A Color Management Software Buying Guide for Printing Businesses

What to Look for, and Where to Buy

Software has become an integral part of modern production. It can streamline everything from color matching to reporting, thereby reducing ink waste, accelerating turnaround times and improving customer satisfaction. Knowing where to buy color management software for printing businesses is half the battle — professionals must also know what features to look for.

Features to Look for in Color Management Software

A user-friendly web interface is among the most essential features software can have, as it improves productivity without requiring hands-on training. A simple, intuitive dashboard centralizes management, even for companies with multiple workflows, output devices or locations. Step-by-step guidance is ideal, but not required.

Color management tools should also have spot color handling. Many jobs depend on repeatability, especially if trademarked brand colors are involved. Software should create profiles optimized for specific spot colors. It should also be able to measure and convert libraries from Pantone® and other color leaders.

A device link profiling capability can streamline color matching by supporting color space conversions while preserving purity and conserving ink. Does the software support device link creation? Can it automatically standardize files from various sources?

Even if a solution fails to meet some of these key selection criteria, it may still be in the running. Those that allow third-party integrations or custom plugins can provide supplementary capabilities.

The final feature to look for in color management software is quality control and verification. Printers should be able to prove the color aligns with in-house or industry standards, such as the General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography (GRACoL), FOGRA, and Specification for Web Offset Publications (SWOP).

Where to Buy Color Management Software for Printing Businesses: 4 Top Options

You can buy color management software directly from the companies that produce the solutions or authorized resellers. Fujifilm, Datacolor, GMG Color and Ricoh are among the top options.

1. Fujifilm ColorPath SYNC

Since its founding in 1934 as a photographic company, Fujifilm has developed exceptional expertise in image optimization and color management for print production. Its ColorPath® Sync™ solution is a suite of cloud-based tools for offset and digital printing. The centralized interface optimizes color profiles and calibrations for various print standards.

For printing businesses, this color management software aligns with the printing operation. It is fully customizable and has the flexibility to add or convert print conditions. It aligns to all major industry standards and specifications — including FOGRA, GRACoL and SWOP — to ensure consistent color reproduction.

The Brand Color Optimizer™ feature speeds up color matching substantially. It calibrates an entire Pantone library in under an hour — the same time it takes other systems to process a single color. The predictive engine determines how brand colors will perform before printing begins, enabling you to optimize profiles for various substrates quickly.

2. Datacolor Colibri ColorQuality

The Colibri® ColorQuality software from Datacolor features analysis, visualization and reporting tools. It features multiple pass/fail tolerances, customizable templates and encrypted color libraries, which you can use to evaluate the consistency and quality of print conditions.

This software is compatible with multiple brands’ spectrophotometers and multiangle measurement devices. Software-wise, it can integrate with Colibri ColorMatch and ColorTint plugins, allowing you to make adjustments during production. The available third-party integrations cover everything from design to communication.

There are three subscription tiers. The first is for small to medium-sized companies with basic color management needs. The standard tier includes all these features, plus custom templates. The most expensive option is designed for large enterprises with multiple locations or extensive supply chains.

3. GMG Color ColorPlugin

The ColorPlugin tool from GMG Color was designed to interface directly with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. As the name suggests, it is a plugin. You use it for in-app color conversions, separations and previews to streamline the prepress workflows. It is suitable for offset, flexo, gravure or digital printing.

You can make precise adjustments with just a few clicks, ensuring predictable print results every time — eliminating the need for tedious manual color corrections. You can remove, replace, or optimize colors as needed, which is suitable for both spot and multicolor work.

This plugin leverages the capabilities of GMG OpenColor, another color management tool. It lets you control all settings directly within Photoshop and Illustrator. Since it utilizes a proprietary spectral calculation model and patented conversion technology, it can perform profile calculations 15 times faster and output a profile 90% smaller.

4. Ricoh CGS Color Management

Ricoh offers CGS Publishing’s color management software suite — a collection of modular tools for color conversion, proofing and certification. It provides spot color dictionaries from Pantone and other color leaders to improve consistency and help you reproduce brand colors with the highest possible fidelity.

It also lets you create, save and reuse device links and ICC Profiles. You can use the color exchange format (CxF) to accurately communicate brand and spot color characteristics, properties and parameters. CxF is an open standard, allowing anyone involved in production to utilize it for managing and communicating relevant print data.

The tool suite includes Color Tuner, Certified and Press Matcher, which support contract proof creation, color wedge measurement and color reproduction. Whether you need to match colors to in-house specifications or major print standards, it can help.

Comparing the 4 Best Color Management Software

For printing businesses, choosing color management software is a significant decision. It impacts everything from color consistency to device compatibility, potentially affecting reprint costs and client satisfaction. Professionals should carefully review the top options’ key features to ensure they make an informed decision.

Deciding Between the Best Software Solutions

Now that you know where to buy color management software for printing businesses, you should carefully weigh quality, performance and cost. While the key selection criteria are the foundation of your decision-making process, you also have to consider integration capabilities, subscription fees and deployment location.

If you want to learn more about these solutions before committing to one, reach out to the providers. Their teams can demonstrate features and provide advice to help you make an informed decision. Simply fill out your contact information and wait to hear back.