Shade finder apps compared

Foundation shade finder apps for Shopify, compared.

There are a few ways to help shoppers find their shade: quizzes, AR try-on, AI analysis, and measured-colour matching. Here’s how the main options compare, and where Skintone fits.

The options

Five approaches, one that matches colour.

Cheap, no camera

Shade quizzes (Tangent, Octane, custom)

Guesses from a few undertone questions. No measured-colour backing, so accuracy is limited.

Quiz + shade entry + try-on

Match My Makeup

Quiz-first with a limited cross-brand database. Single flat plan; no live camera or competitor dashboard.

AI foundation shade finder

Arbelle

Selfie/AI-analysis led. Strong on analysis, but not built around a measured cross-brand match from a shade you already own.

Visual, immersive

AR try-on (Perfect Corp, YouCam, Banuba)

Shows a look, not an exact colour match. Enterprise-priced and heavy to install.

Measured colour, cross-brand

Skintone

Matches by CIEDE2000 across 100+ calibrated brands, adds a live white-paper camera reading and a competitor-shade dashboard. Free to install.

At a glance

What each approach actually does.

QuizAR try-onAI analysisSkintone
Matches by measured colourNoNoPartialYes
From a shade they already wearNoNoNoYes
Live camera readingNoLook onlySelfieWhite-paper calibrated
Competitor-shade dataNoNoNoYes
Free to installOftenNoVariesYes
Skintone vs Match My Makeup →
FAQ

Choosing a shade finder.

What is the best foundation shade finder app for Shopify?

It depends on your goal. Quizzes are cheapest but guess. AR try-on is visual but shows a look, not a colour. Match My Makeup and Arbelle are quiz/AI-led. Skintone is the measured-colour option: it matches a shopper's shade across 100+ calibrated brands, adds a live camera, and is free to install.

What is the difference between a shade finder and virtual try-on?

A shade finder tells a shopper their correct shade. Virtual try-on shows what a shade looks like on their face. Try-on is engaging but doesn't guarantee the colour is right, which is why it reduces returns less than measured matching.

The measured-colour option.

Free to install on Shopify. Match your first shopper today.