Dollarama vs Walmart vs Premium Paint by Numbers: Honest Comparison

You're standing in the craft aisle at Dollarama or browsing Walmart's hobby section. There it is: a paint by numbers kit for $12. The box looks nice. The finished example on the front looks beautiful. You're tempted. After all, you've seen those $40 to $60 kits online. How different could they really be?

Or maybe you're the opposite. You're shopping online, see a premium kit for $49.99, and wonder if you're just paying for branding. Can't you get basically the same thing at Walmart for a third of the price?

I've tested budget kits from Dollarama, Walmart, and Amazon against premium Canadian kits. I've painted with both. I've talked to dozens of frustrated crafters who bought cheap kits and quit halfway through. This guide breaks down exactly what you get at each price point, with real talk about whether budget kits are ever worth buying.

Visual comparison: Budget kit (left) vs premium kit (right). The difference in materials quality is immediately obvious.

The Honest Truth About Budget Paint by Numbers Kits

Let's start with what you actually get when you buy a paint by numbers kit at Dollarama, Walmart, or cheap online sellers for under $15.

What's Inside a Typical Budget Kit

The canvas: Thin paper-like material, sometimes actual paper instead of canvas. It arrives rolled tightly, creating creases that are hard to remove. The printed numbers are often faint or blurry. No pre-priming, which means paint soaks into the fibers instead of sitting on top.

The paints: Usually 6 to 12 colors in tiny plastic pots. The consistency is watery, almost translucent. You'll need 3 to 4 coats to get opaque coverage. The pots are often half full or less. One or two colors commonly arrive dried out or separated.

The brushes: One or two brushes with stiff synthetic bristles that shed into your wet paint. The tips lose their point after the first session. No variety in brush sizes, making detail work nearly impossible.

The instructions: Usually a small black and white photocopy, if anything. No color reference guide. No tips for technique.

The Experience of Painting a Budget Kit

Here's what actually happens when you sit down to paint one of these:

Session 1 (The Excitement): You open the kit, excited to start. The canvas is wrinkled. You try ironing it on low heat like online tutorials suggest, but the creases don't fully disappear. You start painting. The paint goes on streaky and thin. You can still see the numbers through it. You add another coat. Still visible. You keep going anyway because you're optimistic.

Session 2 (The Frustration): You come back the next day. The paint pots are already starting to dry out because the lids don't seal properly. You add a drop of water to thin them, which makes the coverage even worse. Your brush is shedding bristles into the paint. You try to remove them but just smear wet paint everywhere. The numbers you need are so faint you can barely read them.

Session 3 (The Decision Point): You're maybe 40% done. It looks terrible. The canvas is buckling where you added extra coats. The colors look muddy. You can see white canvas peeking through in dozens of places. You have a choice: spend another 4 to 6 hours trying to salvage this, or cut your losses. Most people quit here.

Canvas quality comparison: Budget canvas (left) shows thin material with faded numbers. Premium canvas (right) has crisp printing on thick pre-primed linen blend.

What You Get with Premium Paint by Numbers Kits

Premium kits from Canadian suppliers like Paint On Numbers, or reputable brands, cost $40 to $70 CAD. Here's what that extra money actually buys:

Materials That Make the Process Enjoyable

The canvas: Thick linen blend material, pre-primed with gesso so paint sits on top instead of soaking in. Arrives either rolled with minimal creasing or pre-stretched on a wooden frame. Numbers and lines are laser-printed with crisp clarity. You can read every number even in dim light.

The paints: 24 to 48 colors depending on detail level. Rich, creamy acrylic consistency with excellent pigment load. One coat gives opaque coverage on most colors. Pots are generously filled and sealed properly so they last months. The colors match the reference image accurately.

The brushes: Three brushes (fine, medium, broad) with soft nylon bristles that hold their shape and don't shed. Comfortable wooden handles. You can actually paint tiny details with the fine brush without wanting to throw it across the room.

Complete kit includes: Full-color printed reference guide, hanging hardware if pre-stretched, detailed instructions with tips, proper packaging that protects everything in shipping.

The Experience of Painting a Premium Kit

Session 1: Canvas is already stretched or has minimal creases that smooth out easily. You start painting. The paint glides on smoothly with one coat. The brush holds its point. You can see exactly what you're doing. You finish a whole section and step back. It actually looks good. You're excited to continue.

Session 2 to 10: Each session is relaxing. The paint pots seal properly so nothing dries out between sessions. The numbers stay visible even with paint on top because the printing is high quality. You work through complex sections with the fine brush, simple sections with the broad brush. It feels meditative, not frustrating.

Completion: You finish the last section. You step back. It looks like a real painting. You're genuinely proud of it. You frame it and hang it in your living room. Guests compliment it. You tell them you painted it yourself and mean it.

Side by Side Comparison: What Actually Changes

Paint consistency matters enormously. Budget paints (left) require multiple coats. Premium paints (right) give one-coat coverage.

When Budget Kits Actually Make Sense

I'm not saying budget kits are always a waste of money. There are specific situations where they're the right choice:

The Real Cost Comparison: Price Per Hour of Enjoyment

Here's how I think about the value:

Budget kit scenario: You pay $12. You get frustrated after 3 hours and quit at 40% completion. You throw it away. Cost per hour: $4. Result: Nothing usable, possible aversion to the hobby.

Premium kit scenario: You pay $49. You enjoy 20 relaxing hours over 4 weeks. You frame it for $25. Total cost $74. Cost per hour: $3.70. Result: A finished piece worth $150+ if you bought it as art, plus genuine pride and 20 hours of stress-free creativity.

The premium kit is actually cheaper per hour of enjoyment, and you get something beautiful at the end.

What About Mid-Range Options?

There's a middle ground: kits in the $25 to $35 range. These usually offer:

• Better canvas than budget (thicker, pre-primed), but not premium linen blend
• 24 colors instead of 6 to 12
• 3 brushes instead of 1 to 2
• Decent paint quality that requires 1 to 2 coats instead of 3+

Our Beginner Collection sits in this sweet spot: premium enough to get satisfying results, priced accessibly for first-time buyers.

The finished result tells the story. Budget kit (left) shows patchy coverage and amateur finish. Premium kit (right) looks professionally painted.

Shopping Tips: How to Spot Quality Before You Buy

Whether you're shopping at Walmart, Dollarama, or online, here's how to evaluate quality before purchase:

Red Flags (Skip These Kits)

• Product photos show only the box art, never the actual canvas or paints inside
• No mention of canvas material (if it's good, they'll tell you)
• Claims like "eco-friendly plant-based canvas" (that's code for paper)
• Price under $10 for anything larger than 8"×10"
• Reviews mentioning dry paints, thin coverage, or illegible numbers
• No brand name or manufacturer information

Green Flags (These Might Be Worth It)

• Specific material details: "pre-primed linen blend canvas"
• Clear photos showing the actual canvas texture and paint pots
• Number of colors listed (24+ suggests better quality)
• Mentions gesso priming or canvas weight
• Includes color reference guide
• Canadian supplier or ships from Canada (faster, no customs)
• Reviews with uploaded finished photos showing good results

For more details on quality evaluation, see our complete quality buyer's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Honest Recommendation

After testing dozens of kits at every price point, here's my advice:

If you're an adult or teen interested in paint by numbers as a relaxing hobby, skip the budget kits entirely. The frustration isn't worth the $12 savings. Start with a beginner-level premium kit around $30. You'll actually finish it, enjoy the process, and have something you're proud to display.

If you're buying for a child under 10, budget kits from Walmart work fine for learning. Just set expectations that it's a learning activity, not wall art. Or consider our Mini Kids Kits at $19.99, which use quality materials in a child-appropriate size.

If you're gift shopping, never give a budget kit. It looks cheap and the recipient will likely quit halfway through, wasting your gift. A $49 premium kit shows you actually care about giving them a quality experience.

The difference between a $12 kit that sits unfinished in a closet and a $49 kit that hangs in your living room isn't just money. It's the difference between a frustrating craft project and a genuinely rewarding creative hobby.