What it does
NCS Colour is the official resource for the Natural Colour System. It connects colour notations with physical samples, readers, education and NCS+, a digital workspace with free and paid plans for professional colour work.
The notation gives a colour a shared reference across materials. In NCS S 1040-R20B, 1040 means 10% blackness and 40% chromaticness (how strong the colour is), while R20B means red with 20% blue. The site explains this through its colour circle and triangle.
NCS+ plans
| Plan | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Free | The 2,050 standard colours, combinations and boards for colours and products |
| Pro Individual | Image extraction, palette analysis, shared moodboards and exports for Adobe, Vectorworks, PowerPoint and Figma |
| Pro Team | Pro features for every seat under a company account, with administrative access controls |
Pro Individual costs EUR 9.99 per month, or EUR 8.25 per month when billed annually.
A Colourpin reader can scan a physical surface and sync the result from the phone app to the web app. NCS recommends checking that result against an NCS Index 2050 physical reference.
Strengths
- The system explains hue and nuance through a consistent notation.
- NCS+ Pro can carry physical colour scans into project boards.
Watch out for
- Image extraction, advanced palette analysis and exports need NCS+ Pro.
- Scanning a physical surface requires a separate Colourpin reader.
Best for
- Interior and product teams carrying colour choices between samples and digital design.
Sources
- Colour codes, premium digital & physical colour design solutions - NCS Colour (Oct 28, 2026)
- Learn the NCS System - NCS Colour (Oct 28, 2026)
- NCS+ Platform - NCS Colour (Oct 28, 2026)
- NCS+ Pro Team: now available to purchase online - NCS Colour (Oct 28, 2026)
- 2025 in colour - Explore the activity across the global NCS+ community (Oct 28, 2026)
- Saving scans to moodboards (Pro feature) (Oct 28, 2026)
- Creating an NCS+ Account (Oct 28, 2026)