Delta E Calculator
Enter two CIE L\*a\*b\* measurements to get the colour difference (ΔE) between them.
Enter both colours to see the difference.
There is no universal ΔE tolerance. Job specifications set their own.
Frequently asked questions
What is Delta E?
Delta E is the distance between two colours in the CIE L*a*b* colour space, expressed as one number. The bigger the number, the bigger the difference.
Which Delta E formula should I use?
Use whichever formula your job specification names, and report which one you used. CIE76 is the simple straight line distance, still common in proofing. CIEDE2000 is the current CIE recommendation and tracks human vision more closely.
What Delta E value is acceptable?
There is no single acceptable number; it depends on the job and where the colour sits, because the eye is more sensitive near grey than in saturated colour. As broad guidance, under 1 is normally invisible and over 6 is very obvious.
Why can the same ΔE look different in greys and saturated colours?
The eye is more sensitive near grey than in saturated colour: a ΔE of 1 can be visible in greys yet invisible in a saturated colour, which is why multiple formulas exist. ISO 12647-7 proofing allows ΔH up to 1.5 in greys and 2.5 in primaries (a proofing tolerance, not a general threshold).
Why do different formulas give different numbers for the same pair?
They weight the difference differently. CIE76 treats every direction equally, while CIE94 and CIEDE2000 scale lightness, chroma, and hue differences to better match the eye.
Learn more: articles on measurement and print control from Troika