Paint On Numbers vs Michaels: Which Is Better for Paint By Numbers in Canada?

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I get asked this question a lot and I want to answer it honestly rather than just telling you to buy from us. The truth is that Michaels and Paint On Numbers serve genuinely different needs, and the right choice depends entirely on what you are actually looking for from a paint by numbers kit.

Michaels is one of the most convenient craft retailers in Canada. If you need something today, you can walk in and walk out with a kit in hand. But convenience and quality are different things, and if you are investing time in a creative project that you want to frame and display, the differences between a mass-market kit and a specialist kit matter a great deal more than the price difference suggests.

Here is an honest breakdown of how the two compare across every factor that actually affects your experience.

The core difference

Michaels is a craft supermarket. It carries materials for hundreds of different hobbies and its paint by numbers selection reflects that breadth. You will find a reasonable range of designs, mostly from large global suppliers, at accessible price points. The kits are designed to be simple, family-friendly, and available in a physical store near you today.

Paint On Numbers is a specialist. We sell one category of product and we have built everything around making that one thing as good as it can be, the canvas quality, the paint formulation, the design curation, the custom kit process, the size range, the framing options. There is no compromise toward a broader retail audience because there is no broader retail audience. Every decision we make is about paint by numbers specifically.

That difference in focus is what drives every specific comparison below.

Head to head comparison

Canvas and paint quality

This is the biggest practical difference between the two and the one that affects your experience most directly. Michaels carries kits from several different third-party brands, and the quality varies considerably between them. Some of their kits use thin cotton canvas that warps when it gets wet from paint, and acrylic paints that are thin enough that you can see the printed numbers through two or three coats. This is not a problem with all of their stock, but it is inconsistent enough that you are taking a risk, particularly with cheaper kits.

At Paint On Numbers every kit uses the same linen-blend, gesso-primed canvas and the same pre-mixed acrylic formula. There is no variation between kits because we control the specification ourselves rather than reselling different brands. You know what you are getting before you order.

Design selection and exclusivity

Michaels carries designs that are widely available from the same global suppliers that sell to craft retailers everywhere. If you buy a kit at Michaels there is a reasonable chance the same design is available at craft stores in the US, UK, and Australia. That is not necessarily a problem, but it is the nature of mass-market retail.

Our designs are curated specifically for our store and updated regularly across landscapes, animals, famous art, abstract, floral, and seasonal categories. You can browse over 300 designs by theme, difficulty, and size to find something that genuinely appeals to you rather than settling for whatever happens to be on the shelf.

Custom kits

This is the clearest point of difference. Michaels does not offer custom paint by numbers from your own photo. We do, and it is one of our most popular products. You upload any photo, a pet, a couple, a family portrait, a landscape, and receive a fully numbered canvas with colour-matched paints and brushes ready to paint. Every custom kit goes through human design review before printing, which makes a significant difference to the clarity and accuracy of the final canvas. Our custom kits start from $34.99 CAD.

Colour count and complexity

Most kits at Michaels come with a fixed colour count, typically in the 20 to 24 colour range, which suits beginner-friendly designs. At Paint On Numbers you can choose between 24, 36, or 48 colours for most designs, which gives you direct control over how much detail and colour gradation your finished painting has. A 48-colour version of the same design looks noticeably more realistic than a 24-colour version, and it is a meaningful choice to have. Our guide to choosing between 24, 36, and 48 colours explains the practical differences.

When Michaels is the right choice

Michaels makes sense in a few specific situations and I think it is worth being honest about that rather than pretending the only right answer is to buy from us.

If you need a kit today and cannot wait for shipping, Michaels is your best option. There is no online equivalent of walking into a store and leaving with a kit in hand. If you are buying for a child or a casual group activity where the goal is fun rather than a frame-worthy finished piece, their more accessible price points make sense. And if you are completely new to paint by numbers and want to try it before committing to a more detailed kit, picking up a simple Michaels kit to test the waters is a perfectly reasonable approach.

When a specialist store is the right choice

A specialist store is the better choice whenever the quality of the finished result actually matters to you. If you are planning to frame and display the painting, the canvas and paint quality will affect how good it looks on the wall. If you want a specific design, size, or complexity level that general retailers do not carry, a specialist gives you far more options. If you want a custom kit from a personal photo, there is simply no equivalent at a big-box retailer.

The price difference is real but narrower than it first appears when you factor in what is included. A $34.99 kit from Paint On Numbers includes a linen-blend canvas, a full set of pre-mixed matched acrylics, three brushes, and a printed reference image. A $20 kit from Michaels may include a thinner canvas, fewer colours, and a single brush. The gap in materials is larger than the gap in price.

If you want to read more detailed kit comparisons across different price points and brands, our premium vs cheap paint by numbers quality test goes through the differences with actual test results.

Common questions

The bottom line

If you need something today, want a simple kit for a child, or are testing the hobby for the first time without a big commitment, Michaels is a perfectly reasonable option. They are convenient and their kits work for casual use.

If you want a kit you are genuinely proud of when it is finished, a design that excites you before you open the box, canvas quality that holds up over a 15-hour project, or a custom kit made from a photo that matters to you, a specialist store is worth the extra few days of shipping. Browse our full adult collection or read our guide to spotting a high-quality kit before you decide.