Benjamin Moore vs Dulux vs Sherwin-Williams — Honest Comparison From a Toronto Painter

Benjamin Moore vs Dulux vs Sherwin-Williams — which paint is actually worth your money?

Key Takeaways

• Benjamin Moore Aura costs ~$120/gallon CAD but covers in one coat on dark colours — worth it for accent walls, not necessarily for an entire home
• Dulux Diamond at $80/gallon CAD is the best overall value with solid coverage and low VOC
• Sherwin-Williams Emerald matches BM quality, but only buy it during their frequent 30–40% off sales
• True cost per square foot matters more than sticker price — cheap paint needing 3 coats costs more than premium paint needing one

I've used all three of these brands on hundreds of jobs across Toronto. Benjamin Moore on a Rosedale Victorian. Dulux on a North York condo flip. Sherwin-Williams on an Etobicoke exterior that gets hammered by lake wind every winter.

Nobody at the paint store will tell you this: the brand matters way less than the specific product line within that brand. Benjamin Moore's cheapest paint and their best paint are completely different products that happen to share a logo. Same with SW and Dulux.

I'm going to skip the brand loyalty argument and break this down by what actually matters: price, coverage, durability, and air quality. Line by line.

How much does each brand actually cost in Canada?

Dulux is the only brand with straightforward Canadian retail pricing. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams set US prices, and Canadian dealers mark up 15–30% depending on the store (Prudent Reviews, 2025). That makes comparison shopping confusing by design.

What you'll actually pay walking into a Toronto store in 2026:

The spread is huge. Dulux Lifemaster at $60 per gallon is half the price of Benjamin Moore Aura at $120. But that price tag alone tells you almost nothing about which one's the better buy. What matters is how far a gallon goes — and how many coats you'll need.

What we stock: On most Toronto projects, I spec Benjamin Moore Regal Select as the default. Good balance of price and performance without Aura's sticker shock. For accent walls in deep colours, I switch to Aura. For full condo repaints where the budget matters, Dulux Diamond does the job well.

Does expensive paint actually cover better?

A gallon of Benjamin Moore Aura costs $120 and covers about 375 square feet. A gallon of Dulux Diamond costs $80 and covers about 400 square feet (Prudent Reviews, 2025). On raw coverage alone, the cheaper paint wins.

But raw coverage isn't the whole story. What about coats?

Benjamin Moore's Aura uses their Color Lock technology. It actually covers in one coat on most colours, including darks and deep reds that normally need three coats. I've rolled Aura's Hale Navy onto a white wall and walked away after one pass. Can't say that about many paints.

Dulux Diamond and SW SuperPaint? Two coats, every time. No exceptions. That second coat doubles your paint consumption, and it changes the math completely.

True cost per square foot (price ÷ coverage ÷ coats needed):

That chart is based on single-coat application. Factor in that BM Aura actually covers in one coat where others need two, and $0.32 per square foot stays at $0.32. Dulux Diamond's $0.20 becomes $0.40 for two coats. Most comparison articles skip that part.

Real example: Last month I painted a 12×14 bedroom in a Midtown Toronto condo. One coat of BM Aura (Hale Navy) used a gallon and a quart — roughly $140 in paint. Same room with Dulux Diamond would've needed 2 coats and roughly 2 gallons — $160 in paint. The "cheaper" paint cost more.

Now, that math only holds for colours with strong pigment. For standard whites and light neutrals? Two coats is two coats regardless of brand. And at that point, Dulux Diamond wins on price. No question.

How do they hold up? Durability and washability compared

Premium paint lasts 8–10 years on bedroom and living room walls. Budget paint can last 3–5 years before it starts looking flat and worn. Kitchens and bathrooms cut those numbers almost in half because of moisture, grease, and constant cleaning.

Quick rundown on each:

Benjamin Moore Regal Select uses an alkyd-modified formula. Self-levels well (almost no brush marks), resists scuffing, washes without burnishing. I've put it in kids' bedrooms and cleaned marker off the wall a year later without touching up. That's what I mean by durability.

Sherwin-Williams Duration has a moisture-resistant formula that I like specifically for bathrooms. Handles steam and humidity better than anything else I've tested. For kitchens where grease splatter is constant, SW Emerald's stain resistance is comparable to BM Regal.

Dulux Diamond does fine for normal wear. Washable, holds up to everyday life. Where it falls short is self-leveling. You'll see more roller texture on close inspection compared to BM Regal. For a rental unit you're repainting every few years anyway, that's not a dealbreaker. For your forever home where the walls need to look perfect at arm's length, spend the extra $20 per gallon.

Interior painting returns 107% ROI, and 80% of real estate agents say fresh paint positively impacts a sale (HomeLight, 2023). But that ROI number assumes the paint still looks good when buyers walk through. Cheap paint showing wear after two years? You're just paying to paint twice.

If you're unsure which finish to pick, we break it down in our guide to choosing the right paint sheen.

Which brand is safest for air quality?

Indoor VOC concentrations run 2–5 times higher than outdoors according to the US EPA, and up to 1,000 times higher during and immediately after painting (US EPA, 2024). A 2024 peer-reviewed study found 52% of paint workers reported respiratory symptoms from VOC exposure (PMC/NIH, 2024). I bring this up because most people don't think about it until they're lightheaded in a freshly painted room with the windows closed.

What surprised me when I first dug into this: VOC levels vary wildly within the same brand.

Benjamin Moore Aura contains 1.5–2.8 g/L of VOCs. Basically zero. Benjamin Moore Regal Select? 47.9 g/L. Same company, same store, completely different chemistry (Prudent Reviews, 2025). So checking the specific product line matters more than checking the brand on the can.

The low/zero-VOC paint market is projected to hit $17.83 billion by 2032, growing at 6.9% annually (Grand View Research, 2024). 82% of consumers now say they prioritize sustainability in paint purchases. Paint companies have noticed — every brand now has at least one low-VOC option they didn't have five years ago.

If you're reading certification labels, here's what to look for. Benjamin Moore Eco Spec has Green Seal and Asthma & Allergy Friendly certifications — BM was actually the first paint company to earn GREENGUARD certification (Green Seal, 2024). Sherwin-Williams Harmony carries GREENGUARD Gold and claims to actively reduce formaldehyde in indoor air. Dulux Lifemaster Zero VOC does what the name says — true zero VOC at the lowest price point of the three.

If someone in your household has asthma or allergies, go with BM Aura or Dulux Lifemaster. Spending an extra $40 per gallon for near-zero VOC is cheap insurance when you're painting an entire condo that someone has to breathe in for the next decade.

Where do you buy each brand in Toronto?

Distribution is different for each brand, and it affects what you pay, how accurate your colour match is, and whether you get good advice at the counter.

Benjamin Moore only sells through independent dealers. In Toronto, that's places like Centreville Paint & Décor, Crown Decorating Centre, and some Home Hardware locations. You won't find it at Home Depot or Lowe's. The tradeoff is that these smaller stores tend to have staff who actually know paint, which matters when you're trying to nail an undertone. BM also has the biggest colour library at 3,500+ shades.

Sherwin-Williams is the opposite model. Company-owned stores, about 20 across Toronto proper. The reason to shop here: they run 30–40% off sales every 4–6 weeks. At 40% off, Emerald drops from $105 to roughly $63 per gallon. I've seen homeowners stock up during sales and save hundreds on a full house repaint. About 1,700 colours in their system.

Dulux is the easiest to find. Their own Dulux Paints stores, plus Home Hardware carries it. If you need paint on a Saturday afternoon and don't want to drive across town to a specialty dealer, Dulux is probably your closest option.

Pro tip I don't hear anyone else mention: Benjamin Moore's Gennex coloring system uses zero-VOC colorants. That means even when you tint a low-VOC base to a deep colour, the VOC count doesn't spike. Most other tinting systems add VOCs with darker colours. This matters if air quality is your priority and you want colour that isn't just white.

So which paint should you actually pick?

I've used every product on this list on actual jobs. My recommendations:

Benjamin Moore Aura ($120/gal) is the one I reach for on bold or dark accent walls where one-coat coverage actually matters. Also the pick if someone in the home has allergies or chemical sensitivity, because the VOCs are near zero. And if you're particular about colour, BM's 3,500+ palette with Gennex tinting is hard to beat.

Benjamin Moore Regal Select ($100/gal) is my default for most jobs. Best all-around performance without Aura's price tag. Self-levels well on trim, built-ins, and wainscoting. If you're painting your forever home and want the finish to last, this is the one.

Dulux Diamond ($80/gal) makes sense when you're repainting a full condo or home and the budget is a real factor. For standard whites and light neutrals it performs close to the premium brands. Good choice if you're prepping for sale and need the place to look fresh, not necessarily perfect for 10 years.

Sherwin-Williams Emerald ($105/gal, or ~$63 on sale) is a great product that I'd never buy at full price. Wait for their 30–40% off sales. Duration and Emerald both handle Toronto exterior weather well, and at sale price you're getting premium quality for mid-range money.

Dulux Lifemaster ($60/gal) is the budget pick. Painting a rental unit between tenants? This. Need zero-VOC at the lowest possible price? Also this.

Can you mix brands in the same home? Absolutely. I do it on most projects. Aura on the statement wall, Regal Select on the rest of the main floor, Diamond in the basement. Match the product to the surface, not the logo on the can.

If you're not sure which paint makes sense for your specific project, that's what the quote is for. I'll walk through your space, look at the walls, and tell you exactly what product line I'd use in each room and why.

Call me directly at (416) 875-8706 or request your free quote — if I don't answer right away, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Not sure where to start with colour? Here's our guide to choosing paint colours.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix paint brands in the same home?

Yes. I do this on most projects. Benjamin Moore Aura might go on the accent wall where one-coat coverage on a dark colour matters, while Dulux Diamond handles the rest of the rooms at a lower cost. Different rooms have different demands. Use the right product for each surface and you'll get better results than using one brand everywhere.

Is Benjamin Moore worth the extra money over Dulux or Sherwin-Williams?

It depends on the product line. Benjamin Moore Aura at $120 per gallon is worth it for bold or dark colours because its Color Lock technology actually delivers true one-coat coverage. For standard whites and neutrals, Dulux Diamond at $80 per gallon performs nearly as well. The brand name alone doesn't justify paying 50% more.

Does Sherwin-Williams ever go on sale in Canada?

Yes. Sherwin-Williams runs 30–40% off sales roughly every 4–6 weeks at their company-owned stores. At 40% off, their Emerald line drops from $105 to about $63 per gallon — making it one of the best deals in premium paint. Sign up for their mailing list or ask your local store when the next sale runs.

Which brand do professional painters in Toronto prefer?

Most professional painters in Toronto stock Benjamin Moore as their primary brand because of consistent quality across their product lines and the 3,500+ colour selection. Sherwin-Williams is the second choice, especially for exterior work. Dulux has a smaller professional following but offers strong value. We use all three depending on the project.

Should I buy paint myself or let my painter supply it?

Let your painter supply it. Professional painters get contractor pricing that's 20–40% below retail, which offsets or beats anything you can buy yourself. We also know which product line is right for your specific walls, rooms, and conditions. When homeowners buy their own paint, they often pick the wrong product and the job suffers.

The bottom line

The brand on the can matters less than the product line inside it. A $60 gallon of Dulux Lifemaster and a $120 gallon of Benjamin Moore Aura do completely different things. Both are right for the right job.

Pick based on what your walls need: the colour, the traffic, the air quality, the budget. Not based on which store is closest or which brand your neighbour swears by.

And if you'd rather not think about any of this? That's literally what I do for a living.

If you're hiring someone, here's what to look for in a Toronto painting contractor.