjacent work benefits from the CMYK readout being always visible rather than hidden behind a toggle.
Screen sampling uses a hotkey; a small magnifier previews the pixel under the cursor before you commit.
Where it falls short: Windows only. Interface is functional but dated. No cloud sync.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: veign.com
Bottom line: A quiet workhorse if you juggle RGB and CMYK together on Windows.
7. Coolpick, best for palette generation
Coolpick (formerly branded around Coolors’ desktop tools) generates full palettes from a single seed color, using color theory rules like complementary, triadic, and analogous. It runs in a browser and as a desktop wrapper on Windows and macOS.
If you often start from one brand color and need four more that work with it, Coolpick shortcuts the process. Export goes to Adobe ASE, CSS, SVG, or PDF.
Where it falls short: Screen sampling is basic compared to native pickers. This is more a palette generator than a screen eyedropper.
Pricing: Free with an optional paid tier for extra palette storage.
Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS.
Download: coolors.co
Bottom line: Use it alongside a sampler, not instead of one. It shines when you need a palette, not a single value.
How to pick
- On Windows, only need to sample and paste: PowerToys Color Picker.
- On Windows, need palette building or Pantone: Gpick or Just Color Picker.
- On Windows, want the smallest possible tool: ColorPix.
- On macOS, paid is fine: Sip.
- On macOS or Linux, free only: Gpick.
- Print work with CMYK on Windows: Pixeur.
- Building palettes from scratch: Coolpick or Coolors.
FAQ
What is the best free color picker for Windows?
PowerToys Color Picker if you already run PowerToys, Gpick if you need palette building. Both are free and fast.
Is there a good color picker for macOS?
Yes. Sip is the paid default; Just Color Picker and Gpick are free options.
Can a color picker match Pantone spot colors?
Only approximately. Screen RGB and Pantone spot inks live in different color spaces, so any tool that shows a Pantone value is guessing. Just Color Picker’s Pantone approximation is closest for casual use.
Does macOS have a built-in color picker?
Yes, DigitalColor Meter ships with macOS. It samples on-screen colors but does not save palettes or export in developer formats, which is where third-party tools add value.
What color format should I copy to code?
HEX for CSS and Tailwind, RGB for image editors, HSL for CSS when you plan to tweak lightness. Every tool in this list handles all three.
