Best Miniature Paints – Vallejo vs Citadel vs Army Painter vs AK Interactive (and More)

Picking the best miniature paint depends on what you value most: buttery brush control, fast one‑coat coverage, airbrush performance, a super‑matte finish, or a beginner‑friendly color system. This guide compares the hobby’s leading brands—Vallejo, Citadel (Games Workshop), The Army Painter, and AK Interactive—plus painter‑favorite lines like Scale75, Pro Acryl, and Reaper MSP. You’ll find clear pros & cons, who each brand is “best for,” and practical tips to get pro results, whatever you choose.

What Makes a Paint “Best” for Miniatures?

• Coverage & pigment: How many coats to hide primer and lay a smooth base?
• Control & flow: Does it stay where you put it for edge highlights and glazes?
• Finish: Matte helps with photography and readability; satin/gloss can enrich metallics and washes.
• Speed painting: “Stain”/“one‑coat” paints create shading in a single pass on light primers.
• Bottle design: Droppers are great for mixing and airbrush; flip‑top pots are fast at the desk.
• Airbrush friendliness: Some ranges atomize beautifully with minimal thinning, others prefer a brush.
• Range depth & system: Triads, curated base→layer ladders, and specialty mediums can accelerate learning.
• Price per ml & availability: Matters for armies, commissions, and frequent restocks.

Brand‑by‑Brand Comparison

Vallejo (Model Color, Game Color, Air, Xpress, Metal Color)

Profile: A massive, workshop‑friendly ecosystem built around dropper bottles. Vallejo covers historical, fantasy, and display painting with brush and airbrush options.

• Strengths:
  • Model Color: Incredibly opaque, ultra‑matte, superb for edge highlights and desaturated historical tones.
  • Game Color (new gen): More saturated fantasy palette with modern pigments and improved flow.
  • Model Air / Game Air: Airbrush‑ready out of the bottle; minimal tip‑dry when properly thinned.
  • Metal Color (air range): Among the smoothest acrylic metal finishes for airbrush—great on armor panels and blades.
  • Xpress Color: One‑coat “stain” paints for fast shading on light primers; levels nicely and plays well with glazing.
  • Deep line of mediums: glaze medium, retarder, varnishes, thinners—easy to build a custom workflow.
• Trade‑offs:
  • Some colors separate in the bottle—shake well or use a mixing ball.
  • Dropper tips can clog if you leave paint in the nozzle; a pin clears it.
  • Xpress finishes can range from matte to slight satin depending on color—matte varnish unifies.
• Best for: Hobbyists who value mixing control, airbrush flexibility, and a super‑matte brush finish.

Citadel (Base, Layer, Shade, Contrast, Dry, Technical, Air)

Profile: Games Workshop’s curated system. Color names match studio schemes, tutorials abound, and the range guides you from Base to Layer to Shade.

• Strengths:
  • Base paints have excellent coverage for fast, clean foundations.
  • Shade paints (e.g., classic dark washes) are plug‑and‑play for instant recess definition.
  • Contrast one‑coats create readable tabletop results in minutes on light primers/whites.
  • Technical paints (blood, rust, verdigris, texture pastes) shortcut special effects.
  • Huge community support: video recipes, army guides, and color‑matching resources.
• Trade‑offs:
  • Flip‑top pots can dry out faster if left open; decant to a wet palette for control.
  • Price per ml is higher than many dropper‑bottle competitors.
  • Air line is smaller than dedicated airbrush brands—still usable, but not the focus.
• Best for: Painters who want a guided, recipe‑driven system and superb washes/one‑coats with minimal setup.

The Army Painter (Warpaints Fanatic, Speedpaint 2.0, Washes/Effects, Primers)

Profile: Value‑focused kits and color‑matched primers for fast army projects. The latest Warpaints Fanatic and Speedpaint 2.0 updates emphasize consistency and triad‑style color families.

• Strengths:
  • Speedpaint 2.0 gives strong, smooth one‑coat shading with a slick brush feel.
  • Warpaints Fanatic improves coverage/consistency and groups colors in logical highlight/shadow families.
  • 18 ml dropper bottles = good value per ml; starter sets cover a lot of ground quickly.
  • Color‑matched spray primers speed batch painting (e.g., spray leather, one‑coat cloth, done).
• Trade‑offs:
  • Some Speedpaint hues can appear more satin; matte varnish evens sheen.
  • Like any one‑coat system, over‑working semi‑wet layers can lift color—let dry fully or glaze instead of scrubbing.
  • Coverage of certain vibrant colors may prefer a colored primer “underpaint.”
• Best for: Army‑scale speed, color‑matched spray‑and‑go workflows, and value‑conscious painters.

AK Interactive (3rd Gen Acrylics, Xtreme Metal, Real Colors, Enamel Weathering)

Profile: A toolbox brand with deep weathering chemistry. 3rd Gen Acrylics brush beautifully; Xtreme Metal (solvent‑based) and enamel products are standout for armor, engines, and NMM pre‑shades.

• Strengths:
  • 3rd Gen Acrylics are smooth, matte, and excellent for layering and glazing.
  • Xtreme Metal sprays like a dream for ultra‑smooth metallics and can be masked/handled well after curing.
  • Enamel washes/panel liners capillary‑flow into recesses and wipe back cleanly with low‑odor thinner over an acrylic varnish barrier.
  • Color‑accurate historical sets and specialty effects (streaking grime, chipping fluids) for realistic finishes.
• Trade‑offs:
  • Solvent ranges (Xtreme Metal, enamels, lacquers) require ventilation and careful compatibility (seal acrylics first).
  • Broader system = a learning curve unless you follow a recipe.
• Best for: Painters who want studio‑grade weathering, next‑level metallics, and a matte brush finish on standard colors.

Scale75 (Scalecolor, Metal n’ Alchemy, Instant Colors)

Profile: Display‑painter favorite. Known for ultra‑matte acrylics that glaze/blend slowly and Metal n’ Alchemy metallics with refined flake.

• Strengths: Super‑matte finish, dense pigments for controlled glazing, tasteful fantasy/skin palettes, and luxurious metallic sets.
• Trade‑offs: Thicker out of the bottle—benefits from wet palette and thinning; smaller distribution than the “big three.”
• Best for: Display work, smooth transitions, and high‑control skin/cloth rendering.

Pro Acryl (Monument Hobbies)

Profile: Modern, high‑coverage acrylics with a naturally matte finish and easy mixing. The “bold primaries,” off‑whites, and neutral greys are standouts.

• Strengths: Excellent coverage (even yellows/whites), smooth brushing, large‑format droppers, and crisp metallics.
• Trade‑offs: Range smaller than legacy brands; select colors can sit closer to satin on glossy primers—matte coat unifies.
• Best for: Painters who want fast base coverage with a matte look and clean color mixing.

Reaper Master Series (MSP & Bones Ultra)

Profile: Triad philosophy (shadow/mid/highlight), skin and leather specialists, and forgiving dropper‑bottle acrylics.

• Strengths: Smooth layering, skin tones galore, and consistent dropper control.
• Trade‑offs: Less “punchy” saturation than some fantasy ranges; smaller retail footprint in some regions.
• Best for: Character painters and anyone who likes “recipe” triads for fast, reliable results.

One‑Coat / “Speed” Paints: Contrast vs Xpress vs Speedpaint

• Citadel Contrast: Punchy saturation and strong shading; great coverage on a warm off‑white or bone primer.
• Vallejo Xpress Color: Smooth, levelled finish; often a touch more matte; very glaze‑friendly once dry.
• Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0: Creamy flow that hugs recesses; let layers fully cure before heavy rework; satin sheen on some hues—matte varnish evens it out.

Tip: For the crispest results, underpaint with a zenithal prime (black → grey → white). One‑coats will “read” the value map and do more work for you.

Which Brand Is “Best” for You? (Quick Picks)

• Beginner, guided recipes: Citadel Base → Shade → Layer + Contrast accents.
• Mixing control & airbrush: Vallejo Model/Game + Air/Metal Color + mediums.
• Army in a hurry: Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 + color‑matched primers + Fanatic triads.
• Hyper‑real weathering / metal: AK Interactive (3rd Gen for brush, Xtreme Metal/enamels for effects).
• Display‑level matte & blends: Scale75 (Scalecolor + Metal n’ Alchemy).
• High‑coverage matte workhorse: Pro Acryl core set + off‑whites.
• Skin & character triads: Reaper MSP.

Pro Tips for Better Results (Whatever You Use)

• Thin to the job: Basecoats ~1:1 paint:thinner; layers ~2:1; glazes ~1:3–1:5. Adjust by feel, not dogma.
• Matte first, gloss last: Matte paints improve readability; add gloss selectively to gems, lenses, blood, and metallic candy coats.
• Control sheen: If mixed systems leave uneven shine, a matte varnish unifies the finish before weathering.
• Wet palette: Extends open time, smooths blends, and saves paint—especially for Vallejo/Scale75.
• Airbrush basics: 0.3 mm needle, 18–22 psi for most acrylics; thin to milk; strain metallics.
• Chemistry safety: Enamels/lacquers need ventilation and a respirator; seal acrylics before solvent weathering.

Image Suggestions

• Hero banner: Side‑by‑side swatches (matte vs satin vs metallic) with brand callouts.
• Coverage test: Brush strokes of yellow/red/white over black & white primers, labeled by brand.
• Workflow shot: Wet palette, droppers, and a zenithal‑primed model mid‑glaze.

Link to Shop

Build your perfect palette—browse acrylic sets, one‑coats, metallics, primers, and varnishes on our miniature paints hub.

FAQs – Best Miniature Paints (tap + to expand)