Compare Colors in Google Sheets
Formula
Color Similarity Calculator provides detailed color comparison using both RGB and HSL color spaces, calculating similarity percentages, color distances, and providing categorical similarity ratings.
=VERVE("colorsimilarity", A2, B2)=VERVE.CALL("colorsimilarity", A2, B2)A2 holds color1, B2 holds color2. Arguments go in that order — the same order as the table below.
With literal values
Nothing has to come from a cell — typed values work the same way.
=VERVE("colorsimilarity", "FF5733", "FF6B47")Inputs
Required inputs are positional, in the order below. Everything else is passed as a "name", value pair after them — the same shape as SUMIFS.
| Input | Type | Where it goes | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
color1Required | string | argument 2 | First hex color value (with or without # prefix) (e.g. FF5733) |
color2Required | string | argument 3 | Second hex color value (with or without # prefix) (e.g. FF6B47) |
What lands in your sheet
With no "field" pair the formula spills the whole response as two columns — field name on the left, value on the right — starting at the cell you typed in. Make sure the cells below and to the right are empty.
Pulling one value
Add a "field" pair to get a single cell back instead of a table. The field name is the dot-path from the table below.
=VERVE("colorsimilarity", A2, B2, "field", "similarity_category")=VERVE.CALL("colorsimilarity", A2, B2, "field", "similarity_category")Available fields
#PREMIUM(field) rather than a value, so a locked field never looks like a real answer.| Use as "field" | Type | Example cell value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
color1 | object | {…} | The first colour, in hex, RGB and HSL |
color1.hex | string | #FF5733 | First color in hexadecimal format representation |
color1.rgb | object | {…} | First colour as red, green and blue channels |
color1.rgb.r | number | 255 | Red channel value for first color |
color1.rgb.g | number | 87 | Green channel value for first color |
color1.rgb.b | number | 51 | Blue channel value for first color |
color1.hsl | object | {…} | First colour as hue, saturation and lightness |
color1.hsl.h | number | 10.6 | Hue value for first color in degrees |
color1.hsl.s | number | 100 | Saturation percentage for first color |
color1.hsl.l | number | 60 | Lightness percentage for first color |
color2 | object | {…} | The second colour, in hex, RGB and HSL |
color2.hex | string | #FF6B47 | Second color in hexadecimal format representation |
color2.rgb | object | {…} | Second colour as red, green and blue channels |
color2.rgb.r | number | 255 | Red channel value for second color |
color2.rgb.g | number | 107 | Green channel value for second color |
color2.rgb.b | number | 71 | Blue channel value for second color |
color2.hsl | object | {…} | Second colour as hue, saturation and lightness |
color2.hsl.h | number | 11.7 | Hue value for second color in degrees |
color2.hsl.s | number | 100 | Saturation percentage for second color |
color2.hsl.l | number | 63.9 | Lightness percentage for second color |
rgb_distancePremium | number | 28.28 | Euclidean distance between colors in RGB space |
rgb_similarityPremium | number | 93.6 | Percentage similarity based on RGB color space |
hsl_similarityPremium | number | 97.71 | Percentage similarity based on HSL color space |
overall_similarity | number | 95.65 | Combined similarity percentage from all algorithms |
delta_ePremium | number | 28.28 | Delta E color difference metric for perceptual similarity |
hue_differencePremium | number | 1.15 | Hue difference between colors in degrees |
saturation_differencePremium | number | 0 | Saturation percentage difference between colors |
lightness_differencePremium | number | 3.92 | Lightness percentage difference between colors |
similarity_category | string | nearly identical | Human readable category describing similarity level |
are_identical | boolean | false | Boolean indicating if colors are exactly identical |
Filling a whole column
Hand the first argument a range instead of a cell and the add-in makes one batched call for the lot, then spills the answers down. That is faster than dragging the formula and costs the same credits — one per row looked up.
=VERVE("colorsimilarity", A2:A100, B2, "field", "similarity_category")=VERVE.CALL("colorsimilarity", A2:A100, B2, "field", "similarity_category")A2:A100 is the column of color1 values. The result spills down alongside it, one row per input, blanks skipped.
When a cell doesn't fill
A failed lookup returns readable text starting with #ERR rather than a spreadsheet error, because Excel cannot show a custom message on a real error — you would get a bare #VALUE! with no reason. The trade-off is that IFERROR() won't catch it; test with LEFT(cell, 4) = "#ERR" instead.
| Cell reads | What happened |
|---|---|
#ERR Not connected | No API key saved. Open the side panel and connect your account. |
#ERR Replace <name> with a cell or value | The preview formula was copied as-is. Swap the placeholder for a cell reference. |
#ERR No "x" in colorsimilarity | An option name that this source doesn't take. The message lists the ones it does. |
#ERR No data point "…" | The "field" path isn't in the response. Check the dot-path against the table above. |
#PREMIUM(field) | The field exists but your plan doesn't include it. |
#ERR Out of credits | The month's credits are spent. Usage resets on your billing date. |
Before the formula works
The add-in reads the API key you saved once in the side panel — the key never goes in the formula, so a shared sheet doesn't leak it and a collaborator without access simply sees the last calculated values.
- Install the add-in for Google Sheets or Excel.
- Open the side panel and sign in, or paste a key from your dashboard.
- Type the formula above into any cell.
Other ways to use Compare Colors in Google Sheets
Set up Compare Colors in Google Sheets on VerveSheets, or reach the same source a different way. Your VerveSheets account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Compare Colors in Google Sheets work in both Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes — the same source, the same arguments. Sheets calls it =VERVE("colorsimilarity", …) and Excel calls it =VERVE.CALL("colorsimilarity", …); that function name is the only difference.
Do the cells recalculate on their own?
They recalculate when the sheet does — on edit, on open, or on a manual recalc. Each recalculation is a fresh call and spends credits, so for a large static column it's worth copying the results and pasting them as values.
How many credits does a filled column cost?
1 credit per row looked up, whether you drag the formula or pass a range. The range form is one HTTP call instead of many, but the credit count is the same.
Can I share the sheet without sharing my key?
Yes. The key is stored against your account, not in the file. Collaborators see the values already in the cells; formulas only recalculate for someone who has connected their own account.
Why is a cell showing #ERR instead of an error?
So you can read the reason. Excel can't display a custom message on a real spreadsheet error, so the add-in returns the explanation as text on both platforms instead.