The short answer: Artkal has the largest color range, especially in mini size. Perler and Hama each offer roughly 80 to 100 standard shades. If your project depends on a very specific tone, Artkal is the first place to look.
Color counts change as brands add and retire shades, so any exact number goes stale within a year. The ranking stays the same though: Artkal leads, then Perler and Hama, then most off-brands.
How the brands rank
- Artkal: the widest range, with more pastels, gradients, and specialty colors than anyone, plus the biggest mini selection.
- Perler: about 80 to 100 standard shades, strong on primary and secondary colors, with a large mini line.
- Hama: a similar count, with some tones Perler does not have and vice versa.
- Off-brands: usually 30 to 60 colors, enough for most projects, fewer for precise work.
More colors is not always better
A huge range helps when you need an exact tone, but most patterns work fine with the common shades. Buying 150 colors just because they exist means more jars, more sorting, and more money for shades you use once. Our color guide shows the practical palette per brand, and our brand comparison ranks the ranges. Beads from all major brands are in our shop.