Is there an app that stores paint recipes linked to the paints I actually own?
Last updated: 7 September 2026
Yes. Zenithal stores step-by-step paint recipes where each step names its paints, and it checks those paints against the stash you actually own. If a recipe needs a pot you do not have, it tells you, and one tap adds that pot to the shopping list.
The point of a recipe is repeating the exact colour months later, on the next unit of the same army. That only works if the recipe and the stash agree.
How to do it with a notebook or a spreadsheet
- Write the recipe as numbered steps in the order you painted them: base, wash, layer, highlight.
- Name each paint by brand and exact name. "The dark red" is useless in six months.
- Write mixes as ratios and name the technique for each step: drybrush, glaze, thin layer.
- Cross-check every paint in the recipe against your stash list. Mark any you do not own.
- Note which models you used the recipe on, so you can find the matching unit later.
- Add a photo of the finished model beside the recipe. It settles arguments with your future self.
Step 4 is the one people skip, and it is the one that sends you to the shop mid-session.
How Zenithal does it
Recipes in Zenithal hold steps, mixes and techniques, each with its paints. A recipe knows which units it was used on, and it tells you when a paint it needs is missing from your stash. One tap adds that paint to the shopping list. A unit page shows the recipes used on it, next to its photo and stage counts.
Cross-brand equivalents come free. If a recipe calls for a pot from one brand and you own a similar one from another, Zenithal shows a close, near or rough match. It never claims two paints are identical. This is also how a recipe survives a discontinued pot.
The free tier is a working tracker, not a trial: 5 recipes, 40 paints and 10 backlog units, with single-pot barcode scanning and cross-brand equivalents included. Backup, restore and CSV export are free forever. Zenithal Pro is a one-time purchase, $9.99 USD at launch and $14.99 after the launch window closes. There is no subscription. Pro gives unlimited recipes, paints and units, bulk scanning, shop mode and the smart shopping list. Prices vary by country and are shown in the app.
Zenithal is on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play for Android phones and tablets. Native Mac and Windows versions are planned as later releases and are not available yet. No account, no login. Your units, paints, recipes and photos live in a database on your own phone or tablet. There is no live cross-device sync; backups are files you keep.
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Related questions
- What happens if a paint in my recipe is discontinued?
- Cross-brand equivalents show a close, near or rough match from another brand, so the recipe still works with paints you own. Zenithal never claims two paints are identical.
- How many recipes can I keep for free?
- Five recipes, 40 paints and 10 backlog units on the free tier, with no time limit. Zenithal Pro removes the caps for a one-time purchase.
- Can I attach a recipe to a model?
- Yes. A recipe knows which units it was used on, and the unit page lists its recipes beside its photo and stage counts.
Zenithal is a Trueframe Digital app. Pay once, no account, your data stays on your device. See the Zenithal page for screenshots, the full feature list and prices.