What's the Difference Between PMS, CMYK, RGB and HEX Colors? | | Poor Richard's Press (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between PMS CMYK RGB and HEX? ›

Four of the most popular color types that we're going to discuss — PMS, CMYK, RGB and Hex — all fall into one of the two basic categories. PMS and CMYK are for print. RGB and HEX are for onscreen.

The decision to use CMYK or HEX codes hinges on the medium of the brand material. CMYK is indispensable for print, where color accuracy directly impacts the physical appearance of the brand. Conversely, HEX codes are tailored for digital use, where color consistency across screens is paramount.

In printing, there are two main color systems that are used in producing color in print, CMYK and PMS. CMYK, or four color process, is a subtractive color model which works by masking colors on a light background. PMS, or Pantone Matching System, is used for producing spot colors accurately.

There is no informational difference between RGB and HEX colors; they are simply different ways of communicating the same thing – a red, green, and blue color value. HEX, along with its sister RGB, is one of the color languages used in coding, such as CSS. HEX is a numeric character based reference of RGB numbers.

HEX color is expressed as six digits values that are made up of numbers 0-9, letters A-F, and preceded by a hashtag. For example, a HEX white would be #FFFFFF and black would be #000000. Pantone® Matching System colors (also called PMS or spot colors) are patented, standardized color inks made by the Pantone company.

PMS is an acronym for Pantone Matching System, created by Pantone for specifying ink colors for commercial printers. Printers talk about "PMS colors" or "spot colors." They are custom-mixed ink colors that customers might request when they need a particular color for something, like a company logo.

RGB stands for Red-Green-Blue and is best for digital images that will be displayed on a screen, such as a computer, TV, tablet, or smartphone. CMYK stands for Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black and is ideal for designs that will be printed with ink, such as brochures, flyers, or business cards.

You'll end up with distorted colors and ultimately will create dull and strange designs and prints. That's why opting for the CMYK color system for custom packaging and printing will ensure you higher-quality results.

HEX (hexadecimal color)

HEX colors are used in the world of web design. A HEX color is expressed as a six-digit combination of numbers and letters defined by its mix of red, green, and blue (RGB). Essentially HEX colors are a shorthand version of RGB values with some conversion gymnastics in between.

The pure spot color, or PMS color, is a mixed ink that allows for a wider range of reproduced colors than the CMYK spectrum. Each PMS color contains a unique hue, which can be matched by a number that is associated with the Pantone Matching System of swatches.

Are PMS and Pantone the same thing? ›

The Pantone Color System, or PMS, is a standardized color matching system, which is widely used around the world. It was devised to help printers and designers to specify and control colors for printing projects. The Pantone Color System allows you to specify colors that cannot be mixed in traditional CMYK.

The main difference between Pantone and CMYK printing is the level of accuracy when it comes to the final colors. The Pantone system will deliver the exact color every time, no matter who is printing or designing, whereas CMYK can result in slight color variances.

There's not too much of a difference between using a hexadecimal or RGB color, except that in CSS, it's possible to also add an alpha value, so you'll really have a RGBA color. This can be super helpful if you want to control the opacity of a color.

If your design will end up on digital screens like computer monitors or TVs, you should use RGB. If you need to physically print anything like product labels, brochures, or more, you should use CMYK. Using the wrong format can lead to inaccurate color representations.

While hex is used for screens, CYMK is commonly used for printing or digital print such as a sticker, custom box and insert cards use this method. You might even recall seeing these four letters on an inkjet printer — CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (usually Black).

HEX is primarily used for digital design. While it can be converted for print, it may not yield accurate color reproduction like Pantone.

RGB is an additive color model primarily used for digital formats. CMYK is a subtractive model mainly used in print materials. Pantone provides a standardized system for color identification and matching. Pantone shades can be converted to RGB or CMYK.

Our free HEX to PMS tool converts your HEX color value to the Pantone color value. Use this swift HEX to Pantone converter that quickly converts the HEX color value to Pantone color value with the best possible outcomes. It's a free browser-based online color converter with easy-to-use and generates Pantone colors.