Miniature Paint Cost/Inventory Calculator
Estimate paint bottles needed, checkout cost, replacement value, and brand-to-brand paint cost differences for a miniature army or collection.
Last updated: 2026-03-25
Miniature paint cost/inventory calculator
Enter your values
Estimate how many paints a project really needs, what you still have to buy, and how brand choice changes the hobby budget.
New Paint Checkout Cost
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Enter army size, scheme complexity, brand, and owned inventory to estimate the next paint order.
Calculation History(0)
Example calculations
Tap an example to prefill the calculator with sample values.
2,000-point infantry army
42 models, 9 colors, 2 coats
A practical tabletop baseline where the collection is broad enough for inventory decisions to matter.
Result: Owning a few paints already helps, but premium-brand checkout cost still climbs faster than expected.
How the miniature paint model works
The calculator turns model count, scheme complexity, coats, and average model size into a weighted paint-demand score, then converts that demand into estimated bottle counts for common hobby brands.
Owned paints are treated as usable inventory that offsets new purchases, while the brand comparison shows what the same project would roughly cost if you replaced the stack with Citadel, Vallejo, or Army Painter.
Miniature paint FAQs
How the inventory estimate works and why brand choice changes the project budget.
What does the paint need estimate represent?
It is a planning model that converts model count, color count, average surface size, and coats into an estimated number of bottles or pots. It is meant for budgeting and inventory planning, not exact depletion tracking.
Why compare brands?
Because paint price and bottle efficiency vary materially across common hobby brands. Seeing the equivalent replacement cost helps you understand whether convenience or consistency is worth the premium.
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Use nearby hobby tools to plan army size, painting time, and other project costs.
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