ColorThink vs X-Rite i1Profiler
ColorThink
chromix.comX-Rite i1Profiler
xrite.comSide by side
| Figure | ColorThink | X-Rite i1Profiler |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 0 |
| Spec score · Color Management Software | 7.7 (#10) | 6.9 (#16) |
| Downloads | ColorThink 4 version 4.2 is listed for macOS and Windows, released June 2, 2026; the macOS download supports Intel or Apple Silicon and the Windows download supports 64-bit Windows 10/11. | The maker’s support page lists i1Profiler versions for PC and Mac. |
| Founded | 1998 | 1958 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, United States | Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States |
| Purpose | ColorThink is a color graphing and analytics tool that helps users calibrate printing systems, verify accuracy, and prepare measurements for ICC profiling or use as color references. | i1Profiler creates monitor and printer profiles for creative color control. |
| Security | The maker's ColorThink information and download pages reviewed here do not state security or compliance certifications. | X-Rite's technical and organisational security measures document says its application development approach includes security gates and practices. |
| Support | The maker provides a ColorThink 4 User Guide and ColorThink discussion forums, and lists weekday support hours of 9:30–6:00 Pacific. | The product page lists support articles on color measurement and conversion, USB 3.0 connectivity, and Windows 11 compatibility. |
Plans
ColorThink
- ColorThink 4 Photo$249, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Photo XPlat Bundle$334, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Photo + MeasPack Bundle$448, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro$449, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Photo + MeasPack XPlat Bundle$601, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro XPlat Bundle$602, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro + MeasPack Bundle$628, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro + PrePress Bundle$673, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro + MeasPack XPlat Bundle$842, paid once
- ColorThink 4 Pro + MeasPack + PrePress Bundle$897, paid once
In their own words
ColorThink
ColorThink is a color graphing and analytics tool for calibrating printing systems, checking accuracy, and preparing measurements for ICC profiling or color references. ColorThink 4 measures directly from connected instruments and sends results to a worksheet or graph. Color Assets organizes installed profiles and other color assets, with metadata filtering and sorting. Pro licensing adds gamut comparison by subtraction or addition and calculates a Gamut Comparison Index. Image animation is available across license levels, showing transitions between normal display and Lab color values in the grapher. PrePressPack adds nColor and color-list handling, device-link and ColorCast profile creation, white-point editing and remapping, and patch tuning. Listed instruments span X-Rite, Barbieri, Konica Minolta, Techkon, and Color Sentinel. The software runs on macOS and Windows; version 4.2 is listed for both. Photo licensing starts at $249, paid once.
X-Rite i1Profiler
X-Rite i1Profiler creates monitor and printer profiles for creative color control on Windows and macOS. Display profiling can use a basic wizard-driven mode or an advanced user-defined mode. Monitor controls include adjustable or unlimited gamma, white point, and luminance settings, gray-balance optimization, reference profiles for workgroup matching, chromatic adaptation for visual matching, multi-display matching, and display-quality assurance workflows. Printer profiling provides high-patch-count charts, linearization, flash and ambient-light measurements, and Optical Brightener Compensation for papers with optical brighteners. Advanced profile editing includes black-separation controls and white-point editing. The software supports ICC profile export, LUT calibration, and multi-monitor calibration. PANTONE Color Manager libraries or palettes can support printer-profile spot-color optimization. Requirements include 4 GB RAM, 2 GB disk space, a powered USB port, and high-speed internet for installation, downloads, and updates. A measurement instrument or dongle is required, with a license stored on an i1Pro 2 device or HASP4 dongle. Pricing is on request.