The 10 Best Acrylic Paints as of July 2026

How we ranked these acrylic paints

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each acrylic paint set does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Acrylic Paints	Score	Best for	Grade	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic	9.1	Best professional	Artist grade	£varies	View Price
2	Liquitex Heavy Body	9.1	Best for texture	Artist grade	£varies	View Price
3	Golden Heavy Body	9.0	Best premium texture	Artist grade	£varies	View Price
4	Winsor & Newton Galeria	8.9	Best mid-range	Student grade	£varies	View Price
5	Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Set	8.8	Best value artist set	Student/artist	£33	View Price
6	Daler-Rowney System3	8.7	Best British all-rounder	Student/intro	£varies	View Price
7	Liquitex BASICS Set	8.7	Best starter set	Student grade	£30	View Price
8	Sennelier Abstract	8.6	Best for fluid art	Artist grade	£varies	View Price
9	Artecho Acrylic Paint Set	8.4	Best cheap starter	Craft grade	£15	View Price
10	Arteza Acrylic Set	8.3	Best big budget set	Craft/student	£35	View Price

The full ranking

Best professional

Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic

9.1Our number one pick.

Winsor & Newton's Professional Acrylics offer intense, lightfast pigment, smooth buttery consistency and excellent coverage, the choice for serious artists. They are expensive per tube, but the pigment quality and permanence are superb.

Pigment: 9.6Coverage: 9.2Range: 9.0Value: 8.4

Pros

Intense lightfast pigment
Smooth buttery body
Excellent coverage

Cons

Expensive
Mostly sold individually

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best for texture

Liquitex Heavy Body

9.1A superb runner-up.

Liquitex Heavy Body acrylics hold brush- and knife-strokes beautifully with strong pigment and a huge colour range, a studio standard for impasto and texture. They are pricier, but the consistency and range are excellent.

Pigment: 9.2Coverage: 9.0Range: 9.4Value: 8.6

Pros

Holds texture well
Strong pigment
Huge colour range

Cons

Pricey
Heavy body not for all

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best premium texture

Golden Heavy Body

9.0Rounds out our top three.

Golden Heavy Body acrylics are revered for exceptional pigment intensity, archival quality and a thick, knife-friendly body, a top professional choice. They are very expensive, but for serious archival work they are superb.

Pigment: 9.6Coverage: 9.2Range: 9.0Value: 8.0

Pros

Exceptional pigment
Archival quality
Thick knife-friendly body

Cons

Very expensive
Heavy body niche

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best mid-range

Winsor & Newton Galeria

8.9A standout in the upper half.

Galeria is Winsor & Newton's student range, with good pigment load and smooth flow at a much friendlier price, ideal for improvers and large works. The pigment is below artist grade, but the value is excellent.

Pigment: 8.8Coverage: 8.8Range: 9.0Value: 9.2

Pros

Good pigment for the price
Smooth flow
Wide range

Cons

Below artist grade
Less lightfast

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best value artist set

Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Set

8.8A well-rounded mid-table pick.

Castle Art Supplies' 48-tube set has become a UK favourite for improvers, with smooth, surprisingly strong colour and a huge spread of shades for the money. It is not artist-grade pigment, but as an all-in-one upgrade set the quality and value are excellent.

Pigment: 8.6Coverage: 8.8Range: 9.2Value: 9.2

Pros

48 smooth, strong colours
Great all-in-one set
Excellent value

Cons

Not artist-grade pigment
Small tubes

Check price on Amazon≈ £33

Best British all-rounder

Daler-Rowney System3

8.7Great value in the middle of the pack.

Daler-Rowney's System3 is a versatile British acrylic range with good body, flow versions and a strong colour selection, popular in schools and studios. It is student grade, but reliable, versatile and good value.

Pigment: 8.6Coverage: 8.8Range: 9.0Value: 9.0

Pros

Versatile and reliable
Good colour range
British brand

Cons

Student grade
Less intense than artist

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best starter set

Liquitex BASICS Set

8.7A dependable pick if the price is right.

Liquitex BASICS sets give a broad spread of decent-quality acrylics in tubes at a great price, perfect for beginners and students starting out. The pigment is student grade, but the range and value in a set are excellent.

Pigment: 8.4Coverage: 8.6Range: 9.0Value: 9.2

Pros

Great starter range
Good-value set
Decent quality

Cons

Student-grade pigment
Thinner coverage

Check price on Amazon≈ £30

Best for fluid art

Sennelier Abstract

8.6Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

Sennelier Abstract acrylics come in resealable pouches with a high pigment load and a satin finish, great for fluid art and mixed media. They are pricier and the pouch format divides opinion, but the pigment and versatility are excellent.

Pigment: 9.0Coverage: 8.8Range: 8.6Value: 8.4

Pros

High pigment load
Great for fluid art
Resealable pouches

Cons

Pricey
Pouch format niche

Check price on Amazon≈ £varies

Best cheap starter

Artecho Acrylic Paint Set

8.4A budget-friendly option worth a look.

Artecho's 24-colour set is a cheap, cheerful way for beginners and children to start painting, with bright, waterproof, non-toxic colours that work on canvas, wood and rock. The pigment is craft grade, but for first steps on a budget the brightness and value are excellent.

Pigment: 8.2Coverage: 8.2Range: 9.0Value: 9.4

Pros

Very affordable
Bright, versatile colours
Great for kids and crafts

Cons

Craft-grade pigment
Thinner coverage

Check price on Amazon≈ £15

Best big budget set

Arteza Acrylic Set

8.3Rounds out our top ten.

Arteza's big acrylic sets pack loads of bright colours in pots or tubes for very little, great for crafters, kids and casual painters. The quality is craft grade and less lightfast, but for sheer quantity and value it is excellent.

Pigment: 8.2Coverage: 8.4Range: 9.2Value: 9.4

Pros

Loads of colours cheaply
Bright
Great for crafts

Cons

Craft grade
Less lightfast

Check price on Amazon≈ £35

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the acrylic paints in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Liquitex Heavy Body and Golden Heavy Body are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best acrylic paints without overthinking it, the Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £varies

Our top picks at a glance

Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic

Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Set

Liquitex Heavy Body

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How we ranked these acrylic paints

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic

Pros

Cons

Liquitex Heavy Body

Pros

Cons

Golden Heavy Body

Pros

Cons

Winsor & Newton Galeria

Pros

Cons

Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Set

Pros

Cons

Daler-Rowney System3

Pros

Cons

Liquitex BASICS Set

Pros

Cons

Sennelier Abstract

Pros

Cons

Artecho Acrylic Paint Set

Pros

Cons

Arteza Acrylic Set

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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