The closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore match for Sherwin-Williams In the Navy (SW 9178, a very deep near-black navy at roughly LRV 4) is Hale Navy HC-154 (LRV about 6.3). Hale Navy is the universally stocked Benjamin Moore navy and the nearest in character, though it reads a step lighter and a touch warmer and grayer than In the Navy.
If you want to match In the Navy's near-black depth more exactly, Old Navy 2063-10 (LRV about 3.4) is the closer number, an even deeper clean navy. On the Behr side, the nearest widely cited match is Very Navy PPU15-19 (LRV about 6), a clean deep navy that runs slightly lighter and brighter.
These gaps are a couple of LRV points at most, small but real. No brand publishes an official equivalent, so confirm the match on your own wall before you commit a gallon.
Sherwin-Williams In the Navy is the kind of deep, saturated navy people fall for on a cabinet or a study wall, then want to buy from a different brand. Maybe your painter stocks Benjamin Moore, maybe your local store is a Behr shop. Either way there is no official cross-brand twin, only close neighbors. This guide lines up the nearest Benjamin Moore and Behr matches with real numbers, so you can see exactly how close each one lands. If you want the method behind it first, here is how cross-brand paint matching works.
The closest matches, side by side
In the Navy sits near the bottom of the LRV scale, so the honest job here is to find the deep navies in each brand's deck that land closest on both depth and undertone. Two numbers do most of the work: LRV, which tells you how dark the color reads, and the undertone, which decides whether a navy stays clean or drifts toward gray, slate, or teal. Here is how the three best candidates compare against the original on both counts.
| Color | Brand and code | Approx LRV | Undertone vs In the Navy | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In the Navy approx #283849 |
Sherwin-Williams SW 9178 | 4 (very low) | Reference: clean cool near-black navy, faint slate, not purple or teal | The original |
| Hale Navy approx #3E4650 |
Benjamin Moore HC-154 | 6.3 | A step lighter, a touch warmer and grayer | Closest widely recommended match |
| Old Navy approx #2B333D |
Benjamin Moore 2063-10 | 3.4 | Near-identical near-black depth, very clean navy | Best for exact depth |
| Very Navy approx #3A4551 |
Behr PPU15-19 | 6 | Clean navy, slightly lighter and brighter | Closest Behr match |
Try it on your house
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LRV and hex values are approximate and drawn from widely published figures; brands do not certify cross-brand matches. Screens and printers shift color, so the only authoritative reference is a physical paint chip from each brand.
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Why there is no exact In the Navy equivalent
Paint brands mix from different colorant systems and keep their formulas private, so no company publishes an official conversion into a competitor's line. What you get instead are close neighbors that a colorist measures and eyeballs. In the Navy, Hale Navy, and Old Navy were each formulated by a different lab chasing a similar idea, a deep dependable navy, and they land on slightly different coordinates. That is why every match on this page is framed as the closest widely recommended option, never an exact equal.
With a color this dark the gaps stay small, but they are not zero. A one to two point LRV difference is at the edge of what most eyes catch on a chip, yet on a full wall after dark it can be the difference between inky navy and near-black. Deep navy is also one of the trickiest families to match, because a faint undertone can swing blue, slate, or gray as the sun moves, and a north-facing wall will pull a different note out of the same paint than a west-facing one at sunset. Treat the numbers as a shortlist, then let a real sample settle it.
When the Benjamin Moore match works (and when to stay Sherwin-Williams)
- Reach for Hale Navy when your painter buys Benjamin Moore by default and you want one clean order, or when the wall lives in lower light (a powder room, an island, a paneled study) where a couple of LRV points of difference simply disappear.
- Choose Old Navy 2063-10 when the whole point is In the Navy's near-black depth and you want the closest Benjamin Moore number, accepting that it is a slightly less common shelf color.
- Stay with Sherwin-Williams In the Navy when you are touching up or matching an existing In the Navy element, or when the color goes on a large, bright wall where its exact depth and slate lean matter. The In the Navy undertones and best rooms profile shows how it behaves by exposure.
- Whichever way you lean, compare LRV and undertone side by side instead of trusting the name, then buy a sample pot or peel and stick swatch before the full gallon. This walkthrough on how to compare paint colors shows the exact checks.
Related matches
Chasing a Benjamin Moore version of another Sherwin-Williams deep tone? The same three-number method applies to the Benjamin Moore equivalent of Cyberspace, a near-black blue-charcoal, and to the Benjamin Moore equivalent of Copen Blue, a softer mid-tone blue. Each one comes down to the same checks: LRV, undertone, and a test on your own wall.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of In the Navy?
The closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore match is Hale Navy HC-154. In the Navy sits at roughly LRV 4, a very deep near-black navy, while Hale Navy is near LRV 6.3, so Hale Navy reads a step lighter and a touch warmer and grayer. It is the nearest Benjamin Moore navy in character, not an official equivalent. If you want to match In the Navy's near-black depth more precisely, Old Navy 2063-10 (about LRV 3.4) is closer on the numbers.
Is there a Behr version of In the Navy?
The closest Behr match is Very Navy PPU15-19, a clean deep navy near LRV 6. It tracks In the Navy well on undertone but runs slightly lighter and brighter, so it can look a hair less inky in strong light. There is no official Behr equivalent, so sample it on your own wall before buying a full gallon.
Is Hale Navy the same as In the Navy?
No, they are close cousins, not the same color. In the Navy is deeper and cleaner, closer to black in dim light, while Hale Navy carries a bit more gray and warmth and reflects a little more light. In a low light room the two can look nearly identical, but bright daylight makes In the Navy's extra depth easy to see.
Will the Benjamin Moore match look identical on my wall?
Probably not identical, but usually close. Light direction, sheen, and the colors around it all shift how a deep navy reads, and a gap of a couple of LRV points is enough to notice in some rooms. The only reliable test is a sample on your actual wall, or a preview on a photo of your space before you buy.
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Trademark notice. Sherwin-Williams and In the Navy, Benjamin Moore, and Behr are trademarks of their respective owners. FacadeColorizer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these companies. Brand and color names are used descriptively (nominative fair use). Hex and RGB values are approximate digital renderings; the only authoritative reference is a physical paint chip.
Trademarks mentioned (Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, Caparol, Brillux, Sto, Alpina, Valspar, PPG, Glidden, Dulux, Crown Trade, Sandtex, Farrow & Ball, Johnstone's, Leyland) are property of their respective owners. FacadeColorizer is independent and not affiliated with any of them. Nominative fair use under Lanham Act §1125.
